• Seagulls fly against the Rome skyline as the sun breaks through early morning clouds during the country's lockdown. AFP
    Seagulls fly against the Rome skyline as the sun breaks through early morning clouds during the country's lockdown. AFP
  • Graduating students from the Ramon Power Y Giralt High School wear face masks during a symbolic graduation from their cars to maintain social distance at a parking lot in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico. AFP
    Graduating students from the Ramon Power Y Giralt High School wear face masks during a symbolic graduation from their cars to maintain social distance at a parking lot in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico. AFP
  • Newborn children who lost their mothers during an attack lie on a bed at a hospital, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Reuters
    Newborn children who lost their mothers during an attack lie on a bed at a hospital, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Reuters
  • Gravediggers bury a coffin near open graves as the spread of the coronavirus continues, at Vila Formosa cemetery, Brazil's biggest cemetery, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Reuters
    Gravediggers bury a coffin near open graves as the spread of the coronavirus continues, at Vila Formosa cemetery, Brazil's biggest cemetery, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Reuters
  • Workers wash the streets before their disinfection, as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus, as Kennedy neighbourhood declared in orange alert for being one of the localities with more cases in Bogota. AFP
    Workers wash the streets before their disinfection, as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus, as Kennedy neighbourhood declared in orange alert for being one of the localities with more cases in Bogota. AFP
  • US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, meets with Israeli Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, in Jerusalem. AFP
    US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, meets with Israeli Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, in Jerusalem. AFP
  • The deputy chamber during the first virtual session at the Argentine Congress within the lockdown against the spread of the coronavirus, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AFP
    The deputy chamber during the first virtual session at the Argentine Congress within the lockdown against the spread of the coronavirus, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AFP
  • Technical Officer, Madeline Camacho, conducts Covid-19 testing with the Roche COBAS 6800 instrument in the Virology Division of the Microbiology Department at NSW Health Pathology Randwick in Sydney, Australia. Getty Images
    Technical Officer, Madeline Camacho, conducts Covid-19 testing with the Roche COBAS 6800 instrument in the Virology Division of the Microbiology Department at NSW Health Pathology Randwick in Sydney, Australia. Getty Images
  • People walk through a disinfection tunnel in Daule, in the province of Guayas, Ecuador. EPA
    People walk through a disinfection tunnel in Daule, in the province of Guayas, Ecuador. EPA

World in focus - best photos for May 14, 2020


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Ramadan around the world in photos: May 14

Sreesanth's India bowling career

Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40

ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55

T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12

Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

How to improve Arabic reading in early years

One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient

The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers

Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades

Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic

First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations

Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades

Improve the appearance of textbooks

Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings

Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught

Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar

Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23

UAE fixtures:
Men

Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final

Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
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if you go

The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow. 
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes). 

hall of shame

SUNDERLAND 2002-03

No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.

SUNDERLAND 2005-06

Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.

HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19

Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.

ASTON VILLA 2015-16

Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.

FULHAM 2018-19

Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.

LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.

BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66