Deceptively simple and the base for an infinite number of toppings, toast remains one of the world's favourite and most versatile foods. Photo: Seriously Low Carb / Unsplash
Deceptively simple and the base for an infinite number of toppings, toast remains one of the world's favourite and most versatile foods. Photo: Seriously Low Carb / Unsplash
Deceptively simple and the base for an infinite number of toppings, toast remains one of the world's favourite and most versatile foods. Photo: Seriously Low Carb / Unsplash
Deceptively simple and the base for an infinite number of toppings, toast remains one of the world's favourite and most versatile foods. Photo: Seriously Low Carb / Unsplash

Ode to toast: from Victoria Beckham's preferred plain bite to dressed-up artisanal slices


  • English
  • Arabic

Toast. It’s one of the simplest foods in the world with a foothold in most cultural cuisines, be it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Whether topped with smashed avocado or simple butter, toast is one of those rare, transitional foods that can be enjoyed as a meal or snack, takes mere minutes to prepare and can be dressed up (caviar on toast), or down (beans on toast), for any time of day.

“It’s cheap, cheerful, quick, accessible, and there’s the added ease of cooking,” sums up Samantha Wood, founder of FooDiva.net.

But if you thought toast was simply a matter of bread plus toaster plus butter equals meal, think again. The dish is a lot more esoteric than it might appear, and everyone has their own way of making it, not to mention their own relationship with how it makes them feel.

“The normal way to ruin toast, as everything in the kitchen, is to make it without passion,” says Jesus Gibaja, chef at Dubai’s vegan cafe, Seva Table. “I know it sounds weird, it's just a toast, well it is not. A piece of toast can change your day.”

For self-confessed toast fan Victoria Beckham, it’s the comfort factor. The “picky eater” recently made headlines for her penchant for dry multigrain. “This is where I sound even more boring in the food department. OK, what do I like? I like wholegrain toast with salt on it,” the Spice Girl-turned-designer told the River Cafe Table 4 podcast. “It’s that carby thing isn’t it? It’s that carbohydrate that makes you feel comforted, and I love salt. What can I say?”

A brief history of toast

Toast's most recent incarnation cut from an artisanal loaf topped with smashed avocado. Victoria Nazaruk / Unsplash
Toast's most recent incarnation cut from an artisanal loaf topped with smashed avocado. Victoria Nazaruk / Unsplash

Bread dates back about 30,000 years, although the notion of baking it again to make toast is slightly more modern. From the Latin “torrere” meaning “to burn”, it’s likely that toast was created as a way to extend the life of stale bread in the way French toast or bread pudding is today.

Toast was originally used not as a meal in itself, but as an accompaniment to flavour soups, stews and drinks. In his 1602 play The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare has Falstaff demanding: “Go fetch me a quart of sack; put a toast in’t.”

Toast was originally made by putting sliced bread inside a metal frame or on a toasting fork and held over an open fire. The first electric bread toaster was invented by Scotsman Alan MacMasters in 1893, although early versions of it were prone to catching fire from overheating.

More recently, Millennial brunch trends brought “artisanal toast” to the fore, most famously avocado on toast – avo toast – while the pandemic gave rise (pun intended) to the sourdough starter that exploded across social media.

“I think it’s the fact that it’s fairly easy to do, the equipment required has solely one use and is usually part of most people’s kitchen set-ups,” says David Howard, development chef at Jones the Grocer, of toast’s enduring appeal. “As well as the ease, it’s a simple, fuss-free breakfast solution. The fact that the toppings are endless makes this a very customisable option for people.”

Grill v toaster v fire

From left: development chef David Howard; Nicci Clark, founder of Re:Nourish soups; and head chef Uros Mitrasinovic share their toast preferences. Photo: Jones the Grocer; Re:Nourish; 21grams
From left: development chef David Howard; Nicci Clark, founder of Re:Nourish soups; and head chef Uros Mitrasinovic share their toast preferences. Photo: Jones the Grocer; Re:Nourish; 21grams

“Firstly, I always use 1762’s multigrain cape seed loaf that I keep sliced in the freezer,” explains Sandy El Hayek, general manager, Time Out Market Dubai, of her personal approach to toast. “I grill it with olive oil on both sides until it burns slightly on the crust, with the seeds all crispy.”

Grilling the bread with olive oil is an approach also favoured by Gordon Ramsay. “It brings the whole crust to life,” the celebrity chef says. “We’ve all put bread in a toaster, but the difference in grilling the bread this way is extraordinary.”

For fans of toast, the simplicity and comfort of the process, smell and taste is complemented by the ease at which it can be created. Which for Nicci Clark, chief executive and founder of Re:Nourish healthy soups is in the toaster.

“Mealtimes are a ritual in our home and toasting bread is something we take very seriously, especially when served with our soups,” she says. “I like to pop a slice of brown bread in the toaster and flip it halfway through so both sides of the toast are equally grilled and delicious. Then I lightly butter it or spread some fresh guacamole on top.”

For those seeking utmost authenticity for their toast, and for whom nothing less than an open flame will suffice, the famous Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management, published in 1861, has this to say: “The toast-maker must put the bread on a toasting-fork and hold it before a very clear fire. Move it backwards and forwards until the bread is nicely coloured; then turn it and toast the other side, and do not place it so near the fire that it blackens.”

Simple pleasures and complex toppings

From left: Food writer Samantha Wood, chef Jesus Gibaja and food market general manager Sandy El Hayek share strong opinions and different recipes for toast. Photo: Samantha Wood; Seva Table; Time Out Market Dubai
From left: Food writer Samantha Wood, chef Jesus Gibaja and food market general manager Sandy El Hayek share strong opinions and different recipes for toast. Photo: Samantha Wood; Seva Table; Time Out Market Dubai

“For me, toast is one of life’s simple pleasures,” says Howard. “I always like to use a chunky slice that almost has to be squashed to fit in the toaster. I’ll always go for a traditional white loaf with toast, brown just doesn’t have the same effect. I like it fairly well done so a touch of slightly blackened crumb is good for me.”

When it comes bread, if you want to branch out the choice is extensive. Wood recommends Japanese milk bread, olive sourdough and brioche. “If I want something simple,” she says, “I spread a good, salted butter.”

And if you don’t want to keep things simple?

“I spread Jarra’s Goat Labneh, sprinkle fresh zaatar and top with crushed roasted hazelnuts,” says El Hayek. “Serving with a simple side of sweet plum tomatoes sprinkled with salt.”

For Uros Mitrasinovic, head chef at 21grams, there are two go-to options, sweet and savoury. “For my toast, I like wholewheat bread that is toasted golden brown, crunchy and chewy at the same time,” he says. “My preferred combination is pate and mayonnaise for savoury, butter and honey for sweet.”

“Sourdough gluten-free flour mixed with oats is my favourite combination for the bread with extra-virgin olive oil and a tiny bit of Maldon salt,” says Gibaja, of his personal sweet option. “Spread with hazelnut butter flavoured with vanilla and cardamom.”

A taste of childhood comfort

“This dish brings back everyone to their childhood, so it’s very personal,” says Mitrasinovic. “I believe that’s why it’s so diverse and long-lasting.”

The childhood connection to toast has long made it a staple food in children’s literature, with mentions in Mary Poppins, Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland, in which the bottle labelled “Drink me” tastes to Alice like “a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pineapple, roast turkey, toffy and hot buttered toast.”

Purveyor of classic comfort food, British TV chef Nigella Lawson caused a minor toast-related controversy late last year when she revealed her personal approach to buttering toast – doing it twice.

“I favour the two-stage buttering approach,” Lawson revealed in her BBC Two show Nigella's Cook, Eat, Repeat. "Stage one is, the minute this [toast] came out of the toaster all lovely and hot, I spread it with butter so that the butter has melted down into it and it'll give it a fabulous crumpety bite.

“For stage two, I need a little more butter, and it will stay in some golden patches on the surface. It’s unsalted butter, which I always prefer to use, but what I need to do is sprinkle some sea salt flakes over.”

It's likely that we have literary legend Toad from 1908 classic The Wind in the Willows to thank for the most evocative toast-related anecdote of all time. While languishing in jail, the irrepressible thrill-seeker is served a “plate piled up with very hot buttered toast, cut thick, very brown on both sides, with the butter running through the holes in it in great golden drops, like honey from the honeycomb”.

Describing the effects of the dish on the beloved character, author Kenneth Grahame wrote: “It talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cosy parlour firesides on winter evenings, when one’s ramble was over and slippered feet were propped on the fender; of the purring of contented cats, and the twitter of sleepy canaries.”

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)

Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

Brief scores:

Manchester City 2

Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'

Crystal Palace 3

Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)

Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)

Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5

CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
%3Cp%3E%0DElena%20Rybakina%20(Kazakhstan)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EOns%20Jabeur%20(Tunisia)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EMaria%20Sakkari%20(Greece)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EBarbora%20Krej%C4%8D%C3%ADkov%C3%A1%20(Czech%20Republic)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EBeatriz%20Haddad%20Maia%20(Brazil)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EJe%C4%BCena%20Ostapenko%20(Latvia)%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3ELiudmila%20Samsonova%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3EDaria%20Kasatkina%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EVeronika%20Kudermetova%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3ECaroline%20Garcia%20(France)%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EMagda%20Linette%20(Poland)%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3ESorana%20C%C3%AErstea%20(Romania)%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EAnastasia%20Potapova%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EAnhelina%20Kalinina%20(Ukraine)%E2%80%AF%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EJasmine%20Paolini%20(Italy)%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3EEmma%20Navarro%20(USA)%E2%80%AF%20%0D%3Cbr%3ELesia%20Tsurenko%20(Ukraine)%3Cbr%3ENaomi%20Osaka%20(Japan)%20-%20wildcard%3Cbr%3EEmma%20Raducanu%20(Great%20Britain)%20-%20wildcard%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TRAP

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

The bio

His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell

His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard

Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece

Favourite movie - The Last Emperor

Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great

Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos

 

 

Results

5pm: Warsan Lake – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m; Winner: Dhaw Al Reef, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer) 

5.30pm: Al Quadra Lake – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Mrouwah Al Gharbia, Sando Paiva, Abubakar Daud 

6pm: Hatta Lake – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Yatroq, George Buckell, Ernst Oertel 

6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Adries de Vries, Ibrahim Aseel 

7pm: Abu Dhabi Championship – Listed (PA) Dh180,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami 

7.30pm: Zakher Lake – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Alfareeq, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.  

While you're here
How to improve Arabic reading in early years

One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient

The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers

Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades

Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic

First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations

Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades

Improve the appearance of textbooks

Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings

Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught

Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Quick facts on cancer
  • Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases 
  •  About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime 
  • By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million 
  • 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries 
  • This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030 
  • At least one third of common cancers are preventable 
  • Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers 
  • Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health
    strategies 
  • The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion

   

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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
FIGHT INFO

Men’s 60kg Round 1:

Ahmad Shuja Jamal (AFG) beat Krisada Takhiankliang (THA) - points 
Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) beat Akram Alyminee (YEM) - retired Round 1
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Bhanu Pratap Pandit (IND) - TKO Round 1

Men’s 71kg Round 1:
Seyed Kaveh Soleyman (IRI) beat Abedel Rahman (JOR) - RSC round 3.
Amine Al Moatassime (UAE) walk over Ritiz Puri (NEP)

IF YOU GO

The flights

FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.

The tours

English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people. 

The hotels

Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.

St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.

 

Chinese Grand Prix schedule (in UAE time)

Friday: First practice - 6am; Second practice - 10am

Saturday: Final practice - 7am; Qualifying - 10am

Sunday: Chinese Grand Prix - 10.10am

The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi

“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)

What is THAAD?

It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.

Production:

It was first created in 2008.

Speed:

THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.

Abilities:

THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".

Purpose:

To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.

Range:

THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.

Creators:

Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.

UAE and THAAD:

In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

'Jurassic%20World%20Dominion'
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Colin%20Trevorrow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Sam%20Neill%2C%20Laura%20Dern%2C%20Jeff%20Goldblum%2C%20Bryce%20Dallas%20Howard%2C%20Chris%20Pratt%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
List of alleged parties

 May 15 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at
least 17 staff members

May 20 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'bring your own booze'
party

Nov 27 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff

Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary
Gavin Williamson

Dec 13 2020: PM and Carrie throw a flat party

Dec 14 2020: London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative
Party headquarters

Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz

Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party

COPA DEL REY

Semi-final, first leg

Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')

Second leg, February 27

The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

The biog

Name: Ayisha Abdulrahman Gareb

Age: 57

From: Kalba

Occupation: Mukrema, though she washes bodies without charge

Favourite things to do: Visiting patients at the hospital and give them the support they need.
Role model: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.

 

Barbie
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Greta%20Gerwig%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Margot%20Robbie%2C%20Ryan%20Gosling%2C%20Will%20Ferrell%2C%20America%20Ferrera%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S

Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900

Engine: 937cc

Transmission: Six-speed gearbox

Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm

Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

Racecard

7pm: Abu Dhabi - Conditions (PA) Dh 80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m

7.30pm: Dubai - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m

8pm: Sharjah - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m

8.30pm: Ajman - Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,200m

9pm: Umm Al Quwain - The Entisar - Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 2,000m

9.30pm: Ras Al Khaimah - Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m

10pm: Fujairah - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Updated: October 07, 2021, 4:48 AM`