An identity-card applicant (left) waits while an official of the Emirates ID Authority office takes his photo. Getting the card is not as difficult as some people say, a reader writes. Sammy Dallal / The National
An identity-card applicant (left) waits while an official of the Emirates ID Authority office takes his photo. Getting the card is not as difficult as some people say, a reader writes. Sammy Dallal / Show more

Advertisers should be more careful with their slogans



Wednesday morning I found on my doorstep an advertising brochure from Burger King. It was bright and cheerful, and I don't mind their food. But I did object to the slogan on the back of the brochure: "Call to end hunger", with a phone number.

Also on my doorstep was my copy of The National, with a page one picture of famine refugees in Somalia. I'm sure they wish they could just "call to end hunger" but the world isn't like that.

We are lucky to live where there is food for all. Burger King should be a little more sensitive.

Norm Ullmann, Abu Dhabi

Getting ID card is not too bad

I refer to your article Visa renewal linked to Emirates ID card (July 27).

Everyone has heard a lot of horror stories about how complicated and slow it is to get an Emirates ID card.

But my own experience was the opposite; I went to an office, filled out forms, paid fees, waited 20 minutes to have my fingerprints taken, and three weeks later was notified to go pick up my card at a post office.

It was all quite straightforward, and nothing to be afraid of.

Henry Herschel, Abu Dhabi

Winehouse is not a saint

Unlike the letter writers Philip Wellman and Sami Latouf, I think A Little Girl Lost in Dubai (July 24) hit the nail on the head.

It asks us to question the sainthood that is bestowed on stars after they die, no matter how narcissistic, egotistical and arrogant they had become.

It was a relief to read a piece that cut through the trite, fawning eulogies and said it like it is.

Amy Winehouse and her fellow live-fast-die-young breed (Cobain, Morrison, Joplin, Hutchence, Hendrix, etc) are routinely portrayed by the media and starry-eyed fans as poor tortured artistic souls, when in fact all they're doing is using their wealth to glorify junkiedom and nihilism for the benefit of the hordes of teenage fans who try to emulate them.

Yes, it's sad to see any young person die, but Amy picked her path and stuck to it with great determination.

How did Amy Winehouse make the world a better place, other than leaving us a few narcissistic songs and inspiring her teenage disciples to degenerate into a gin, tobacco and crack haze?

Bu Shanab, Dubai

Iftar experience was rushed

In reference to Our favourite Iftars in the Emirates (July 27), you may be interested to read about my family's experience with iftar buffets last year.

As visitors to this country we wished to teach our children about Ramadan and show them how local families celebrate the breaking of the fast by eating out.

Unfortunately, the waiting staff at every buffet we attended made it impossible for us to discuss Ramadan with our children or demonstrate to them the need to reduce food waste at this holy time.

They hovered and attempted to take our plates away when there was still food on the plates and we were simply taking a break.

The staff watched us constantly while we ate and we almost felt they were racing to throw away the food and force us to get more.

They were unable to accept that we might want to take our time and actually enjoy the experience of eating out.

Name withheld by request

Football: a sport full of scandals

The latest football scandal (Fans cry foul as Turkey acts to clean up its football, July 27) comes just after the ban on Mohammed bin Hamman and the whole related sweeping-under-the-carpet of questionable activities at high levels of the sport.

Around the football world there has been a string of scandals in recent years.

It's amazing, when you think of it, that so many fans of the game remain enthusiastic about it.

Michael Karam, Dubai

Back-heel penalty was ingenious

I read Armchair referees call foul over back-heels and handballs (July 27) by Ali Khaled with great pleasure.

The commentary around the infamous back-heel penalty by the UAE football player Awana Diab had been totally incomprehensible - that is, until Mr. Khaled joined the fray. Finally, someone with an opinion on this subject who actually understands football - and I imagine never calls it soccer!

Diab displayed audacity, flair and cheek, which the games in this region often lack.

A fine piece of work by Mr. Khaled that will hopefully silence the miserable carpers who for some reason find Diab's ingenuity unsporting.

Keep up the good work.

B Mensch, Abu Dhabi

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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 
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
India cancels school-leaving examinations
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

Premier League results

Saturday

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Arsenal 1

Bournemouth 0 Manchester City 1

Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Huddersfield Town 0

Burnley 1 Crystal Palace 3

Manchester United 3 Southampton 2

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Cardiff City 0

West Ham United 2 Newcastle United 0

Sunday

Watford 2 Leicester City 1

Fulham 1 Chelsea 2

Everton 0 Liverpool 0

the pledge

I pledge to uphold the duty of tolerance

I pledge to take a first stand against hate and injustice

I pledge to respect and accept people whose abilities, beliefs and culture are different from my own

I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself

I pledge to live in harmony with my community

I pledge to always be open to dialogue and forgiveness

I pledge to do my part to create peace for all

I pledge to exercise benevolence and choose kindness in all my dealings with my community

I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m, Winner SS Lamea, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer).

5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m, Winner AF Makerah, Sean Kirrane, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m, Winner Maaly Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi

6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,600m, Winner AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m, Winner Morjanah Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi

7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,200m, Winner Mudarrab, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy

Calls

Directed by: Fede Alvarez

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Karen Gillian, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

4/5

Results

6.30pm: Madjani Stakes Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m, Winner: RB Frynchh Dude, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Mnasek, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.

7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Grand Dubai, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m, Winner: Meqdam, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson.

8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Thegreatcollection, Pat Cosgrave, Doug Watson.

9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,900m, Winner: Sanad Libya, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Madkhal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.

Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

The%20end%20of%20Summer
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Salha%20Al%20Busaidy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20316%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20The%20Dreamwork%20Collective%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog

Family: Parents and four sisters

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah

A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls

Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction

Favourite holiday destination: Italy

Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning

Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes

Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure

Most%20ODI%20hundreds
%3Cp%3E49%20-%20Sachin%20Tendulkar%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E47%20-%20Virat%20Kohli%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E31%20-%20Rohit%20Sharma%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E30%20-%20Ricky%20Ponting%2C%20Australia%2FICC%0D%3Cbr%3E28%20-%20Sanath%20Jayasuriya%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E27%20-%20Hashim%20Amla%2C%20South%20Africa%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20AB%20de%20Villiers%2C%20South%20Africa%2FAfrica%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20Chris%20Gayle%2C%20West%20Indies%2FICC%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20Kumar%20Sangakkara%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%2FICC%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E22%20-%20Sourav%20Ganguly%2C%20India%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E22%20-%20Tillakaratne%20Dilshan%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Kolkata Knight Riders 245/6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 214/8 (20 ovs)

Kolkata won by 31 runs

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: N2 Technology

Founded: 2018

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Startups

Size: 14

Funding: $1.7m from HNIs

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

A Dog's Journey 

Directed by: Gail Mancuso

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott

3 out of 5 stars

Company%20Profile
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