Boy scouts carry a float with a girl dressed as Disney character Snow White during a procession for Palm Sunday at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross in the Qasaa district of the Syrian capital Damascus. AFP
Boy scouts carry a float with a girl dressed as Disney character Snow White during a procession for Palm Sunday at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross in the Qasaa district of the Syrian capital Damascus. AFP
Boy scouts beat drums as they participate in a Palm Sunday procession in the Dwelaa area of Damascus. AFP
Boy scouts beat drums as they participate in a Palm Sunday procession in the Dwelaa area of Damascus. AFP
Boy and girl scouts march with palm fronds during the procession in Dwelaa. AFP
Boy and girl scouts march with palm fronds during the procession in Dwelaa. AFP
Worshippers attend a Palm Sunday service at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Umm Al Noor in Erbil in the Kurdish region in northern Iraq. AFP
Worshippers attend a Palm Sunday service at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Umm Al Noor in Erbil in the Kurdish region in northern Iraq. AFP
A choir sings during the church service in Erbil. AFP
A choir sings during the church service in Erbil. AFP
A child watches as people attend a Palm Sunday mass in Cairo, Egypt. The number of worshippers was limited because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Reuters
A child watches as people attend a Palm Sunday mass in Cairo, Egypt. The number of worshippers was limited because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Reuters
A young Coptic Orthodox Christian wears a hat made of knitted palm fronds as worshippers circle the Edicule at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the place where it is believed Jesus Christ was buried. AFP
A young Coptic Orthodox Christian wears a hat made of knitted palm fronds as worshippers circle the Edicule at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the place where it is believed Jesus Christ was buried. AFP
An Ethiopian Orthodox Christian uses her phone, which bears the image of the Virgin Mary with Jesus, to film proceedings during Palm Sunday celebrations outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. AFP
An Ethiopian Orthodox Christian uses her phone, which bears the image of the Virgin Mary with Jesus, to film proceedings during Palm Sunday celebrations outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. AFP
An Ethiopian Orthodox Christian wears a palm frond knitted into the shape of a cross outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. AFP
An Ethiopian Orthodox Christian wears a palm frond knitted into the shape of a cross outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. AFP
Christian pilgrims touch the Stone of Anointing and pray during the Palm Sunday procession at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. About 300 million Orthodox Christians around the world observe Holy Week. EPA
Christian pilgrims touch the Stone of Anointing and pray during the Palm Sunday procession at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. About 300 million Orthodox Christians around the world observe Holy Week. EPA
Greek Orthodox clergymen attend the procession in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday in when many churches symbolically mark the biblical account of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. EPA
Greek Orthodox clergymen attend the procession in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday in when many churches symbolically mark the biblical account of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. EPA
Worshippers sit apart during a Palm Sunday mass in Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
Worshippers sit apart during a Palm Sunday mass in Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
A worshipper attends Palm Sunday celebrations at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. AFP
A worshipper attends Palm Sunday celebrations at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. AFP
Christians gather to mark Palm Sunday at the Church of the Nativity in the occupied West Bank. AFP
Christians gather to mark Palm Sunday at the Church of the Nativity in the occupied West Bank. AFP

MENA

Orthodox Christians mark Palm Sunday in the Middle East - in pictures

Worshippers took part in events to celebrate the start of Orthodox Easter

The National

April 26, 2021

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While you're here
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
Champions parade (UAE timings)

7pm Gates open

8pm Deansgate stage showing starts

9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral

9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street

10pm City players on stage

11pm event ends

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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

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