Several months after the suicide bomb attack on Manchester Arena, Siema Iqbal read the story of Aladdin to her six-year-old son and asked what three wishes he would ask from the genie of the lamp.
Predictably in this city of two world-famous clubs, he said that he wanted to be a footballer, to be famous - and to be safe. “That really shocked me, it made me sad,” said Ms Iqbal, a doctor in Manchester.
A family acquaintance, well-respected surgeon Nasser Kurdy, was stabbed in the neck in a suspected hate crime in September in nearby Altrincham. But she was still taken aback that her son was expressing such fears.
Police reported a 500 per cent spike in hate crime in the city in the immediate aftermath of the attack on the pop concert attended mainly by children and their families. The incidents included a surge in threats to kill on social media, which were dealt with by police.
The nature of an attack targeting children meant the backlash was the largest following any of the terrorist attacks that have hit Britain in 2017, according to a group monitoring incidents of anti-Muslim abuse, Tell Mama. It said that 90 percent of incidents were generally not reported to the police.
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Read more
Manchester bombing shows the odds stacked against Britain’s security services
Manchester Muslims fear backlash after terror attack
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The city’s officials, police and residents have been lauded for their response to the tragedy and rallying around the slogan of “We love Manchester”.
The city has historically been open to mass migration, started by Irish workers drawn for work in textile mills in the 19th century. The Arab population amounts to about two per cent of the 500,000 population in the city and less in satellite districts.
“Manchester came together in a way that I’ve never witnessed before. It was the first time I felt really proud to be a Mancunian,” said Fakrul Choudhury, regional coordinator for Tell Mama. “But in parts of Manchester and in the surrounding towns hate crime did increase.”
A fund for the victims has raised £18 million and a series of city centre vigils were held in the aftermath of the tragedy to remember the dead and the hundreds wounded.
“Many Muslims did come, but I know that many, many did not come for fear of if they wore a headscarf would they be treated differently,” said Ms Iqbal also a volunteer for the grassroots organisation Muslim engagement and development.
Hate crimes more than doubled in May and June 2017 compared to the previous year, according to figures compiled by the Greater Manchester Police. The most recent figures for August show that such crimes have reduced from the peak but were still two-thirds higher than the previous year.
Britain saw similar spikes following other terrorist attacks in 2017 that have left 36 people dead, including two attacks in London when vehicles were used to ram pedestrians. Other anti-Muslim attacks were seen following overseas incidents of terrorism, the Brexit vote and the election of president Donald Trump, according to Tell Mama.
“It’s normally short-lived and goes back to normal levels – saying that normal levels are still very high,” said Mr Choudhury.
At least two mosques were hit in the Greater Manchester area in the months and days after the Arena attacks. Didsbury mosque, where Salman Abedi and his family attended, was sent into shutdown earlier this month after the delivery of a white powder while children were attending classes.
Prominent figures from the far-right have visited the mosque and posted videos of them confronting officials.
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Avengers: Endgame
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin
4/5 stars
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
AIDA%20RETURNS
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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
Wydad 2 Urawa 3
Wydad Nahiri 21’, Hajhouj 90'
Urawa Antonio 18’, 60’, Kashiwagi 26’
Step by step
2070km to run
38 days
273,600 calories consumed
28kg of fruit
40kg of vegetables
45 pairs of running shoes
1 yoga matt
1 oxygen chamber
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
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What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Palestine and Israel - live updates
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
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
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
