Dubai airport banned signle-use plastic. Courtesy Plastic Whale
Dubai airport banned signle-use plastic. Courtesy Plastic Whale

Single-use plastic should be banned all around the world



I write to you in reference to your editorial Is Dubai airport ban the last straw for single-use plastic? (June 12).

I was really excited to read about this new ban on

single-use plastic at Dubai airport. This should inspire a nationwide – or better yet, a worldwide – ban on plastic.

Tanya Milbourne, Dubai

We need to raise awareness about this issue, and extend the ban to non-recyclable cigarette butts, which are increasingly polluting our sea shores.

Darren Banner, Abu Dhabi

Yuvraj Singh and Cricket World Cup excitement

I write to you in reference to Kumar Shyam's article Yuvraj Singh retires a Cricket World Cup hero – but did he fulfill all his father's wishes? (June 11).

This analysis was a very enlightening read. Veteran cricketer Yuvraj Singh announced that he will be retiring from international cricket and this was truly shocking news to cricket fans across the globe.

He spent 17 years making glorious innings that no one could replicate or forget. I am also reminded of the time the international cricket legend scored six sixes in one go, back in 2011. The decision is his own to take, of course, but ­international cricket will be losing  one of its best players when he retires.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru

I write to you in reference to an episode of The Cricket Pod titled Can Pakistan finally beat India in the World Cup? (June 11). May the best team win. I believe that both teams have truly great players and the crowds they gather are always incredible.

Melanie Rose, Dubai

Exams do not give students all skills needed in the future

I write to you in reference to Anam Rizvi's article Some Dubai schools mull a future without exams (June 11).

This is much better than our traditional education system.

Prioritising group projects, and extracurricular activities will help students develop their analytical skills and find out what they want to do with their lives. I also think it is important for students to develop practical know-how to be able to thrive in adult life.

Imran Mohammad, Dubai

It seems Netflix has an edge over Amazon Prime

I write to you in reference to your article Amazon Prime Video vs Netflix vs Starz Play: which streaming service is best in the UAE? (June 11).

I have access to both services and I believe Netflix has more movies and series that I like to watch. Also, it seems that everything I want to watch on Amazon Prime Video will cost me extra money.

Bill Tschetter, Abu Dhabi

International efforts are vital to stop Yemen conflict

I refer to your article Yemen: quarter of a million civilians displaced since Sweden peace deal (June 12). A grim future awaits Yemen unless a sincere international effort can stop it.

Name withheld by request

MATCH INFO

Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

Jewel of the Expo 2020

252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome

13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas

550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome

724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses

Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa

Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site

The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants

Al Wasl means connection in Arabic

World’s largest 360-degree projection surface

Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg

Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports

The major Hashd factions linked to Iran:

Badr Organisation: Seen as the most militarily capable faction in the Hashd. Iraqi Shiite exiles opposed to Saddam Hussein set up the group in Tehran in the early 1980s as the Badr Corps under the supervision of the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The militia exalts Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but intermittently cooperated with the US military.

Saraya Al Salam (Peace Brigade): Comprised of former members of the officially defunct Mahdi Army, a militia that was commanded by Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr and fought US and Iraqi government and other forces between 2004 and 2008. As part of a political overhaul aimed as casting Mr Al Sadr as a more nationalist and less sectarian figure, the cleric formed Saraya Al Salam in 2014. The group’s relations with Iran has been volatile.

Kataeb Hezbollah: The group, which is fighting on behalf of the Bashar Al Assad government in Syria, traces its origins to attacks on US forces in Iraq in 2004 and adopts a tough stance against Washington, calling the United States “the enemy of humanity”.

Asaeb Ahl Al Haq: An offshoot of the Mahdi Army active in Syria. Asaeb Ahl Al Haq’s leader Qais al Khazali was a student of Mr Al Moqtada’s late father Mohammed Sadeq Al Sadr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was killed during Saddam Hussein’s rule.

Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba: Formed in 2013 to fight alongside Mr Al Assad’s loyalists in Syria before joining the Hashd. The group is seen as among the most ideological and sectarian-driven Hashd militias in Syria and is the major recruiter of foreign fighters to Syria.

Saraya Al Khorasani:  The ICRG formed Saraya Al Khorasani in the mid-1990s and the group is seen as the most ideologically attached to Iran among Tehran’s satellites in Iraq.

(Source: The Wilson Centre, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation)

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Twin-turbocharged%204-litre%20V8%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20625%20bhp%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20630Nm%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh974%2C011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Disclaimer

Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

Predictions

Predicted winners for final round of games before play-offs:

  • Friday: Delhi v Chennai - Chennai
  • Saturday: Rajasthan v Bangalore - Bangalore
  • Saturday: Hyderabad v Kolkata - Hyderabad
  • Sunday: Delhi v Mumbai - Mumbai
  • Sunday - Chennai v Punjab - Chennai

Final top-four (who will make play-offs): Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

On sale: Now