A peacock spreads its tail feathers at Yala National Park, in south-east Sri Lanka. AFP
A peacock spreads its tail feathers at Yala National Park, in south-east Sri Lanka. AFP
Boys play a traditional game in Jalandhar, in the northern Indian state of Punjab. AFP
Boys play a traditional game in Jalandhar, in the northern Indian state of Punjab. AFP
A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child at a health center in Peshawar, northern Pakistan. AP
A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child at a health center in Peshawar, northern Pakistan. AP
An overhead view of Boston Bruins' goaltender Joonas Korpisalo's mask, during a match against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington state. The Bruins lost 5-1. AFP
An overhead view of Boston Bruins' goaltender Joonas Korpisalo's mask, during a match against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington state. The Bruins lost 5-1. AFP
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo dancers rehearse ahead of the world premiere of Durante Verzola's Symphony at the Joyce Theatre in New York. AFP
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo dancers rehearse ahead of the world premiere of Durante Verzola's Symphony at the Joyce Theatre in New York. AFP
An event featuring national and international kite-flying on the outskirt of Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh. EPA
An event featuring national and international kite-flying on the outskirt of Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh. EPA
A spectacular drone show depicting a dancer, over Bluewaters Island, near Dubai Marina. AFP
A spectacular drone show depicting a dancer, over Bluewaters Island, near Dubai Marina. AFP
A pedestrian passes the Taj Mahal on a cold foggy morning in Agra, in Uttar Pradesh, northern India. AFP
A pedestrian passes the Taj Mahal on a cold foggy morning in Agra, in Uttar Pradesh, northern India. AFP
Ice sculptures being prepared for the annual Harbin Ice and Snow World festival in Harbin, in China’s north-east Heilongjiang province. AFP
Ice sculptures being prepared for the annual Harbin Ice and Snow World festival in Harbin, in China’s north-east Heilongjiang province. AFP
Kite surfers at Troon, on Scotland's west coast, take advantage of the blustery weather. Getty Images
Kite surfers at Troon, on Scotland's west coast, take advantage of the blustery weather. Getty Images
Fishing boats moored at a port during 'no fishing Friday' in Banda Aceh, on Sumatra, Indonesia. AFP
Fishing boats moored at a port during 'no fishing Friday' in Banda Aceh, on Sumatra, Indonesia. AFP
A Maasai warrior competes at the 'Maasai Olympics', offering an alternative to killing lions as a rite of passage, in the Kimana Sanctuary, in Kajiado, southern Kenya. Reuters
A Maasai warrior competes at the 'Maasai Olympics', offering an alternative to killing lions as a rite of passage, in the Kimana Sanctuary, in Kajiado, southern Kenya. Reuters
Santa Claus arrives by jet ski to deliver gifts to children with disabilities at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. EPA
Santa Claus arrives by jet ski to deliver gifts to children with disabilities at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. EPA
A rally in Paris to celebrate the overthrow of former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad by opposition rebels. EPA
A rally in Paris to celebrate the overthrow of former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad by opposition rebels. EPA

News

Beshara: The most captivating pictures of the week

This week's selection includes a peacock at Sri Lanka's Yala National Park, administering polio vaccines in Pakistan, kite flying in Cambodia and Santa on a jet ski in Brazil

The National

December 19, 2024

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UAE currency
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):

British group

Coldplay

Foals

Bring me the Horizon

D-Block Europe

Bastille

British Female

Mabel

Freya Ridings

FKA Twigs

Charli xcx

Mahalia​

British male

Harry Styles

Lewis Capaldi

Dave

Michael Kiwanuka

Stormzy​

Best new artist

Aitch

Lewis Capaldi

Dave

Mabel

Sam Fender

Best song

Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care

Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up

Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant

Dave - Location

Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart

AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove

Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved

Tom Walker - Just You and I

Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger

Stormzy - Vossi Bop

International female

Ariana Grande

Billie Eilish

Camila Cabello

Lana Del Rey

Lizzo

International male

Bruce Springsteen

Burna Boy

Tyler, The Creator

Dermot Kennedy

Post Malone

Best album

Stormzy - Heavy is the Head

Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka

Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent

Dave - Psychodrama

Harry Styles - Fine Line

Rising star

Celeste

Joy Crookes

beabadoobee

History's medical milestones

1799 - First small pox vaccine administered

1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery

1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases

1895 - Discovery of x-rays

1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time

1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

1953 - Structure of DNA discovered

1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place 

1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill

1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.

1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out

More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The bio

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France

Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines

Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.

Favourite Author: My father for sure

Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst

Company name: Play:Date

Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day

Founder: Shamim Kassibawi

Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US

Sector: Tech 

Size: 20 employees

Stage of funding: Seed

Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

While you're here

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

Directed by: Shaka King

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons

Four stars

French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

Updated: December 19, 2024, 5:09 PM
Photography