US President Donald Trump left the White House on Sunday to begin his journey to Israel, and eventually Egypt, where he will try to solidify a ceasefire and peace deal between Israel and Hamas.
Just before boarding Air Force One, Mr Trump said that “everyone is very excited about this moment in time".
"This is a very special event … we’re going to have a good time,” he told reporters before his departure.
Vice President JD Vance said Mr Trump is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday. Hamas is due to release the last living Israeli hostages, and Mr Vance said Mr Trump will probably meet them and their families.
Various media outlets have reported that he will address Israel’s Knesset on Monday, and will later take part in a ceasefire-signing ceremony in Egypt.
Behind the scenes on Sunday, it was reported that the White House was trying to address any last-minute concerns from Israeli and Hamas officials, and others representing Middle East countries.
Mr Vance on Sunday told ABC that Hamas was holding 20 living hostages, and the White House expects their release within 24 hours, probably starting on Monday morning, although details and logistics were still being worked out.
“Of course, you don’t know until you see these people alive, but thank God we expect to see them alive here in the next 24 hours, probably early tomorrow morning, US time,” he said.
Israel's campaign in Gaza – which followed the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas-led fighters that resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the capture of 240 hostages – has killed at least 67,800 people and injured about 170,066.
The fighting has lasted two years and created a humanitarian disaster, with famine prevalent in parts of Gaza.
It has spilled into the domestic politics in countries throughout the world, generated controversy in universities and prompted investigations in corporate boardrooms.
Last week, however, Mr Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of a long-term peace plan for Gaza.
The plan states all hostages will be released and Israel will withdraw troops to an agreed-on line.
In the days that have followed, however, the announcement from Mr Trump has proved to be fragile, with negotiations and details continuing.
Jared Kushner, Mr Trump's son-in-law, and White House special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff were sent to oversee the final stages of negotiations between the parties in in Egypt. They were also present as the Israeli government voted to accept the first phase of the ceasefire.
Mr Kushner invited controversy during an appearance at a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday night.
He told the crowd that Israel had not replicated the “barbarism of the enemy” in its conduct in the Gaza war, but had chosen to “be exceptional” and “stand for the values that you stand for”.
The backlash to the comments were swift, but have not appeared to derail the ceasefire.
Also on Sunday, Mr Vance told Fox News that Mr Trump's unconventional negotiation style should be credited for bringing about the truce deal that has remained elusive for many months.
"He didn't go down the failed pathway that previous presidents and other parties previously pursued," he said. Mr Vance also praised the role of Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, and Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner for "bringing Gulf states together … to hammer out a peace deal".
Mr Vance said the US has no plans for an American military presence in Gaza but that the White House has pushed for other countries to commit to sending troops to the territory to ensure lasting peace.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
PFA Premier League team of 2018-19
Allison (Liverpool)
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)
Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Dust and sand storms compared
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- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
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- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
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- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo and dual electric motors
Power: 300hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,500-3,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.0L/100km
Price: from Dh199,900
On sale: now
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
THE%20JERSEYS
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- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
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
Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh431,800
Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: from Dh431,800
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
%3Cp%3EFly%20with%20Etihad%20Airways%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi%20to%20New%20York%E2%80%99s%20JFK.%20There's%2011%20flights%20a%20week%20and%20economy%20fares%20start%20at%20around%20Dh5%2C000.%3Cbr%3EStay%20at%20The%20Mark%20Hotel%20on%20the%20city%E2%80%99s%20Upper%20East%20Side.%20Overnight%20stays%20start%20from%20%241395%20per%20night.%3Cbr%3EVisit%20NYC%20Go%2C%20the%20official%20destination%20resource%20for%20New%20York%20City%20for%20all%20the%20latest%20events%2C%20activites%20and%20openings.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
