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Israel’s top envoy to the UN has called the Hamas attack “Israel’s 9/11", likening the strikes against Israeli soldiers and civilians to the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks against the US that reshaped the course of the 21st century.
The comments by the ambassador, Gilad Erdan, came before an emergency session of the UN Security Council, where the Palestinian envoy pleaded for Israel to abandon its forceful response that he said was sure to lead to the deaths of civilians on both sides.
Mr Erdan showed journalists graphic pictures of Israeli civilians being taken captive by Hamas.
“This is Israel's 9/11 and Israel will do everything to bring our sons and daughters back home,” he said.
“These are war crimes; blatant, documented war crimes.
Apart from killing nearly 3,000 people in New York, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, the September 11 attacks also mark one of America's greatest intelligence failures.
Saturday's Hamas attacks also seem to have blindsided Israeli and US intelligence services.
Mr Erdan appealed to the international community to give Israel its full support and to condemn the actions of Hamas.
Also addressing reporters was Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, who implored the international community to pressure Israel to abandon its use of force and embrace a path to peace “where neither Palestinians nor Israelis are killed".
“This is not a time to let Israel double down on its terrible choices,” he said. “This is a time to tell Israel it needs to change course, that there is a path to peace where neither Palestinians nor Israelis are killed.”
Mr Mansour said Israel should be held to the same standards as Palestinians when it comes to violence.
“You cannot say, 'Nothing justifies killing Israelis', and then provide justifications for killing Palestinians. We are not subhumans,” he said.
Mr Mansour, questioning the absence of international protection when Israel breaches international law, challenged the unequal treatment, asking: “Aren't Palestinian lives worth saving?”
Saudi-Israel deal
Mr Erdan spoke about prospects of a deal that would see Israel and Saudi Arabia establish formal relations for the first time.
The agreement has been in the works for months and some analysts say Hamas's attack on Saturday was partly aimed at derailing it.
“There doesn't seem to be any compelling reason why normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia should be off the table,” Mr Erdan said.
“There are moderate countries in our region that seek peaceful coexistence, and Saudi Arabia is undoubtedly among them.”
He went on to accuse Iran of actively working to hinder the chances of a deal.
Before the closed-door Security Council meeting, US deputy ambassador Robert Wood called for condemnation of the Hamas attack.
“I expect to hear from the other council members very strong condemnation of these heinous acts of terrorism committed against the Israeli people and their government,” Mr Wood told reporters.
After the Security Council session on the crisis, ambassador Lana Nusseibeh of the UAE stressed the need for all council members to use international and bilateral channels to promote calm and de-escalation, with a primary focus on protecting civilians on both sides.
Ms Nusseibeh said a few council members raised the necessity of addressing the need for a political path forward.
Russia's UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said the Security Council did not consider any joint statement as some member states, including Moscow, were seeking a broader agenda beyond condemning Hamas.
"My message was to stop the fighting immediately and to go to a ceasefire and to meaningful negotiations," Mr Nebenzya said.
Meanwhile, across town, demonstrators in New York's Times Square voiced their support for the Palestinians, chanting “Free Palestine".
On the other side of the street, Israelis, separated by a metal fence installed by police, displayed their opposition by waving flags and shouting, “Shame on you.”
New York's Governor Kathy Hochul criticised Manhattan's Palestinian solidarity rally as "abhorrent and morally repugnant", and ordered landmarks in the US state to be illuminated in blue and white, the colours of the Israeli flag
Mounir Attalah, a member of the Palestinian youth group who was among the demonstration's organisers, told The National that he joined the protests because the people of Gaza “refuse to die quietly and we're here to support the right of an occupied people to resist their occupation".
"What we saw yesterday was the people of Gaza breaking out of their open-air prison," Mr Attalah said.
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
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
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.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
More on Quran memorisation:
DUBAI CARNIVAL RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner Dubai Future, Harry Bentley (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner Dubai Love, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Equilateral, James Doyle, Charles Hills.
8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
Winner Laser Show, Kevin Stott, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Glorious Journey, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner George Villiers, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
Zayed Sustainability Prize
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
