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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was no change in prayer arrangements at Al Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, after a far-right minister in his ruling coalition said Jewish prayers would be permitted at the site.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Wednesday that he was working to change the status at Al Aqsa, which would break a long-standing agreement with Jordan and threaten further violence as the war in Gaza rages.
Mr Ben-Gvir said the religious complex was “undergoing change, we all understand what I am talking about”, Israel's Kan public broadcaster quoted him as saying in the Knesset on Wednesday.
He told politicians that he had prayed at the site last week and, because he represents “the political leadership”, Jewish prayers are permitted there.
He also claimed Jewish people were “being discriminated against” at Al Aqsa.
Several hours after his remarks, the office of Mr Netanyahu said the status-quo at the compound had “not changed and will not change”.
Mr Ben-Gvir was speaking during a parliamentary conference on Israel's “return” to the compound in Jerusalem, the third-holiest site in Islam after Makkah and Madinah, which houses the Dome of the Rock shrine and Al Aqsa Mosque.
Jews claim the site as sacred, too. While people of any religion are allowed to visit, Jewish prayer is forbidden in the compound under an agreement with Jordan, which oversees Jerusalem's Muslim and Christian holy sites.
“Jews will not be discriminated against … on my watch,” Mr Ben-Gvir said.
Israeli police, who fall under Mr Ben-Gvir's control, have increasingly allowed Jewish prayer and rituals at Al Aqsa since Mr Netanyahu returned to power with an ultra-right-wing coalition.
The head of Israel police's holy sites unit later contradicted Mr Ben-Gvir, saying Jewish prayer was not allowed at the site.
The Security Minister's latest statement also drew ire from some colleagues, including MP Ofer Cassif, from the Arab-majority Hadash-Ta'al party, who said the move was a “declaration of war on the Muslim world”.
Ultra-Orthodox figures also criticised Mr Ben-Gvir, saying prayer at the site was forbidden under Jewish law since the destruction of the ancient temples.
The Times of Israel quoted Moshe Gafni, chief of the Haredi Degel Hatorah party, as demanding that the Prime Minister should “not allow the status quo to change” at Al Aqsa, and any change should be “to close the site to Jews”.
Interior Minister Moshe Abrel described Mr Ben-Gvir's comments as “great blasphemy”.
Mr Ben-Gvir made similar comments last month, prompting the Prime Minister's office to quickly release a statement denying the status quo had changed.
“My policy is very clear on this matter: Jews can be anywhere in Jerusalem, pray anywhere,” Mr Ben-Gvir said.
Speaking after a controversial Flag Day march through the Old City, he told Israeli radio that prayers were being conducted “loudly” at Al Aqsa.
Jews prayed at the site, he said. “That’s the ministerial position … and that’s a good thing.”
Amman has repeatedly rebuked Mr Ben-Gvir for his controversial visits to the compound.
Last week, he visited the site and spoke out against an agreement that would secure a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages still held in the enclave.
He said he visited the compound to pray for the hostages “but without a reckless deal … without surrendering”.
His remarks come at a time when Mr Netanyahu, currently on a trip to Washington, is expected to decide against forming a “war-managing forum” with the controversial minister, who has been widely rebuked for his anti-Palestinian remarks and support for the death penalty against Palestinian detainees.
The Prime Minister, already facing growing protests at home and in the US, opted against the move “to avoid embarrassment in Washington”, an official said.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant took to X on Wednesday to oppose talks to include Mr Ben-Gvir in any war administration.
“Sitting in the government is a pyromaniac who wants to set fire to the Middle East,” he wrote.
“I oppose any negotiations to bring him into the war cabinet – this will allow him to realise his plans.”
Mr Ben-Gvir, who lives in an illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank, has been vocal in his support for the devastating war on Gaza, which has killed more than 39,100 Palestinians since October.
He has also relaxed gun control laws, providing thousands of weapons to Israeli settlements and towns near Arab communities and defended settler attacks on Palestinians towns in the West Bank.
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Germany 1
Ozil (11')
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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BANGLADESH SQUAD
Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (vice captain), Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahaman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
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Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
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Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
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What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Honeymoonish
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All you need to know about Formula E in Saudi Arabia
What The Saudia Ad Diriyah E-Prix
When Saturday
Where Diriyah in Saudi Arabia
What time Qualifying takes place from 11.50am UAE time through until the Super Pole session, which is due to end at 12.55pm. The race, which will last for 45 minutes, starts at 4.05pm.
Who is competing There are 22 drivers, from 11 teams, on the grid, with each vehicle run solely on electronic power.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
