Gauri Singh said it was important to celebrate the contribution of women. Photo: Irena
Gauri Singh said it was important to celebrate the contribution of women. Photo: Irena
Gauri Singh said it was important to celebrate the contribution of women. Photo: Irena
Gauri Singh said it was important to celebrate the contribution of women. Photo: Irena

UAE

World can't simply wish away oil and gas but needs to make the switch, Irena official says

Gauri Singh, of the International Renewable Energy Agency, talks climate change, the difficulty of juggling career and home and why more women are entering the renewable sector

John Dennehy
John Dennehy

March 08, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

Oil and gas are still an important part of global energy systems, no matter how much one might hope otherwise, but the world needed to switch from them to tackle climate change, a renewable energy official has said.

Gauri Singh, deputy director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), said the two fossil fuels had always been the elephant in the room that no one seemed to want to address.

But speaking to The National to mark Wednesday's International Women’s Day, Ms Singh said she was an optimist and the UAE’s hosting of the Cop28 climate talks in November would allow everyone to “up the ante” on what needs to be done to save the planet.

Women in the renewable sector

Ms Singh, a 30-year veteran of the renewable and sustainability sector, also reflected on the challenges she faced in her native India in the 1970s, the difficulty of juggling career and home as a woman and how she was heartened to see more and more women entering the sector.

In terms of climate change, Ms Singh highlighted a report from Irena that showed in 2022 a record annual investment of $1.3 trillion in "energy transition technology" such as smart grids, charging bays and battery technology — but this was countered by statistics from Africa that showed spending on oil and gas surging. Fossil fuels — coal, oil and gas — account for more than 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“We can’t take one step forward and another back, because we don’t have the time,” she said.

“[Cop28] is going to be an energy Cop. And the sooner we face this fact that [most] emissions are man-made and come from energy, then you understand this has to be the most important aspect of how we deal with climate change.”

Engineers carry solar panels on to the roof of a property in Barcelona in September 2022. Spain and other Mediterranean countries have generated record amounts of power from wind and solar farms. Bloomberg
Engineers carry solar panels on to the roof of a property in Barcelona in September 2022. Spain and other Mediterranean countries have generated record amounts of power from wind and solar farms. Bloomberg
Smoke rises from brick factory stacks in Nahrawan, Baghdad. Tackling emissions from heavy industry is crucial to tackling global warming. Reuters
Smoke rises from brick factory stacks in Nahrawan, Baghdad. Tackling emissions from heavy industry is crucial to tackling global warming. Reuters
A boy stands near a flock of sheep as a sandstorm approaches in the Syrian countryside of Tabqa. Syria is among the countries most vulnerable and poorly prepared for climate change, which is expected to worsen. AFP
A boy stands near a flock of sheep as a sandstorm approaches in the Syrian countryside of Tabqa. Syria is among the countries most vulnerable and poorly prepared for climate change, which is expected to worsen. AFP
Mountains of smouldering rubbish at the Bhalswa landfill in New Delhi, India. Reuters
Mountains of smouldering rubbish at the Bhalswa landfill in New Delhi, India. Reuters
Greenpeace activists take part in a climate change protest in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin in May. AP
Greenpeace activists take part in a climate change protest in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin in May. AP
A man carries water bottles across the heavily polluted Negro River in Manaus, Brazil. About 35 tonnes of rubbish are removed daily from the river. AP
A man carries water bottles across the heavily polluted Negro River in Manaus, Brazil. About 35 tonnes of rubbish are removed daily from the river. AP
A helicopter drops water on a brush fire in California. Bloomberg
A helicopter drops water on a brush fire in California. Bloomberg
UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa speaks on the opening day of the Bonn climate change conference in Germany. Getty
UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa speaks on the opening day of the Bonn climate change conference in Germany. Getty
Activists take part in a demonstration to raise awareness of global warming, during an event to mark World Environment Day in Kolkata. AFP
Activists take part in a demonstration to raise awareness of global warming, during an event to mark World Environment Day in Kolkata. AFP
A helicopter drops water on a bushfire near a residential district in Athens. The fire forced residents to flee. AFP
A helicopter drops water on a bushfire near a residential district in Athens. The fire forced residents to flee. AFP
A gauge measures water levels in the Rio Nambe river, in New Mexico. Ninety per cent of the state is experiencing extreme drought. Getty
A gauge measures water levels in the Rio Nambe river, in New Mexico. Ninety per cent of the state is experiencing extreme drought. Getty
Afghan refugees search for recyclable material from heaps of rubbish in Karachi, Pakistan. AP
Afghan refugees search for recyclable material from heaps of rubbish in Karachi, Pakistan. AP
A climate activist ties herself to the net during the semi-final tennis match between Croatia's Marin Cilic and Norway's Casper Ruud at the French Open in Roland Garros in Paris. AP
A climate activist ties herself to the net during the semi-final tennis match between Croatia's Marin Cilic and Norway's Casper Ruud at the French Open in Roland Garros in Paris. AP
A dance group performs at a climate summit in Stockholm, Sweden. Getty
A dance group performs at a climate summit in Stockholm, Sweden. Getty
US climate envoy John Kerry talks to a delegate at the Stockholm 50 climate summit. Getty
US climate envoy John Kerry talks to a delegate at the Stockholm 50 climate summit. Getty
A boat is stranded during low tide at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq. Reuters
A boat is stranded during low tide at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq. Reuters
A woman crosses a polluted river in Dhaka, Bangladesh. EPA
A woman crosses a polluted river in Dhaka, Bangladesh. EPA
A man walks past an abandoned boat in the bed of a drought-affected reservoir on the outskirts of Sana'a, Yemen. EPA
A man walks past an abandoned boat in the bed of a drought-affected reservoir on the outskirts of Sana'a, Yemen. EPA

Ms Singh said mitigation — cutting these warming emissions — needed to be the focus of the climate talks but adaptation was equally important. Adaptation refers to how communities deal with climate change such as using heat-tolerant crops and embracing more efficient irrigation systems. But huge amounts of funding are needed to make this happen.

"We can’t talk about energy transition and not about adaptation," said Ms Singh. “We talk a lot but we have not really walked the talk and I hope this Cop will attract finance and get to some strong implementable action plans that can take us forward.”

Urgent need to adapt

At Cop27 in Egypt last year, one of the few areas of progress was the creation of a “loss and damage” fund to help developing countries deal with climate change. This is separate to financing adaptation. But whoever pays for it was kicked down the road to Cop28. Many delegates at Cop27 expressed frustration that too much focus was placed on loss and damage and not on mitigation. In an interview with The National last week, for example, Germany’s climate envoy Jennifer Morgan said Cop28 had to refocus on mitigation.

“If we don’t mitigate and adapt well, then loss and damage is where we lead ourselves too,” said Ms Singh. “It is a kind of downward spiral.”

Referring to the appointment of Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change and Adnoc chief executive, as president-designate of the talks, Ms Singh said she had known him for a long time and he brings passion to any job.

"That is a strong quality. Even in Adnoc, his role is to focus a lot on getting the process as decarbonised as far as you can go. In that sense he is a great choice."

Turning to female representation in the renewable sector, Ms Singh said she had noticed more and more women feel they can relate to it. The days of energy being associated only with coal mines and distant oil fields had passed and the world of solar panels and wind turbines had become much more familiar, she said. “It is seen as a sunshine sector and the work doesn’t look as conventional energy work has normally looked.”

Ms Singh, born in 1963, grew up in Rajasthan in western India. In her schooldays in the 1970s she recalls a conservative environment but her parents gave equal opportunities to her and brother. However, many peers married early and weren't expected to have careers.

"[It took many] in my peer group to their late 30s and 40s to find time to do the things they enjoy. When I look at our generation, there was a silken boundary that you couldn’t really think of moving beyond but not now.”

Ms Singh said technology had also helped give women opportunities because it allowed people to do things even if they lived in a remote area. Ms Singh, who spent years working in government in India on projects such as developing solar power, alleviating poverty for low-income women and improving the state of rivers, said she was also fortunate to have had managers who looked at quality of work rather than time spent at a desk.

“As my son grew up, then I could focus a lot more on my career."

Reflecting on women’s day, she said it was an important moment to celebrate the contribution of women despite lingering doubts about the message of dedicating merely one day.

“Nevertheless, it is good to be able to celebrate the contribution of women in not just building families and households and taking care of loved ones, but also in the way they are coming out and contributing to society in ways that were not possible even a few decades ago."

Cop27 in Sharm El Sheikh - in pictures

A man wears a face mask that reads "no climate justice without human rights" during a protest at the COP27 UN Climate Summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. AP
A man wears a face mask that reads "no climate justice without human rights" during a protest at the COP27 UN Climate Summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. AP
A presentation at the American University in Cairo Pavilion. Reuters
A presentation at the American University in Cairo Pavilion. Reuters
Egyptian artist Bahia Sheha stands inside her installation "Heaven & Hell in the Anthropocene." AFP
Egyptian artist Bahia Sheha stands inside her installation "Heaven & Hell in the Anthropocene." AFP
Akihiro Nishimura, minister of the environment of Japan, reviews notes with others at the COP27. AP
Akihiro Nishimura, minister of the environment of Japan, reviews notes with others at the COP27. AP
US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, right, and Xie Zhenhua, China's special envoy for climate greet each other at the COP27 UN Climate Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. AP
US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, right, and Xie Zhenhua, China's special envoy for climate greet each other at the COP27 UN Climate Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. AP
Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva poses for a group photograph with representatives of his country's indigenous people. AFP
Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva poses for a group photograph with representatives of his country's indigenous people. AFP
People attend the COP27 UN Climate Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh. EPA
People attend the COP27 UN Climate Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh. EPA
Activists dancing during a discussion on leaflets at the Cop27 climate conference, taking place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. AFP
Activists dancing during a discussion on leaflets at the Cop27 climate conference, taking place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. AFP
An activist wears a polar bear outfit as part of campaigning. AFP
An activist wears a polar bear outfit as part of campaigning. AFP
From left, Rakia Amandou of Niger, Ba Aminata of Burkina Faso, Kenyan Rosemary Nenini, Fatima Mustafa Ahmed from Sudan and Djeneb Dicko from Burkina Faso at the Indigenous Peoples Pavilion. AP
From left, Rakia Amandou of Niger, Ba Aminata of Burkina Faso, Kenyan Rosemary Nenini, Fatima Mustafa Ahmed from Sudan and Djeneb Dicko from Burkina Faso at the Indigenous Peoples Pavilion. AP
Abdulla Nasser Musallam Al Rahbi, Oman's Ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative to the Arab League, speaks at the COP27 climate conference in Egypt's Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. AFP
Abdulla Nasser Musallam Al Rahbi, Oman's Ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative to the Arab League, speaks at the COP27 climate conference in Egypt's Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. AFP
Climate activists demonstrate in the designated protest zone. AP
Climate activists demonstrate in the designated protest zone. AP
Sheikh Abdullah, Director General of Environment at the Public Authority of Kuwait, speaks at Cop27. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah, Director General of Environment at the Public Authority of Kuwait, speaks at Cop27. AFP
Visitors at the Sharm El Sheikh International Convention Centre. AFP
Visitors at the Sharm El Sheikh International Convention Centre. AFP
A display outside the convention centre. AFP
A display outside the convention centre. AFP
A fountain in the green zone at the International Convention Centre at sunset. AFP
A fountain in the green zone at the International Convention Centre at sunset. AFP
Mohamed bin Daina, right, Bahrain's Special Envoy for Climate Affairs and Chief Executive at the Supreme Council for Environment, at the conference. AFP
Mohamed bin Daina, right, Bahrain's Special Envoy for Climate Affairs and Chief Executive at the Supreme Council for Environment, at the conference. AFP
Members of Extinction Rebellion stage a protest at the Glencairn tidal pool outside Cape Town, South Africa to mark Cop27's 'Water Day'. AP
Members of Extinction Rebellion stage a protest at the Glencairn tidal pool outside Cape Town, South Africa to mark Cop27's 'Water Day'. AP
From left, Fahad Al Maskari of the Khalifa University, Frank Hartmann, Ghaleb Al Breiki of the UAE University, and Mouna Maroun of the University of Haifa, sign an agreement at Cop27. AFP
From left, Fahad Al Maskari of the Khalifa University, Frank Hartmann, Ghaleb Al Breiki of the UAE University, and Mouna Maroun of the University of Haifa, sign an agreement at Cop27. AFP
John Kerry, US special presidential envoy for climate, at Cop27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. AP Photo
John Kerry, US special presidential envoy for climate, at Cop27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. AP Photo
Australian climate activists offer bananas to climate summit participants. AFP
Australian climate activists offer bananas to climate summit participants. AFP
Climate activist Sabrina Elba. AP Photo
Climate activist Sabrina Elba. AP Photo
Egyptian security forces stand guard during the protest. AFP
Egyptian security forces stand guard during the protest. AFP
US President Joe Biden. AFP
US President Joe Biden. AFP
Mr Biden with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. AP
Mr Biden with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. AP
A Cop27 sign in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, provides the backdrop for this woman's selfie. Reuters
A Cop27 sign in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, provides the backdrop for this woman's selfie. Reuters
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi speaks to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the climate summit. AFP
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi speaks to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the climate summit. AFP
A water wonderland greets this child at an acquarium in the Cop27 Green Zone. Reuters
A water wonderland greets this child at an acquarium in the Cop27 Green Zone. Reuters
Mr El Sisi, second left, takes part in a cycling marathon on the sidelines of Cop27. EPA
Mr El Sisi, second left, takes part in a cycling marathon on the sidelines of Cop27. EPA
Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaks in Sharm El Sheikh about 'complicated' talks to set up a protection zone around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. AFP
Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaks in Sharm El Sheikh about 'complicated' talks to set up a protection zone around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. AFP
Frankie the dinosaur. Reuters
Frankie the dinosaur. Reuters
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Reuters
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Reuters
Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan, CEO of the Alliances for Global Sustainability; Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment and Minister of State for Food Security; and Hatem Dowidar, group CEO at e&. AFP
Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan, CEO of the Alliances for Global Sustainability; Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment and Minister of State for Food Security; and Hatem Dowidar, group CEO at e&. AFP
Sameh Shoukry, Cop27 president, centre left, poses for photos in the youth pavilion. AP
Sameh Shoukry, Cop27 president, centre left, poses for photos in the youth pavilion. AP
A visitor looks at the 'Zero Point' series of collage portraits by Turkish artist Deniz Sagdic, each of which is made from a particular kind of upcycled waste material. Getty
A visitor looks at the 'Zero Point' series of collage portraits by Turkish artist Deniz Sagdic, each of which is made from a particular kind of upcycled waste material. Getty
Participants visit the Ukrainian pavillon. AFP
Participants visit the Ukrainian pavillon. AFP
Mr Kerry speaks during a session on accelerating the clean energy transition in developing countries. AP
Mr Kerry speaks during a session on accelerating the clean energy transition in developing countries. AP
Youth climate activists. Pictured, from the left, Eric Njuguna of Kenya, Nicole Becker of Argentina, Vanessa Nakate of Uganda, Sophia Kianni from Iran, and Mitzi Jonelle Tan of the Philippines. AP
Youth climate activists. Pictured, from the left, Eric Njuguna of Kenya, Nicole Becker of Argentina, Vanessa Nakate of Uganda, Sophia Kianni from Iran, and Mitzi Jonelle Tan of the Philippines. AP
Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, right, chairman of the Islamic Development Bank Group, poses for a photo with Mohamed Hadi Al Hussaini, the UAE's Minister of State for Financial Affairs. AFP
Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, right, chairman of the Islamic Development Bank Group, poses for a photo with Mohamed Hadi Al Hussaini, the UAE's Minister of State for Financial Affairs. AFP
Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund. Bloomberg
Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund. Bloomberg
A police officer stands at the entrance of the Sharm El Sheikh International Convention Centre during Cop27. Reuters
A police officer stands at the entrance of the Sharm El Sheikh International Convention Centre during Cop27. Reuters
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. AP Photo
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. AP Photo
Former US vice president Al Gore speaks during a session at Cop27. AP Photo
Former US vice president Al Gore speaks during a session at Cop27. AP Photo
Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest. AFP
Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest. AFP
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Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Killing of Qassem Suleimani
On Women's Day
More on this story:
War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

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What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Baftas 2020 winners

BEST FILM

  • 1917 - Pippa Harris, Callum McDougall, Sam Mendes, Jayne-Ann Tenggren
  • THE IRISHMAN - Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Martin Scorsese, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
  • JOKER - Bradley Cooper, Todd Phillips, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
  • ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, Quentin Tarantino
  • PARASITE - Bong Joon-ho, Kwak Sin-ae

DIRECTOR

  • 1917 - Sam Mendes
  • THE IRISHMAN - Martin Scorsese
  • JOKER - Todd Phillips
  • ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Quentin Tarantino
  • PARASITE - Bong Joon-ho

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

  • 1917 - Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Callum McDougall, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, Krysty Wilson-Cairns
  • BAIT - Mark Jenkin, Kate Byers, Linn Waite
  • FOR SAMA - Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
  • ROCKETMAN - Dexter Fletcher, Adam Bohling, David Furnish, David Reid, Matthew Vaughn, Lee Hall
  • SORRY WE MISSED YOU  - Ken Loach, Rebecca O’Brien, Paul Laverty
  • THE TWO POPES - Fernando Meirelles, Jonathan Eirich, Dan Lin, Tracey Seaward, Anthony McCarten

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

  • THE FAREWELL - Lulu Wang, Daniele Melia
  • FOR SAMA - Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
  • PAIN AND GLORY - Pedro Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar
  • PARASITE - Bong Joon-ho
  • PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE - Céline Sciamma, Bénédicte Couvreur

LEADING ACTRESS

  • JESSIE BUCKLEY - Wild Rose
  • SCARLETT JOHANSSON - Marriage Story
  • SAOIRSE RONAN - Little Women
  • CHARLIZE THERON - Bombshell
  • RENÉE ZELLWEGER - Judy

LEADING ACTOR

  • LEONARDO DICAPRIO - Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood
  • ADAM DRIVER - Marriage Story
  • TARON EGERTON - Rocketman
  • JOAQUIN PHOENIX - Joker
  • JONATHAN PRYCE - The Two Popes

SUPPORTING ACTOR

  • TOM HANKS - A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
  • ANTHONY HOPKINS - The Two Popes
  • AL PACINO - The Irishman
  • JOE PESCI - The Irishman
  • BRAD PITT - Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  • LAURA DERN - Marriage Story
  • SCARLETT JOHANSSON - Jojo Rabbit
  • FLORENCE PUGH - Little Women
  • MARGOT ROBBIE - Bombshell
  • MARGOT ROBBIE - Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

  • THE IRISHMAN - Steven Zaillian
  • JOJO RABBIT - Taika Waititi
  • JOKER - Todd Phillips, Scott Silver
  • LITTLE WOMEN - Greta Gerwig
  • THE TWO POPES - Anthony McCarten

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

  • BOOKSMART - Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Katie Silberman
  • KNIVES OUT - Rian Johnson
  • MARRIAGE STORY - Noah Baumbach
  • ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Quentin Tarantino
  • PARASITE - Han Jin Won, Bong Joon ho

DOCUMENTARY

  • AMERICAN FACTORY - Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert
  • APOLLO 11 - Todd Douglas Miller
  • DIEGO MARADONA - Asif Kapadia
  • FOR SAMA - Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
  • THE GREAT HACK - Karim Amer, Jehane Noujaime

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

  • BAIT - Mark Jenkin (Writer/Director), Kate Byers, Linn Waite (Producers)
  • FOR SAMA - Waad al-Kateab (Director/Producer), Edward Watts (Director)
  • MAIDEN - Alex Holmes (Director)
  • ONLY YOU - Harry Wootliff (Writer/Director)
  • RETABLO - Álvaro Delgado-Aparicio (Writer/Director)

ANIMATED FILM

  • FROZEN 2 - Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Peter Del Vecho
  • KLAUS - Sergio Pablos, Jinko Gotoh
  • A SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE: FARMAGEDDON - Will Becher, Richard Phelan, Paul Kewley
  • TOY STORY 4 - Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen

CASTING

  • JOKER - Shayna Markowitz
  • MARRIAGE STORY - Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler
  • ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Victoria Thomas
  • THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD - Sarah Crowe
  • THE TWO POPES - Nina Gold

EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)

  • AWKWAFINA
  • JACK LOWDEN
  • KAITLYN DEVER
  • KELVIN HARRISON JR.
  • MICHEAL WARD

CINEMATOGRAPHY

  • 1917 - Roger Deakins
  • THE IRISHMAN - Rodrigo Prieto
  • JOKER - Lawrence Sher
  • LE MANS ’66 - Phedon Papamichael
  • THE LIGHTHOUSE - Jarin Blaschke

EDITING

  • THE IRISHMAN - Thelma Schoonmaker
  • JOJO RABBIT - Tom Eagles
  • JOKER - Jeff Groth
  • LE MANS ’66 - Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker
  • ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Fred Raskin

COSTUME DESIGN

  • THE IRISHMAN - Christopher Peterson, Sandy Powell
  • JOJO RABBIT - Mayes C. Rubeo
  • JUDY - Jany Temime
  • LITTLE WOMEN - Jacqueline Durran
  • ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Arianne Phillips

PRODUCTION DESIGN

  • 1917 - Dennis Gassner, Lee Sandales
  • THE IRISHMAN - Bob Shaw, Regina Graves
  • JOJO RABBIT - Ra Vincent, Nora Sopková
  • JOKER - Mark Friedberg, Kris Moran
  • ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Barbara Ling, Nancy Haigh

SOUND

  • 1917 - Scott Millan, Oliver Tarney, Rachael Tate, Mark Taylor, Stuart Wilson
  • JOKER - Tod Maitland, Alan Robert Murray, Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic
  • LE MANS ’66 - David Giammarco, Paul Massey, Steven A. Morrow, Donald Sylvester
  • ROCKETMAN - Matthew Collinge, John Hayes, Mike Prestwood Smith, Danny Sheehan
  • STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - David Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Stuart Wilson, Matthew Wood

ORIGINAL SCORE

  • 1917 - Thomas Newman
  • JOJO RABBIT - Michael Giacchino
  • JOKER - Hildur Guđnadóttir
  • LITTLE WOMEN - Alexandre Desplat
  • STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - John Williams

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

  • 1917 - Greg Butler, Guillaume Rocheron, Dominic Tuohy
  • AVENGERS: ENDGAME - Dan Deleeuw, Dan Sudick
  • THE IRISHMAN - Leandro Estebecorena, Stephane Grabli, Pablo Helman
  • THE LION KING - Andrew R. Jones, Robert Legato, Elliot Newman, Adam Valdez
  • STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan, Dominic Tuohy

MAKE UP & HAIR

  • 1917 - Naomi Donne
  • BOMBSHELL - Vivian Baker, Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan
  • JOKER - Kay Georgiou, Nicki Ledermann
  • JUDY - Jeremy Woodhead
  • ROCKETMAN - Lizzie Yianni Georgiou

BRITISH SHORT FILM

  • AZAAR - Myriam Raja, Nathanael Baring
  • GOLDFISH - Hector Dockrill, Harri Kamalanathan, Benedict Turnbull, Laura Dockrill
  • KAMALI - Sasha Rainbow, Rosalind Croad
  • LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WARZONE (IF YOU’RE A GIRL) - Carol Dysinger, Elena Andreicheva
  • THE TRAP - Lena Headey, Anthony Fitzgerald

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION

  • GRANDAD WAS A ROMANTIC - Maryam Mohajer
  • IN HER BOOTS - Kathrin Steinbacher
  • THE MAGIC BOAT  - Naaman Azh
On Women's Day
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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

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THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

While you're here
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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Director: Romany Saad
Starring: Mirfat Amin, Boumi Fouad and Tariq Al Ibyari

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

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Updated: March 08, 2023, 4:12 PM`
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