Follow the latest updates on the Morocco earthquake
Villagers across Morocco have been left surrounded by devastation – with some saying all they can do now is pray – after an earthquake left thousands dead across the country.
The 6.8-magnitude quake late on Friday sent people fleeing from their homes, destroying mountain villages and ancient cities across Morocco.
More than 2,400 people were killed, with the death toll expected to rise on Monday.
Hope to find survivors is dwindling as time passes.
On Monday afternoon, a French aid group withdrew an offer to deploy a nine-person search and rescue team, saying the chances of finding survivors were next to none.
Rescuers Without Borders' founder, Arnaud Fraisse, told the Associated Press that “our role is not to find bodies”.
Because homes in quake-hit areas were often made of mud bricks with roofs of wood, stone and clay, he said, the hope of finding survivors at this point is slim.
“When all of that collapses, you don’t have much chance of surviving, because there are no air pockets,” Mr Fraisse said – in contrast to places where buildings are made of concrete or other strong materials.
“People are generally suffocated by the dust.”
Residents of the remote village of Moulay Brahim in the Atlas Mountains were suddenly surrounded by devastation, with dozens reportedly dead, scores of homes crumpled and walls reduced to rubble.
The rural community of fewer than 3,000 people stands about 45km north-east of the quake's epicentre and slightly more than an hour's drive from Marrakesh.
Popular with tourists, the village comprises clay brick and cinder block homes, many of which are no longer standing or safe to inhabit. Fallen walls exposed the inside of damaged homes, their rubble sliding down hills, AP reported.
“We felt a huge shake like it was doomsday,” said villager Ayoub Toudite. “Ten seconds and everything was gone.”
Student Abdelfattah El Akari, 19, said the quake felt like it went on for more than a minute.
“The ground moved and homes cracked,” he said.
Chaos and terror followed as frightened villagers sought safety in the streets. When they returned to their neighbourhoods, some used bare hands to clear debris and start pulling out bodies, one after another.
People gathered and cried outside a community health centre as news trickled in of more deaths.
'The village is dead'
Rescue crews looked for more casualties or people in need of rescue following the biggest earthquake to hit the country in 120 years.
The majority of the deaths, at least 2,012 as of Saturday night, were in Marrakesh and five provinces near the epicentre, with at least 2,059 more people injured, including 1,404 critically, the Interior Ministry reported.
In the village of Tikht, previously home to at least 100 families, dozens of mourning residents and soldiers gathered at the ruins. Several said they could not remember any previous earthquake in the area, AFP reported.
“It wasn't something people here thought about when building their houses,” said Abdelrahman Edjal, 23, a student who lost most of his family in the disaster.
Another villager, Mohssin Aksum, 33, said “life is finished here … the village is dead”.
Baby born minutes before quake
In Taddart in the Atlas Mountains, a baby born minutes before the quake struck was still waiting to be named on Monday, the BBC reported.
The baby’s first home was a tent by the side of the road.
Mother Khadija and her daughter were unhurt, but the hospital in Marrakesh was evacuated soon after their arrival.
After a quick check-up, they were asked to leave just three hours after the birth.
“They told us we had to go due to the fear of aftershocks,” she said.
With their newborn, Khadija and her husband tried to take a taxi early on Saturday to their home about 65km from Marrakesh, but found roads blocked by landslides and only made it as far as the village of Asni.
The family have been living in a tent by the side of the main road since.
“I haven't received any help or assistance from authorities,” she told the BBC. “We asked some people in this village for blankets so that we had something to cover us up.
“We have only God.”
Authorities in Moulay Brahim tempered expectations with warnings that many areas remained too fragile to enter, while there was still a risk of aftershocks that could destroy whatever remained standing.
A minaret looming above Moulay Brahim was severely damaged and appeared at risk of toppling if nudged by another tremor.
Hours after the tragedy, hundreds accompanied more than a dozen blanket-covered bodies to the town square. Distraught parents sobbed into phones to tell loved ones about losing their children.
Mr Toudite and other villagers appealed for help.
“People are suffering here very much. We are in dire need of ambulances. Please send us ambulances to Moulay Brahim. The matter is urgent,” Mr Toudite implored on Saturday. “Please save us.”
The town also needs food and tents for people who have no place to go but the streets, he said. Its economy depends on agriculture and tourism.
Hassan Ait Belhaj, who owns several rental properties in Moulay Brahim, said the buildings were not designed for such violent quakes and wondered how long it would take for the area to recover.
The Moroccan military deployed aircraft, helicopters and drones. Emergency services mobilised aid efforts to the hardest-hit areas, but roads leading to the mountain region around the epicentre were jammed with vehicles and blocked with fallen rocks, slowing rescue efforts.
“Since the earthquake, we’ve worked almost continuously,” Abdelhakim Ait Idan, a Moulay Brahim doctor, said Saturday afternoon, more than 14 hours after the quake hit the village.
When Hamza Lamghani felt the tremble, he and his family darted outside. Then the lights went out. People used mobile phones as torches. When it seemed safe to move, Mr Lamghani and his family found their home and district reduced to rubble.
Five of his closest childhood friends had perished, he said. Still in shock, he walked from the square filled with evacuees. “There’s nothing to do but pray.”
A Prayer Before Dawn
Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai
Three stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Saudi Cup race day
Schedule in UAE time
5pm: Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup (Turf), 5.35pm: 1351 Cup (T), 6.10pm: Longines Turf Handicap (T), 6.45pm: Obaiya Arabian Classic for Purebred Arabians (Dirt), 7.30pm: Jockey Club Handicap (D), 8.10pm: Samba Saudi Derby (D), 8.50pm: Saudia Sprint (D), 9.40pm: Saudi Cup (D)
MATCH INFO
Everton v Tottenham, Sunday, 8.30pm (UAE)
Match is live on BeIN Sports
THE SCORES
Ireland 125 all out
(20 overs; Stirling 72, Mustafa 4-18)
UAE 125 for 5
(17 overs, Mustafa 39, D’Silva 29, Usman 29)
UAE won by five wickets
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
match info
Maratha Arabians 138-2
C Lynn 91*, A Lyth 20, B Laughlin 1-15
Team Abu Dhabi 114-3
L Wright 40*, L Malinga 0-13, M McClenaghan 1-17
Maratha Arabians won by 24 runs
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
India team for Sri Lanka series
Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
PROFILE BOX:
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Rami Salman, Rishav Jalan, Ayush Chordia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Technology, Sales, Voice, Artificial Intelligence
Size: (employees/revenue) 10/ 100,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($800,000)
Investors: Eight first-round investors including, Beco Capital, 500 Startups, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Hala Fadel, Odin Financial Services, Dubai Angel Investors, Womena, Arzan VC
More from Aya Iskandarani
MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Pakistan squad
Sarfraz (c), Zaman, Imam, Masood, Azam, Malik, Asif, Sohail, Shadab, Nawaz, Ashraf, Hasan, Amir, Junaid, Shinwari and Afridi
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2019 GMC Yukon Denali
Price, base: Dh306,500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 621Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.9L / 100km
match details
Wales v Hungary
Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 11.45pm
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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WISH
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Read more about the coronavirus
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
HOW TO WATCH
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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.”
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: 36
Sector: Logistics
Raised: $2.5 million
Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
