Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday the US had “achieved nothing” after it joined the war to support Israel, and that Tehran had delivered “a heavy slap to the US’s face”.
“The US regime entered the war directly because it felt that if it didn’t, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed,” Mr Khamenei said in his first speech since the war with Israel. “It entered the war in an effort to save that regime but achieved nothing,” he said.
“The Islamic republic delivered a heavy slap to the US’s face. It attacked and inflicted damage on the Al Udeid Air Base, which is one of the key US bases in the region,” he claimed in his first public statement since a ceasefire ended 12 days of war on Tuesday. Qatar said it shot down 18 of the 19 missiles launched at the US base it hosts, with one falling at the base which had already been emptied.
The Iranian attack on the base was in retaliation for the US striking two nuclear facilities in Iran with massive bunker-buster bombs over the weekend, while a guided missile from a submarine struck a third. Mr Khamenei threatened to attack US bases in the region if Tehran is attacked again.
“The fact that the Islamic republic has access to key US centres in the region and can take action whenever it deems necessary is a significant matter,” he said. “Such an action can be repeated in the future too. Should any aggression occur, the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price,” he added.
The supreme leader also hailed his country's “victory” over Israel. “I want to congratulate the great Iranian nation ... for its victory over the fallacious Zionist regime,” he said. “With all that commotion and all those claims, the Zionist regime was practically knocked out and crushed under the blows of the Islamic republic,” he said.
Israel and the US have also claimed victory in the war, claiming to have destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities. Mr Trump said the unprecedented American attacks had resulted in the “total obliteration” of Iran's nuclear capabilities, and said they had set the country's programme back “decades”.
But leaked US intelligence cast doubt on that assessment, saying the strikes had probably set Tehran back by just a few months. “They're not going to be building bombs for a long time,” said Trump, adding the strikes had set back the programme by “decades” and that the ceasefire he had declared was going “very well”.
Israel's military said Wednesday it was “still early” to assess the damage the war caused to Iran's nuclear programme.
“I believe we have delivered a significant hit to the nuclear programme, and I can also say that we have delayed it by several years,” said Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei acknowledged to Al Jazeera that its “nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that's for sure”.
The supreme leader's rhetoric about the US was in stark contrast to Mr Trump's approach to the future of relations. He said on Wednesday that the US would hold nuclear talks with Iran next week, teasing the possibility of a deal even after boasting that recent US strikes had destroyed Iran's atomic programme.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had said on Tuesday that his country was willing to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme, but that it would continue to “assert its legitimate rights” to the peaceful use of atomic energy.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
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US PGA Championship in numbers
1 Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.
2 To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.
3 Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.
4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.
5 In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.
6 For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.
7 Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.
8 Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.
9 Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.
10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.
11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.
12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.
13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.
14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.
15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.
16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.
17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.
18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
