Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Wednesday demanding an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza and full humanitarian access, as aid groups warn of famine-like conditions in the enclave after months of war.
The resolution received 14 votes in favour, with only the US opposing it. The draft resolution, proposed by the 10 non-permanent council members, also urged the “immediate lifting of all restrictions” on humanitarian aid into Gaza, ensuring safe and large-scale distribution throughout the besieged enclave.
Washington’s veto blocked the measure, which required at least nine “yes” votes and no vetoes from the five permanent members – the US, Russia, China, Britain or France – to pass.
The veto is the first by Washington since US President Donald Trump took office in January. It is the fifth draft resolution on the Gaza war vetoed by the US since the conflict started in October 2023.
The Security Council has struggled to act on the conflict, with previous ceasefire attempts also failing.
Speaking to the council immediately before the vote, the US envoy to the UN, Dorothy Shea, said the resolution would undermine the security of Israel, a close US ally.
“US opposition to this resolution should come as no surprise,” Ms Shea told council members. “It is unacceptable for what it does say, it is unacceptable for what it does not say, and it is unacceptable for the manner in which it has been advanced.”
Ms Shea stressed the US has been clear that it would not support “any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza”.
“We cannot allow the Security Council to reward Hamas's intransigence,” she added.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio later said in a post on X: “This resolution would’ve only served to advance the interests of Hamas terrorists, while undermining diplomatic efforts. Any UN measure should clearly condemn Hamas and call for them to disarm and leave Gaza. The US will continue to stand with Israel.”
The text, drafted by Slovenia alongside Algeria and Guyana, repeated the council’s demand for the “immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups”.
“It was never our intention to provoke a veto,” Slovenia’s ambassador to the UN, Samuel Zbogar, told council members. “We were aware of different positions inside the council. This is why the draft resolution had only one focus, a humanitarian one.”
Mr Zbogar called on the council to “unite around this urgent demand for unimpeded humanitarian access and for food to be delivered to starving civilians”.
Starving civilians and inflicting immense suffering is inhumane, he said, and against international law.
“No war objective can justify such action,” Mr Zbogar added. “Fourteen votes in favour, however, carries a strong message. Enough of suffering of civilians. Enough of food being used as a weapon. Enough is enough is enough.”
Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon criticised the resolution and said the vote was “not diplomacy”.
“That is surrender,” he said. “And it sends a clear message to Hamas: reject every deal and the international community will still reward you.
“I must be very honest with you,” Mr Danon told council members. “Don't waste more of your energy. Don't waste more of your time, because no resolution, no vote, no moral failure, will stand in our way.”
Israel has come under mounting international pressure to halt its war in Gaza, a conflict sparked by a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Criticism has intensified over the chaotic aid distribution in Gaza, where Israel imposed a complete blockade for more than two months before permitting a limited number of UN aid vehicles to enter in the middle of May.
The amount of aid Israel has authorised to enter Gaza amounts to “a teaspoon”, when a flood of humanitarian assistance is needed, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said last month.
Meanwhile, the US and Irsael-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund has faced backlash for allegedly breaching established aid principles by co-ordinating relief efforts with a military party to the conflict.
Britain’s UN envoy, Barbara Woodward, called Israel's new aid system “inhumane” and stressed that “Israel needs to end its restrictions on aid now".
Palestine's UN ambassador, Riyad Mansour, said Palestinians are now urging governments to take “real measures” to pressure Israel to get out of Gaza before it implements what he called an Israeli plan “to destroy our people".
And in the coming days, he said, the Palestinians will head to the 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, with a similar humanitarian-focused resolution.
The war, now in its 20th month, has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza authorities. Hamas is still holding 58 hostages taken during the October 7 attacks, in which 1,200 people were killed. About a third of the captives are believed to still be alive.
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Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
List of alleged parties
- May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
- 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
- Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
- Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
- Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
- Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
- Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
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
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'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Rating: Five out of five stars
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RESULT
Australia 3 (0) Honduras 1 (0)
Australia: Jedinak (53', 72' pen, 85' pen)
Honduras: Elis (90 4)
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
Kimmich (27')
Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
