Visitors flock to Beijing's suburb to watch World Table Tennis China Smash 2024

As Chinese people enjoy their week-long National Day holiday, many have flocked to the western suburb of Beijing to experience the excitement of the World Table Tennis China Smash 2024, which concluded on Sunday after eleven days of fierce competition among the world's top players.

As the premier event on the World Table Tennis circuit, this year's WTT Smash is taking place from September 26 to October 6 at Beijing's Shougang Park.

At Smash Park on the western outskirt of Beijing, table tennis enthusiasts gathered to watch live matches on a big screen while relaxing on the lawn and enjoying the cool autumn breeze.

Families and friends cheered for their favorite players, calling this one of the best ways to spend the holiday this October.

"I've been a huge fan of table tennis for many years. I watched the matches inside the venue on September 29. It's fantastic to have an event like this in Beijing during the National Day holiday. The atmosphere is amazing," said Ma Qiuyu, a resident.

The Smash Park features four main zones: outdoor competitions, interactive entertainment, brand exhibitions, and dining. DJ performances are staged during breaks between matches, adding to the festive atmosphere.

One of the highlights for many fans is the daily meet-and-greet, where star players interact with the crowd and sign autographs.

Notably, the event is held in the Ice Hockey, Short Track Speed Skating, and Figure Skating venues—facilities used during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

"I came from Qingdao with my wife and kids specifically to watch the matches. I work in architecture and urban design, so I'm really impressed with how Shougang Park has transformed from a steel factory into Winter Games venues, and now into a space for the WTT Smash," said Liu Yang, a tourist from Shandong Province.

This is the first time in over six decades that Beijing has hosted a top table tennis event under the International Table Tennis Federation. Champions will receive 2,000 world ranking points. Beijing has secured the rights to host the WTT China Smash from 2024 to 2028, all set to take place at Shougang Park, making full use of its Winter Olympics legacy.

Visitors flock to Beijing's suburb to watch World Table Tennis China Smash 2024

Gaza's health system has suffered immensely from repeated attacks by the Israeli army, and also from an ongoing shortage of supplies, medicines, fuel and staff, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) via the U.N. news platform UNifeed.

As the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Gaza nears one year, over six percent of the population in the Palestinian enclave has either been killed or injured, according to the WHO.

It noted that there have been at least 516 attacks on healthcare in Gaza since October 2023, resulting in 765 deaths.

According to the local Ministry of Health, around 1,000 health workers have been killed.

Only half of Gaza's hospitals are partially operational, while just 43 percent of primary healthcare centers are functional, according to the organization.

Only 50 percent of pre-conflict hospital beds, or 1,800 hospital beds, are available in Gaza to cover the needs of more than two million people, compared with 3500 beds before the war, according to Health Cluster.

The WHO says there are 15,600 patients in the region requiring medical evacuation, with only 5,138 being evacuated so far. It added that since May 7, only 229 patients have been evacuated.

Regarding health needs in Gaza, it underlined that the lack of food, water and medicines has increased the spread of diseases and exacerbated the needs of people living with health conditions. The organization also highlighted infectious diseases and malnutrition woes in the region.

Gaza health system suffers immensely from repeated attacks by Israel: UN media