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Palestinian cancer patients who were flown to the UAE for medical treatment have said they would have died had they stayed in the Gaza Strip.
Many of the patients, who have advanced stages of cancer, have praised the UAE for providing them with treatment, which was halted abruptly in Gaza due to the war in the enclave.
Awni Saleh, 63, has end-stage lung cancer. He arrived in the UAE on Saturday with his wife and was admitted to the ICU with breathing problems.
I would have died had I remained in Gaza
Awni Qaddur Saleh,
63
It is the first time he has been able to speak in months.
“I would have died had I remained in Gaza,” the father-of-eight tells The National.
“There was no food, no water and I couldn't go to the hospital. I was so sick.
“I am so grateful to the UAE government and President Sheikh Mohamed, I am now getting better.”
Mr Saleh is one of many cancer patients who were transported from Al Arish Airport in Egypt to the UAE for medical treatment, as part of Operation Gallant Knight 3 to support Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Sheikh Mohamed last month directed that 1,000 Palestinian children and 1,000 cancer patients be brought to the UAE for treatment.
The injured will be transported from Gaza and accompanied by their families.
Mr Saleh's wife Fatiyeh Hadi, 62, says she is grateful to the UAE for looking after her husband.
“Just look at the TV and you will see how difficult the situation is,” says Ms Hadi.
“The UAE and the government have saved our lives – particularly cancer patients were treatment is critical and a delay could make the cancer progress.
“They have destroyed all the hospitals and the hospital my husband was getting treated in. He wasn't speaking or eating and constantly had a high fever.
“Seeing him now and a few months ago is like the difference between life and death.”
The couple's home was also destroyed in Israeli air strikes in northern Gaza.
“We had to crawl out from under the rubble and move to the south. Palestine is full of displaced citizens now,” says Mr Saleh.
Huwaida Abo Mostafa is another patient receiving treatment in the UAE.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in September and was on her third dose of chemotherapy at the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital before it ran out of medicine and was later attacked.
The 38-year-old and her husband, Mohammed Mostafa, said they received a text confirming that they would be transported to the UAE for treatment and to head to the Rafah border.
The couple said the journey took them 26 hours.
“It was very difficult to get across the border – there were so many checkpoints and procedures,” Ms Abo Mostafa told The National.
“It still feels like a dream that I am here.”
Mr Mostafa said he had to walk 40km to get fresh water for his wife in Gaza.
“There were no fruits, no rice, no salt or sugar. Everyone was starving,” he said.
The couple's six children, the youngest a one-year-old, are staying with their in-laws in Gaza while they are in the UAE.
Hanan Abo Sumra, 60, was also receiving treatment at the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in Gaza.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in July and was on her second dose of chemotherapy when the war broke out.
Ms Sumra arrived in the UAE with her husband Jameel, 67, last month to continue her treatment.
“I spoke to my children today and told them that I was going to be OK,” the mother-of-three said.
“I told them that the UAE was taking care of me and I was in safe hands.”
Abdullah Al Najjar, 65, is a carpenter and fisherman, trades he picked up from his father and grandparents.
He has 13 children including seven girls, and six boys who fish who are also fishermen.
While living in Gaza, he built boats which he used to go fishing. But when the war began, Israeli forces burnt his vessels and the sea became off-limits.
Mr Al Najjar arrived in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago to receive urgent medical treatment for colon cancer and needed further chemotherapy after his surgery in June.
“My family is fine but life is so hard. Every minute we expect an air raid. There is no water and food. After they burnt our ships, they also destroyed our livelihood,” he told The National.
“Being here in the UAE is a blessing and we are indebted to the government and the leadership for welcoming us.”
Mr Al Najjar said medical staff in the UAE have looked after him well, with nurses bringing him everything he needs including water, food and painkillers.
“God protect Gaza and the UAE,” he said.
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winners: Sharkh, Pat Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep - Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
Rankings
ATP: 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 10,955 pts; 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 8,320; 3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 6,475 ( 1); 5. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 5,060 ( 1); 6. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 4,845 ( 1); 6. Roger Federer (SUI) 4,600 (-3); 7. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,110 ( 2); 8. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3,960; 9. John Isner (USA) 3,155 ( 1); 10. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3,140 (-3)
WTA: 1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7,030 pts ( 3); 2. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6,290 ( 4); 3. Simona Halep (ROM) 5,582 (-2); 4. Sloane Stephens (USA) 5,307 ( 1); 5. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,100 ( 3); 6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 4,965 (-4); 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,940; 8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,430 ( 1); 9. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3,566 (-6); 10. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,485 ( 1)
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Carzaty%2C%20now%20Kavak%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarzaty%20launched%20in%202018%2C%20Kavak%20in%20the%20GCC%20launched%20in%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20140%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Automotive%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarzaty%20raised%20%246m%20in%20equity%20and%20%244m%20in%20debt%3B%20Kavak%20plans%20%24130m%20investment%20in%20the%20GCC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
- Parasite – 4
- 1917– 3
- Ford v Ferrari – 2
- Joker – 2
- Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
- American Factory – 1
- Bombshell – 1
- Hair Love – 1
- Jojo Rabbit – 1
- Judy – 1
- Little Women – 1
- Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
- Marriage Story – 1
- Rocketman – 1
- The Neighbors' Window – 1
- Toy Story 4 – 1
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
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