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Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the Hamas-led October 7 attacks against Israel, during a rare Friday sermon in Tehran.
Mr Khamenei defended his country's ballistic missile attack on Tuesday as “minimum punishment” for the Israelis' “crimes” and said Iran will not hesitate to strike Israel again. Resistance movements supported by Tehran will also continue, he added.
His remarks came hours after an Israeli strike was aimed at Hashem Safieddine, who is seen as most likely to succeed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli strike a week ago.
“The brilliant action of our armed forces a couple of nights ago was completely legal and legitimate,” Mr Khamenei said, referring to Iran's missile barrage towards Israel. He was speaking at a commemoration ceremony for Nasrallah after leading prayers at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla Mosque in central Tehran for the first time in five years.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi who arrived in Lebanon on Friday morning said his visit while Lebanon was under attack was a show of solidarity to the people of Lebanon.
Defending his country's missile attack on Israel on Tuesday, he said other regional governments should also "display steadfastness in their support for Lebanon".
Mr Araghchi, who also met Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, said Iran supports a ceasefire in Lebanon provided it was backed by Hezbollah and comes with a ceasefire in Gaza as well.
Back in Iran, Mr Khamenei urged Muslims to “unite” against a common enemy, be it in Afghanistan, Yemen, Gaza, or Lebanon. In the first part of his speech, delivered in Persian, he urged Palestinian fighters not to become “weakened in the face of bloodshed”.
He said Israel will never be victorious over Hamas or Hezbollah and that its recent actions have only strengthened resistance movements.
Shortly after Israel launched its war against Hamas in Gaza, Iran-backed militias across the Middle East announced a “unity front” to support their Palestinian ally, focusing mainly on co-ordinating attacks against Israeli targets.
“The resistance in the region will not back down,” Mr Khamenei said.
Mr Khamenei's sermon came three days before the anniversary of Israel's war in Gaza.
The last time he led Friday prayers was in January 2020, after Iran fired missiles at a US army base in Iraq. Tehran said that attack was in response to a US strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force general Qassem Suleimani, near Baghdad International Airport.
Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday, stating it was in retaliation for Israel's killing of Nasrallah, alongside an IRGC commander, Abbas Nilforoushan, and for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July. Iran has warned that any retaliation from Israel will provoke a “stronger and more powerful” response.
The US called Iran’s attack “unacceptable” and said it was working with G7 allies for a co-ordinated response. But President Joe Biden has made it clear he would not support an Israeli strike on sites related to Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The southern suburbs of Beirut on Thursday night faced one of the most intense air strikes of the continuing hostilities. The attacks came minutes after Hezbollah announced it had launched Fadi-2 missiles towards a military base near the northern Israeli city of Haifa.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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The biog
Occupation: Key marker and auto electrician
Hometown: Ghazala, Syria
Date of arrival in Abu Dhabi: May 15, 1978
Family: 11 siblings, a wife, three sons and one daughter
Favourite place in UAE: Abu Dhabi
Favourite hobby: I like to do a mix of things, like listening to poetry for example.
Favourite Syrian artist: Sabah Fakhri, a tenor from Aleppo
Favourite food: fresh fish
Playing records of the top 10 in 2017
How many games the top 10 have undertaken in the 2017 ATP season
1. Rafael Nadal 58 (49-9)
2. Andy Murray 35 (25-10)
3. Roger Federer 38 (35-3)
4. Stan Wawrinka 37 (26-11)
5. Novak Djokovic 40 (32-8)
6. Alexander Zverev 60 (46-14)
7. Marin Cilic 43 (29-14)
8. Dominic Thiem 60 (41-19)
9. Grigor Dimitrov 48 (34-14)
10. Kei Nishikori 43 (30-13)
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
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Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
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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
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
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
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
