I had to teach my housekeeper the value of water (Change of taps at Abu Dhabi mosques to reduce water consumption and save Dh20m annually, May 23). She would keep the tap running constantly when cleaning something. It's sad that so many people do not realise the value of water. We must educate these people and try to preserve water before our taps run dry one day. The mosque project is great. It seems to be working.
Brigitte von Bulow, Abu Dhabi
Twenty litres of water per person at each wudhu? I’m gobsmacked.
I’m happy that the problem is being studied. My suggestion is to remove all wudhu rooms from each mosque.
That’s because some of them are most unhygienic. These places should be the cleanest.
Sultan Joseph Altamimi, Dubai
Saudis benefit from renewables
In the past few years, and perhaps even longer than some assume, renewable energy sources have become of more importance to the Gulf, especially to the Saudis (Saudi Arabia's slow pace on renewables a risk to oil exports).
Solar power tops the list since Saudi Arabia has a definite undebatable abundance of it.
Some might assume this is completely new, but these projects aren’t “novice” so to speak.
Ka-care, which is the Saudi agency in charge of developing the nation’s renewable-energy sector, has announced that the nation would install more than 40GW of solar capacity by 2032.
These large amounts of energy will be divided into two main types – thermal and photovoltaics, with the former being more prominent.
These components will show that all that land bathed in sun daily will make use of it.
Not so long ago – particularly in 2010 and 2011– more than 50 per cent of electricity was produced by burning oil in Saudi Arabia.
For them to take the lead with such large-scale changes is impressive.
But it surely resurfaces with all the new plans and Vision 2030 being on its way to becoming a reality.
The beginning will be bumpy and pricey, but it would have a large load of benefits for all.
Name withheld by request
Time to look after your health
It's sad to know that young people are increasingly getting strokes (Half of UAE stroke victims are below 45, May 22). The reasons are clear: lack of exercise, unhealthy diet, pollution and lack of contact with nature.
Since most people remain glued to the internet, they should also research the causes of this disease and try to find remedies.
Name withheld by request
Missile shows Iran’s reach
In reference to your editorial Houthi missile was message to America (May 21), by lobbing a missile towards Riyadh during Donald Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia, the Iranian-backed Houthis are only providing the new American president with timely evidence of Iran's persistently destabilising and hostile activities in the region.
DT Debye, Dubai
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Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
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FIGHT CARD
Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)
Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)
Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
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
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
more from Janine di Giovanni
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
