A priest holding a crucifix, goes in procession in northwestern Italy, as part of a Good Friday's Way of the Cross procession, during the country's lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus. AFP
A priest holding a crucifix, goes in procession in northwestern Italy, as part of a Good Friday's Way of the Cross procession, during the country's lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus. AFP
A priest holding a crucifix, goes in procession in northwestern Italy, as part of a Good Friday's Way of the Cross procession, during the country's lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavi
As of yesterday, Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, killed more than 100,000 people around the world. This grim record is expected to rise in the coming weeks, with 200,000 deaths projected in the US alone, according to the Trump administration. Ever-climbing death tolls and infection rates seem to have become facts of life since the new strain of the virus was discovered last December. But behind each number, there is a story – that of a person's life taken away too soon, leaving a family to grieve, often unable to attend their loved one’s funeral.
We arrive at this tragic milestone at a time of great religious significance. Today, Christians in most parts of the world will not be able to go to church for Easter and spend time with their loved ones. Pope Francis at an empty St Peter’s Basilica on Good Friday marked a solemn moment.
With Ramadan set to start in less than two weeks’ time, the month of April is set to be particularly challenging for worshippers. Anti-coronavirus measures in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere require places of worship to close their doors to the public. These containment measures are crucial to contain the pandemic and decrease the risk of infection, but, as a consequence, many worshippers have now found themselves separated from their respective communities during a difficult time.
Some countries have been affected disproportionately by this ongoing tragedy. Nearly two-thirds of all those who have succumbed to the disease hail from Europe. The mortality rate in Italy exceeds 12 per cent, while the number of deaths in Italy, France and Spain alone constitute nearly half of all fatalities in the world. Meanwhile, the US, which is already the hardest-hit nation, reached the grim milestone of half a million cases nationwide yesterday. It has now surpassed Italy with the highest number of recorded coronavirus-related fatalities for any country.
Nearly every inch of the globe has been affected by the pandemic in one way or another.
War-torn Yemen, which had not reported any cases of the virus, announced its first official Covid-19 patient last weekend. Half of all the country's hospitals have been destroyed by years of war, and medical staff lack the personal protection equipment necessary to treat patients without risking infection.
Nearly every inch of the globe has been affected by the pandemic in one way or another.
If the disease is allowed to propagate in war zones and poor areas with little access to appropriate healthcare or aid, the result can only be catastrophic. The international community must help Yemen, along with other nations ridden by poverty and conflict, to combat an impending coronavirus outbreak.
In times of great hardship, authorities have intensified testing and quarantine measures to protect their people. Medical staff are also working around the clock, sometimes in dire circumstances. They are risking their lives at the frontlines of the pandemic to save others, and deserve our respect and support. The least we can do to help those affected by the virus, and the families of the deceased, is to stay in and stay safe, so as not to jeopardise other people's lives and our own.
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
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.
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
An arms embargo
A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Liverpool Gordon (34'), Fabinho (44' pen, 90' 3), Firmino (78')
Shrewsbury Udoh (27'minutes)
Man of the Match: Kaide Gordon (Liverpool)
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
Roger Federer's 2018 record
Australian Open Champion
Rotterdam Champion
Indian Wells Runner-up
Miami Second round
Stuttgart Champion
Halle Runner-up
Wimbledon Quarter-finals
Cincinnati Runner-up
US Open Fourth round
Shanghai Semi-finals
Basel Champion
Paris Masters Semi-finals
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo Power: 235hp Torque: 350Nm Transmission: Nine-speed automatic Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000) On sale: Now
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.
