Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday called for "joint Arab action" to confront Israeli threats to redraw the Middle East.
In a strongly worded speech to Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, Mr Safadi said the Israeli government "seeks to change the map of the region to impose Israeli hegemony over our Arab world". A Palestinian representative said Israel meant to eliminate her people from Jerusalem.
His warning came as Israeli attacks killed 31 people in Gaza, according to health authorities. Several died in strikes on Gaza city - where Israel says it now controls 40 per cent of the city as a new Israeli offensive gathers pace.
Hamas said it was ready to agree a ceasefire deal in which it hands over Israeli hostages, after US President Donald Trump told the group to release "all 20" surviving captives. But Israel has shown no sign of backing off.
"The Israeli government openly declares that it wants to change the map of the region. It does not care about international law, nor is it deterred by human values," Mr Safadi said in Cairo.
Mr Safadi said that Israel has destroyed Gaza and "steals" Palestinian land in the West Bank. He added that Israel has also occupied Syrian land and "exploits the pains" of a transitional phase there after the fall of Bashar Al Assad.
Israel's actions in Syria "tamper with its national fabric, violate its sovereignty, and create strife targeting its security, stability, and unity," the Jordanian minister said.
He said Israel "continues to occupy Lebanese lands and refuses to implement even what it committed to in previous agreements".
"This is the danger that must compel a reassessment of all our tools of joint action," he said. "The challenge is unprecedented. The threat is to our common security, to the stability of our region, to our interests, and to our future.
"We must work together according to a comprehensive strategy – political, economic, legal, and defensive – that employs all available tools to protect our future and interests, and to protect the region's right to live in just and lasting peace."
Israel says it is protecting its interests by attacking militants in Syria and Lebanon, where its troops maintain a presence. It rejects claims it is committing war crimes or genocide in Gaza, where UN experts say many people are living in famine conditions.
An investigation published on Thursday by British newspaper The Guardian, the Israeli-Palestinian online outlet +972 Magazine and the Hebrew-language news website Local Call claimed that only a quarter of Gazan detainees held by the Israeli military were combatants. Israel denied that.
Pope Leo XIV called for a "prompt resumption of negotiations" over Gaza in a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the Vatican on Thursday. Mr Herzog told him the release of hostages is a "first and essential step".
At the Cairo meeting, UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar called for mobilising global efforts for the Israelis and Palestinians to return to the negotiating table to reach a just, comprehensive, and sustainable solution to the conflict.
"The UAE is employing its contacts and political tools to pave the way for negotiations between the two sides," he said.
Mr Al Marar called for ending the war in Gaza and delivering life-saving humanitarian aid in sufficient amounts and without obstacles into the Gaza Strip. He also called for ending illegitimate Israeli practices in the West Bank, including acts by Israeli settlers and extremists.
An Israeli minister this week ramped up pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex most of the occupied West Bank. Mr Netanyahu himself last month expressed support for the idea of an expanded "Greater Israel".
Greater Israel refers to a biblical interpretation of the nation's territory during the time of King Solomon, which could encompass not only present-day Palestinian territories but also parts of modern Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
The war in Gaza has caused a humanitarian crisis across the territory. Health officials in Gaza say 370 people, including 131 children, have so far died of malnutrition and starvation caused by acute food shortages, most in recent weeks.
Israel says it is taking measures to improve the humanitarian conditions in Gaza, including increasing aid into the enclave. Israeli operations in the occupied West Bank have also worsened violence and economic malaise in the area.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said Israel was imposing a "tragic reality" on Jerusalem by trying to "alter the historical, religious, demographic, and legal character", news agency Wafa reported. She said Israel was accelerating efforts "aimed at eliminating the Palestinian presence in the city".
Protests in Israel calling to end the war and reach a deal to release the hostages have intensified in the past few weeks. Nonetheless, prospects for a ceasefire and a deal to release the remaining 48 Israeli hostages, 20 of whom are thought to still be alive, appear dim.
RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
RESULTS
6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Handicap $160,000 1,400m
Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
Winner: Folkswood, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile Group 2 $250,000 1,600m
Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock
9.25pm: Handicap $125,000 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Continental champions
Best Asian Player: Massaki Todokoro (Japan)
Best European Player: Adam Wardzinski (Poland)
Best North & Central American Player: DJ Jackson (United States)
Best African Player: Walter Dos Santos (Angola)
Best Oceanian Player: Lee Ting (Australia)
Best South American Player: Gabriel De Sousa (Brazil)
Best Asian Federation: Saudi Jiu-Jitsu Federation
The permutations for UAE going to the 2018 World Cup finals
To qualify automatically
UAE must beat Iraq.
Australia must lose in Japan and at home to Thailand, with their losing margins and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
To finish third and go into a play-off with the other third-placed AFC side for a chance to reach the inter-confederation play-off match
UAE must beat Iraq.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
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Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
if you go
Getting there
Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
Mobile phone packages comparison
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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