Parts of the region are under siege by Iran and its proxies. To the outside world looking on from afar, the ongoing tensions in the region might seem like typical rivalries, but it is becoming increasingly clear to those in proximity that the Iranian regime is making an energetic effort to consolidate a mini-empire. Its current conduct conveys a sense of its intentions in setting out to gain supremacy over vast swathes of the Middle East.
The regime has already spread its insidious influence to Lebanon, whose government is effectively controlled by Hizbollah and whose former prime minister has blamed Iranian meddling for his resignation. In Yemen, Iranian-backed Houthi militias have transformed the territory under their control into a launchpad for missile strikes against Saudi Arabia. In Syria, Hizbollah and Iran have shored up the presidency of Bashar Al Assad, a man who has used chemical weapons against his own people. The Iranian regime is following up its gains with the creation of a land bridge that links Tehran to Beirut, removing the obstacles that currently stand between it and Hizbollah. These moves raise serious security implications for the rest of the Arab world.
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Read more
Arab League hears of growing Hizbollah threat
Iran's Tehran-to-Beirut land bridge moves closer to reality
UAE condemns Iran's missile programme
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Bahrain’s foreign minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, underlined the potency of the situation when he told the emergency meeting of the Arab League in Cairo on Sunday that Iran constitutes the “biggest threat to the security of the region today”. Hizbollah, he said, “does not just carry out operations inside the borders” of Lebanon but “also crosses its borders to all of our nations”. Sheikh Khalid was addressing representatives of nations that have repeatedly been exposed to the rough edges of the Iranian regime’s determination to plough a furrow towards its own empire. Saudi Arabia alone has been bombarded with at least 80 ballistic missiles and 66,000 projectiles fired by Houthi militias in Yemen.
The patience of the Arab world, taken for granted for far too long by the regime in Tehran, is evaporating. There is, now, a growing sense of urgency among international leaders of the need to bring Iran to account. Following a conversation on Saturday between the US president Donald Trump and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, the White House announced that both leaders had agreed to “counter Hizbollah’s and Iran’s destabilising activities in the region”. Curbing Tehran's ambitions calls for a united voice if moderate Arab countries are to defend their national security and keep their people safe.
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Alcohol consumption could be an issue
Hulk
Cardiac disease, stroke and dementia from high heart rate
Spider-Man
Agility reduces risk of falls
Increased risk of obesity and mental health issues
Black Panther
Vegetarian diet reduces obesity
Unknown risks of potion drinking
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Childhood traumas increase risk of mental illnesses
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He's a god
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Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
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CHINESE GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID
1st row
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
2nd row
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
3rd row
Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing)
4th row
Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
Sergio Perez (Force India)
5th row
Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault)
Romain Grosjean (Haas)
6th row
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Esteban Ocon (Force India)
7th row
Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)
8th row
Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
9th row
Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
Lance Stroll (Williams)
10th row
Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
arcus Ericsson (Sauber)
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas
6 Romain Grosjean, Haas
7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
9 Carlos Sainz, Renault
10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren
12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
13 Sergio Perez, Force India
14 Lance Stroll, Williams
15 Esteban Ocon, Force India
16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber
19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
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.
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
