Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
In the early hours of October 23, Omar Assaf and his wife were asleep at home in the occupied West Bank when someone hammered on the door, before Israeli soldiers poured inside.
The troops appeared bemused at the sight of the elderly Palestinian they had come to arrest. “How old are you?” one asked. Mr Assaf replied that he was 74.
“That’s older than my father," the soldier said.
“Is that against the law?” Mr Assaf responded. He had the foresight to slip his heart medication into his pocket, before a soldier tightened handcuffs around his wrists and placed a blindfold over his eyes.
Two weeks after the Hamas-led October 7 attack on Israel, thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank were rounded up and detained.
A prisoner called Lowah Raif was beaten to the point that blood started gushing out of the cells. I was taken to my lawyer and the blood was smeared 100 metres along the corridor
Omar Assaf
Mr Assaf was among the eldest of those arrested and his story of being incarcerated for six months without charge is a harrowing example of Israel's treatment of Palestinian detainees since the war in Gaza began.
He was arrested several times between 1978 and 1994, when the Oslo Accords were signed, spending eight years in jail as a member of the Marxist-orientated Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Since then, Mr Assaf, who has four adult children, worked as a librarian for 15 years at Birzeit University in Ramallah, before teaching Arabic literature and language at secondary school.
As bewildered as he was while trundling through Ramallah in the back of an Israeli army vehicle on October 23, he thought he had some idea of what lay ahead.
He was among 8,700 Palestinians arrested after the start of the war. The vast majority were given “administrative detention”, in which people are held without charge.
But 10 days into his detention, Mr Assaf was informed he had been accused of being a leader of the Hamas youth movement.
He recounted that moment with a charming, but slightly nervous, smile at his office in Ramallah.
Humiliating experience
The nervous grin managed to only slightly hide the challenges of the six months spent in Ofer jail, where he shared a cell of six bunks with 12 Palestinians.
“When I woke up to go to the bathroom in our cell at night, I would put my feet on my friends sleeping on the ground,” he said. “It was humiliating.”
The small amount of food they were given caused him to lose about a third of his weight, dropping 29kg.
Breakfast consisted of 50g of labneh and half a teaspoon of jam, followed by two tomatoes shared between the 12 cellmates. They were never given meat, fruit, tea or coffee.
Prisoners made to bark while attacked by dogs
If the cramped conditions at night were difficult to endure, the times when the Gaza detainees in Section 23, opposite his cell in Section 24, were visited by specialist guards were the most trying.
The Palestinian men, allegedly members of Hamas, were blindfolded and had restraints on their wrists and ankles throughout the day.
Sometimes the specialist guards would turn up with dogs. They made the detainees get on all fours and bark as the animals attacked them.
They would be hit frequently with batons and on occasion rubber bullets would be fired at them from a short distance.
The men were also forced to shout slogans in Hebrew to humiliate them, including “long live Israel” and “God damn Hamas”.
“They were ferocious and it was terrifying to watch,” Mr Assaf said. “On one occasion, a prisoner called Lowah Raif was beaten to the point that blood started gushing out of the cells. I was taken to my lawyer and the blood was smeared 100 metres along the corridor.
“This caused a lot of worry and I became even angrier at the Israelis who were oppressing people and torturing them this way. But I was incapable of doing anything about it except tell my lawyer.”
One incident that continues to give him nightmares was seeing an inmate from Bethlehem, pushed to the brink by constant worry for his young children, attempting suicide by jumping from a height. He survived but suffered severe injuries.
"I will never forget this sight," Mr Assaf said.
He suffered deep cuts in the back of his head when he fell at the jail. The wounds were closed with a medical stapler, but there was no anaesthesia.
The wounds became infected, causing swelling and severe headaches that lasted for two weeks. He said all his hair fell out and grew back grey. Images of Mr Assaf from his release in April show him with a full head of grey hair and a beard.
Unexpected release
Palestinians in administrative detention are required to have their incarceration reviewed every six months for a maximum of two years.
Mr Assaf was released on the first go. He said the authorities perhaps realised he was not a leader of a Hamas youth movement.
“I came out happy to be released, but very sad over two things,” he said. “One, about Gaza being destroyed and, second, over the ones that I left behind in jail.”
He found out he was arrested after being seen at a protest during the early days of the war where he called for Israel's attacks on the enclave to stop. “I told them this is freedom speech, but they said, 'We're at war and you shouldn't do this,'" he said.
Prison catastrophe
Before October 7, 5,300 Palestinians were held in Israeli prisons, but the number now stands at more than 10,000, Palestinian groups said. That figure includes 300 women and girls. At least 800 are children.
To date, 18 detainees have died in jail since October 7, but none of the bodies have been released by the authorities. There are reports of some having their hands amputated due to injuries sustained from extremely tight handcuffs.
The Red Cross and other aid agencies have not been granted access to the prisons.
“It is a catastrophe what is happening to the prisoners who are in a really dangerous place, fearing not only for their health but their lives,” Qadura Fares, the Palestinian Authority’s Minister for Detainees and Ex-Detainee Affairs, told The National.
The National has twice approached the Israeli Prison Service outlining the allegations made by Mr Assaf, but has not yet received a response.
Israel has "dramatically increased" its use of administrative detention against Palestinians in the West Bank, Amnesty International said in November.
It also warned of the torture and degrading treatment detainees faced in jail.
How to vote
Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.
They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi
Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday)
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Squads
India (for first three ODIs) Kohli (capt), Rohit, Rahul, Pandey, Jadhav, Rahane, Dhoni, Pandya, Axar, Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar, Umesh, Shami.
Australia Smith (capt), Warner, Agar, Cartwright, Coulter-Nile, Cummins, Faulkner, Finch, Head, Maxwell, Richardson, Stoinis, Wade, Zampa.
FIGHT CARD
Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
Mohammed Adil Al Debi v Moaz Abdelgawad (Bantamweight)
Amir Boureslan v Mahmoud Zanouny (Welterweight)
Abrorbek Madaminbekov v Mohammed Al Katheeri (Featherweight)
Ibrahem Bilal v Emad Arafa (Super featherweight)
Ahmed Abdolaziz v Imad Essassi (Middleweight)
Milena Martinou v Ilham Bourakkadi (Bantamweight, female)
Noureddine El Agouti v Mohamed Mardi (Welterweight)
Nabil Ouach v Ymad Atrous (Middleweight)
Nouredin Samir v Zainalabid Dadachev (Lightweight)
Marlon Ribeiro v Mehdi Oubahammou (Welterweight)
Brad Stanton v Mohamed El Boukhari (Super welterweight
MATCH INFO
FA Cup final
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
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Saturday's results
West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 0-2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Everton 0-2 Norwich City
Watford 0-3 Burnley
Manchester City v Chelsea, 9.30pm
South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
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.”
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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%3Cp%3EBy%202030%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%20aims%20to%20achieve%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2039.3%20million%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20nearly%2064%25%20up%20from%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20Dh90%20billion%20contribution%20to%20GDP%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20about%2084%25%20more%20than%20Dh49%20billion%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20178%2C000%20new%20jobs%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20bringing%20the%20total%20to%20about%20366%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2052%2C000%20hotel%20rooms%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20up%2053%25%20from%2034%2C000%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%207.2%20million%20international%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20almost%2090%25%20higher%20compared%20to%202023's%203.8%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%203.9%20international%20overnight%20hotel%20stays%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2022%25%20more%20from%203.2%20nights%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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Biggest%20applause
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Brief scoreline:
Wales 1
James 5'
Slovakia 0
Man of the Match: Dan James (Wales)
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
