Lebanese soprano singer Majida El Roumi has released a music video for the song When Beirut Revives, as Lebanon marks the third anniversary of the catastrophic blast that rocked Beirut port on August 4.
Her song is an homage to the indomitable spirit of the Lebanese people, conveying a message of hope and unity during difficult times. It captures the spirit of a city dreaming of a brighter future.
Introducing the video, which was shot in Lebanon and Egypt, El Roumi dedicates it to those who died in the blast and their families.
"I also dedicate it to the Lebanese people who defied the impossible and endured horrors resulting from successive criminal conspiracies woven against them, a burden no other people in the world could bear," she adds.
"My hope is that we will soon reclaim our free national decision that was taken from us, and that Beirut will return to us safely, sooner rather than later, God willing."
Composed by Yahya Al Hassan, the song brings to life the timeless verses by the late Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani, who penned an equally emotional ode to the Lebanese capital titled Lady of the World, O Beirut – which was revealed for the first time in 1988, during the Lebanese Civil War.
At the beginning of the music video, which is directed by Charbel Youssef, El Roumi appears in the hall of the League of Arab States, where she spots the Lebanese flag and a computer screen with Beirut displayed across it.
Dressed in a Georges Hobeika haute couture gown, she stands gracefully in front of the camera, with a veil of darkness concealing the regal details of her attire. With her perfectly coiffed hair with fringes pinned at the back, the soprano steadfastly maintains her signature appearance, symbolic of the nation's resolve.
Meanwhile, an orchestra and women dressed in black create an emotional atmosphere, charged with pain, sorrow and melancholy – effectively conveying the heart-wrenching reality that Beirut experienced after the explosion.
In its opening verses, the poem encapsulates a vision of a renewed and thriving Beirut, where the scars of the past are healed.
It begins: "When Beirut revives / When Beirut returns to us secure and sound / When Beirut comes back as we knew it / Just like the dove finds solace in its hallowed abode."
The poet later describes the act of casting away his travel documents into the sea, signifying a longing to abandon the troubles of the past and embrace a new beginning. Later renting two chairs in Beit Al Qamar, the poet alludes to a celestial realm where dreams come to fruition.
He continues: "We will spend our time / Spreading folk songs and planting trees."
The song conveys a heartfelt plea for the safe return of the cherished city, echoing Qabbani's sentiments as he yearned for a revived Beirut.
"Oh, Beirut! How wearisome our journey has become. / Embrace us, oh, embrace us / In lovers’ letters / In the melodies of birds / In the downpour of rain so tight.
"Can Beirut, the enchantress, from ruins arise? Can wheat bloom in the sea's embrace? Can the waves carry along some accountability? Can we etch a poem again on almonds or cotton clouds?" El Roumi says she changed a single word of the poem here to make it more timely – swapping in hisaab, or accountability, for kitab, which means book or letter.
El Roumi admits that fate has tired the Lebanese people, with the phrase: "Oh Beirut, fate has burdened us / Embrace us, oh, embrace us / In lovers’ letters / In the melodies of birds / And in the downpour of rain."
The tragic Beirut port explosion remains one of the most devastating events in Lebanon's history, and one that continues to reverberate through the nation's collective memory. However, bolstered by Qabbani's verses, El Roumi's song serves as a poignant tribute to the families of the victims, offering a glimmer of hope and healing.
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Manchester United 0
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Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
UK-EU trade at a glance
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Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
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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
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What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
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Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
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Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
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Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
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What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
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Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
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The five pillars of Islam
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