Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Outside Beirut airport, smoke can be seen rising from the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, which have been the target of intense Israeli bombardment over the past week. Some people look on in terror, while capturing the aftermath on their phones.
The road leading to the airport is quieter than usual. Soldiers are stationed at the entry gates and inside, most shops and cafes are closed. All airlines except the national carrier, Middle East Airlines, have suspended flights to and from Lebanon because of security concerns.
"The road to the airport was clear, but once I arrived, the situation changed," Antoine Madi told The National on Sunday, while waiting in one of the long lines at the check-in desks for a flight to Frankfurt. "I’ve been in the queue for over an hour now, and I’ll probably be standing here even longer. I had a very hard time securing a flight ticket, and the price has tripled – for some routes, it's even more."
Israel has launched dozens of strikes on Beirut over the past week as hostilities with Hezbollah have escalated after nearly a year of low-level clashes over the war in Gaza. An Israeli air strike hit an apartment block near the Cola Bridge in Lebanon's capital early on Monday and a strike killed the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday.
The strikes have created a surge in people desperate to leave the increasingly dangerous areas. Trapped in an escalating conflict, thousands of residents are struggling to flee the violence, which has killed more than 1,000 people in the past two weeks. The caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Sunday that up to a million people have been displaced.
"I feel like I’m in a film; I still haven’t processed what’s happening. Everything is moving so fast. Israeli air strikes are leaving smoke everywhere – from the balcony of my apartment, from the window at work, and now here at the airport, I can see the smoke clearly," said Ali Mohammed, another passenger. "I just want to get out of here quickly for the sake of my kids. They, and all the children, don’t deserve to live through this nightmare."
Karrar Haidar and his family fled their home in the southern suburbs of Beirut after Israel started bombing the area. "We ran out with just the clothes on our backs and spent the night in a school," he said as he stood in line waiting to board a flight to Istanbul. "Conditions there are really tough – there are no basic supplies, and not enough aid is coming through because of the large number of displaced people."
Most airlines have cancelled flights to Lebanon while many countries have called on their nationals to leave. The UK Foreign Office told British citizens still in Lebanon to “leave now”, while on Saturday the European Commission and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued conflict zone information bulletins (CZIBs) recommending that airlines avoid operating within the airspaces of Lebanon and Israel “at all flight levels”.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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 Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Company%20Profile
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The%20specs
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
