With reference to Taniya Dutta's report New Delhi's common man soundly beats Modi in key election battle (February 11): the party deserved to win as in the last five years they worked sincerely for the the state and its people. Victory will follow as long as they stay on the same path.
Qassim Abdulla, Dubai
Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party comprehensively trounced the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the New Delhi elections by winning 62 of the 70 seats – a thumping 90 per cent.
The people of Delhi held their cool and finally voted for the AAP party, which has done wholesome work on the ground. In doing so, the people have also rejected the divisive and fractured politics based on religious considerations.
Religious bigotry has no place in this age of digitisation and technology. Jobs and homes are a universal concern of the young everywhere in the world. The gods we worship should be of only private and personal concern.
A major tragedy of these elections is that the monolithic Congress Party which had administered the capital city for 15 years, did not win a single seat. Unless the Congress reinvents itself and becomes more relevant, this great party once led by national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawharlal Nehru, will become irrelevant and face extinction. Rahul Gandhi, the current face of the party, should pick up the gauntlet, roll up his sleeves and work on the ground to resolve problems of the common people. Tweets give a leader currency; tweets do not win elections. However resolving the sanitation, drinking water, electricity and unemployment issues of ordinary people can win elections. Rahul Gandhi needs to understand this if he wishes to lead India some day.
Rajendra Aneja, Dubai
Kudos to Arvind Kejriwal. The recent victory shows that apart from his freebies to people, delivering electoral promises is very important. People have eradicated the old congress party. Now is the time for the ruling BJP to review their defeat.
K Ragavan, Bengaluru
That's awesome and here's wishing him the best.
Obafemi Sanni, Shah Alam, Malaysia
Happens to the best of us? Mercedes has to recall stock
In reference to Patrick Ryan's article Hundreds of Mercedes cars recalled in the UAE (February 9): I think it's time to switch to electric cars.
Mohamed Ehsan, Abu Dhabi
An artist's deliberately blurry cycles
With reference to Ashleigh Stewart's article What is the new sculpture on Abu Dhabi's Corniche? Ai Weiwei's 'Forever Bicycles' arrives in the UAE (February 10): this installation was in Austin before coming here.
Kurry Peltier, Abu Dhabi
A theatre reopening is a win for the cultural scene in Dubai
With reference to Farah Andrews's report The Theatre at Mall of the Emirates has reopened, with 'For Sama' and 'Mr Men and Little Miss' on the line-up (February 11): there's plenty of "community interest". The question is whether management can provide a space that's affordable for community theatre groups.
Kirin Hilliar, Dubai
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Western Clubs Champions League:
- Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
- Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
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
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
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.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
More on Quran memorisation:
All Black 39-12 British & Irish Lions
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
