Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University researcher detained because of his views on Gaza, has been released from custody in Texas after a judge ruled the US government overstepped by arresting him in March.
A US district judge made the much-anticipated decision on Wednesday. Mr Suri was released on bond and will be able to return to Virginia.
"After months of sorrow, loss, and pain, when I saw my kids, it was like an oasis in the desert, and in their arms I found my life again. It was a surreal experience," he said shortly after his release.
Since President Donald Trump took office on January 20, his administration has turned a critical eye on students, scholars and professors expressing sympathy for Palestinians amid the continuing Israel-Gaza war.
Non-citizens in the US on visas have been detained and threatened with deportation by federal authorities.
Some are student protest organisers, others have simply written in support of Palestine.
In Mr Suri's case, his marriage to someone who had expressed support for Palestine was sufficient for the government to arrest him.
Pro-Palestinians are also being targeted by groups using artificial intelligence to expose them and report them to authorities.
The State Department reportedly hasn't ruled out using AI to help it revoke the visas of international students accused of supporting Hamas, again, often without due process or a nuanced interpretation of what demonstrators may have said or done.
The State Department has not provided current figures on how many visas it has revoked. In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at least 300.
Here is a look at some of the most prominent cases.
Mahmoud Khalil: in custody and facing deportation
Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate who was a leader in campus pro-Palestine protests last year, is being held in an immigration detention centre in Louisiana.
He was arrested in New York on March 8, with video showing agents from the Department of Homeland Security taking him into custody without a warrant, handcuffing him and forcing him into an unmarked car.
Shortly after his detention, Mr Trump wrote that Mr Khalil was a “radical foreign pro-Hamas student”.
Despite his legal team's arguments that Mr Khalil's right to free speech was violated and that he was apprehended without due process, Judge Jamee Comans disagreed. She said the government had demonstrated sufficiently Mr Khalil’s presence in the US could have “potentially serious foreign policy consequences”, therefore the case met the legal threshold for deportation.
Late last month, federal immigration authorities denied Mr Khalil’s request for temporary release from detention to attend the birth of his first child. He has filed an appeal to try to prevent his deportation and the case remains under adjudication.
Mohsen Mahdawi: released
Authorities in Vermont apprehended Mohsen Mahdawi on April 14.
A student, Mr Mahdawi has been an outspoken critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and organised campus protests. He cofounded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia with Mr Khalil.
The State Department and Department of Homeland Security deemed Mr Mahdawi “removable” under the Immigration and Nationality Act. It also said his actions could have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences and would compromise compelling US foreign policy interest”.
He spent 16 days in detention until US District Judge Geoffrey Crawford raised doubts over the State Department's rationale for the arrest and detention.
“The two weeks of detention so far demonstrate great harm to a person who has been charged with no crime,” the judge said.
Mr Mahdawi could still be deported depending on how things unfold in court, with US authorities appealing the Vermont judge’s decision.
He plans on starting his master’s degree at Columbia beginning in the autumn.
Rumeysa Ozturk: released
On March 25, Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk was on her way to meet friends and break fast during Ramadan when masked agents surrounded her and took her into custody near her home in Massachusetts.
The Department of Homeland Security accused Turkish student Ms Ozturk, 30, without providing evidence, of “engaging in activities in support of Hamas”, the Gaza-based Palestinian militant group designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the US government.
Ms Ozturk, who is also a Fulbright Scholar, last year co-wrote an opinion piece in a student newspaper criticising Tufts's response to student calls to divest from companies with Israel ties and to “acknowledge the Palestinian genocide”.
A federal judge on March 28 stopped her deportation after Ms Ozturk's lawyers filed a lawsuit saying her detention infringed her right to free speech and due process.
After spending six weeks in a Louisiana detention centre, Ms Ozturk's legal team secured a major victory by convincing a judge to order her release on the grounds US federal authorities had not provided evidence to justify her arrest. It is expected the Trump administration will challenge the ruling.
Badar Khan Suri: judge orders release
On March 17, Badar Khan Suri, an Indian citizen studying at Georgetown University in Washington DC, was arrested at his Virginia home by the Department of Homeland Security.
Department officials claimed Mr Suri “has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior adviser to Hamas”, and that Mr Rubio had determined that the scholar's activities “rendered him deportable”.
His lawyers have so far successfully argued for a lack of due process and charges to justify his deportation.
In the weeks since his initial detention, demonstrators have gathered on Georgetown's campus in support of Mr Suri and the university's dean Joel Hellman issued a lengthy statement explaining his concern over the arrest and detention.
As noted above, Mr Suri was released on bond on May 14.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The five pillars of Islam
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
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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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
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More on Quran memorisation:
More coverage from the Future Forum
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Match info:
Real Betis v Sevilla, 10.45pm (UAE)
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
RESULTS
Main card
Bantamweight 56.4kg: Mehdi Eljamari (MAR) beat Abrorbek Madiminbekov (UZB), Split points decision
Super heavyweight 94 kg: Adnan Mohammad (IRN) beat Mohammed Ajaraam (MAR), Split points decision
Lightweight 60kg: Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Faridoon Alik Zai (AFG), RSC round 3
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Taha Marrouni (MAR) beat Mahmood Amin (EGY), Unanimous points decision
Light welterweight 64.5kg: Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) beat Nouredine Samir (UAE), Unanimous points decision
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Haroun Baka (ALG), KO second round
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
