A woman holds candles during a prayer service for the victims of a plane crash, at St Johan Cathedral in Peshawar, Pakistan, Saturday, May 23. PK 8303 carrying passengers and crew crashed near the southern port city of Karachi on Friday. Muhammad Sajjad / AP
A woman holds candles during a prayer service for the victims of a plane crash, at St Johan Cathedral in Peshawar, Pakistan, Saturday, May 23. PK 8303 carrying passengers and crew crashed near the southern port city of Karachi on Friday. Muhammad Sajjad / AP
A woman holds candles during a prayer service for the victims of a plane crash, at St Johan Cathedral in Peshawar, Pakistan, Saturday, May 23. PK 8303 carrying passengers and crew crashed near the southern port city of Karachi on Friday. Muhammad Sajjad / AP
A woman holds candles during a prayer service for the victims of a plane crash, at St Johan Cathedral in Peshawar, Pakistan, Saturday, May 23. PK 8303 carrying passengers and crew crashed near the sou

Pakistan air crash: condolences to the families of passengers


  • English
  • Arabic

With reference to the report 97 dead after passenger jet crashes near Karachi airport (May 22): what a tragedy for all those on board and everyone who left to be with their beloved ones for Eid. I pray for the surviving families during this difficult time.

Irum Ashraf, Sialkot, Pakistan 

This is so sad. The year 2020 is giving us the worst. May the souls of the passengers rest in peace. Deep condolences to the families.

Sanjay Prasad Nainwal, Sharjah 

We are in tears. The only predictable thing about life is death.
Zeeshan Maqbool, Abu Dhabi

My heart is heavy with sympathy for the families who have to go through this.

Deneilia Pereira, Dubai

Doctors and nurses should get a leg up from governments across the world 

In reference to the article by Justin Thomas A case for treating everyone with compassion, especially healthcare staff (May 18): doctors and nurses across the world have helped to buffer the immense damage that Covid-19 could have caused to human lives across nations, even more than it already has. Health workers have endangered their own lives to save all of us. Many health workers are working 12 to 14 hours at a stretch, neglecting their own health and their families to serve Covid-19 patients. Apart from showing due respect and appreciation to health workers, governments should review their salaries and allowances. They should also be insured generously at government expense.

Rajendra Aneja, Dubai

However unusual this year, Eid Mubarak to all

This weekend marks the end of Ramadan 2020, and what a peculiar period it has been for Muslims around the world. This year Ramadan was observed I can only imagine was a real test of faith. Normally, during Eid Al Fitr, families come together to break bread, to exchange gifts and most importantly, to pray and give thanks for all the good in their lives.

The expat community in Riyadh is keeping their spirits up by supporting each other, which is wonderful. We continue to work from home. Most of us don't leave the confines of our residential compounds. So it's hard not to feel a little like Pauline Collins from the movie Shirley Valentine, waking up day after day to say good morning to the kitchen appliances.

However, we realise that despite all the devices that keep us connected, a virtual hug will never replace a real hug from our loved ones. And equally, nothing will replace the excitement or the smells of a home perfumed by traditional and festive home-cooked food prepared for family and friends to gather together and enjoy around the kitchen table. And the same will be true and acutely felt by all our Muslim friends this Eid. Eid Mubarak to all.

Hilary McCormack, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The Bio

Name: Lynn Davison

Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi

Children: She has one son, Casey, 28

Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite Author: CJ Sansom

Favourite holiday destination: Bali

Favourite food: A Sunday roast

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

THE BIO

Favourite author - Paulo Coelho 

Favourite holiday destination - Cuba 

New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field

Role model - My Grandfather 

Dream interviewee - Che Guevara

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

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Armies of Sand

By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
 

UAE squad to face Ireland

Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind

Schedule:

Friday, January 12: Six fourball matches
Saturday, January 13: Six foursome (alternate shot) matches
Sunday, January 14: 12 singles

SERIES INFO

Schedule:
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
1st ODI, Wed Apr 10
2nd ODI, Fri Apr 12
3rd ODI, Sun Apr 14
4th ODI, Sun Apr 16

UAE squad
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

Zimbabwe squad
Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

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The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

The specs
Engine: 3.6 V6

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Power: 295bhp

Torque: 353Nm

Price: Dh155,000

On sale: now 

What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.

The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.

However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.

Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases

A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.

One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait,  Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.

In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.

The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.

And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.

 

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Gulf rugby

Who’s won what so far in 2018/19

Western Clubs Champions League: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Dubai Hurricanes
West Asia Premiership: Bahrain

What’s left

UAE Conference

March 22, play-offs:
Dubai Hurricanes II v Al Ain Amblers, Jebel Ali Dragons II v Dubai Tigers

March 29, final

UAE Premiership

March 22, play-offs: 
Dubai Exiles v Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Hurricanes

March 29, final

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

The biog

Favourite film: Motorcycle Dairies, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Kagemusha

Favourite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude

Holiday destination: Sri Lanka

First car: VW Golf

Proudest achievement: Building Robotics Labs at Khalifa University and King’s College London, Daughters

Driverless cars or drones: Driverless Cars

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'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'

Rating: 1 out of 4

Running time: 81 minutes

Director: David Blue Garcia

Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham

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