In Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, 14-year-old Hussain has only one job and it takes all day.
To fetch a few precious gallons of water, using a wheelbarrow, he takes a 15-minute walk to the nearest water point and queues for up to 14 hours.
“One day he left at two in the afternoon and didn't return until 4am the next morning,” says Hussain’s 43-year-old father, Nader Saadi.
“Despite it being his midterm exam period, instead of studying, he has to go and fetch water.”
The family's difficulties do not end with just Hussain obtaining the water. Whatever he manages to collect is often contaminated.
After the long and taxing wait to get the water, they let it sit for a few hours to allow the sediment to settle at the bottom.
Once settled, they must then boil the water, a necessary and costly precaution to kill any harmful bacteria and make it safe for drinking.
More than half of Kabul's six million residents do not have access to clean water, an official from the Ministry of Energy and Water told The National, speaking on condition of anonymity.
They said if the situation remains unchanged, life in the capital could become untenable in just a decade.
Afghanistan is in its third consecutive year of drought largely blamed on climate change.
What little water is available has to be drawn from unsafe sources and 30 out of 34 provinces are reporting extremely low water quality, the World Food Programme found.
Akhar Sohail, an environmental activist, says climate change is a very real threat and warns that the existing water sources are rapidly depleting.
A recent conflict between the Taliban and Iranian border police compelled him to visit a village in the Dawlat Abad district of Balkh.
There, he engaged with locals, raising awareness, and fostering discussions about the pressing issue of climate change.
“Convincing people to conserve water is a significant challenge. When I bring up the topic of climate change, they often respond with amusement,” Mr Sohail adds, expressing the difficulties in promoting environmental awareness and urgency in the community.
This grim reality not only affects residents' basic need for water but also presents a considerable health threat. The shortage of clean water for drinking, cleaning and bathing can lead to severe illnesses like cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and even kidney stones – all conditions commonly associated with consuming contaminated water.
According to a report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, from January 1 to May 21, 2023, there were 54,908 reported cases of cholera, including 20 deaths in Afghanistan.
Qader Nawabi, a paediatrician serving in a private clinic, notes a trend.
Each day, he says there is a growing number of patients suffering from diarrhoea, a situation that seems to be worsened by the intensifying heat and the city's pervasive lack of access to clean water.
“Just recently, I received a 12-year-old patient suffering from a kidney stone,” said Dr Nawabi. “The poor girl was in severe pain. The stone was large and there's no possibility of removing it without surgical intervention.”
Bibi Amina, a 57-year-old woman, was forced to flee from Kunduz province in 2019 because of the continuing Taliban conflict.
Since then, she and her family of ten have made a tent in a refugee camp in North Kabul their home.
In the city, where temperatures can soar up to 35°C, finding water has always been a struggle. However, since April, the situation has significantly deteriorated, making their survival even more challenging.
“We wait in endless lines under the harsh sun for hours, all to fetch water. Two of my children have suffered from dehydration due to these conditions, and now they are both ill,” she says.
”But I have no money to take then to the doctor.”
Nader Saadi says the majority of those tasked with the job of fetching water are women and children.
“I have seen children bring their blankets and sleep on the street at night, waiting for their turn to fetch water,” he adds.
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.”
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The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
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Most F1 world titles
7 — Michael Schumacher (1994, ’95, 2000, ’01 ’02, ’03, ’04)
7 — Lewis Hamilton (2008, ’14,’15, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20)
5 — Juan Manuel Fangio (1951, ’54, ’55, ’56, ’57)
4 — Alain Prost (1985, ’86, ’89, ’93)
4 — Sebastian Vettel (2010, ’11, ’12, ’13)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
WISH
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2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 6 (McTominay 2', 3'; Fernandes 20', 70' pen; Lindelof 37'; James 65')
Leeds United 2 (Cooper 41'; Dallas 73')
Man of the match: Scott McTominay (Manchester United)
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
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The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Qualifier A, Muscat
(All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv)
Fixtures
Friday, February 18: 10am Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm Semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm Final
UAE squad:Ahmed Raza(captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile of RentSher
Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi
Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
BELGIUM%20SQUAD
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Company%20profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
What is a calorie?
A food calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of nutritional energy generated from what is consumed.
One calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1°C.
A kilocalorie represents a 1,000 true calories of energy.
Energy density figures are often quoted as calories per serving, with one gram of fat in food containing nine calories, and a gram of protein or carbohydrate providing about four.
Alcohol contains about seven calories a gram.
The specs
Engine: 3.6 V6
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Power: 295bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: Dh155,000
On sale: now
