• Firefighters watch as flames approach a retardant line near a residential community during the Apple fire in Banning, California, US. AFP
    Firefighters watch as flames approach a retardant line near a residential community during the Apple fire in Banning, California, US. AFP
  • The 747 Supertanker makes a retardant drop on a ridge as firefighters continue to battle the Apple fire near Banning, California. AFP
    The 747 Supertanker makes a retardant drop on a ridge as firefighters continue to battle the Apple fire near Banning, California. AFP
  • Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang kisses the trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, UK. Arsenal won the match 2-1. AFP
    Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang kisses the trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, UK. Arsenal won the match 2-1. AFP
  • Water rich in sediment drips from ice inside the melting Longyearbreen glacier during a summer heat wave on Svalbard archipelago near Longyearbyen, Norway. Getty Images
    Water rich in sediment drips from ice inside the melting Longyearbreen glacier during a summer heat wave on Svalbard archipelago near Longyearbyen, Norway. Getty Images
  • People attend a campaign event of Belarusian opposition presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Baranovichi, Belarus. EPA
    People attend a campaign event of Belarusian opposition presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Baranovichi, Belarus. EPA
  • A trishaw driver takes a nap outside a shopping mall in Penang, Malaysia. AFP
    A trishaw driver takes a nap outside a shopping mall in Penang, Malaysia. AFP
  • Rescue workers search for a missing firefighter who was swept away in a flash flood, caused by heavy rain, in Chungju, South Korea. EPA
    Rescue workers search for a missing firefighter who was swept away in a flash flood, caused by heavy rain, in Chungju, South Korea. EPA
  • A Brown spider monkey is seen with her week-old baby in the Zoo park of Santa Fe in Medellin, Colombia. EPA
    A Brown spider monkey is seen with her week-old baby in the Zoo park of Santa Fe in Medellin, Colombia. EPA
  • Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Britain, UK. Reuters
    Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Britain, UK. Reuters
  • Dozens of demonstrators gather in front of the Brandenburg Gate during a protest against coronavirus pandemic regulations in Berlin, Germany. EPA
    Dozens of demonstrators gather in front of the Brandenburg Gate during a protest against coronavirus pandemic regulations in Berlin, Germany. EPA

World in focus - best photos for August 2, 2020


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More galleries from The National:

'The desert is my office': The global appeal of living off the grid

Over and out: Mitsubishi Pajero to cease production in 2021

Loftus Hall: Ireland’s most haunted mansion is up for sale

Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

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

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
In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20CarbonSifr%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202022%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Onur%20Elgun%2C%20Mustafa%20Bosca%20and%20Muhammed%20Yildirim%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Climate%20tech%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%241%20million%20raised%20in%20seed%20funding%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)

Power: 141bhp 

Torque: 250Nm 

Price: Dh64,500

On sale: Now

Paris%20Agreement
%3Cp%3EArticle%2014%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E1.%20%5BThe%20Cop%5D%20shall%20periodically%20take%20stock%20of%20the%20implementation%20of%20this%20Agreement%20to%20assess%20the%20collective%20progress%20towards%20achieving%20the%20purpose%20of%20this%20Agreement%20and%20its%20long-term%20goals%20(referred%20to%20as%20the%20%22global%20stocktake%22)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E2.%20%5BThe%20Cop%5D%20shall%20undertake%20its%20first%20global%20stocktake%20in%202023%20and%20every%20five%20years%20thereafter%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.

The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.

However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.

Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.