Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Climate activist Greta Thunberg, Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham and a French politician barred from entering Israel are setting sail from Italy on Sunday as part of a “Freedom Flotilla", with the goal of reaching Gaza to deliver humanitarian supplies and protest against the war.
The organisation, which has been sending vessels to Gaza for more than a decade, has faced Israeli military retaliation throughout its existence. In April, one of its ships was hit by armed drones, with organisers blaming Israel, although no one has yet claimed the attack.
In 2010, Israeli forces killed 10 Turkish activists belonging to the group on the Mavi Marmara after a naval interception near the coast of Gaza. Ten Israeli troops were wounded in the attack.
The latest vessel is setting sail from Sicily in a “small but mighty yacht” called Madleen, named in 2014 after Gaza’s only fisherwoman, the organisation’s website said. It says the flotilla is "carrying a cargo of hope and humanitarian aid".
Speaking on the deck as the vessel prepared to set sail, Ms Thunberg said the mission was “about the Palestinians who are being systematically starved and ethnically cleansed" by Israel.
“The real news story today is not that we are setting sail towards Gaza. It is the fact that we have to be here,” she added.
“It falls on us to be the adults in the room … we have to keep our promise to the Palestinians to do everything in our power to protest the genocide and to try to open up the humanitarian corridor and break the siege.
“No matter what the odds are against us we have to keep trying, because the moment we stop trying we lose our humanity. No matter how dangerous this mission is it is nowhere near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world.”
French politician Rima Hassan said on Friday the latest voyage was to “condemn the humanitarian blockade and continuing genocide, the impunity granted to the state of Israel and raise international awareness”.
Ms Hassan, a member of left-wing party France Unbowed, was due to visit the occupied Palestinian territories in February with a European Parliament delegation, but said she was refused entry to Israel.
Aid has begun trickling back into Gaza in recent days, but humanitarian groups warn the war-ravaged enclave is facing mass starvation. The White House said on Thursday that Israel had "signed off" on a new US ceasefire proposal, but Hamas said it could not accept the deal.
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.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
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Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
'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 five pillars of Islam
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The years Ramadan fell in May
