Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said on Wednesday that UNRWA is in its “darkest hour”, and urged the international community to prevent Israel from enacting a ban on its operations in areas under Israeli control.
“The Israeli Knesset’s legislative action poses an imminent and existential threat to the agency,” Philippe Lazzarini told the 193-member General Assembly, adding that “without intervention by member states, UNRWA will collapse, plunging millions of Palestinians into chaos”.
“Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, Israeli officials have described dismantling UNRWA as a war goal. The Knesset legislation serves this objective."
Israel on Monday announced that it would sever ties with UN agency, after recent laws passed in the Knesset that prohibit the agency’s operations in areas under Israeli control and bar Israeli officials from co-ordinating with UNRWA personnel. That would end a 1967 co-operation agreement that allowed for the protection, movement and diplomatic immunity of the agency. The law will also ban UNRWA's operations in Israel from late January.
Palestine’s UN representative Riyad Mansour told the General Assembly that the ban on the agency supporting millions of Palestinian refugees is central to what he called Israel's efforts to “liquidate the question of Palestine”.
Mr Mansour said this move represents “one more proof of Israel's genocide in Gaza” and forms part of an effort to “strip” Palestinian refugees of their status and “deny them their rights”.
UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang, from Cameroon, voiced his “deep alarm” at the decision made by Israel's legislature, warning that dismantling the agency will undermine the pursuit of a lasting end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and constitute “an attack on the foundations of a two-state solution”.
“Let me be clear, the conflict in the Middle East will not be resolved by force or with further occupation. If it were so, the problem would have long been resolved,” Mr Yang said.
Then-Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz accused several UNRWA employees of involvement in the October 7 attacks and claimed that “many” in the agency are linked to Hamas. Investigations into UNRWA operations uncovered “neutrality-related issues” and suggested that nine employees “may have been involved” in the attacks. But no hard evidence has been found to support Israel’s primary claims.
“In Gaza, dismantling UNRWA will collapse the UN humanitarian response, which relies heavily on the agency's infrastructure,” Mr Lazzarini said. “In the absence of a capable public administration or state, only UNRWA can deliver education to more than 650,000 girls and boys in Gaza. In the absence of UNRWA, an entire generation will be denied the right to education.”
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said the UN agency may be defined by a single word: “failure – both professional and moral”.
Sitting beside freed Israeli hostage Mia Schem in the General Assembly, Mr Danon spoke of the UN's failure to denounce Hamas or to convene a single session focused on the hostages.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric clarified on Wednesday that the UN is not pursuing legal action to halt Israel’s ban on its operations.
“We have written to the Israeli Foreign Ministry in response to the letter, reminding their obligations under international law and also making it clear to them that there it is not our responsibility to replace UNRWA, nor would we have the capacity to do so,” Mr Dujarric said.
Sonchiriya
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey
Rating: 3/5
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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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
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs: Audi e-tron
Price, base: From Dh325,000 (estimate)
Engine: Twin electric motors and 95kWh battery pack
Transmission: Single-speed auto
Power: 408hp
Torque: 664Nm
Range: 400 kilometres
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
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.
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
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
