Latest from the Israel-Gaza war - in pictures

  • Houthi fighters shout gather in Sanaa. The rebels have launched attacks in the Red Sea in response to the Gaza war. EPA
    Houthi fighters shout gather in Sanaa. The rebels have launched attacks in the Red Sea in response to the Gaza war. EPA
  • From left, Israeli Foreign Ministry adviser Tal Becker, lawyer Malcolm Shaw and Gilad Noam, deputy attorney general for international affairs, at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. AFP
    From left, Israeli Foreign Ministry adviser Tal Becker, lawyer Malcolm Shaw and Gilad Noam, deputy attorney general for international affairs, at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. AFP
  • A Palestinian man injured in an Israeli strike receives treatment in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. AP
    A Palestinian man injured in an Israeli strike receives treatment in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. AP
  • Palestinian medics mourn after members of the Palestinian Red Crescent were killed in an Israeli strike in Deir Al Balah. Reuters
    Palestinian medics mourn after members of the Palestinian Red Crescent were killed in an Israeli strike in Deir Al Balah. Reuters
  • Israeli soldiers take up positions during a ground operation in Khan Younis. AP
    Israeli soldiers take up positions during a ground operation in Khan Younis. AP
  • Mourners gather at Al Najar hospital in Rafah, after several relatives of a member of the Hamas general military council were killed in a strike. AFP
    Mourners gather at Al Najar hospital in Rafah, after several relatives of a member of the Hamas general military council were killed in a strike. AFP
  • Palestinians wait to receive food aid in Rafah. AP
    Palestinians wait to receive food aid in Rafah. AP
  • A mass grave in Rafah. More than 23,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7. AFP
    A mass grave in Rafah. More than 23,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7. AFP
  • Palestinians search the rubble of destroyed buildings after an Israeli attack on Rafah. AFP
    Palestinians search the rubble of destroyed buildings after an Israeli attack on Rafah. AFP
  • Injured Palestinians receive treatment at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. AFP
    Injured Palestinians receive treatment at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. AFP
  • Smoke rises over Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, as seen from Rafah, during sustained Israeli air strikes. AFP
    Smoke rises over Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, as seen from Rafah, during sustained Israeli air strikes. AFP
  • The destruction has spread throughout the Gaza Strip, from the north to Rafah in the south. Reuters
    The destruction has spread throughout the Gaza Strip, from the north to Rafah in the south. Reuters
  • Israeli soldiers stand on an armoured personnel carrier near the Israel-Gaza border, in southern Israel. Reuters
    Israeli soldiers stand on an armoured personnel carrier near the Israel-Gaza border, in southern Israel. Reuters
  • Smoke rises following Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis, the southern Gaza Strip. EPA
    Smoke rises following Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis, the southern Gaza Strip. EPA
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives a security briefing with commanders and soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip. AP
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives a security briefing with commanders and soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip. AP
  • Palestinians mourn their relatives killed in an Israeli strike on the Al Maghazi refugee camp. AFP
    Palestinians mourn their relatives killed in an Israeli strike on the Al Maghazi refugee camp. AFP
  • A Palestinian man detained by the Israeli military awaits treatment for his injuries in Rafah. AFP
    A Palestinian man detained by the Israeli military awaits treatment for his injuries in Rafah. AFP
if you go

The flights

Emirates fly direct from Dubai to Houston, Texas, where United have direct flights to Managua. Alternatively, from October, Iberia will offer connections from Madrid, which can be reached by both Etihad from Abu Dhabi and Emirates from Dubai.

The trip

Geodyssey’s (Geodyssey.co.uk) 15-night Nicaragua Odyssey visits the colonial cities of Leon and Granada, lively country villages, the lake island of Ometepe and a stunning array of landscapes, with wildlife, history, creative crafts and more. From Dh18,500 per person, based on two sharing, including transfers and tours but excluding international flights. For more information, visit visitnicaragua.us.

Despacito's dominance in numbers

Released: 2017

Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon

Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube

Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification

Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.

Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards

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Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?

The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.

The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.

He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.

He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.

He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.

Key developments

All times UTC 4

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Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

How Voiss turns words to speech

The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen

The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser

This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen

A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB

The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free

Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards

Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser

Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages

At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness

More than 90 per cent live in developing countries

The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device

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SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)

Cagliari v AC Milan (6pm)

Lazio v Napoli (9pm)

Inter Milan v Atalanta (11.45pm)

Sunday

Udinese v Sassuolo (3.30pm)

Sampdoria v Brescia (6pm)

Fiorentina v SPAL (6pm)

Torino v Bologna (6pm)

Verona v Genoa (9pm)

Roma V Juventus (11.45pm)

Parma v Lecce (11.45pm)

 

 

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Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars

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Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm

Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm

Transmission: CVT auto

Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km

On sale: now

Price: from Dh195,000 

Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars

Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

Updated: January 02, 2024, 1:32 PM