Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
A presidential adviser to the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas could become the postwar administrator of the Gaza Strip under a proposal put to US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff during a meeting in Riyadh, a senior Palestinian security source in Ramallah told The National.
Ziad Abu Amr, a US citizen who was born in Gaza, is a member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and held the post of deputy prime minister until last year. Under the proposal, he would be appointed deputy prime minister again and would oversee the reconstruction process in Gaza, the source said.
The meeting in Riyadh took place between PLO Secretary General Hussein Al Sheikh and Mr Witkoff on January 28, international and Israeli news outlets reported, citing White House officials. However, Mr Al Sheikh has denied that the meeting took place.
"Hussein Al Sheikh's recent movement and his meeting with Saudi officials, coinciding with his meeting in Riyadh with Trump's special envoy Witkoff, are linked to possible arrangements for the post-Gaza war period," a Palestinian political source in Ramallah told The National.
"Hussein Al Sheikh carried messages exchanged between (Mahmoud Abbas) Abu Mazen's authority, the Saudis, and the American envoy, particularly related to the role of the Palestinian Authority with regard to the management of Gaza, which the Americans want to be without Hamas."
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas last year appointed Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa head of a technocratic government in response to calls for reforms to the Palestinian Authority, which is widely viewed by Palestinians and regional actors as corrupt.
However, regional powers do not consider the change to be sufficient for the Palestinian Authority to be able govern postwar Gaza, according to analysis by Dr Ebtisam Al Ketbi, head of the Emirates Policy Centre, published in August last year.
"The UAE, along with other international and regional parties, holds the view that the new Prime Minister, Mohammad Mustafa, appointed by President Mahmoud Abbas last March to succeed Mohammad Shtayyeh, lacks the independence and capability to implement the necessary reforms," Dr Al Ketbi wrote.
Working committee
Despite pressure from states in the region, both Palestinian sources said there are "no talks" about a replacement for Mr Mustafa as prime minister or the formation of a new Palestinian government. The Palestinian Cabinet decided to form a "working committee to manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip" at a meeting on Tuesday.
"In confirmation of the unity of the Palestinian state's territories, and in order to strengthen national unity, the Palestinian government ... has decided to form a working committee to manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip," Mr Mustafa said in a statement published by the official news agency Wafa. This will entail mobilising efforts with Jordan and Egypt to send more aid to Gaza, investigate Israeli war crimes and regulate markets ahead of Ramadan, the statement said.
Officials from rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah have been meeting for months to discuss the formation of a unity committee to govern Gaza, as suggested by Egypt. However, the Palestinian Authority does not favour this option, which it considers an affirmation of disunity between the West Bank and Gaza as Palestinian territories, a Fatah official told The National.
UAE SQUAD
Omar Abdulrahman (Al Hilal), Ali Khaseif, Ali Mabkhout, Salem Rashed, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Zayed Al Ameri, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Khalid Essa, Ahmed Barman, Ryan Yaslam, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmin (Al Wasl), Adel Al Hosani, Ali Hassan Saleh, Majed Suroor (Sharjah), Ahmed Khalil, Walid Abbas, Majed Hassan, Ismail Al Hammadi (Shabab Al Ahli), Hassan Al Muharrami, Fahad Al Dhahani (Bani Yas), Mohammed Al Shaker (Ajman)
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.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
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.
Company%C2%A0profile
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
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
Results
Women finals: 48kg - Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL) bt Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 52kg - Odette Guiffrida (ITA) bt Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 57kg - Nora Gjakova (KOS) bt Anastasiia Konkina (Rus)
Men’s finals: 60kg - Amiran Papinashvili (GEO) bt Francisco Garrigos (ESP); 66kg - Vazha Margvelashvili (Geo) bt Yerlan Serikzhanov (KAZ)
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
On sale: now
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2 (Heaton (og) 42', Lindelof 64')
Aston Villa 2 (Grealish 11', Mings 66')
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now