Israeli warplanes dropped as many as 100 bombs on Gaza in the space of 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday.
Seven days into the conflict, air raids shattered the nerves of Gaza’s two million residents during the worst fighting since 2014.
I am afraid of night. The heavy bombing starts at night and we live through horrible and scary moments
But survivors of the air strikes are facing other challenges as bombing destroys crucial services, placing families at risk of disease amid power cuts and a lack of water.
The Health Ministry on Sunday said at least 192 Palestinian were killed including 58 children and 34 women, with the toll of wounded at 1,235.
"Everything is targeted, nothing is secure," Niema Bilal, 41, told The National. "The situation is very difficult."
Nowhere to turn
Ms Bilal lives in a flat in Gaza City, which she now shares with about 20 of her displaced relatives who fled their homes. Almost 40,000 residents of Gaza have been displaced.
“Yesterday we received a warning to leave the house, because our neighbour’s house will be targeted,” she said.
Israel has a policy of phoning and texting some Gaza residents when their homes are about to be destroyed.
“We were so confused and didn't know what to do,” Ms Bilal said.
Her family now lives with incessant fear and in miserable, dark conditions as Gaza’s power and water services are being destroyed in the bombardment.
Gaza’s municipal water supplies rely on electric pumps, while water lines have also been destroyed as streets have been obliterated by bombing.
“Because the electricity has been out for a long time I have a shortage of water,” Ms Bilal says.
“Can you imagine 20 people needing to use the bathroom, wanting to wash their hands, but there is not enough water for that.”
The damage to the sewage network has led to wastewater flowing into the streets in Gaza City and elsewhere, the United Nations office for humanitarian affairs (OCHA) said Sunday.
Gaza's only power station said it was forced to stop operating at full production because of a lack of fuel. Gazans are currently receiving between six and eight hours of power daily, according to OCHA.
Israel closed both its people and goods crossings with Gaza on Monday.
Adding to Ms Bilal’s considerable worries is whether she will be able to provide for so many sheltering in her home.
“I get my payment daily, so if I don’t work I will not have any source of money," she said.
"I have been staying at home since the beginning of the escalation. I have no money and I have to take care of 20 people, but I can’t."
There are no signs that the violence will abate.
On Sunday morning, Israeli aircraft launched some of the most intense raids of the campaign, destroying buildings on Al Wehda Street in Gaza City.
The Health Ministry said one of those air strikes killed at least 42 people, including 10 children and 16 women.
It is feared the toll could climb further as rescuers were still searching through rubble for survivors.
“I thought that I lived in the safest neighbourhood in Gaza, because in the latest wars people evacuated their homes and came to stay in our neighbourhood,” said Taghreed Yaghi, 35, a mother of three.
“Now my area or any other area in Gaza is no longer safe. My children feel so angry they missed Eid and feel so sad that they missed their school vacation, which will be ruined.”
Ms Yaghi, who lives in Al Remal neighborhood, said she faced financial difficulties and food shortages.
"I face the problem of paying for food and groceries because the nearby markets are closed and it is not safe to drive the car to go to any other markets", she told The National.
“I am afraid of night. The heavy bombing starts at night and we live through horrible and scary moments.”
Tassneen Abu Ghaban, 24, lives in Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip, and tries to distract his young nephews from the terrifying sounds of war.
“My nephews came to stay with us," Mr Abu Ghaban said. "They feel so scared because of the bombing sounds.
"I tried to entertain them by playing them movies but there is no electricity to watch TV.
“When the power cuts out, I feel that I am disconnected from everything, because I don’t have access to the internet, to news.”
Humanitarian agencies have been pushing for days for the border to be briefly opened to allow vital supplies to enter Gaza, to no avail.
"There's lots of worry that if fuel doesn't come in the central power station will cease to function in a couple of days," Matthias Schmale, Gaza director for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees [UNRWA], told The National.
While residents face "terrifyingly loud" bombardment, he said, some 48 UNWRA schools were sheltering the displaced.
"Because schools have a blue United Nations flag on them, and the experience from the 2014 war is they were a safer place than their home," he said, remarking nowhere was completely safe.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Sunday that violence must end immediately.
World powers must use “maximum influence” to stop the conflict, it said. On the same day, Israel dropped at least 90 bombs on Gaza in 24 hours.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
This is an info box
- info goes here
- and here
- and here
FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT)
Tuesday
Mairobr v Liverpool
Spartak Moscow v Sevilla
Feyenoord v Shakhtar Donetsk
Manchester City v Napoli
Monaco v Besiktas
RB Leipzig v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid v Tottenham Hotspur
Wednesday
Benfica v Manchester United
CSKA Moscow v Basel
Bayern Munich v Celtic
Anderlecht v Paris Saint-Germain
Qarabag v Atletico Madrid
Chelsea v Roma
Barcelona v Olympiakos
Juventus v Sporting Lisbon
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
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EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.
"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Fight card
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) v Rey Nacionales (PHI)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROM) v Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR)
Catch 74kg
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) v Omar Hussein (JOR)
Strawweight (Female)
Weronika Zygmunt (POL) v Seo Ye-dam (KOR)
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) v Walid Laidi (ALG)
Lightweight
Leandro Martins (BRA) v Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW)
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) v Sofiane Benchohra (ALG)
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR)
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Glen Ranillo (PHI)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Aidan Aguilera (AUS)
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) Sasha Palatnikov (HKG)
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR)
Company%20profile
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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.
THE BIO
BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
Brief scores:
Day 1
Toss: India, chose to bat
India (1st innings): 215-2 (89 ov)
Agarwal 76, Pujara 68 not out; Cummins 2-40
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
