DUESSELDORF, GERMANY - MAY 27: A bird is seen flying inside the stadium during the Bundesliga match between Fortuna Duesseldorf and FC Schalke 04 at Merkur Spiel-Arena on May 27, 2020 in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Martin Meissner/Pool via Getty Images)
DUESSELDORF, GERMANY - MAY 27: A bird is seen flying inside the stadium during the Bundesliga match between Fortuna Duesseldorf and FC Schalke 04 at Merkur Spiel-Arena on May 27, 2020 in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Martin Meissner/Pool via Getty Images)
DUESSELDORF, GERMANY - MAY 27: A bird is seen flying inside the stadium during the Bundesliga match between Fortuna Duesseldorf and FC Schalke 04 at Merkur Spiel-Arena on May 27, 2020 in Duesseldorf,
They say the little things make a big difference. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has been a literal case in point: a tiny virus disrupted the world's nations, economies and societies.
In a matter of weeks, businesses shut down while physical distancing, working from home and the wearing of masks and gloves became common scenes.
While most of the world was in lockdown, nature was coming into full bloom. Spring arrived; days became longer and the air got warmer. Humankind has largely been indoors, but the wild has been coming out. Mountain goats took over a Welsh town, a pod of orcas visited Vancouver's shores and gazelles roamed Dubai's streets.
Emily Dickinson took inspiration for her poetry from birds. Getty
Another notable change has been more audible: riotous traffic noises have been replaced by melodic bird songs. For birds, no matter what storm or pandemic passes, life goes on – and it starts with a dawn chorus.
Their beauty inspired poets and musicians for centuries. In one of her poems, Emily Dickinson sees hope as a bird signing even during difficult times: “Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul / And sings the tune without the words / And never stops – at all.”
In Maya Angelou's poem Caged Bird, the isolated bird sings out of hope for freedom. The cuckoo's hollow call shaped classical music pieces by famous composers such as Beethoven, Mahler and Vivaldi.
The lockdown has given us an opportunity to be inspired by birds, even from just a glance out the window. Perhaps we can gain a few life lessons from them, like embracing the present.
The yellow-billed common myna bringing straws to the nest it has chosen in a tree hollow is concerned only with its work. They too have their own troubles, like cars, cats and pesticides. Yet they simply live, focused on the moment.
Birds realise that focus is key to achieving their targets. Falcons never lose focus on a prey – even from several hundred metres away – before striking it. For millennia, their vision has played a crucial role in helping hunt game for Bedouins in the scarce desert of the Arabian Peninsula.
A falcon receives medical treatment at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital. Reuters
Unsurprisingly, the UAE today has the world's largest falcon hospital and leads large-scale breeding initiatives to repopulate the species around the world.
Most recently, a breeding programme backed by the UAE reached a milestone with the hatching of saker falcon chicks in Bulgaria. With their strong vision, crows and parrots are also trained to pick up litter in public parks and reserves across Abu Dhabi.
Birds know that if they want to go far, they need to go together. Migratory birds, like geese, fly together in a V formation to catch the preceding bird’s updraft. This reduces air friction, allowing them to fly with less effort and at least 71 per cent further than if each bird flew alone.
BIRDS YOU OFTEN SEE IN THE UAE: The hoopoe. Dr. Raju Kasambe / Wikimedia Commons
BIRDS YOU OFTEN SEE IN THE UAE: White-eared bulbul. Dr. Raju Kasambe / Wiki
BIRDS YOU OFTEN SEE IN THE UAE: A rose-ringed parakeet. Supplied
BIRDS YOU OFTEN SEE IN THE UAE: Myna birds perched on metal railings in Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
BIRDS YOU OFTEN SEE IN THE UAE: The palm dove, otherwise known as the laughing dove. Zeynel Cebeci / Wikimedia Commons
Birds surround us almost everywhere we look. But this is precisely why we fail to grasp them fully – because of their banality. Have you noticed how the pinkish brown chest of the laughing dove puffs up when it calls? Or how the house sparrow hops rather than walks? When you do, you begin to notice other details around – the zesty fragrance of oranges, the warmth of a cup of tea, the blended hues of red and crimson in a sunset. From birds we can learn to appreciate the little things in life.
After all, the little things make a big difference.
Fatima Al Fahim is a writer and a graduate in public policy at the University of Oxford
Red flags
Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
Quick facts on cancer
Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030
At least one third of common cancers are preventable
Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers
Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health strategies
The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory Videographer: Jear Valasquez Fashion director: Sarah Maisey Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
UAE results Lost to Oman by eight runs Beat Namibia by three wickets Lost to Oman by 12 runs Beat Namibia by 43 runs
UAE fixtures Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv
Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
