BEIRUT // A rocket and mortar exchange yesterday between unknown militants and Israeli forces raised concerns that Hizbollah might be joining Hamas in its rocket attacks on Israel as the conflict in Gaza continues.
A Hizbollah minister in Lebanon's cabinet denied the group was involved in firing the rockets from south Lebanon into Israel yesterday morning and no group has claimed responsibility. At least three rockets were fired on northern Israel from remote, hilly land filled with olive trees.
One person in Israel was injured when a rocket went through the roof of a nursing home in the northern town of Nahariya, about five kilometres from the border, and exploded in the kitchen while about 25 elderly residents were eating breakfast in the adjacent dining hall, the Associated Press reported. Israel responded with mortar fire, but no one was injured in Lebanon.
The Lebanese government condemned the firings, having previously declared that south Lebanon would not be used as a rocket launching pad, and said it was opening an investigation.
Isaac Herzog, an Israeli cabinet minister, welcomed the Lebanese government's condemnation of the attack and said: "We look at it as a local event, something that was predictable", the AP reported.
Hassan Nasrallah, Hizbollah's leader, had previously said he did not want to be involved in another war with Israel. More than 1,000 people were killed in Lebanon and about 160 in Israel in the 2006 conflict.
"We do not want Lebanon to be dragged into the war in Gaza," Abbas Zaki, the PLO representative in Lebanon, said yesterday. "There must be a very thorough investigation to make sure that this incident does not cause a greater crisis."
Timur Goksel, an analyst, said rocket fire emanating from Lebanon is probably being done more out of frustration than anything else. "I think that this is a local reaction from over 300,000 Palestinians armed to the teeth," he said. "An emotional outburst. A way of showing solidarity with the people of Gaza. What else can they do?"
Local residents offered a mixed reaction, blending anger over Israel's attacks on Gaza and support for Palestinians with concern that Lebanon does not become part of this war.
"I hope that it is Hizbollah that launched the rockets," said Amine Mukhil, 19, a Lebanese University student. "It is so difficult to stand by and watch what is happening in Gaza. I sent e-mails of the slaughtered babies to all the people I know abroad because they only get one-sided news bulletins. They never show the horror of dead women and children."
Fadi Nour, 24, a fast-food deliveryman, said: "This shouldn't be permitted. It shouldn't happen. They should be severely punished. Everybody in the south is scared. They remember the 2006 war. I hear that people are leaving their homes already."
Students were sent home from school, and Lebanese and UN troops added reinforcements yesterday to those already guarding the border area. The 13,000 strong UN peacekeeping contingent had previously increased patrols after eight rockets were found on Christmas Eve.
A Damascus-based militant Palestinian group with bases in Lebanon had recently warned "other military fronts will be opened" if Israel continued its Gaza assault.
Ahmed Jibril's Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command refused to deny or confirm responsibility for yesterday's rockets, but its spokesman in Damascus, Anwar Raja, said the firing was a "natural outcome" of the Gaza onslaught, the AP reported.
* The National
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
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Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
John Cena v Triple H
Matches to be announced
WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Raw Tag Team Championship, United States Championship and the Cruiserweight Championship are all due to be defended
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
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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.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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