The recent explosion at the port in Beirut has put a spotlight on the actions of everyday heroes.
Salam Dakkak is one of those heroes. When the founder of JLT restaurant Bait Maryam heard about the explosion – which has, to date, killed 158 and injured 6,000 – she was devastated. But she decided to take that emotion and channel it into a positive initiative.
"When we heard about the devastating news, my family and I were in a state of shock. We went through waves of sadness and helplessness," says Dakkak, who grew up in Jordan and was formerly a school owner and cooking teacher in Saudi Arabia. "But when I woke up on Wednesday morning, I realised I could spend the rest of my day feeling hopeless … or I could do something that may be helpful."
Dakkak put out a call on social media to say that the restaurant would be donating all of the day’s sales to help Lebanon. It was an idea spurred by a moment, which meant that they didn’t have enough time to prepare a proper campaign or hire extra drivers or staff.
“Personally, I thought because it was last minute, we might not be able to have the message reach many people on the day,” she says.
She was wrong though. Word of the initiative spread quickly on social media, with Dakkak's plea going viral.
“Word spread so fast that we were not ready for the overwhelming response we had. The phone was ringing off the hook and our online ordering platforms crashed because of the high number of orders.
"At a point there were 30 delivery drivers waiting outside and we went into factory mode to be able to fulfil all orders. It was one of our busiest days to date and as tiring as it was, it was the most rewarding day personally for me on the job."
Dakkak adds that she would like to support any country or cause that is in dire need, and already has another project in the pipeline.
“It is our duty as people or businesses to do whatever we can to help in a way possible,” she says.
“To be honest, the experience we had at Bait Maryam really restored our faith in humanity. It showed us how, when it is really needed, people are able to come together. I was also really thankful for social media because our message was able to reach so many people in a short period of time. It’s amazing the power people have when they come together.”
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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
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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)
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.
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
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PRISCILLA
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