Dozens of internet users complained to Etisalat after their internet connection was hit by issues. Delores Johnson / The National
Dozens of internet users complained to Etisalat after their internet connection was hit by issues. Delores Johnson / The National
Dozens of internet users complained to Etisalat after their internet connection was hit by issues. Delores Johnson / The National
Dozens of internet users complained to Etisalat after their internet connection was hit by issues. Delores Johnson / The National

UAE internet users left in dark as Etisalat web service hit by problems


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Frustrated internet users in the UAE took to social media to complain to Etisalat after they were unable to load websites.

Problems began shortly before 11am this morning when many websites were hit, unable to be loaded by either desktop computers, laptops or phones using hardline, wifi or 4G connections. Thankfully among the sites spared were social media which allowed users to vent their frustration.

Services of rival du seemed unaffected, with their LTE network able access sites not reachable by Etisalat customers.

Dozens of customers reached out to @Etislat_Care, the company’s twitter account for answers.

ProWebDevco tweeted: “Hey Etisalat, from nearly 20 minutes ago I can only access Facebook, Gmail and Twitter, no other webpage, what’s going on?”

Meanwhile a frustrated @ARahmanMahgoub sent: “Can you read me? Internet is down, and your 101 line is down as well? Shouldn’t we get an update on this?” That was echooed by @omkarudas who said: “Want to tell us what the internet issue is and how long will it take to fix.”

After more than an hour Etisalat finally answered on twitter saying: “Our customers faced some difficulty in the use of Internet in some areas for a period of approximately 20 minutes as a result of a technical problem that has been solved and services have been resumed since. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
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5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qais Aboud

6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
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6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
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7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
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7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
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Race card:

6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; 2,000m

7.05pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; 2,200m

7.40pm: Conditions; Dh240,000; 1,600m

8.15pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 2,000m

8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed; Dh265,000; 1,200m

9.25pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; 1,600m

10pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 1,400m

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

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Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

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Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.