Stuck in traffic, with nothing better to do, I switched on the radio and found a talk “news” channel. A caller complained about “too much bad news” for which he blamed “the media”.
With a war in Ukraine, a cost of living crisis, labour unrest and strikes in Britain and the intractable problems of climate change, blaming “the media” for bad news seemed like a sailor blaming the sea for being stormy.
When I talk to journalism students, I sometimes say that news is indeed often “bad” but that’s for the same reason that if your neighbour breaks a leg that’s more newsworthy than if he doesn’t.
Even so, a series of odd news stories have hit the headlines recently making me wonder if anyone, anywhere has a coherent definition of what “news” might be. Some years ago, a Florida TV station focused on crime with the slogan "If it bleeds, it leads”. Not very nice, but at least an understandable news focus given America’s gun violence. A British journalist once said to me that when asked for his definition of news, he would always say: "If it is news to you, then that’s news to me." Not everyone understood he was trying to make a joke.
News judgement is an art not a science, although algorithms may help explain who is interested in what
My personal definition is that news can be urgent, important or interesting and preferably all three. Any newspaper or TV news bulletin should carry a variety of stories that tick at least two of the three boxes. And that’s why several prominent stories in the past week have puzzled me. While they are obviously news – of some kind – their importance seems at best debatable, their urgency questionable and (my) interest in them also limited.
The three new stories I’m thinking of are US President Joe Biden tripping at a public event, a story about a relationship involving a British TV presenter, and just about anything about "Harry and Meghan" including a “car chase” in New York City. (I’ve never driven above 10 miles an hour in NYC.)
When I Googled Mr Biden’s name in connection with the US debt ceiling discussion, Google selected “Biden fall” and “Biden trip” as the first two choices, illustrated by film clips of the president stumbling at the US Airforce Academy in Colorado. Of course this is news. Of course Mr Biden’s age is a campaign issue in 2024. But … this much? Really?
Then Harry and Meghan. Like Mr Biden, they are worldwide celebrities and “newsworthy”. But they are not active royals. Information about them often depends on so-called “royal experts” whose “expertise” may not include actually having met, talked with or interviewed the targets of their insights.
I save a great deal of time when reading newspapers (and retaining what is left of my sanity) by swiping through almost all the Harry and Meghan stories, since few appear (to me at least) urgent, important, interesting – or even factually correct. One caveat: I will be paying close attention this week to the very serious legal proceedings in the British courts involving Prince Harry and his claims against various newspapers and journalists.
The third story that was big news recently in Britain is about a male daytime TV personality who admitted to a relationship with a much younger colleague. They worked for a time on the same ITV show. The presenter previously lied about the relationship. He has now resigned. There are no allegations of illegal behaviour.
I have never met the presenter. I have never seen his programme. Viewing figures for the TV show were boosted by news of the scandal, but normally they hover at fewer than 700,000 viewers a day. In a population of 68 million British people, that’s just 1 per cent, yet the obsession with this story in Britain meant it even made headlines on the BBC.
In a time of declining sales of newspapers and cut-throat competition for eyeballs online, it seems that a whiff of desperation is detectable in the spurious importance given to these minor tales by some news outlets. Why?
Well, a few years ago, colleagues at the BBC held a series of meetings with some of the best and brightest to discuss "the future of news" in the information age. After listening to the discussions, I concluded that the future of news was to be more local, or more national, or more international; more personal or more authoritative or more human; to have more analysis or less; to be more factual, more opinionated, more objective, and so on.
The honest truth is that nobody knows. We do our best. News judgment is an art not a science, although algorithms might help explain who is interested in what. News organisations I most admire – from The National to the BBC, The New York Times and Financial Times to magazines such as Perspective and The Atlantic – try to cover the widest possible range of events that are urgent, important and interesting. They also understand that trivia can be part of the news menu. But like junk food, there isn’t much nourishment in it.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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
The five pillars of Islam
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
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
THE BIO
BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.
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
The five pillars of Islam
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 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
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Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
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The%20specs
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
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
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