Morgan Ortagus, US deputy special envoy for the Middle East, has returned to the Lebanese capital for talks on the progress of a plan for Hezbollah disarmament. Reuters
Morgan Ortagus, US deputy special envoy for the Middle East, has returned to the Lebanese capital for talks on the progress of a plan for Hezbollah disarmament. Reuters
Morgan Ortagus, US deputy special envoy for the Middle East, has returned to the Lebanese capital for talks on the progress of a plan for Hezbollah disarmament. Reuters
Morgan Ortagus, US deputy special envoy for the Middle East, has returned to the Lebanese capital for talks on the progress of a plan for Hezbollah disarmament. Reuters

Israeli army kills five in Lebanon during US envoy's Beirut visit to push for Hezbollah disarmament


Nada Maucourant Atallah
  • English
  • Arabic

At least five people were killed in eastern Lebanon on Monday following Israeli air strikes, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.

"The Israeli enemy strikes on the Bekaa and the outskirts of Hermel led to a preliminary toll of five dead and five others wounded," the ministry said, noting that the toll could rise.

The Israeli army said it has struck several "terror" targets belonging to Hezbollah in the Bekaa area in eastern Lebanon, adding that the attack included "Radwan force" military training compounds in which Hezbollah militants were identified and where weapons were stored.

The compounds "were used by the Hezbollah ... for training and preparing" militants "to plan and execute attacks" against Israeli troops, it said.

The strikes come as US envoy Morgan Ortagus is visiting Beirut as part of a push to disarm Hezbollah, despite the Iran-backed group having firmly rejected any plans to do so.

The visit comes after a stormy cabinet session on Friday, when the Lebanese army presented its plan to rid Hezbollah of its weapons “according to the means available”, prompting five Shiite ministers to walk out.

On Sunday, Ms Ortagus, who visited Beitut last month, joined newly appointed US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper, who had arrived in Lebanon after his first trip to Israel, for a meeting of the committee overseeing the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.

The committee, created as part of the truce that in November brought months of war between Hezbollah and Israel to an end, also features representatives from the Lebanese and Israeli armies, France and Unifil, the UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon.

After the meeting held in Ras Naqoura in the country’s far south, the US officials toured the border dividing Lebanon and Israel on a Lebanese army helicopter.

The US has urged Lebanon to seize a “historic” opportunity to assert the state’s monopoly on weapons, building on Hezbollah’s weakened state after 13 months of conflict with Israel left the group in tatters.

Last month, the government entrusted the army with drafting a road map to place all weapons under state control, including Hezbollah’s.

But the army, wary of direct confrontation with the influential group, has been reluctant to set a deadline for putting the plan in place – a move Hezbollah appeared to welcome.

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun, right, receives Admiral Brad Cooper, new head of US Central Command, at the presidential palace in Baabda. AFP
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun, right, receives Admiral Brad Cooper, new head of US Central Command, at the presidential palace in Baabda. AFP

Lebanese authorities have also asked the US to ensure the ceasefire mechanism's full implementation, denouncing Israeli violations despite Lebanon’s compliance with the terms of the deal.

During a meeting on Saturday with Mr Cooper at the presidential palace, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reiterated his call for the US to pressure Israel into withdrawing from territory it occupies in the south, allowing the Lebanese army to complete its deployment at the border.

Under the terms of the truce, the Israeli army is required to withdraw from all occupied positions in southern Lebanon and halt violations of Lebanese airspace, while Hezbollah is to dismantle its infrastructure starting south of the Litani River, 30km from the border.

But despite the agreement, Israel continues to strike southern Lebanon almost daily, killing more than 300 people since November. It has made clear it expects the Lebanese army to launch the plan to disarm Hezbollah before it withdraws from the five strategic positions where its forces remain.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem reaffirmed the group will not discuss disarmament until Israel withdraws from Lebanese territory, stops its military actions and releases detainees.

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Rating: 2/5

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Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm

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Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km

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Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

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Price: From Dh590,000

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Recent winners

2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)

2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)

2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)

2007 Grace Bijjani  (Mexico)

2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)

2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)

2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)

2011 Maria Farah (Canada)

2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)

2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)              

2014 Lia Saad  (UAE)

2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)

2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)

2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)

2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception 

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA

Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600

Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder

Transmission Seven-speed automatic

Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm

Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km

The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn

Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
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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

Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information. 

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

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Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami

Three stars

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 biog

Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi

Favourite TV show: That 70s Show

Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving

Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can

Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home

Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

UAE squad

Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.

UAE tour of Zimbabwe

All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I

Profile of Bitex UAE

Date of launch: November 2018

Founder: Monark Modi

Based: Business Bay, Dubai

Sector: Financial services

Size: Eight employees

Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings

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
Specs
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Updated: September 09, 2025, 3:35 AM`