Hours after journalist Sam Husseini shouted “Why aren't you in The Hague?” at US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a press briefing, social media users had turned it into a meme.
The phrase has been called “iconic” by many users, including Stephen Mc Everton, who said on X: “'Why aren’t you in The Hague?' should be a question we ask much more often.”
Similarly, user Nabil Al Tikriti said on X: “#WhyArentYouintheHague should be the protest meme of a new generation.”
Independent journalist Husseini was forcibly removed from a press conference in Washington on Thursday after he interrupted Mr Blinken's opening remarks and berated him over the country's policy on Gaza.
Video online, including one taken by The National, showed Husseini being dragged out by security staff after he demanded Mr Blinken answer questions about US support for Israel amid the war in Gaza.
“Criminal! Why aren’t you in The Hague?” Husseini can be heard shouting, in a reference to the International Criminal Court.
It was the second interruption during Mr Blinken's final briefing to reporters before he leaves office next week.
“I think Sam Husseini spoke on behalf of a lot of us to ask Blinken the questions that may not have reached his ears otherwise. The lack of urgency to promote and help establish a ceasefire all of these months is despicable and I consider Sam Husseini’s actions to be commendable and journalism in its truest form,” Harmeet Kaur, 32, who lives in Indiana and works for a student tour company, told The National.
User Suppressed News on X said this was the farewell Mr Blinken deserved for the US stance on Gaza.
US support for Israel has become a flashpoint issue in the 15 months since Hamas militants stormed southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping another 250, sparking a violent and deadly response.
More than 46,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military campaign in the densely populated enclave, according to local health authorities.
The departing administration of President Joe Biden, soon to be succeeded by president-elect Donald Trump, has been vocal about its “ironclad” support for Israel, including sending billions in aid.
Under Mr Biden, Washington refused to halt weapons shipments to Israel, despite the scale and scope of the deadly offensive in Gaza and mounting calls from a younger generation of Americans.
“I am disappointed with Biden’s administration for various reasons, but among all of those, I am most disheartened by how they handled their role as middleman in the genocide of the Palestinian people,” said Ms Kaur.
“The US has a long history of making decisions that has affected, and continues to affect, the geopolitical layout of much of the world. I feel that the Biden administration did not do due diligence towards their responsibility of being such a key player in mitigating this conflict.”
A 36-year-old food safety and nutrition consultant working in New York and Minnesota who asked not be named said: “While people here face homelessness, hunger, and neglect, it’s maddening that our money is taken by force but not used to support us. Tax dollars should build stronger communities, not fund destruction.”
Mulki Husein, 23, an IT graduate and model who lives in Arizona, agreed. “As a Somali American born and raised here, I wish more of those funds were directed towards development, and diplomacy that could help resolve conflicts particularly in regions like the Middle East and Africa, where conflicts have direct ties to my community.
“Domestically, I also hope tax dollars are better allocated to education, health care and social services, especially for underrepresented communities like mine who are of lower income backgrounds.”
Ms Kaur summarised it thus: “I’d like to see our voices and opinions as a society come to fruition more often through the use of our tax dollars.”
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.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')
Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
How to donate
Text the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
6025 - Dh 20
2252 - Dh 50
2208 - Dh 100
6020 - Dh 200
*numbers work for both Etisalat and du
MATCH INFO
Mumbai Indians 186-6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 183-5 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians won by three runs
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
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%3Cp%3EDungeons%20%26amp%3B%20Dragons%20began%20as%20an%20interactive%20game%20which%20would%20be%20set%20up%20on%20a%20table%20in%201974.%20One%20player%20takes%20on%20the%20role%20of%20dungeon%20master%2C%20who%20directs%20the%20game%2C%20while%20the%20other%20players%20each%20portray%20a%20character%2C%20determining%20its%20species%2C%20occupation%20and%20moral%20and%20ethical%20outlook.%20They%20can%20choose%20the%20character%E2%80%99s%20abilities%2C%20such%20as%20strength%2C%20constitution%2C%20dexterity%2C%20intelligence%2C%20wisdom%20and%20charisma.%20In%20layman%E2%80%99s%20terms%2C%20the%20winner%20is%20the%20one%20who%20amasses%20the%20highest%20score.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'The%20Alchemist's%20Euphoria'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kasabian%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EColumbia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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)
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
