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Hamas blamed Israel and the US for the killing of the group's political leader Ismail Haniyeh in a strike in Tehran, warning the attack marks a new escalation that will have “major repercussions” for the Middle East.
The shocking assassination of Mr Haniyeh in a guarded guest house in the north of the Iranian capital early Wednesday, came hours after senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr was targeted in an Israeli strike on the Beirut suburb of Dahieh on Tuesday evening.
The Israeli targeting of the military commander in Beirut and the assassination of the Palestinian leader within less than 24 hours suggest that the coming months will likely see a fiercer cycle of retaliation and violence in parts of the Middle East.
The region is already experiencing a devastating Israeli war in the Gaza Strip, which has escalated into a regional conflict involving states and militant groups from Yemen and Iraq to Lebanon and Syria.
The killing of Mr Haniyeh after he attended an inauguration ceremony for the new Iranian president, was announced by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which said it was investigating the incident.
Mr Haniyeh was killed in an air strike at about 2am on a home for war veterans in the north of the capital, it said. The missile was not launched from inside Iran, Iranian sources told the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen news outlet.
A funeral procession will be held in Tehran on Thursday, before his body is transferred to Doha, Hamas has confirmed. Funeral prayers will be held in the Qatari capital on Friday afternoon, before the burial in Lusail's Imam Founder Cemetery.
Wide regional war
The Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, denounced the “cowardly Israeli assassination” as a “critical and dangerous event that takes the battle to new dimensions”.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “leading Israel towards the abyss”, it said in a statement.
“The enemy has miscalculated by expanding the circle of aggression and assassinating resistance leaders in various arenas and violating the sovereignty of the countries of the region,” it said. “It is time for this Israeli rampage to stop, for this raging enemy to be curbed.”
Hamas official Mahmoud Taha told The National that the assassination was carried out to put pressure on the group to accept Israeli conditions for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“This crime will be paid dearly by the Israeli army,” he added, warning that “this development may lead to a wide regional war," and that "Washington must bear the consequences of this escalation”.
“The Israeli army carried out this operation with an American green light, and the American administration bears responsibility,” he added. “This a cowardly act. All scenarios are possible to respond to this assassination.”
The US said it was not aware nor involved in the assassination, with its Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, telling reporters in Singapore it was “hard to speculate” on the consequences of the Hamas leader's death.
Ceasefire talks
The Israeli army said it would not comment on foreign media reports, but it has in the past been blamed for assassinating government-linked figures and foreign militants in Tehran.
The assassination threatens to derail months-long efforts by mediators to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, where about 39,400 people have been killed and more than 90,000 wounded since October. Mr Haniyeh was the main negotiator.
Talks between Israel and Hamas have completely broken down, Hamas sources told The National on Wednesday afternoon.
“Right now everything is suspended,” said an exiled Hamas representative in Lebanon.
“Negotiations were faltering even before the cowardly assassination,” a second Hamas source said. “We cannot discuss negotiations because the Zionist enemy has assassinated and killed those with whom it is negotiating.”
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed that Israel will face a “harsh punishment” for the attack, saying it is Tehran’s duty to “avenge his blood”.
“With this action, the criminal and terrorist Zionist regime prepared the ground for harsh punishment for itself,” Mr Khamenei said in a statement shared by the Irna news agency.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was filmed embracing Mr Haniyeh hours before his death, said Iran was in mourning for the “brave leader”.
Tehran will “defend its territorial integrity … and make the terrorist invaders regret their cowardly action”, he added.
Key meditators, regional leaders and militant groups have condemned Mr Haniyeh's killing and Israel's pattern of escalation across the Middle East, while shops in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank were shut and hundreds poured into the streets in protest.
Public mourning has been declared in Iran and Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
Qatar, Mr Haniyeh's longtime base, said Israel's “reckless behaviour” risked undermining any chance for peace and may push the region into further chaos. It called the killing a “dangerous escalation and blatant violation of international and humanitarian law”.
Doha repeated “its firm position against violence, terrorism and criminal acts, including political assassinations, whatever the motives or reasons”.
Israel has launched attacks on senior Hamas officials across the region, assassinating deputy leader Saleh Al Arouri in Beirut in January.
Mr Haniyeh said at the time that the killing “was a terrorist act … that shall make us stronger”.
His three sons and several grandchildren were also killed in April in an Israeli strike on Al Shati refugee camp, in Gaza.
Several of Mr Haniyeh's children also reacted to his death.
“We are in a continuous uprising and struggle against the occupying enemy, and the resistance does not end with the assassination of its leaders,” his son Abdulsalam Haniyeh said in comments carried by Iranian state media and Palestinian outlets.
“My father achieved what he wished for,” he added, saying Hamas will continue operations against Israel until Palestine is freed.
Hamas politburo member Musa Abu Marzouq said his killing was a “cowardly act that will definitely not go unanswered”, while official Sami Abu Zuhri said the killing is a “grave escalation” that will “fail to achieve its objectives”.
While Israel has not formally acknowledged the attack, ministers have taken to social media to celebrate his death and say “no more” to any peace agreement.
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Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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The burning issue
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When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
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Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
