As safety measures adopted to combat the spread of Covid-19 continue to keep people apart, a mix of tradition and technology ensures the bonds of friendship and family remain unbroken during Ramadan.
Instead of people gathering around dining tables to break their fast, this year many have settled down in front of laptops or reached for smartphones to enjoy virtual iftars with their loved ones.
A Dubai school took the idea a step further and had its grade 12 pupils cook with their friends with the help of video calls.
Nadine Abdelhalim, 17, of Dubai American Academy, made chocolate truffles, as well as pasta with white sauce, as eight of her friends chatted with her on Zoom.
The group, who usually have a senior breakfast together, are unable to meet in person due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But their school organised a virtual senior iftar to allow classmates to cook together online, with pupils rewarded for the creativity and presentation of their dishes.
“I really enjoyed the experience and though it was virtual it gave a sense of community," Nadine said.
“I made good memories with my friends as we cooked together and then compared our meals.
“By the time we were done cooking there was a sense of normalcy."
The group cooked up tasty treats such as kunafa balls, banana bread, brownies, rice bowls and miso salmon.
“This experience was different for me as I am used to big gatherings in Ramadan,' said Nadine.
“Technology played a massive role because otherwise we would feel a lot more isolated.”
Another pupil, Sofia Ladak, said it was the first time she attended an iftar party, albeit a virtual one.
“My friend and I had dinner together virtually. I made steak tacos and my friend made a carrot cake,” she said.
“I love cooking. Making this meal and enjoying it together was fun.
“I think technology made it possible for us to come together and find a new way of continuing our traditions and making memories.”
Rory Courlander, grade 12 senior adviser at the school, said the class valedictorian was named on Google Meet last week, with about 120 pupils joining the video call for the announcement.
“Education is about contact with people but technology is substituting as best as possible,” Mr Courlander said.
“Everything is different this year so we had to be very creative and organise the senior iftar.
“Friends cooked together and shared this experiences to create a community culture.
“This is a good example of how you can engage pupils and experience something nice.”
Al Manar Centre, a non-profit organisation in Dubai that focuses on Islamic education, plans to hold a virtual iftar for community members, dignitaries and religious leaders in the next two weeks.
“Iftar is a beautiful opportunity to bring people together to build bridges and we did not want to miss out on it this year. We will use technology to host a virtual Iftar,” Ahmed Hamed, a spokesman for the centre, said.
The group plans to send meals to members of the community and people will join a video call and eat together.
Dubai Municipality has also launched an online initiative called Virtual Ramadan Tent to allow employees to come together in the absence of traditional gatherings.
The weekly meetings will feature discussions about various social and cultural issues, such as the effect of physical distancing measures and how each person can protect their families and society during the pandemic.
Employees will also discuss how to motivate people to do good deeds during the holy month and contribute to food drives in the UAE.
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
Tell-tale signs of burnout
- loss of confidence and appetite
- irritability and emotional outbursts
- sadness
- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue
- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more
- impaired judgement
- excessive and continuous worrying
- irregular sleep patterns
Tips to help overcome burnout
Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’
Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do
Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones
Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation
Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
