Itab Azzam can often be found out the back of her north London home, brow slightly furrowed while she carefully inspects the tendrils of an ailing jasmine vine.
The consternation invariably deepens as Azzam turns to sift through the foliage of two nearby trees for any sign of an impending fig or olive crop.
The search is so far fruitless but she remains hopeful. “I’m trying to create a Syrian garden,” the award-winning filmmaker and human rights activist, 42, tells The National wistfully.
“The olive tree was a birthday present from someone I really love. They survive but they don’t really flourish here.”
The Bafta and Emmy award-winning series Exodus: Our Journey to Europe saw Azzam create a profoundly intimate portrait of the mass-migration crisis, traversing the route taken by many of the one million people who tried to smuggle themselves out of the region in 2015.
Heart of the matter
Azzam now lives in Haringey with her documentary director husband Jack MacInnes, 43, and four-year-old son Rumi.
Syrian pottery and ornate furniture adorn the rooms and her heart is almost 5,000km away in the city where the Jasmine flowers never fail to proliferate.
“It’s my dream to go back,” she says.
Until such a time, Azzam will continue with myriad labours of love – the documentary, theatre, charity and cookery projects – that support and empower her female compatriots who have been displaced by years of war and persecution.
She has more insight than most into what they have had to endure.
The road more travelled
“I did the land crossing three times and was on the road for three months,” she says in her accented, somewhat husky voice.
“I did everything they did, except board the rubber dinghies. With Israa, the 11-year-old girl who went from Izmir to Germany, we went on buses, trains and walked for hours with her and her family, with all our camera equipment.
"It took a fortnight. Often, there was no time to sleep because there was a train to catch or a border to cross.
“One of the hardest moments was arriving in Croatia and having to start walking to Slovenia in the middle of the night in the freezing cold.”
The experience of recording so many people taking flight could not have been further from her own upbringing in an insular, parochial community in Ta'ara in the province of Sweida, south-western Syria.
No one ever really left the tiny village of 1,000 inhabitants where the family lived in a one-storey house built by Azzam’s father, Mamdouh.
“I remember being extremely bored,” she says, recalling an “unglamorous” life surrounded by black volcanic rock and red soil in a depression between mountains.
“There was not much to do other than ride a bike and steal apples from people’s orchards.”
Young Itab hated school, particularly the military-style uniform and daily declarations of allegiance to the oppressive regime. “It was like North Korea. Our head teacher was a dictator obsessed with cleanliness.”
Her fondest memories are of marriages in the village when “all the women would gather and stay up all night cooking together, singing and having fun”.
They worked in harmony to fill copper pots with mleheyya – chicken and potato stew in turmeric-infused yoghurt – which were carried into the festivities by the local men. “It’s like a whole other wedding before the wedding,” she says.
The food of love
It was the communal, celebratory aspects of the country’s cuisine that Azzam sought to evoke years later through the nostalgic cookbook Syria: Recipes From Home, page after page full of recipes liberally sprinkled with cumin, garlic, rosewater and orange blossom.
“Food is how I connect to home. I tend to cook Syrian food a lot. It’s healing and it brings people together. Even now, when I get stressed, I cook to take my mind off things.”
Prominent among other recollections are the nightly power cuts during which Mamdouh, a celebrated author, read Russian children’s stories by candlelight to Itab and her brothers, Firas and Tammam.
That cosy, if sedate, childhood was upturned when the publication of her father’s novel The Palace of Rain, which tackled taboos in the conservative Druze community, met with opprobrium. Ostracised, the family moved to Damascus when Azzam was 18.
“There was a huge backlash. The clerics decided it didn’t reflect the Druze correctly and considered him a heretic.”
Though they both grew up in a closeted environment, Mamdouh, now 75, and his wife Donia, 68, were secular and liberal. Some people, Azzam reflects, are just born that way.
Mamdouh’s influence in particular is clear not only in the English language and literature degree that Azzam undertook at Damascus University but in the naming of her son after the 13th-century mystic poet.
“I always wanted to learn another language and English at that time represented freedom and opportunities,” she says. “I remember seeing Friends for the first time and thinking: ‘Wow, I want to live like that.’”
I was really depressed. Being away was difficult because I felt helpless, just waiting for bad news
In her final year, she exchanged cramped university quarters for a large, traditional Arabic house with a courtyard and coterie of international journalists and students. To this day, she still works with some of those who passed through.
Lives turned upside-down
When the US invaded Iraq in 2003 and refugee camps began filling up on the border with Syria, Azzam was hired as a translator by publications and TV production companies.
She began finding her own stories, including that of the Iraqi women of a similar age to herself resorting to prostitution to feed their families.
Three years later, the refugee population in Syria swelled with the outbreak of war between Israel and Lebanon; the conflict was different, says Azzam, but the personal accounts were the same.
“Almost every family had lost a loved one, their houses and belongings. I was really sad and upset at the injustice of their suffering.”
While working with the BBC in 2008, Azzam was encouraged to get behind the camera for a series called Syrian School that explored life through events during an academic year at four campuses in the capital.
One of her fellow producers was James Sadri, who went on to co-found the British political campaign group Led By Donkeys, and whose wife, Tabitha Ross, is now Azzam’s partner in Makani, a charity that helps refugee women overcome their trauma and circumstances.
“I met her in Syria where she was studying Arabic,” says Azzam. “I got to know so many inspiring people. They changed my life.”
Through the lens
Azzam quickly developed a taste for the craft – “I liked sitting and spending time with people I was interviewing” – and won a Said Foundation scholarship to study filmmaking and anthropology at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Women, in particular, suffer the most but no one was listening to them
While waiting for the course to begin, she began work on a documentary about Syrian heritage at the behest of Asma Al Assad, which is how she came to be in the office of the president’s wife when protests signalled the unfolding civil conflict in March 2011.
That her endeavours were focused on a piece about Syrian pride as friends and relatives were being arrested outside the building’s windows caused much inner turmoil.
The project, on which she was working alongside the man who would become her husband, was never completed and the couple moved to London six months later.
The worst of times
Azzam’s brother, Tammam, by then an established artist, left for Dubai at the same time, while Firas continued to work for Syrian TV until the violence drove him to Toronto in 2016.
Only their parents refused to leave, a decision that was an endless source of angst for their daughter. “I was really depressed,” she says. “Being away was difficult because I felt helpless, just waiting for bad news.
“I was surrounded by students who wanted to have fun and party but I couldn’t enjoy it because I was constantly crying.”
Through mutual friends, she met journalist-turned-activist Charlotte Eagar and her husband William Stirling, who wanted to reimagine The Trojan Women through the eyes of Syrian refugees in Jordan.
Life imitating ancient art
In the 415BC tragedy, Euripides portrayed the brutality of war, the slaughter of the men of Troy and subjugation of the city’s women, and Azzam felt that the scenes mirrored those occurring in her homeland.
She worked with Oxfam and visited the Zaatari and Irbid refugee camps, positioning herself outside the UNHCR registration centre in the hope of meeting women prepared to be transformed into the royal characters of the ancient play.
“I felt conflicted,” she says. “They were desperate, hungry and homeless. When basic needs are not met and they cannot feed their children, you wonder if they really need art. It was hard. I had to convince myself as well as them.”
Twenty women were persuaded to take part in the ice-breaking session that first day in a community centre with a creche for their children. Any initial doubts that Azzam might have had about pulling the project off evaporated. On the second day, 50 women showed up.
'We feel human again'
“It was absolutely life-transforming,” she says. “The sentence that always sticks in my mind is: ‘We feel human again.’
“Being part of a project where people are listening to your story and you’re dancing, you’re sharing and you’re laughing gives a safe space where people don’t feel alone any more.
“As humans, we don’t just need food and water, we need to feel something. Women, in particular, suffer the most but no one was listening to them.”
The fledgling actors performed their version of the Greek classical play to sell-out audiences for three nights in Amman and went on a world tour three years later. Azzam co-produced an acclaimed documentary called Queens of Syria to tell the behind-the-scenes story.
Seeing the women on stage was, she realised, as much a kind of therapy for her as it was for them.
“It was one of the proudest moments of my life,” Azzam says.
She was inspired to go on and collaborate with Syrian and Palestinian women in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon, staging Antigone, Sophocles’s tale of the ill-fated heroine who fights for justice against a dictator. This time, there were no problems enlisting women to take part.
As co-producers, she enrolled the Iraqi-British actress and long-time friend Dina Mousawi along with Hal Scardino, and held a fundraiser in the home of River Cafe chef Ruth Rogers with the historian Bettany Hughes as compere. They raised £50,000 and followed the theatre performances with a documentary based on their production called We Are Not Princesses.
Cookbook with a conscience
The cookbook came as an unexpected spin-off when the refugee women brought food to the set or invited Azzam and Mousawi into their little flats, bedsits, tents and makeshift surrounds to prepare food and talk.
Publishing the compilation was a way of sharing the glories of Syrian recipes garnered from Azzam’s mother and trips back home and, in the process, honouring the brave participants in the theatrical project.
Though young Itab had steadfastly refused to learn how to cook, she began to call home frequently from university for the instructions to make her favourite meals.
First feelings of feminism
“I didn’t know enough to call it feminism but, as a child, I always saw the inequality in society,” she says.
Now, Syrian food brings great solace, particularly when Azzam feels the strain of caring for all the women she has worked with and with whom she is still in touch.
She toils for 24 hours over labneh, pressing yoghurt by hand and making dishes from scratch just as the women in Sweida did – although she admits to taking the occasional shortcut with baba ganoush, thanks to a well-stocked Syrian supermarket in west London.
“When you live in fear all your life and then war breaks out, that’s a trauma you carry with you.
“I love doing things with my hands, whether it’s planting, cooking or photography. I find it healing.”
For the foreseeable future, she will focus on Makani (meaning “my place” in Arabic) to provide education and literacy classes, and instruction in drama, filmmaking and photography for refugee women in Lebanon and the UK, as well as helping them with business start-ups.
Azzam's son, Rumi, is regularly by her side. She takes him to workshops but says he has yet to show any feminist credentials and still insists on choosing dinosaurs over dolls.
As his mother tells it, however, the seed has been sown. Perhaps, like the treasures lying dormant beneath grey skies in Azzam’s garden, all that's needed is time and a little more nurturing to grow.
More coverage from the Future Forum
Soldier F
“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.
“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.
“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”
Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Need to know
When: October 17 until November 10
Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration
Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center
What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.
For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
HOW TO WATCH
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Fight card
1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)
4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)
5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)
6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)
9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)
10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)
11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EClara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPatrick%20Rogers%2C%20Lee%20McMahon%2C%20Arthur%20Guest%2C%20Ahmed%20Arif%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELegalTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%244%20million%20of%20seed%20financing%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWamda%20Capital%2C%20Shorooq%20Partners%2C%20Techstars%2C%20500%20Global%2C%20OTF%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Knuru%20Capital%2C%20Plug%20and%20Play%20and%20The%20LegalTech%20Fund%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
More on animal trafficking
The burning issue
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 one: how cars came to the UAE
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
New schools in Dubai
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2a)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7%E2%80%9D%20flexible%20Amoled%2C%202412%20x%201080%2C%20394ppi%2C%20120Hz%2C%20Corning%20Gorilla%20Glass%205%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MediaTek%20Dimensity%207200%20Pro%2C%204nm%2C%20octa-core%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F12GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20128%2F256GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Android%2014%2C%20Nothing%20OS%202.5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%2050MP%20main%2C%20f%2F1.88%20%2B%2050MP%20ultra-wide%2C%20f%2F2.2%3B%20OIS%2C%20EIS%2C%20auto-focus%2C%20ultra%20XDR%2C%20night%20mode%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2030fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2060fps%3B%20slo-mo%20full-HD%20at%20120fps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2032MP%20wide%2C%20f%2F2.2%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205000mAh%3B%2050%25%20in%2030%20mins%20w%2F%2045w%20charger%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Google%20Pay)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fingerprint%2C%20face%20unlock%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20USB-C%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP54%2C%20limited%20protection%20from%20water%2Fdust%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual-nano%20SIM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Black%2C%20milk%2C%20white%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nothing%20Phone%20(2a)%2C%20USB-C-to-USB-C%20cable%2C%20pre-applied%20screen%20protector%2C%20SIM%20tray%20ejector%20tool%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%20(UAE)%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh1%2C199%20(8GB%2F128GB)%20%2F%20Dh1%2C399%20(12GB%2F256GB)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May
Avengers: Endgame
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin
4/5 stars
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Bournemouth 0
Manchester United 2
Smalling (28'), Lukaku (70')
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Monday's results
- UAE beat Bahrain by 51 runs
- Qatar beat Maldives by 44 runs
- Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait by seven wickets
The years Ramadan fell in May
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
bundesliga results
Mainz 0 Augsburg 1 (Niederlechner 1')
Schalke 1 (Caligiuri pen 51') Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Miranda og 81')
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
More on animal trafficking
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Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
The five pillars of Islam
