Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Gazans are showing solidarity with Lebanese as days of air strikes have killed more than 500 people in the south and east of the country, as well as the capital of Beirut.
In Gaza's Khan Younis, only 250km from Sidon from where thousands of Lebanese have fled in recent days, people share news of the latest strikes and their fear that a repeat of Gaza's turmoil is in the offing.
The Gaza Strip has been under Israeli bombardment for almost a year, killing more than 41,400 people and injuring at least 95,000. As most of the enclave's infrastructure is destroyed and millions of residents have been evicted from their homes several times in Gaza, the population fears the same fate for Lebanon.
“Beirut feels like our own tent and our hearts ache for those who are suffering,” said Mohammed Ahmad, 32, who is originally from Gaza city but was forced to move south to Khan Younis. “We hope this situation ends soon, as we do not want them to endure the same experiences we have faced. We have suffered immensely and we fear that the same fate may befall Lebanon.”
Hezbollah has been the target of Israeli attacks across Lebanon since October but tit-for-tat strikes across the border have escalated with Israel blowing up thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging mainly to the group and striking more than 1,600 targets from the air in the past week, beginning an open-ended war. As in Gaza, civilians have been killed in high numbers, including 50 children since Monday, alongside Hezbollah members.
Israel has repeatedly struck the Beirut suburb of Dahieh, most recently on Tuesday, killing six people. Tens of thousands have been displaced either side of the Israel-Lebanon border as Hezbollah responds to Israel's bombardment by striking areas that it has rarely reached in the past, including Haifa in central Israel. The militant group said it will not stop firing missiles into Israel until its enemy stops its bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza.
Gazans have a unique perspective on the crisis, in which Lebanon has suffered its heaviest bombardment since Hezbollah's 2006 war with Israel, in which 158 Israelis and 1,200 Lebanese were killed. Residential areas, too, are reduced to rubble, with people forced to leave their homes and shelter in public buildings such as schools.
“Only those who have endured pain can truly understand the agony of others,” Mohammed Hamad, 43, told The National. He said the only word on people's lips in the tents surrounding him in the Al Mawasi area of Khan Younis on Tuesday was "Lebanon".
“For 11 months, we have been grappling with the anguish of evacuation and the loss of community. Today, we stand with Lebanon, remembering their support and their historical stance in solidarity with us when everyone else abandoned us,” he said. The two nations felt a "common bond" in experiences of conflict at the hands of Israel, he added.
As Gaza nears the grim anniversary of the war's beginning, Israel's bombardment continued, killing 12 Palestinians on Tuesday, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Flooding is hindering aid and rescue efforts and making life even more unbearable in tented camps.
In central Deir Al Balah, Mahmoud Abed Al Bari, 50, hopes a swift end to the conflict will come, so he and all those displaced and now living in waterlogged tents can begin to rebuild their lives.
"We feel as if the suffering is happening to us, not just to them [the Lebanese]. We are acutely aware of the impact of the rockets and the grief that accompanies loss and death," he said. “The same scenario is unfolding once again. We support Lebanon and pray for an end to the war. Our hearts have been with Gaza but now the pain is expanding to include both Gaza and Lebanon; we are one nation.”
Countries across the Middle East condemned Israel's actions in Gaza and Lebanon this week, but Mr Hamad said the region should be wary of Israel widening the sphere of conflict and called for international human rights groups to take action.
“We must unite as one and recognise that this enemy will not stop; they will extend their aggression to other Arab countries. We mourn the bombings of civilians in Lebanon and fervently wish to prevent the suffering we experienced in Gaza from repeating there.”
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The essentials
What: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
When: Friday until March 9
Where: All main sessions are held in the InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Price: Sessions range from free entry to Dh125 tickets, with the exception of special events.
Hot Tip: If waiting for your book to be signed looks like it will be timeconsuming, ask the festival’s bookstore if they have pre-signed copies of the book you’re looking for. They should have a bunch from some of the festival’s biggest guest authors.
Information: www.emirateslitfest.com
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
Brown/Black belt finals
3pm: 49kg female: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) v Thamires Aquino (BRA)
3.07pm: 56kg male: Hiago George (BRA) v Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA)
3.14pm: 55kg female: Amal Amjahid (BEL) v Bianca Basilio (BRA)
3.21pm: 62kg male: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) v Joao Miyao (BRA)
3.28pm: 62kg female: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR)
3.35pm: 69kg male: Isaac Doederlein (BRA) v Paulo Miyao (BRA)
3.42pm: 70kg female: Thamara Silva (BRA) v Alessandra Moss (AUS)
3.49pm: 77kg male: Oliver Lovell (GBR) v Tommy Langarkar (NOR)
3.56pm: 85kg male: Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE) v Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA)
4.03pm: 90kg female: Claire-France Thevenon (FRA) v Gabreili Passanha (BRA)
4.10pm: 94kg male: Adam Wardzinski (POL) v Kaynan Duarte (BRA)
4.17pm: 110kg male: Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE) v Joao Rocha (BRA
Copa del Rey
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams
Penguin Randomhouse
Company profile
Name: GiftBag.ae
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2011
Number of employees: 4
Sector: E-commerce
Funding: Self-funded to date
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The five pillars of Islam
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The five types of long-term residential visas
Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:
Investors:
A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.
Entrepreneurs:
A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.
Specialists
Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.
Outstanding students:
A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university.
Retirees:
Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.
THE BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Whenever I have any free time I always go back to see my family in Caltra, Galway, it’s the only place I can properly relax.
Favourite film: The Way, starring Martin Sheen. It’s about the Camino de Santiago walk from France to Spain.
Personal motto: If something’s meant for you it won’t pass you by.
57%20Seconds
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rusty%20Cundieff%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJosh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Morgan%20Freeman%2C%20Greg%20Germann%2C%20Lovie%20Simone%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More coverage from the Future Forum
