Syrian singer Mayada Basilis has died after a struggle with cancer aged 54.
Her death was confirmed by the Syrian Minister of Culture on Wednesday.
Basilis's husband, Samir Kouifati, told Syrian media in February that the Kezbak Helu (Your Lie is Sweet) star had been diagnosed with cancer and had asked fans to pray for her.
Since news of her death, several leading Syrian personalities paid tribute to the singer on social media.
"The lies in our lives are no longer sweet without your warm voice," Dayaa Dayaa actor Bassem Yakhour wrote on Instagram. "Goodbye Mayada Basilis."
“Sad and painful news, and a loss for art,” singer Nassif Zeytoun wrote on Twitter. “Goodbye to the great Syrian Aleppan singer. My condolences to her family and to all Syrians.”
Meanwhile, singer Hadi Aswad posted in an Instagram Story: “Lies were sweet with your voice and reality now is ugly with your death.”
Who is Mayada Basilis?
Born in Aleppo in 1967, Basilis began her singing career at the age of 9 after performing on Aleppo Radio.
In 1986, she released her debut album Ya Qatili Bilhajr. The name of the album, as well as the title track, were inspired by the Syrian folk song.
She would go on to release 14 albums, putting her unique spin on old Syrian folk songs, Christian hymns, as well as patriotic songs, over the course of a career that spanned almost five decades.
Basilis is perhaps best known for her song Kezbak Helu, which won her the Gold Award for Best Arabic Song in 1999 and made her a household name across the region. She also lent her voice to a number of popular Syrian TV shows, including Ekhwat Al-Turab and Ayam Al Ghadab.
Most of all, Basilis was celebrated for her live concerts. Her shows at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Teatro Real in Madrid and the Cairo Opera House in Egypt are among her most lauded performances.
She was recognised as one of the most formidable singers to come out of Aleppo – a city famous for being the birthplace of many of the world’s most famous Arabic singers – and Basilis’s death is a marked loss for the region.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
Company%20Profile
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Day 2, stumps
Pakistan 482
Australia 30/0 (13 ov)
Australia trail by 452 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the innings
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
