Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Ahmad Qassem's daughter did not even get the chance to unwrap her birthday presents. In the early hours of Saturday, a massive Israeli strike on Basta, a densely populated area in central Beirut, completely destroyed her home in one of the most devastating attacks on the city ahead of her much-anticipated day.
Her pink princess dress, which her father had bought for her sixth birthday, now covered in grey dust like much of the shattered neighbourhood, hangs from the door amid the debris where their house once stood.
“Is this what Israel calls a target? This is my daughter’s birthday gift. She hasn’t even worn it,” said Mr Qassem, pointing to the dress.
The family's home was destroyed, along with the eight-storey building next door that was hit by what were reported to be bunker-buster bombs, in the predawn attack. The strike created massive explosions that rocked the centre of Lebanon's capital for the fourth time in a week. The blast was heard across the capital, with the smell of burning explosives lingering in the air for hours.
Israel has escalated its attacks on Beirut in recent days, saying it will negotiate “under fire”, as US-led peace talks have reached a critical point.
Somehow, Mr Qassem's family survived the attack, which killed at least 20 people and injured dozens, according to the health ministry and civil defence officials on the scene. Around 30 others are still missing.
The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers are still identifying victims through DNA testing of remains found at the site. Tearful families are waiting anxiously, hoping for a miracle.
“I cannot realise what happened. I was in my living room, and one second later, I saw myself flying through the air,” Mr Qassem said. “I look at what’s left, and it feels unreal. When you look at this, you would never think the people inside could have possibly survived,” he said, staring at the rubble in obvious shock, as thick smoke billowed behind him from the massive crater left by the strike.
Mr Qassem said he initially thought his daughter was dead but then heard her crying under the rubble. “There was blood everywhere, body parts scattered around, and I even saw a corpse without a head,” he said. “But we’re alive. That's what matters the most, she is my whole life. It’s a miracle.”
Israel has yet to issue an official statement. The AFP news agency, citing a Lebanese security source, reported that the target of the strike was a senior Hezbollah official, whose fate remains unclear. Hezbollah MP Amin Sherri has denied the presence of any Hezbollah members in the targeted building.
Mr Qassem said there were no fighters in his neighbourhood. “We heard about three different potential targets, but no evidence was provided for any of them. And even if there was someone affiliated, it would not justify killing dozens of civilians – sleeping families, children and women,” he said.
A young boy wandered through the rubble behind him as he spoke. His father and grandmother were killed in the strike, Mr Qassem said. They were the next-door neighbours. “He is only 11,” Mr Qassem said. “What does he have to do with any of this? We’re not seen as human.”
There was no warning given before the strike. Israel has typically issued warning notices for specific targets in other areas, such as Beirut's southern suburbs, which have now been mostly depopulated. Hours after the strike in Basta, it issued new eviction orders to residents in south Beirut.
Amnesty International has questioned these eviction orders, labelling them as “misleading”, raising questions around whether they are aimed at mass displacement.
Ali Malek, a civil defence rescuer who rushed to the site right after the attack, said first responders have grown tough skin, facing one traumatic scene after another. Yet, when asked to describe the latest strike, his voice broke, and his eyes filled with tears. “There were so many children,” he was only able to whisper.
Quick facts on cancer
- Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
- About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
- By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
- 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
- This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030
- At least one third of common cancers are preventable
- Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers
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strategies
- The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
Secret Pigeon Service: Operation Colomba, Resistance and the Struggle to Liberate Europe
Gordon Corera, Harper Collins
TALE OF THE TAPE
Manny Pacquiao
Record: 59-6-2 (38 KOs)
Age: 38
Weight: 146lbs
Height: 166cm
Reach: 170cm
Jeff Horn
Record: 16-0-1 (11 KOs)
Age: 29
Weight: 146.2lbs
Height: 175cm
Reach: 173cm
The%20specs
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UAE%20PREMIERSHIP
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Top 10 most polluted cities
- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
MADAME%20WEB
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Super Bowl LIII schedule
What Super Bowl LIII
Who is playing New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams
Where Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States
When Sunday (start time is 3.30am on Monday UAE time)
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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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 Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Napoleon
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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.
The bio:
Favourite film:
Declan: It was The Commitments but now it’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Heidi: The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Favourite holiday destination:
Declan: Las Vegas but I also love getting home to Ireland and seeing everyone back home.
Heidi: Australia but my dream destination would be to go to Cuba.
Favourite pastime:
Declan: I love brunching and socializing. Just basically having the craic.
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Personal motto:
Declan: Take chances.
Heidi: Live, love, laugh and have no regrets.
EXPATS
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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.
World%20Food%20Day%20
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Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
