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US envoy Amos Hochstein is visiting Lebanon to renew a diplomatic push aimed at preventing a wider regional war and a large-scale retaliation against Israel by Iran and Hezbollah.
After a meeting with Lebanon's parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, Mr Hochstein said that they discussed “the framework agreement that's on the table for a Gaza ceasefire, and he and I agreed there is no more time to waste and there's no more valid excuses from any party for any further delay”.
“We continue to believe that a diplomatic resolution is achievable because we continue to believe that no one truly wants a full-scale war between Lebanon and Israel,” Mr Hochstein said.
The US envoy also met caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who said in a statement that diplomacy was at a “critical point”.
According to diplomatic and political sources, the US and western efforts are met in Beirut with “frustration” from the powerful armed group, which has rejected incentives in return for limiting its response to the killing of its top commander.
“It is not a personal issue, but Hezbollah is generally frustrated, it now sees that the US is either ineffective or complicit in the Gaza war,” a diplomatic source told The National on Wednesday.
Tensions have risen since the assassinations of Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr in the southern suburbs of Beirut two weeks ago, both blamed on Israel. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack on Mr Haniyeh. Iran and Iran-backed Hezbollah have promised severe retaliation, without giving details of its nature or timing, sparking fears of all-out war.
Western powers have concerted efforts with a flurry of diplomacy in the region to defuse tensions, with several senior Biden administration officials expected to visit the Middle East this week. William J Burns, the CIA director will visit Qatar while Brett McGurk, Mr Biden’s Middle East co-ordinator will visit Egypt and Qatar.
This is Mr Hochstein's fifth visit to the region in an attempt to prevent the near-daily strikes between Israel and Hezbollah on the Lebanese-Israeli border from escalating into a full-scale war.
Hezbollah opened a front at the border on October 8th, in support of its ally, Hamas, a day after the Palestinian militant group's unprecedented attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza war.
Hezbollah's frustration
Back-channel diplomacy has faced major hurdles in the wake of Mr Shukr's killing with growing frustration from Hezbollah's side.
The commander's death shocked Lebanon, as the government publicly said it had received foreign assurances that Israel would not attack Beirut's suburbs.
“It was a misunderstanding,” a source told The National, stressing that foreign powers were given no guarantees about the nature of Israel's attack, which also killed an Iranian military adviser and at least five civilians.
Israel said it was in retaliation for a rocket attack from Lebanon on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights that killed 12 children. It was the first time since October that civilians had been killed in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah holds sway. Mr Shukr, a founder of the militant group, was also one of its most senior military figures.
The incident has not severed backdoor diplomatic channels between the group and the US, although there is now a growing frustration within the group, the source said.
“The rhetoric has become more aggressive towards the West,” added the source.
Pro-Hezbollah media called Mr Hochstein a “godfather of deception”.
'Recalibrating' the retaliation
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the Foreign Ministry have rejected numerous European calls for restraint over its retaliation against Israel.
“A punitive response to an aggressor is a right of nations and a solution for stopping crimes and aggression,” Mr Pezeshkian told British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Secretary General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, has vowed that he would avenge Mr Shukr’s death “whatever the consequences”
Yet, diplomacy still has a role to play, the source said. “Recalibrating Iran’s response downwards is possible, and it’s not ruled out that it may have already been done.”
Lebanese officials previously told The National that mediators had indirectly offered incentives to resolve Lebanon's political and financial crisis in exchange for a limited response from Hezbollah.
“They are unlikely to be effective. Hezbollah does not trade economic positions for political ones,” the diplomat said. Rather than economic promises, the prospect of a looming regional war, which Hezbollah and Iran have repeatedly said they do not want and the promise of a ceasefire in Gaza seem to be more compelling arguments for Iran and its proxies.
Political sources confirmed that Hezbollah has refused any “incentives”.
Mr Hochstein's trip comes as mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar have called on Israel and Hamas to meet on August 15 to resume ceasefire talks and reach a hostage release deal.
Iranian officials said only a ceasefire deal in Gaza would “delay” the retaliation against Israel.
Ceasefire talks have repeatedly failed except for a one-week truce at the end of November. A source involved in the negotiations told The National on Wednesday there is “little hope for a breakthrough to emerge from this week's talks, with Israel's continuing insistence on prosecuting the war until Hamas's demise, which is undermining the efforts of mediators”.
“The more time goes by … the more the odds and the chances go up for accidents, for mistakes, for inadvertent targets to be hit that could easily cause escalation that gets out of control,” Mr Hochstein warned in Beirut.
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
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Transmission: eight-speed automatic
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The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
Haemoglobin disorders explained
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
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Results
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
