A wounded man waits for aid at Beirut's port following the massive explosion that hit the heart of the Lebanese capital on August 4, 2020. AFP
A wounded man waits for aid at Beirut's port following the massive explosion that hit the heart of the Lebanese capital on August 4, 2020. AFP
A wounded man waits for aid at Beirut's port following the massive explosion that hit the heart of the Lebanese capital on August 4, 2020. AFP
A wounded man waits for aid at Beirut's port following the massive explosion that hit the heart of the Lebanese capital on August 4, 2020. AFP


Two years and zero accountability for the Beirut blast


The National
  • English
  • Arabic

August 05, 2022

It has been two years since the Beirut Port explosion, and the Lebanese people are still looking for justice and accountability.

The blast was the largest non-nuclear explosion recorded in history, yet some high-placed politicians succeeded in halting the investigation for two years to avoid holding accountable officials found to be suspects in this horrible crime.

Judge Fadi Sawan, who led the investigation, was removed in December 2020 due to pressure from former ministers Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zeitar. When Judge Tarek Bitar, who took over the probe, sought to question senior government officials, including Mr Khalil, Mr Zeitar and Maj Gen Abbas Ibrahim, he was threatened and the investigation came to a halt.

I condemn the constant suppression of the truth by the Hezbollah-backed government. I call on the UN to look into who was responsible for the explosion and hold these individuals responsible. Lives were lost, people were injured, and houses were destroyed.

With respect to the victims, I call for accountability.

Zoya Fakhoury, New Hampshire, US

Is Kabul sheltering Al Qaeda operatives?

I write in reference to Sulaiman Hakemy's report Afghans stunned to learn terror leader Al Zawahiri was living in central Kabul (August 2): I am not surprised to read that ordinary Afghans have reacted to the news of Al Zawahiri's killing with "uncertainty" and "trepidation". After all, authorities in Kabul have been tight-lipped about the US government's attack. Ever since the Taliban takeover almost a year ago, there have been fears that Afghanistan will once again become a terrorist haven. People will wonder whether the regime is providing sanctuary to Al Qaeda leaders and operatives, like it did when it was previously in power. They will be nervous about the fallout of the assassination. In these circumstances, it's hard to expect peace and stability to return to Afghanistan anytime soon.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India

Stop executions in Myanmar

With regard to the article Myanmar junta executes four pro-democracy activists (July 25): it broke my heart to learn about the executions. These activists were not terrorists; they were freedom fighters. Organisations such as the UN and the Association of South-East Asian Nations, and the international community more broadly, need to act quickly to prevent more such executions.

Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani, Kuala Lumpur

Recognising the UAE's nurses

I write in reference to Ramola Talwar Badam's article UAE nurses and frontline workers 'thrilled' over surprise golden visa upgrade (July 8): my mother is due to retire soon. After having worked as a nurse in the UAE for four decades, her expected return to India had left us all feeling bittersweet. She had wanted to stay on in Al Ain, particularly after some of her colleagues had received the Golden Visa in April. Not having received one at the time, however, she had mentally prepared herself to bid goodbye to the Emirates.

But last month, on her 61st birthday no less, she received the Golden Visa. "It is the best gift one can get upon a painful retirement," she told me. She was overwhelmed. And I understood straightaway how much this meant to her. As authorities in the UAE have often said, "nurses are the health sector heroes". I couldn't agree more, although I would add that my mother is to some of us a "family hero", too.

The UAE government's move to reward these heroes is truly laudable.

Daniel Varghese, Konigswinter, Germany

Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi

Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe

For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.

Golden Dallah

For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.

Al Mrzab Restaurant

For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.

Al Derwaza

For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup. 

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Company profile

Name: Thndr

Started: October 2020

Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: FinTech

Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000

Funding stage: series A; $20 million

Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC,  Rabacap and MSA Capital

Hot%20Seat
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20James%20Cullen%20Bressack%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Mel%20Gibson%2C%20Kevin%20Dillon%2C%20Shannen%20Doherty%2C%20Sam%20Asghari%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
Last-16 Europa League fixtures

Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)

FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm

Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm

Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm

Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm 

Thursday

Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm

Sevilla v Roma  (one leg only)  8.55pm

FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm 

Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm 

MATCH INFO

Norwich 0

Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')

Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
THE SPECS

      

 

Engine: 1.5-litre

 

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

 

Power: 110 horsepower 

 

Torque: 147Nm 

 

Price: From Dh59,700 

 

On sale: now  

 
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How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
  • The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
  • The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
  • The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
  • The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
  • The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Under 19 World Cup

Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka

Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies

Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe

Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE

 

UAE fixtures

Saturday, January 18, v Canada

Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan

Saturday, January 25, v South Africa

Results

ATP Dubai Championships on Monday (x indicates seed):

First round
Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x4) 6-4, 6-1
Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Milos Raonic (CAN x7) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4

In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
  • Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000 
  • Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000 
  • HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000 
  • Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000 
  • Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000 
  • Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000 
  • Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000 
  • Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
  • Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
  • Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Updated: August 05, 2022, 2:45 AM`