The article Blair seeks 'the true face of faith' (November 30) described the former British prime minister's visit to Abu Dhabi in support of his Tony Blair Faith Foundation. This reminded me how disingenuous and slippery some political leaders can be. The concept of interfaith groups and the bringing together of different faiths for common good is to be praised.
However, unless I am mistaken, it was this self-righteous, pious, and non-remorseful character that took the UK to war under a false pretext. Mr Blair has yet to show remorse and he even stated that his faith gave him strength, resolve and steadfastness in his duty to go to war with Iraq.
Mr Blair is a rightly demonised character among many segments of the UK populace, and a legal contingent thinks he still should stand trial for war crimes. He has been shown to be highly skilled in a duplicitous media approach.
The interfaith man of peace abroad and the man who preached war at home. Perhaps he is trying to manufacture his post prime ministerial legacy to offset the damage and deaths he was responsible for in Iraq.
Adil Ali, Abu Dhabi
Scarce coverage of Ashes series
The National has lived up to its reputation. England scores 517/1d and cricket news has made it into your esteemed newspaper (Changes likely in Australia's bowling attack, November 30), along with a full rear page photo of Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain.
For the sake of more cricket coverage, I do hope England wins the 2nd Test, otherwise we will be left once again with reading exciting coverage of Wigan vs West Ham United.
Anwar Khan, Dubai
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I am a big supporter of The National and thoroughly enjoy reading your paper. As an Englishman, however, I am astonished that for two days running there was no coverage of the Ashes Test Series between England and Australia.
Given the large English and Australian community in the UAE, it is staggering that The National seems to have overlooked the most important sporting contest between these two countries (and possibly the biggest sporting story globally, at the moment).
Ed Hills, Dubai
Change lost by parking meters
In reference to Georgia Lewis' opinion article Meters needed to end parking issues (November 24) why do the meters take predetermined amounts of money for fixed periods of one hour instead of allocating time against the amount of money you put in? We have several prepaid parking cards with only one dirham left on each so they can only be thrown away as a result. Is that policy?
Peter Dew, Abu Dhabi
Elvis is the king of holiday music
In reference to the article Sounds of the Season (November 26), Mariah Carey's 1994 album Merry Christmas could not be the biggest holiday album if it sold 12 million copies around the world.
Elvis Presley's 1957 album Elvis' Christmas Album has been certified by the Recording Industry Association of America for 12 million copies shipped in North America alone.
Wikipedia indicates that the album has sold more than 19 million copies worldwide.
Steve Silva, Abu Dhabi
On the question of sponsonship
In reference to the news article FNC to debate sponsorship system (November 29), I look forward to hearing the Minister of Labour Saqr Ghobash's comments on the issue.
I think the UAE would benefit from changing the sponsorship system just as Bahrain has already done. It feels like history is moving in that direction. I would hope the UAE doesn't straggle behind the other Gulf states.
Matt Duffy, Abu Dhabi
A new meaning to an old word
Justin Thomas's opinion article Hollow holiday greetings celebrate the new age of 'cant' (November 29) lamented the loss of the old word "cant" from common usage.
I have to share a moment from a Houston radio show in the 1990s. The hosts Stevens and Prewitt would share an acronym every morning on their show and the one I always remember was C-A-N-T.
It stands for Corporate Animal, No Talent.
I hope Justin Thomas appreciates the sympathetic theme here with the many MBA-bearing aspiring high flyers littering our business offices and trotting out their jargon and cliché-ridden language enabled by modern communications technology.
Steve Thompson, Abu Dhabi
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Abandon
Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay
Translated by Arunava Sinha
Tilted Axis Press
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
Federer's 19 grand slam titles
Australian Open (5 titles) - 2004 bt Marat Safin; 2006 bt Marcos Baghdatis; 2007 bt Fernando Gonzalez; 2010 bt Andy Murray; 2017 bt Rafael Nadal
French Open (1 title) - 2009 bt Robin Soderling
Wimbledon (8 titles) - 2003 bt Mark Philippoussis; 2004 bt Andy Roddick; 2005 bt Andy Roddick; 2006 bt Rafael Nadal; 2007 bt Rafael Nadal; 2009 bt Andy Roddick; 2012 bt Andy Murray; 2017 bt Marin Cilic
US Open (5 titles) - 2004 bt Lleyton Hewitt; 2005 bt Andre Agassi; 2006 bt Andy Roddick; 2007 bt Novak Djokovic; 2008 bt Andy Murray
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
TOP%2010%20MOST%20POLLUTED%20CITIES
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Ant-Man%20and%20the%20Wasp%3A%20Quantumania
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