April in the US is designated as National Arab American Heritage Month.
The initiative is significant, particularly because it acknowledges the contributions and achievements of the Arab-American community.
Taking shape through special events hosted by cultural institutions, schools and non-profit organisations, National Arab American Heritage Month is a platform that highlights Arab histories and experiences. It is a chance for Americans with Arab roots to celebrate their cultural ties to the Middle East – a region that is often misrepresented and misunderstood in western media.
National Arab American Heritage Month has also been key to helping shed light on issues in the region – such as in the case of the current war in Gaza. For example, the month helps educate the wider US public about the history of Palestine, events surrounding the Nakba, as well as delving into Palestinian culture and identity.
As journalist Ahmed Issawy has written in an Opinion piece for The National: “Reflecting on the significance of Arab-American Heritage Month and how it could possibly affect our community, I've come to realise that – just like Black History Month in February, Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, and Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May – the declaration is ingratiating and symbolic, while also helping to bring unaddressed issues to the attention of politicians and people outside of the community.
“This is probably more important than ever before," he adds, before going on to show figures of how the initiatives have had a marked impact on US public opinion in relation to the Gaza war.
While Arab American Heritage Month is a stride forward for the community’s representation, it took years to actually come to form and be recognised.
The initiative was launched in 2017 by the Arab America Foundation. It was relatively small, involving only a handful of states. However, the grass roots movement began to gain ground as volunteers sought “hundreds of proclamations from their states, counties, municipalities and local school districts,” the foundation writes on its website.
In 2021, US President Joe Biden officially showed his support for the initiative with a commemorative letter to the foundation.
A year later, in 2022, the US State Department, Congress, as well as 45 state governors, also lent their support to the initiative. The states of Illinois, Oregon, Virginia, Indiana and California also passed permanent legislation to designate April as National Arab American Heritage Month.
Scores
Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool
Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield Town
Burnley 1-0 Brighton
Manchester United 4-1 Fulham
West Ham 3-2 Crystal Palace
Saturday fixtures:
Chelsea v Manchester City, 9.30pm (UAE)
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur, 11.45pm (UAE)
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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
HAEMOGLOBIN DISORDERS EXPLAINED
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: Dh146,999
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
