EU warned that starvation in Gaza will increase exponentially
Marwan Barghouti seen in video as Israeli minister Ben Gvir threatens him
Israeli army carries out raids across occupied West Bank
'No life' for Lebanon if government confronts us, Hezbollah chief warns
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed and UK PM Starmer discuss Gaza
At least 61,776 Palestinians killed and 154,906 wounded in Gaza since war began
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The National
26 minutes ago
- The National
Nadeen Ayoub on representing Palestine at Miss Universe: 'We should never be silenced'
This November, as Nadeen Ayoub steps on to the Miss Universe stage alongside contestants from over 120 countries, she will do more than make history as Palestine 's first participant – she will carry the courage and spirit of her people on a global stage. 'When you have that power, you have a responsibility to speak out. And I feel a huge responsibility,' she tells The National. 'Miss Universe is a huge platform, and there's a big responsibility in speaking out about what's happening in the Gaza. No one should be silent about the injustice that's happening. This is the time when Palestine needs to be represented on all platforms everywhere.' Crowned Miss Palestine in 2022, Ayoub, 27, made history that year when she represented her country for the first time at the Miss Earth pageant, where she was one of the top five finalists. But she had to put her future plans as a title holder on hold after conflict broke out in Gaza in 2023. 'There hasn't been another Miss Palestine since 2022 because of the genocide,' she says. 'After Miss Earth, I was supposed go to Miss Universe. But I postponed it because I did not want to go when genocide was happening. I wanted to focus more on staying behind the scenes because the spotlight was supposed to be on the people in Palestine who are suffering, rather than me.' But as violence raged and the humanitarian crises in Palestine worsens, Ayoub felt compelled to use her platform and voice to raise awareness about her people's plight. 'Palestinian people's voices need to be heard, not only the women and children, but everyone,' she says. 'The Palestinian woman is a beautiful woman who has a voice that is strong, that's resilient, that is powerful and that is angelic. And I want to show the world that side of Palestine.' A certified wellness and nutrition coach with a degree in literature and psychology, Ayoub was raised between Palestine, the US and Canada by her father who's a lawyer and her mother, an educator. She currently splits her time between her hometown of Ramallah, Amman and Dubai, where she founded Olive Green Academy, which promotes sustainability through training and awareness programmes. She also works for Sayidat Falasteen, the philanthropic and media platform of the Miss Palestine Organisation that works to uplift women by sharing their stories, supporting their businesses and showcasing their impact across Palestine and the diaspora. 'In a way, I love being an international citizen – a Palestinian international citizen,' she says. 'I like to mix what I learn internationally with me being Palestinian. This combination is almost like my art.' The long-running Miss Universe pageant is one of the most popular annual beauty competitions in the world, watched by an estimated global audience of 500 million. This year, the 74th event will be held in Pak Kret, central Thailand, with the finals on November 21. The road to the Miss Universe has not been easy, Ayoub says. 'It's a long process … a lot of interviews, a lot of applications. This is the first time in history that Palestine is being represented, but they were not going to just accept my entry. They have a lot of requirements in order to qualify as a contestant. It took me, honestly, years to get here.' With the support of the Miss Palestine Organisation as well as well-wishers and supporters, she says she's managed to pull together a team to help her prepare for the big stage in November. 'When we went to Miss Earth, it was almost like a one-woman show,' she says. 'I didn't have a big agency behind me so I had to really work hard and prepare myself because we lack these tools in Palestine. We don't have as much opportunity as other countries, because we have other causes that need more attention. 'But we have had the most positive reactions to our announcement and people have been so amazing and supportive. I have a team in the Philippines and in Palestine and other places, and all these people want to support me, because they love Palestine. And this is the most beautiful thing about it – they are so happy that Palestine is being represented at this time.' That huge responsibility is not lost on Ayoub who says she's going to give it her all and hopes to make a mark, from her fashion choices to the messages she will speak about on stage at multiple events. 'I will definitely be wearing designs from more than one designer in the competition, because I want to support as many Palestinian designers as possible. And I'm also using designs from international designers as well, and I think it's a great way to express my Palestinian identity and also my international identity,' she says. 'And as I've said before, we should never be silenced when there is injustice happening in the world. And we always should speak up for the people in Palestine, for the women and children that are starving right now, for people that are suffering for no fault of their own. And to be truly a queen is to talk about this. This is really my message.'
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Gaza ceasefire mediators eye imminent 'positive announcement', senior official says
A 'positive announcement' regarding a Gaza ceasefire could come later in the day, a senior regional official involved in the negotiations told The National on Monday. 'There might be a positive announcement later, but we're still working on it,' the official said, though the details were not specified. 'Later today, the Qatari PM [Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman] is heading to Egypt to push the talks forward," added the official. A Hamas delegation has been in Cairo since last week for discussions. On Sunday, sources told The National that Egyptian and Qatari mediators had revived a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 hostages, in a last-minute bid to avert an Israeli ground assault on Gaza city. The plan includes a written US guarantee that indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel on troop withdrawal from Gaza and a long-term truce would begin during the pause and continue until an agreement is reached. 'The Qataris and Egyptians have presented Israel and the United States with the plan and are now waiting for their response,' one source said. 'Falling back on the old plan for a partial, rather than a comprehensive, deal is designed to head off Israel's assault on Gaza.' The sources said the plan provided for the release of 10 hostages, as well as the remains of at least 15 who died in captivity, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli jails being freed. An estimated 50 hostages are still held by Hamas, with 20 believed to be alive. The latest proposal includes the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where dozens have died of starvation or hunger-related diseases. The plan also involves Israeli troops moving away from populated areas. The sources would not speculate on how Israel may respond to the latest proposal, which is largely based on a plan floated earlier this year by US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. News of the proposal broke as Israel prepared to send troops into Gaza city, where about one million people have sought shelter from the war. The preparations for the offensive have been made as Israel says its war on Gaza will continue until Hamas is defeated and the group surrenders its weapons. Israel also wants a civilian administration to be put in place in the enclave, without the involvement of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority or Hamas. Israel has also insisted on retaining an overall security role in Gaza.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
US envoy Tom Barrack in Beirut amid ongoing Hezbollah disarmament push
US envoy Tom Barrack has travelled to Beirut, less than two weeks after the Lebanese government approved the objectives of an American proposal to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah in a historic but controversial move. Mr Barrack, who is also the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, arrived in Beirut on Sunday night. Morgan Ortagus, deputy US special envoy for the region, is expected to arrive on Monday. At the start of President Donald Trump's administration, she initially led US efforts on Lebanon. 'Ambassador Barrack's focus is on fulfilling the President's goals. President Trump is committed to achieving peace and Lebanon's stability is key to regional security and prosperity,' a US State Department official said late on Sunday. The US officials will hold talks with Lebanese leaders amid fears that Israel will continue to escalate its daily attacks on Lebanon if there is a lack of progress in the push to disarm Hezbollah. The US proposal was approved at the end of a heated cabinet session less than two weeks ago, with Shiite ministers storming out before it ended. The landmark disarmament move was also heavily criticised by Hezbollah, its supporters and Iran. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has warned that there will be 'no life' for Lebanon if authorities confront the group. He accused the government of effectively handing the country over to Israel by pushing for disarmament and giving in to US demands. Mr Qassem said Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, its Shiite ally, decided to delay street protests against the US-backed disarmament plan because they believe there is room for dialogue with the Lebanese government. But he warned that demonstrations could reach the US embassy in Lebanon. But critics of Hezbollah said a vital disarmament timetable had been decided, giving the army until August 31 to present a plan to bring all weapons under state control by the end of the year. The visit by the US envoys comes days after Ali Larijani, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, travelled to Lebanon for meetings with the country's leaders. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed their deep dissatisfaction to Mr Larijani over criticism from Tehran about plans to disarm Hezbollah, in a powerful rebuke of the group's main backer. Both leaders stated that they reject Iranian interference in Lebanese affairs. Mr Aoun spoke to Saudi channels at the weekend, reiterating the stance taken towards Mr Larijani and Tehran. Saudi Arabia was previously a major financial supporter of Lebanon but stepped back amid the growing influence of Hezbollah and Iran in the country. Saudi Arabia has is becoming more involved again. Major international donors have said aid and other support depends on Hezbollah's disarmament and economic reform. Hezbollah was once the region's most powerful non-state armed group but its power has diminished after it lost is senior leadership and much of its arsenal during the war with Israel last year. Despite a fragile ceasefire with Israel being in place since November last year, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have continued. Israeli army chief, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, visited troops in southern Lebanon last week and boasted about breaching the truce about 600 times. The US proposals would also require Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory and end its daily bombings of the country.
