Even as Israel launched retaliatory strikes against Iran on Saturday morning, the administration of US President Joe Biden has been making a last-ditch effort to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. Its primary goal is to bring respite to the Middle East, which could in turn bolster Vice President Kamala Harris’s chances in next month’s presidential election.
Meanwhile Mr Harris’s opponent, former president Donald Trump, has also been courting key Middle Eastern powers in an attempt to present himself as a champion of lasting peace rather than temporary ceasefires.
For the first time, the significance of the Arab-American vote in key swing states such as Michigan has emerged, prompting the Biden-Harris team to make a last-minute attempt at securing peace, by balancing diplomacy and military escalation amid a crisis of trust between the US and Israel. Indeed, the Biden administration has shifted between endorsing some Israeli actions and expressing dissatisfaction with its leadership over other decisions.
The administration seemingly feels it has no choice but to push for a preliminary agreement for a temporary ceasefire now. This isn’t surprising, given that success could secure Mr Biden’s legacy, but also because the President believes that the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar presents an opportunity to be seized.
During his most recent visit to the Middle East, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken took his modest proposals to Qatar and Egypt, aiming to convince Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal accompanied by transitional arrangements that would pave the way for a “day after” vision for Gaza.
During his most recent visit to the Middle East, Blinken took his modest proposals to Qatar and Egypt
This vision involves details such as the administration of Gaza, including who will take on the task from a Palestinian perspective, and who will participate in gradually rehabilitating Palestinians as they return to their homes. It also involves contributors to reconstruction efforts. However, all of this would come later, as it requires time and difficult commitments from all parties.
Speaking to reporters in Qatar, which has served as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, Mr Blinken said negotiators would return to Doha to renew the talks.
America’s top diplomat, meanwhile, addressed Israel with the need to “climb down the ladder”. He said it had achieved most of its war objectives in Gaza, and it that it is time to turn these successes into lasting gains. This particular comment appears to be a hint that Washington gave Israel moral, political and military support to achieve its goals in Gaza and in Lebanon, where it is fighting Hezbollah, and now it’s time to end its war.
But for Israel to lay the groundwork for a qualitative shift in its relationships with key regional powers, particularly Saudi Arabia, it needs to declare its intent to not remain in Gaza as an occupying force, nor to plant settlers there. It also requires acknowledging the principle of a two-state solution and ensuring that the enclave is handed back to its people, contributing to the security of areas from which it withdraws and allowing a Palestinian-led authority to take charge of matters ranging from security to improving living conditions and building state institutions.
In other words, for this to happen, it needs to shift from the tactical to the strategic in the way it is thinking about the crisis.
The Trump team will surely be watching the Biden administration’s moves with interest. With the conflict having begun under his opponent’s watch, and with Jewish and Arab voters – especially the younger generation – angry, the former president knows he won’t be taking the blame for it.
Ms Harris, on the other hand, knows that the optics of an Israeli multi-front war being fought with US-supplied weapons, leaving trails of destruction and civilian casualties, are terrible for her. It is why her team presumably believes that securing the release of Israeli hostages from Hamas custody and reaching a ceasefire in Gaza are preferred to a continued war.
The key question, however, is whether Iran responds to Israel’s strikes on some of its military assets that killed four soldiers.
The Biden-Harris team had previously hinted to the Iranian leadership that delaying, easing, or potentially cancelling Israeli strikes on its country would require it to seriously pressure Hezbollah to withdraw from southern Lebanon and impose a halt to its operations against Israel, effectively a ceasefire from both sides.
But the repercussions of Israel’s actions, on the prospects for peace in the region and on the result of the US election, remain to be seen.
Iran’s strategic dilemma today is whether to continue supporting its proxies in the Middle East – no matter the cost in destruction to the countries in which they operate – or to abandon this strategy in its bid to end international sanctions against itself and improve relations with the US. Tehran’s government sometimes pretends to be ready to adapt to the needs of the desired relationship with the West, but at other times appears unwilling to walk away from a doctrine that is central to its existence.
If Iran ends up opting for the former and pressures Hezbollah to withdraw from southern Lebanon and implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, it may contribute to Ms Harris’s presidential bid, but more importantly, make tangible gains for itself. Such a step might even serve to diminish the rationale for some of Israel’s own destructive actions in Lebanon and elsewhere.
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Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
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Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
Key features of new policy
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
MATCH INFO
Burnley 0
Man City 3
Raheem Sterling 35', 49'
Ferran Torres 65'
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Specs
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Torque: 175Nm
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
Stats at a glance:
Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
FIGHT CARD
From 5.30pm in the following order:
Featherweight
Marcelo Pontes (BRA) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) v Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Welterweight
Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR) v Gimbat Ismailov (RUS)
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) v Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
Catchweight 100kg
Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)
Featherweight
James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)
Welterweight
Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Bantamweight:
Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) v Jayson Margallo (PHI)
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Roman Golovinov (UKR)
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
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Contracted list
Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
