I want to comment on the incidence of reckless driving in the UAE (Time to focus attention on minibus drivers, October 13).
I am sick of the poor standard. Driving a car is not a game, where you can just restart after an accident.
My stepmother was killed a week ago because of a bus driver going over the speed limit. She was 36 years old and the kindest soul you could ever meet.
I think many drivers here are over-confident and have no empathy or moral consideration for their fellow motorists.
I now have one fewer parent, and I have to get used to waking up in the middle of the night because of my father’s sobbing – because some overworked and underpaid person decided to shorten his shift by pressing hard on the accelerator of a three-tonne vehicle.
Somebody needs to speak up about this. This issue is not new; there are many mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who have had their lives shortened because of inconsiderate and selfish people who think that they’re in The Fast and the Furious. Name withheld on request
With regard to minibuses, I think the authorities should fix the root problem: poor driving and a lack of enforcement on the roads.
A minibus may be less durable in a crash than a full-sized bus, but wouldn’t it be better to prevent the crash altogether rather than ban a type of vehicle?
Andrew Newman, Abu Dhabi
I am surprised to see drivers who think they can overtake on whichever side they feel like, as if every lane is the overtaking lane (There is no such thing as a fast lane, October 11).
An overtaking lane rule would work well if the second-to-left lane became an express lane.
For that to happen, the authorities would need to enforce left-side overtaking only and fine people for lane-hogging.
R Balit, Dubai
Mobile data costs are prohibitive
In recent months, many UAE government departments have started releasing mobile apps to enhance their services, such as payments for utilities and parking. However, not everybody can benefit from these apps because of the high data costs imposed by telecoms operators.
Even a plan with just 1GB of data monthly is expensive. I think the telecom operators should lower their data charges, offering 1GB for less than Dh20.
Without cheaper plans, many apps released by the government and others will be of no use to the general public.
Shabir Zainuden, Abu Dhabi
A call for some quiet in cinemas
I refer to the ongoing discussion about talking and other bad behaviour at the cinema (Reel distractions, October 10).
I just saw the Indian movie Haider, and during the screening somebody had to shout out: “Can you please keep quiet?”
This was only the second time I had seen a film in this part of the world.
Huzaifa Rasheed, Dubai
The problem in cinemas is not restricted to the constant sounds of mobile phones going off or someone talking to their friends.
In Al Ain, I see small children being taken into films that are restricted to 15+ or 18+. Apart from the fact that the cinema staff should not allow them to enter, what are the parents thinking?
Wendy Dickson, Al Ain
The thing that I can’t fathom is why people would walk into a movie 15 minutes after it starts, casually carrying popcorn and soft drinks and talking to one another.
Going to the theatre and seeing a nice, low-budget, independent movie in a quiet environment is what I miss most about living in the United States.
I miss it even more than Mexican food.
Michael Davis, Dubai
Airports must take Ebola precautions
I am responding to your online story, Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports have no plans for Ebola screening (October 13).
I think there needs to be a screening area to carry out infection-control practices. Our airports should be ready to isolate any passenger who is suspected of being infected with Ebola.
Maria Padilla, Dubai
Chef deserves every success
I was pleased to read about the star-studded opening of Australian chef Greg Malouf's latest venture, Clé Dubai (Michelin-starred chef opens restaurant amid bevy of celebrities, October 11).
Greg is a legend.
Tom Arnel, Dubai
PFA Team of the Year: David de Gea, Kyle Walker, Jan Vertonghen, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Alonso, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
SERIES INFO
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Test series
1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March
Play starts at 9.30am
T20 series
1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March
TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
More on Quran memorisation:
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Indoor Cricket World Cup
Venue Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE squad Saqib Nazir (captain), Aaqib Malik, Fahad Al Hashmi, Isuru Umesh, Nadir Hussain, Sachin Talwar, Nashwan Nasir, Prashath Kumara, Ramveer Rai, Sameer Nayyak, Umar Shah, Vikrant Shetty
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 523hp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh469,000
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
