Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Five new ambulances sent by Kuwait entered the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, as the UN's human rights chief visited the Rafah crossing that has become the only route for humanitarian assistance to the heavily bombarded enclave.
Twelve ambulances have been delivered to Egypt's North Sinai city of Arish together with several aid shipments from Kuwait after the Israel-Gaza war began on October 7, the Kuwait News Agency reported.
The last two ambulances arrived with Kuwait's 12th aid shipment in Arish on Saturday, but delivery was delayed pending co-ordination between the Egyptian Red Crescent, the Israeli military and the Gaza border authority, a Red Crescent official told The National.
It is unclear when the remaining seven vehicles will be delivered.
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, visited the Egypt-Gaza border on Wednesday as ambulances continued to ferry wounded Palestinians from Gaza for treatment at hospitals in North Sinai as part of an internationally brokered deal to allow thousands of foreign passport holders to leave Gaza.
Mr Turk, who is on a five-day tour of the Middle East, spoke to aid workers and reporters, the Red Crescent official said.
He called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, where the death toll from Israeli attacks rose to more than 10,500 on Wednesday, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Mr Turk also visited the Al Arish General Hospital where he met Gazans who were receiving treatment.
Twelve of the 19 patients admitted to Egyptian hospitals on Tuesday were children with cancer, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, 106 lorries carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing on Wednesday, a border official told The National.
Only 756 lorries had entered Gaza by Wednesday after Israel began allowing deliveries of essential items – apart from fuel on October 21 – according to figures released by the UN, which has repeatedly warned the flow of aid is far below what is needed.
A World Food Programme official told The National that shops in Gaza were running out of food.
Mageed Yahia, WFP representative to the GCC, said food stocks in Gaza shops were dropping rapidly, with wheat flour, dairy products, pulses, rice, vegetable oil, vegetables, eggs and mineral water reported to be enough for less than five days.
Despite some food being available at wholesalers, shops are unable to restock because of damaged roads, safety concerns and a shortage of fuel, Mr Yahia said.
Mills in Gaza have about 10,000 tonnes of wheat stock that needs to be milled into flour to make bread, but all but one such plant in Gaza has stopped operations due to lack of fuel.
The one remaining mill may close in the coming days, he said.
Egyptian security sources said Egypt was continuing to press for increased aid and fuel into the strip and security for ambulances after an Israeli strike on an ambulance that was heading to Rafah prompted the closure of the crossing to human traffic on Saturday and Sunday.
A total of 663 foreign citizens departed the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, a day after the crossing was reopened, a border guard stationed there told The National.
No foreign nationals left the strip on Wednesday, the crossing guard said.
The Egyptian Health Ministry said they included 139 children who were vaccinated for polio, measles and mumps on arrival.
Tuesday’s evacuations included an undetermined number of Egyptians. While foreigners are usually collected by large buses chartered by the Foreign Ministry, Egyptians leave the crossing in taxis or other forms of transport, the guard said.
The estimated 7,000 foreign passport holders trapped by the conflict in Gaza can pass through only after receiving approval from the Gaza border authority, which publishes lists of those cleared to leave on its Facebook page.
It issued two new lists on Tuesday, one with 103 Egyptians and the other with more than 700 people from other countries.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
A Dog's Journey
Directed by: Gail Mancuso
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott
3 out of 5 stars
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
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Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
