Ricardo Karam is a Lebanese television presenter, producer, talk-show host, author and public speaker
April 29, 2024
In more sensible times, the mobilisation of students in a vast anti-war movement would be grounds for inspiration. In a world of reason and truth, peaceful protesters calling for an end to an ongoing massacre would be anointed heroes, applauded as pillars of democratic society, maybe even awarded medals.
In normal times, there would be no controversy about opposing an indiscriminate military attack against a besieged, occupied territory by a nuclear power reducing it to rubble. There would be no confusion about who the victim is. There should be no confusion.
Chants such as “Free, Free, Palestine” and “End the siege on Gaza now” resonating across US college campuses, from Columbia University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology to New York University, should be met with praise from American authorities. At the very least, with an acknowledgment, and – if I dare be so idealistic – a change in policy.
They should be the catalyst to an end of the White House’s military and political support to the Israeli government – a government that has killed more than 34,400 Palestinians, according to local health authorities in Gaza since October 7, all in the name of eradicating Hamas.
Unfortunately, the present period is neither sensible nor reasonable, and far from ideal. We are, as it is becoming clearer every day, a long way from normal democratic practice. Instead of protecting protesters, the police are once again attacking them. Instead of listening to students, authorities from the US to France are vilifying them.
Activists and students on the outskirts of an encampment protest at the University Yard at George Washington University in Washington last week. AFP
Universities are where ideas clash, not people, and where new worlds are built
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described those protesting against his war as “horrific” – a word better suited to describe the mass graves that his troops allegedly left behind in Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis rather than the young men and women holding peace banners in America – he was far from the only leader to do so. In the US, Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson claimed that Hamas backed the Columbia protests, peddling misinformation to justify the assault on the protesters.
In the past few weeks, students at Columbia have faced insurmountable intimidation from faculty members and authorities alike.
According to several reports, student protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, some of whom are brilliant minds I personally know, have been called “terrorists” and “Hamas”. They have been accused – either without proof or on the basis of disparate, albeit serious, incidents – of leading an anti-Semitic movement.
No matter how many of the students, in official and personal capacity, have renounced the grave accusation, no matter the clear and unequivocal affirmation that Jews are as much part of the protests as anyone else, and no matter the dedication of the student body to fight discrimination in all its kinds, we continue to see this heinous crime instrumentalised against pro-Palestinian voices since October 7, in order to crack down on any form of criticism of Israel.
It does not stop there. A small group of extremists supporting Israel have assaulted protesters. In one incident, they reportedly launched skunk bombs at them, injuring more than a dozen. Rather than mediate and defend its student protesters, the universities too have attempted time and again to end the movement.
As student activists set up their first encampment, which has become a political hub for anti-war thinkers and activists calling on their university to divest from Israeli investments, the administration responded by calling the police. As the encampments spread across student networks in other universities and countries, so did the tools of repression, from one campus to the other, from one state to the next.
Students and activists protesting against the Gaza war face police after demonstrators were evicted from the library at Portland State University in Oregon. AFP
A car is damaged after it was driven towards protesters at Portland State University. AFP
Students write letters in support of Palestinians in Gaza at an encampment at George Washington University, in Washington. AP
Pro-Palestinian protesters confront a state trooper at the University of Texas in Austin. AFP
Texas State troopers stand guard at the University of Texas. AFP
A protester confronts University of Texas police. AFP
A demonstrator protests outside the encampment established in support of Palestinians in Gaza at Columbia University, in New York City. AFP
A student protester flies a kite inside the protest encampment at Columbia University. AP
Students at Columbia University write a message as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues. Reuters
Student protesters march round their encampment at Columbia University. AP
A student is arrested at a protest encampment on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg. AP
Police move to bring down an encampment after several days of protests by pro-Palestinian activists on the Virginia Tech campus. AP
Vish Gill, a prominent figure at pro-Palestine protests, is arrested at Virginia Tech campus. AP
Pro-Israel counter-protesters gather at a pro-Palestine demonstration at the University of California, Los Angeles. Reuters
Pro-Palestine demonstrators gather on the campus of Columbia University. AP
The attacks, both verbal and physical, continue. As I flew back to Beirut from a stay in Cambridge, Boston, in the state that’s home to esteemed academic institutions, my mind kept going back to the young, promising students with their lives ahead of them who have been suspended and kicked out of programmes, vilified and aggressed, simply for standing up for what is right.
There’s no other word to describe it. Despite the efforts to complicate it, the truth about what is right is simple. Though it’s long overdue, almost every legitimate and credible entity on the planet acknowledges Israel’s assault on the Palestinian people, in one way or another.
From the International Court of Justice to the UN, Israel’s actions have been described as amounting to genocidal. The killing of civilians, women, children, aid workers, journalists and doctors is documented, and evidence gathered. The destruction of Gaza is ongoing, the occupation of the West Bank is steadfast, and the historical facts of the past 75 years are written for those who care to read. This is all undeniable, and yet there are those who will deny students’ rights to denounce it, right here in the US.
I published, a few days ago, a video in solidarity with the parents of those students. As a father myself, I am deeply affected by the challenges and uncertainties that we navigate to protect our children, and encourage their struggle. I reflect, in the video, on the story of Tamara Rasamny, the daughter of my good friend Walid, who was suspended from Columbia just days ahead of her graduation. Her dedication to these peaceful protests for justice, for basic human rights, highlights courage.
What we are witnessing is a dangerous assault on protests and free speech. Worse, we’re witnessing it on college campuses, in the very nations that have prided themselves on defending democratic values.
Universities have long been the focal sites of change. They are where ideas clash, not people, and where new worlds are built. This is truer today than ever, and we should support the students today as they ask for a world of peace, of justice and equality for all.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Mane 51', Salah 53'
Chelsea 0
Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Brief scores:
Newcastle United 1
Perez 23'
Wolverhampton Rovers 2
Jota 17', Doherty 90' 4
Red cards: Yedlin 57'
Man of the Match: Diogo Jota (Wolves)
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Results:
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 2,000m - Winner: Powderhouse, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
All you need to know about Formula E in Saudi Arabia
What The Saudia Ad Diriyah E-Prix
When Saturday
Where Diriyah in Saudi Arabia
What time Qualifying takes place from 11.50am UAE time through until the Super Pole session, which is due to end at 12.55pm. The race, which will last for 45 minutes, starts at 4.05pm.
Who is competing There are 22 drivers, from 11 teams, on the grid, with each vehicle run solely on electronic power.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
France 4
Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')
Argentina 3
Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
An arms embargo
A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE) Where: Allianz Arena, Munich Live: BeIN Sports HD Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
