Latest updates: Follow our full coverage on the UN General Assembly
A defiant Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday, saying “we are winning”, as Israel continues its war against Hamas in Gaza and as it carries out strikes in Lebanon.
Dozens of delegates walked out of the General Assembly hall in advance of Mr Netanyahu's speech. His presence in New York has been met with several protests throughout the city.
In perhaps the most anticipated speech of the General Assembly, he sought to portray Israel as a force for good, and called out leaders who had spoken against Israel's aggression in Gaza and more recently in Lebanon, where it has engaged in strikes against Hezbollah in recent days.
“In this battle between good and evil, there must be no equivocation – when you stand with Israel, you stand for your own values and your own interests,” he said.
Mr Netanyahu also directly addressed Iran, which supports Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“I have a message for the tyrants of Tehran: if you strike us, we will strike you,” he said. “There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach. And that's true of the entire Middle East.”
The Israeli leader, who often uses props when speaking to the public, brought posters with him to the General Assembly Hall as well as several family members of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
At one point in his speech, Mr Netanyahu asked the hostage family members to stand and vowed to bring their loved ones back.
“We will return your loved ones home,” he said. “We will not spare that effort until this holy mission is accomplished.”
Mr Netanyahu also addressed Lebanon in his speech, saying Israel would continue to “degrade” the threat of Hezbollah in the country “until all our objectives are made”.
“As long as Hezbollah chooses the path of war, Israel has no choice and Israel has every right to remove this threat and return our citizens to their home safely – and that's exactly what we're doing,” he said, referring to the thousands of Israelis who have fled to the south amid cross-border attacks between Israel and Hezbollah.
He made no mention of a possible ceasefire with Hezbollah. Israel on Thursday rejected a proposal put forward by the US, France and other countries calling for a 21-day pause in fighting.
But in a post on X before his speech, he said Israeli officials have met to discuss US proposals for a ceasefire and will continue talks in the coming day.
About 630 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon this week, with Monday the deadliest day for the country since the 15-year civil war ended in 1990. Even as Mr Netanyahu was speaking, Israeli forces were conducting a massive strike in southern Beirut, saying they were targeting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. His fate was not immediately known.
Mr Netanyahu invoked the poem Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas in his effort to portray Israel’s war efforts as worthy and righteous.
“Israel will not go gently into that good night. We will never need to rage against the dying of the light, because the torch of Israel will forever shine bright,” the Israeli leader said as he concluded his 35-minute speech.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday that shockwaves from the unprecedented death and destruction in Gaza could plunge the region into a full-scale conflict with “unimaginable consequences”.
“Monday was the bloodiest day in Lebanon since 2006,” Mr Guterres told the UN Security Council. “War in Lebanon could lead to further escalation involving outside powers.”
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, meanwhile, warned that the region is in a “zone of real danger”.
Speaking to reporters in New York, Mr Safadi said “anything can go wrong”, claiming that Mr "Netanyahu obviously wants regional war".
“If there's a land invasion into Lebanon, the Lebanese army will have to defend the country. And then what are we going to be looking at?"
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
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Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
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Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
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What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
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Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
Participating countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and UAE.
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Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
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Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
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