I wish to extend my hearty congratulations to the Pakistan cricket team for recording a resounding series win in the one-day internationals (ODIs) over the Sri Lankans (Perfect stage for Afridi's prowess with bat and ball, November 21).
The Pakistanis excelled in all aspects (bowling, fielding and batting) of the game in the ongoing series. Sri Lankan supporters who had flooded Sharjah Stadium in great numbers must have gone back thoroughly disappointed at the extremely poor performance of their team.
In fact, they just meekly surrendered. They failed in all aspects of the game. I hold their top three world class players - Sangakara, Jaywardhane and Dilshan - responsible for this poor show. Even the captaincy was not of the standard expected of Dilshan.
I fail to understand their strategy of opting for defensive batting when they were expected to bat aggressively and surpass the small target they had before them.
The Sri Lankan team has let down their supporters very badly.
DB Singh, Dubai
Egypt's elections must go ahead
Issandr El Amrani's comment piece Egypt's dangerous run-up to elections is a necessary risk (November 21) was an excellent read.
If the elections are delayed again, it is possible that the violence on the streets will get even worse.
Omar M, Abu Dhabi
Rental contracts should be binding
Recently there was a public notice posted in my building, Palm Jumeirah Shoreline Building 1, saying I needed to obtain an access card in order to be able to use the beach, pool, fitness centre and other facilities.
In order to get a new access card I am required to provide a property deed, a no-objection letter from my landlord, two photos, a copy of my passport, a copy of my tenancy agreement and have a UAE land department stamp of some kind.
The tenants were given about three weeks to comply, deadline being this past Friday. I also notice this has been posted in other shoreline buildings.
My rental agreement includes the enjoyment of property utilities like pools, health club and parking. So my question is, can they really restrict me from using the facilities because they changed the requirements for access? I do not think it's reasonable to require all of these new documents since I feel I already legally have access to the facilities.
Rick Mathey, Dubai
Parents to blame for disruptive kids
I was sorry to read in the letters section about the experience of Vanessa Wolf who was barred from taking her sleeping baby to the Abu Dhabi Art event at Saadiyat Island (Children can enjoy art show maturely, November 21). This policy should be made clear in advance, not when families arrive.
Unfortunately, such bans have become necessary because of the appalling behaviour of many children and the lack of interest among parents and nannies who should be controlling them.
I visited Manarat Al Saadiyat last summer for the Mesopotamia exhibition and was repeatedly disturbed by an uncontrolled, screaming toddler whose parents simply ignored him and left everyone else to suffer.
I took my children to galleries many times when they were young and ensured that they were on their best behaviour. It is a shame that good parents are let down by those who have no consideration for anyone else.
Nargis Walker, Abu Dhabi
Teaching among lowest paid jobs
In reference to Shortage of PE teachers slows pupil health drive (November 21), the teaching profession is one of the lowest paid professional jobs all over the world.
And it's the only job where you have to work 20 hours a day, like taking unfinished work back home to meet deadlines.
Most of the schools don't provide human resource allowances, airline tickets or overtime allowances to 75 per cent of their teaching staff.
And salaries are around Dh2,500 per month, which was set by the Ministry of Education almost 20 years ago. These rates have not been revised as per the cost of living in this country.
Name withheld by request
Captive Qaddafis have rights too
This is in relation to Qaddafi son's fear and bravado after capture (November 21).
Isn't it a shame for the international community the way Muammar Qaddafi was humiliated and killed. It was not condemned, nor were there demands for a fair trial of those who committed this heinous crime against humanity?
John Donne, Abu Dhabi
Match info
Athletic Bilbao 0
Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The figures behind the event
1) More than 300 in-house cleaning crew
2) 165 staff assigned to sanitise public areas throughout the show
3) 1,000 social distancing stickers
4) 809 hand sanitiser dispensers placed throughout the venue
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
More Iraq election coverage:
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'.
As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers.
Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC’s regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months.
Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games.
Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: “The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity."
Results
2pm: Serve U – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Violent Justice, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
2.30pm: Al Shafar Investment – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: Desert Wisdom, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ahmed Al Shemaili
3pm: Commercial Bank of Dubai – Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Fawaareq, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
3.30pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
4pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Rakeez, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
4.30pm: Al Redha Insurance Brokers – Handicap (TB) Dh78,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Capla Crusader, Bernardo Pinheiro, Rashed Bouresly
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Armies of Sand
By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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