JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 23: Shahid Afridi of Pakistan bowls during the ICC Champions Trophy Group A match between Pakistan and West Indies played at Wanderers Stadium on September 23, 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 23: Shahid Afridi of Pakistan bowls during the ICC Champions Trophy Group A match between Pakistan and West Indies played at Wanderers Stadium on September 23, 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 23: Shahid Afridi of Pakistan bowls during the ICC Champions Trophy Group A match between Pakistan and West Indies played at Wanderers Stadium on September 23, 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 23: Shahid Afridi of Pakistan bowls during the ICC Champions Trophy Group A match between Pakistan and West Indies played at Wanderers Stadium on September 23, 2

Cricket

Gautam Gambhir wishes Shahid Afridi speedy recovery from coronavirus

Former cricketers have sparred online over political issues in the past

The National

June 14, 2020

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Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has wished Pakistan star Shahid Afridi a speedy recovery after the latter revealed he had contracted the coronavirus.

The two former cricketers have been at each other's throats for more than a decade, taking their fiery on-field altercations to the online world, trading barbs on political issues.

Recently, former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis urged Afridi and Gambhir to settle their differences.

"The banter between Gautam Gambhir and Shahid Afridi has been going on for a while now. I think they both got to be smart, sensible, and calm down," Waqar had said.

"It has been going on for way too long. My advice to them is to maybe catch up somewhere around the world and talk it out if you cannot really calm it down."

And after Afridi revealed on social media that he had tested positive for Covid-19, Gambhir said he hopes the Pakistan star gets well soon.

"Nobody should be infected with this virus. I have political differences with Shahid Afridi but I want him to recover as soon as possible. But more than Afridi I want every person infected in my country to get well as soon as possible," Gautam Gambhir told Sports Tak news channel.

Afridi had been involved in a major charity drive in Pakistan before he was laid low by the virus. The star all-rounder runs his own charity – the Shahid Afridi Foundation – which has been helping the poor and vulnerable during the pandemic.

Afridi's foundation and volunteers have been distributing food items including rice, flour, lentils, sugar and oil. He also runs the Sahibzada Fazal Rehman Charity Hospital in his village Kohat in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, which offers free medical care.

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The most beautiful cricket stadiums in the world

1). Cricket has been blessed with some truly beautiful venues, as this picture gallery will show. Picturesque stadiums are dotted across the globe, and we can add another name to the list. The Gwadar Cricket Stadium in Balochistan, Pakistan, has one of the most stunning backdrops in the world. Courtesy @falamb3
1). Cricket has been blessed with some truly beautiful venues, as this picture gallery will show. Picturesque stadiums are dotted across the globe, and we can add another name to the list. The Gwadar Cricket Stadium in Balochistan, Pakistan, has one of the most stunning backdrops in the world. Courtesy @falamb3
2) Queenstown, New Zealand. New Zealand could fill the top 10 of a list like this all on its own. The Queenstown Events Centre is a prosaic name for an extraordinary venue in the country’s south, which has the Remarkables mountain range as its backdrop.
2) Queenstown, New Zealand. New Zealand could fill the top 10 of a list like this all on its own. The Queenstown Events Centre is a prosaic name for an extraordinary venue in the country’s south, which has the Remarkables mountain range as its backdrop.
3) Dharamshala, India. India will see New Zealand’s Remarkables, and raise them the Dhauladhar mountains, which are part of the Himalayas. Has there ever been a more spectacular setting for a major ICC tournament? The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium hosted matches at the 2016 World T20.
3) Dharamshala, India. India will see New Zealand’s Remarkables, and raise them the Dhauladhar mountains, which are part of the Himalayas. Has there ever been a more spectacular setting for a major ICC tournament? The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium hosted matches at the 2016 World T20.
4) Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. From one side of the Himalayas to another. Nepal’s international cricket ground is built halfway up a hill that leads from the road from Kirtipur to Kathmandu at the bottom, to the campus of the country’s largest university at the top. When Sandeep Lamichhane and Co are in action, thousands throng the banks inside the grounds walls, while many others find canny vantage points outside.
4) Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. From one side of the Himalayas to another. Nepal’s international cricket ground is built halfway up a hill that leads from the road from Kirtipur to Kathmandu at the bottom, to the campus of the country’s largest university at the top. When Sandeep Lamichhane and Co are in action, thousands throng the banks inside the grounds walls, while many others find canny vantage points outside.
5) Lord’s, London. OK, so it doesn’t back on to the Himalayas or the Remarkables. But, still, cricket grounds don’t come any more handsome. The Grade II* listed Pavilion must surely be the best-known structure in the sport. It is undergoing refurbishment at the Nursery End, so will have a slightly different look next time we see it.
5) Lord’s, London. OK, so it doesn’t back on to the Himalayas or the Remarkables. But, still, cricket grounds don’t come any more handsome. The Grade II* listed Pavilion must surely be the best-known structure in the sport. It is undergoing refurbishment at the Nursery End, so will have a slightly different look next time we see it.
6) Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, New Zealand. Unquestionably beautiful, and more than a little quirky, given the way the viewing areas are cut away from the hills to the sides of the ground. And just sneaks into this list on account of the one ODI it staged, between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at the 1992 World Cup.
6) Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, New Zealand. Unquestionably beautiful, and more than a little quirky, given the way the viewing areas are cut away from the hills to the sides of the ground. And just sneaks into this list on account of the one ODI it staged, between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at the 1992 World Cup.
7) Pallekele, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka might be the closest rival to New Zealand in a list of the loveliest international venues. Pallekele International Stadium, 7kms from Muttiah Muralitharan’s home town of Kundesale, was built – by an Emirati businessman, incidentally – among the hills of the Kandy plateau.
7) Pallekele, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka might be the closest rival to New Zealand in a list of the loveliest international venues. Pallekele International Stadium, 7kms from Muttiah Muralitharan’s home town of Kundesale, was built – by an Emirati businessman, incidentally – among the hills of the Kandy plateau.
8) Newlands, South Africa. It is not clear which is the most photographed ground in word cricket, but this one must be up there. There are few more striking sights at any venue than when the Tablecloth rolls in over the mountain behind.
8) Newlands, South Africa. It is not clear which is the most photographed ground in word cricket, but this one must be up there. There are few more striking sights at any venue than when the Tablecloth rolls in over the mountain behind.
9) Al Amerat, Oman. Oman’s first turf grounds staged ODI cricket for the first time in January, when UAE played there in Cricket World Cup League Two. The Oman Cricket Academy grounds are surrounded by the Western Al Hajar mountains. And they’re gorgeous.
9) Al Amerat, Oman. Oman’s first turf grounds staged ODI cricket for the first time in January, when UAE played there in Cricket World Cup League Two. The Oman Cricket Academy grounds are surrounded by the Western Al Hajar mountains. And they’re gorgeous.
10) Galle, Sri Lanka. A six-hit from the Indian Ocean, Galle International Stadium is a perennial favourite for almost everyone – apart from bowlers, perhaps. The view back towards the old fort is among the most celebrated on the international circuit.
10) Galle, Sri Lanka. A six-hit from the Indian Ocean, Galle International Stadium is a perennial favourite for almost everyone – apart from bowlers, perhaps. The view back towards the old fort is among the most celebrated on the international circuit.
11) Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. International cricket does not make it here quite so often since what was then the Bombay Cricket Association decided to build the Wankhede Stadium half a mile up the road instead. But maybe only Lord’s reeks more of historic splendour than the Cricket Club of India’s ground.
11) Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. International cricket does not make it here quite so often since what was then the Bombay Cricket Association decided to build the Wankhede Stadium half a mile up the road instead. But maybe only Lord’s reeks more of historic splendour than the Cricket Club of India’s ground.
12) National Cricket Stadium, Grenada. Refitted in time for the 2007 World Cup, the Spice Isle’s National Cricket Stadium is situated just along the coast from Grand Anse Beach. It is walled on three sides by lush green hills, and on the other is the Caribbean Sea.
12) National Cricket Stadium, Grenada. Refitted in time for the 2007 World Cup, the Spice Isle’s National Cricket Stadium is situated just along the coast from Grand Anse Beach. It is walled on three sides by lush green hills, and on the other is the Caribbean Sea.
13) Adelaide Oval, Australia. Many Australian grounds have supplanted former charm with unsympathetic new-build stands. The benches may have gone, but the Adelaide Oval still retains most of its allure.
13) Adelaide Oval, Australia. Many Australian grounds have supplanted former charm with unsympathetic new-build stands. The benches may have gone, but the Adelaide Oval still retains most of its allure.
14) Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Arguably the most eye-catching of international cricket’s modern structures. On the approach to the ground, it looks as though the Starship Enterprise has landed in the desert. The state-of-the-art grandstand contrasts with the pleasantly old-fashioned grass banks square of the wicket.
14) Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Arguably the most eye-catching of international cricket’s modern structures. On the approach to the ground, it looks as though the Starship Enterprise has landed in the desert. The state-of-the-art grandstand contrasts with the pleasantly old-fashioned grass banks square of the wicket.
15) Quetta, Pakistan. Pakistan suffers in a list like this for the fact most of its international grounds are city centred, and generally have unspectacular views. Extend the criteria to domestic grounds, and Abbottabad would be a shoo-in. Quetta’s Bugti Stadium, which staged ODI cricket in 1996, is scenic – even when not dressed in snow.
15) Quetta, Pakistan. Pakistan suffers in a list like this for the fact most of its international grounds are city centred, and generally have unspectacular views. Extend the criteria to domestic grounds, and Abbottabad would be a shoo-in. Quetta’s Bugti Stadium, which staged ODI cricket in 1996, is scenic – even when not dressed in snow.
16) Singapore Cricket Club. This just goes to show that city-centre grounds can be spectacular, provided the city centre is spectacular. The historic Padang hosted an ODI series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 1996.
16) Singapore Cricket Club. This just goes to show that city-centre grounds can be spectacular, provided the city centre is spectacular. The historic Padang hosted an ODI series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 1996.
17) Scarborough, England. Out of commission as an international venue since the late 1970s, and unlikely to return to the roster any time soon. No harm in remaining a charming little secret, though. North Marine Drive hosts county matches for Yorkshire.
17) Scarborough, England. Out of commission as an international venue since the late 1970s, and unlikely to return to the roster any time soon. No harm in remaining a charming little secret, though. North Marine Drive hosts county matches for Yorkshire.
18) Basin Reserve, Wellington. It is stationed on a roundabout, and has a public footpath running through it, which does not exactly sound too special. But the older and smaller of the two international venues in New Zealand’s capital is a classic.
18) Basin Reserve, Wellington. It is stationed on a roundabout, and has a public footpath running through it, which does not exactly sound too special. But the older and smaller of the two international venues in New Zealand’s capital is a classic.
19) Sylhet, Bangladesh. On one side of the ground, Sylhet International Stadium is accessible only via a tramp through jungle. Built just outside of town, in the tea-producing area of Bangladesh’s north-east, it has a different feel to many of the country’s other utilitarian stadiums. UAE played there in the 2014 World T20.
19) Sylhet, Bangladesh. On one side of the ground, Sylhet International Stadium is accessible only via a tramp through jungle. Built just outside of town, in the tea-producing area of Bangladesh’s north-east, it has a different feel to many of the country’s other utilitarian stadiums. UAE played there in the 2014 World T20.
20) The Grange, Edinburgh. Lined by sandstone houses that are characteristic of Edinburgh, and with a distinctive pavilion, the Grange hosted matches at the 1999 World Cup – and more recently, Scotland’s win over England in 2018.
20) The Grange, Edinburgh. Lined by sandstone houses that are characteristic of Edinburgh, and with a distinctive pavilion, the Grange hosted matches at the 1999 World Cup – and more recently, Scotland’s win over England in 2018.
21) Daren Sammy National Stadium, St Lucia. Built to host matches at the 2007 World Cup, it was later renamed to honour the country’s greatest cricketer. Inland from the coast, but surrounded by verdant hills pockmarked with houses.
21) Daren Sammy National Stadium, St Lucia. Built to host matches at the 2007 World Cup, it was later renamed to honour the country’s greatest cricketer. Inland from the coast, but surrounded by verdant hills pockmarked with houses.
22) Sydney Cricket Ground. Much of its previous character has been chipped away with the new, practical stands, but its two most notable landmarks – the Ladies Pavilion and the adjacent Members Pavilion - remain.
22) Sydney Cricket Ground. Much of its previous character has been chipped away with the new, practical stands, but its two most notable landmarks – the Ladies Pavilion and the adjacent Members Pavilion - remain.
23) Chester-le-Street, England. The Riverside Ground is in view of Lumley Castle. Which wins it extra points for style, given that was where Shane Watson and a number of other Australia players were spooked by the ghost of Lily of Lumley in 2005.
23) Chester-le-Street, England. The Riverside Ground is in view of Lumley Castle. Which wins it extra points for style, given that was where Shane Watson and a number of other Australia players were spooked by the ghost of Lily of Lumley in 2005.
24) Nelson, New Zealand. The Saxton Oval, where the UAE played their first World Cup match in 19 years in 2005, was half the world away – literally and figuratively – from what the national team players were used to. From Sharjah, they had been transported to the green and pleasant land of the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island.
24) Nelson, New Zealand. The Saxton Oval, where the UAE played their first World Cup match in 19 years in 2005, was half the world away – literally and figuratively – from what the national team players were used to. From Sharjah, they had been transported to the green and pleasant land of the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island.
25) The Wanderers, Johannesburg. South Africa’s biggest cricket ground by capacity. It might lack the natural splendour of Newlands, but it still has plenty of architectural character.
25) The Wanderers, Johannesburg. South Africa’s biggest cricket ground by capacity. It might lack the natural splendour of Newlands, but it still has plenty of architectural character.
26) Kensington Oval, Barbados. The atmosphere may be entirely different to what it once was, but it retains a unique feel. The Garfield Sobers Pavilion remains its most endearing feature.
26) Kensington Oval, Barbados. The atmosphere may be entirely different to what it once was, but it retains a unique feel. The Garfield Sobers Pavilion remains its most endearing feature.
The specs: Hyundai Ionic Hybrid

Price, base: Dh117,000 (estimate)

Engine: 1.6L four-cylinder, with 1.56kWh battery

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power: 105hp (engine), plus 43.5hp (battery)

Torque: 147Nm (engine), plus 170Nm (battery)

Fuel economy, combined: 3.4L / 100km

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Andor
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MATCH INFO

Champions League quarter-final, first leg

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)

Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports

What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?

Some facts about bees:

The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer

The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days

A queen bee lives for 3-5 years

This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony

About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive

Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.

Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen 

Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids

Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments

Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive,  protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts

Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain

Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities

The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes

Is beekeeping dangerous?

As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.

“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”

 

 

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