Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
An international committee tasked with overseeing a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel will meet formally for the first time on Friday to strengthen the truce, which has been repeatedly broken by Israel since taking effect last week.
Committee member and French military representative Brig Gen Guillaume Ponchin met Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut on Thursday afternoon. Mr Mikati said Israel had breached the ceasefire more than 60 times by firing on Lebanon. US Maj Gen Jasper Jeffers, co-chairman of the panel, arrived in Lebanon last week.
Lebanon's lead negotiator, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, told Maj Gen Jeffers that "the stability of the ceasefire depends on Israel’s behaviour”, a source close to talks between Lebanese officials and the US told The National.
“Speaker Berri’s meeting with General Jeffers ahead of the committee’s meeting aims to affirm Lebanon’s stance rejecting Israel’s attempts to impose a free engagement framework that allows it to attack Lebanon under its own security pretexts and to solidify this stance within the 60-day ceasefire period," the source said.
The free engagement framework refers to Israel's insistence that it should be able to launch new strikes against Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the truce.
At least 12 people have been killed in Lebanon since the ceasefire came into effect, with both sides accusing each other of breaches.
On Monday evening Hezbollah launched two projectiles towards empty fields in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, viewed by Lebanon as its territory. No casualties were reported. Hezbollah said it was a defensive measure in response to Israel's repeated violations of the ceasefire.
"Continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon threaten the ceasefire and hinder the return and stability of civilians in their villages," the source added. "Lebanon remains committed to the terms of the agreement, strengthening army deployments in the south, and, for the safety of residents, has closed the entrances to villages the Israeli army requested civilians not to return to until its forces begin their withdrawal."
In the southern city of Tyre, which was subjected to intense bombing before the truce, the Lebanese cabinet will meet at the Benoit Barakat Barracks on Saturday. Information Minister Ziad Makary said Lebanese army commander Gen Joseph Aoun was expected to outline how the army would increase its presence in the south to enforce the ceasefire.
Under the deal, Israel has 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon while thousands of Lebanese army soldiers move into the area. Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure must move north of the Litani River.
The ceasefire is based around UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was agreed in 2006 to end the last war between Hezbollah and Israel but was never fully introduced.
“Lebanon agreed to the ceasefire, and the resistance does not wish for the resumption of fighting, but it will not allow the violations to continue," a source close to Hezbollah told The National. "The international committee must act on its responsibilities today.
"Co-ordination between Hezbollah and the Lebanese army is substantial, and the resistance is an integral part of the political and social fabric of the community," the source added.
Other members of the committee overseeing the ceasefire include representatives from Israel and the UN peacekeeping mission Unifil.
Deploying the Lebanese soldiers to the border area will not be an easy task and the military has launched a recruitment drive.
“The Lebanese army has indicated its instant readiness to initiate and take on its responsibilities to implement this agreement and resolution 1701,” Gen Mounir Shehadeh, who until recently was the Lebanese government's co-ordinator with Unifil, told The National.
He said 1,500 soldiers had headed south as soon as the ceasefire was announced.
The army must dismantle all Hezbollah centres south of the Litani that are involved in the production of arms and related materials, and prevent the establishment of such facilities in the future.
The US and France have been working to enhance the army's capabilities to help enable the deployment of 10,000 troops to the south as soon as possible.
While the military is one of the few universally respected state institutions in Lebanon, it is severely underfunded. The government is banking on the US, EU and Arab nations to provide it with aid.
Last week regional security sources said Arab donors were considering a joint training initiative led by Egypt and Jordan to prepare Lebanese troops for deployment in southern Lebanon and along the Syrian border. A Lebanese political source also suggested an Arab country might join the committee overseeing the ceasefire.
On Thursday night Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said displaced people in Lebanon who had their homes completely destroyed by Israel will receive between $12,000 and $14,000 from the group over the next year.
For those whose primary residence was completely destroyed in Beirut, they will receive $6,000 to cover their rent as their home is rebuilt. For those outside the city, the figure will be $4,000.
Regardless of location, everyone whose home was destroyed will receive $8,000 to replace damaged possessions, Mr Qassem said.
It was his second speech since a ceasefire was agreed between Hezbollah and Israel last week.
The newly appointed Hezbollah secretary-general said the bulk of the money would come as a gift from Iran, the group’s main backer.
Mr Qassem’s predecessor Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated by Israel in a huge bombardment of Beirut in September.
More than 1.2 million people were displaced across Lebanon by Israel’s war on the country. The majority of them were forced to leave their homes when Israel massively ramped up its bombardment in September.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
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
WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand
(Saturday, 12pm UAE)
Wales v South Africa
(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
OTHER IPL BOWLING RECORDS
Best bowling figures: 6-14 – Sohail Tanvir (for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008)
Best average: 16.36 – Andrew Tye
Best economy rate: 6.53 – Sunil Narine
Best strike-rate: 12.83 – Andrew Tye
Best strike-rate in an innings: 1.50 – Suresh Raina (for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in 2011)
Most runs conceded in an innings: 70 – Basil Thampi (for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018)
Most hat-tricks: 3 – Amit Mishra
Most dot-balls: 1,128 – Harbhajan Singh
Most maiden overs bowled: 14 – Praveen Kumar
Most four-wicket hauls: 6 – Sunil Narine
The biog
Date of birth: 27 May, 1995
Place of birth: Dubai, UAE
Status: Single
School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar
University: University of Sharjah
Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.
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.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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POWERWASH%20SIMULATOR
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FuturLab%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESquare%20Enix%20Collective%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20Switch%2C%3Cstrong%3E%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPlayStation%204%20%26amp%3B%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%2FS%20and%20PC%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E470hp%2C%20338kW%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20620Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh491%2C500%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
The Good Liar
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
Directed by: Bill Condon
Three out of five stars
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQureos%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E33%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESoftware%20and%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%243%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
