Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Thousands of mourners gathered in Beirut on Thursday for the funeral of Saleh Al Arouri, the senior Hamas official assassinated in an Israeli strike in the Lebanese capital earlier this week.
The funeral procession to the Palestine Martyrs Cemetery was attended by people of all backgrounds and classes: Palestinians and Lebanese, women and children, politicians and boy scouts.
“I came today because Palestine is my homeland, my heritage, and I take pride in it,” said Nour El Khatib, 14, a resident of the Shatila refugee camp who attended the funeral with her mother.
Many Palestinian residents of Lebanon were bused from the country's various refugee camps to attend the funeral.
Mr Al Arouri was the deputy leader of Hamas's political bureau and the most senior official to be killed since the Israel-Gaza war began on October 7. He was a founding member of Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, and despite residing in exile in Lebanon, still oversaw military operations in the West Bank.
He joined Hamas in 1987, but had lived in Lebanon since 2015. Numerous senior Hamas officials live in exile in Lebanon, as does Ziyad Nakhaleh, the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The procession of his body began at the Imam Ali Mosque in southern Beirut, before heading to a cemetery close to the Shatila refugee camp. Shots were fired from nearby rooftops throughout the procession – a common expression of mourning and celebration in the Arab world, particularly for respected leaders.
“Being here is our religious duty against the Zionist entity [Israel]. Saleh Al Arouri is a martyr, the martyr of the Ummah. I’m Lebanese, but in the religious context, there is no difference with Palestinians. We are all Muslims,” Mahmoud Diab, 56, told The National.
“He left a legacy for others to continue their path. We are waiting for a retaliation, but everything will come in its time. We can't respond immediately. When the time comes, an important blow will be delivered.”
Mr Al Arouri's casket was accompanied by two others throughout the procession: that of Azzam El Aqraa, a commander in the Qassam Brigades, and Mohammad El Rais, a member of the movement, both of whom were killed in the same strike attributed to Israel.
The killing of the Hamas leader and his colleagues occurred the day before the fourth anniversary of the assassination Iranian military commander Qassem Suleimani.
Israel has vowed to eradicate Hamas in Gaza and elsewhere due to the group's orchestration of the October 7 attack on Israel, which prompted the assault on the strip.
Hezbollah, which is allied with two Palestinian militant groups and called the assassination an attack on Lebanon's sovereignty, has vowed to retaliate.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah described the strike as a “flagrant attack” that “will not go unpunished” in his public address Wednesday night.
Even in Lebanon's deeply divided political scene, the attack has been condemned on all sides as a breach of sovereignty. Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati was among those to criticise the attack in a statement, describing it as “a new Israeli crime” that sought to drag Lebanon further into conflict with Israel.
He had called on the international community to “exert pressure” on Israel to stop its attacks.
When the procession ended near the cemetery, a recorded speech from Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was broadcast on loudspeakers. Whispers rippled in the crowd as the recording began.
“Palestine and Lebanon mourn and say farewell to a great man who led battles in all fields – in the homeland and outside of it,” Mr Haniyeh said.
He also made a reference to the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
“The world has witnessed our resistance and our historical patience in Gaza, even after the eternal battles and brutal massacres we have faced,” he said.
“This chain of assassinations won’t stop with Saleh Al Arouri or his brothers” in arms.
The group is prepared for a “long battle” and “will not forsake its morality, strategy or principles”, he added.
“The battle is lengthy – but so is our spirit,” Mr Haniyeh said.
The killing has sparked anger in the occupied West Bank, where Mr Al Arouri had significant influence, with hundreds protesting in Ramallah and in his home village nearby.
In Jerusalem, shops closed on Wednesday in response to calls for a general strike.
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It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Five hymns the crowds can join in
Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday
Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir
Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium
‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song
‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar
‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion
‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope
The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’
There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia
The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ
They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
Grand Slam Los Angeles results
Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos
Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at Mount Maunganui
England 353
Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88
New Zealand 144-4
Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
The details
Heard It in a Past Life
Maggie Rogers
(Capital Records)
3/5
RESULT
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai 0 Al Ain 6
Al Ain: Caio (5', 73'), El Shahat (10'), Berg (65'), Khalil (83'), Al Ahbabi (90' 2)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
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Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
Results:
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 2,410m | Winner: Bin Battuta, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer)
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) | $100,000 | 1,400m | Winner: Al Hayette, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.40pm: Handicap (T) | $145,000 | 1,000m | Winner: Faatinah, Jim Crowley, David Hayes
8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) | $200,000 | 1,200m | Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) | $200,000 | 1,800m | Winner: Dream Castle, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor
9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 | 1,400m | Winner: Another Batt, Connor Beasley, George Scott
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
