A reader criticises an article about Gamal Al Banna, the brother of the Muslim Brotherhood founder. Cris Bouroncle / AFP
A reader criticises an article about Gamal Al Banna, the brother of the Muslim Brotherhood founder. Cris Bouroncle / AFP
A reader criticises an article about Gamal Al Banna, the brother of the Muslim Brotherhood founder. Cris Bouroncle / AFP
A reader criticises an article about Gamal Al Banna, the brother of the Muslim Brotherhood founder. Cris Bouroncle / AFP

Why not wait and see?


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Unfortunately, nobody can force parents to protect their own children (A third of parents still not using child seats, January 21). But the UAE government can make a difference.

It can legislate the compulsory use of seat belts in all vehicles, front and back, and enforce the use of car-seats for children in accordance to international standards.

Think of the message the government could be sending parents: "We care enough to legislate road safety for children, so parents need to prioritise its importance too." Spot checks on roads and fines for non-compliance could be imposed to help the Government spread the road-safety message once legislation was passed. This works in many countries. In addition, I also implore all government and private schools to join our school and make a difference by participating in a road safety and buckling up school campaign this term.  Let us help change the percentage of our students who buckle up to 100 per cent.

Family and home are the child's first school, but if parents are not educated enough to care for their own children, then let the schools of the UAE step up to the challenge. Education, after all, is our duty.

I suggest a "road safety for children" feature with weekly pull out activity sheets in The National during this term which we can pass on to the students to help raise awareness. Big businesses in the auto industry and the RTA can also get involved.

As part of their corporate responsibility, they can give talks and demonstrations to all schools on buckling up and road safety for children. Together, we can make a difference.

A Brown, Greenwood International School, Dubai

Views of a relative not representative

Why did you need to rush to ask whether the Muslim Brotherhood will succeed or fail (Egyptian scholar says Islamist win is just a blip (January 20)?

Why didn't you wait and see? Why did you pick Gamal Al Banna? Is it just to show that he is from the family of Hasan Al Banna?

We know that Osama bin Laden's relatives live in the US and the grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini lives in the US too.

If they say something against their grandparents or about their policy, that does not mean that they failed.

So, let us wait and pray for their countries' future.

Mohamed Ismail, Sharjah

Tragic ending for kidnapped guard

Your article British guard's body returned (January 22) was sad and painful to read.

The guard was kidnapped in 2007 and killed after four and a half years by the militants from Iraq.

His family and relatives were eager to see his return. I pray for the victim.

K Ragavan, India

A concern over carbon decision

The news that the Gulf's first large-scale project to bury carbon underground is to go to tender is commendable (Green light for carbon capture enterprise, January 19). But I have a major concern about carbon capture.

What if the stored carbon should escape back into the atmosphere either through seismic geological shifts or a rupture in the pipeline, or, God forbid, terrorists?

P J, Dubai

Developers are to blame for delay

Dubai buyers battle Dubai Sports City builders (January 20) is a story that occurs across many developments.

Some developers don't invest any funds, and instead they rely on investors' payments.

They then blame investors for not continuing to pay three years after completion was due.

A W, Ras Al Khaimah

Delays of post inconvenient

When is Emirates Post going to learn how to carry out the function of every mail service in the world with a degree of efficiency?

Yesterday, I received a Christmas card from my brother, who lives in Switzerland. The postmark was September 7. The postage paid was 3.80 Swiss francs (Dh14).

This is not an isolated incident. It happens on a regular basis and, not only for mail from overseas but also for local mail that often arrives after over a week.

Customers pay a high price to rent a PO box and they pay for stamps, which would cover the delivery costs.

Instead of trying to offer a variety of other services, why does not the post service concentrate on its primary service and deliver mail in a timely fashion?

Jeremy P Weeks, Abu Dhabi

MATCH INFO

Alaves 1 (Perez 65' pen)

Real Madrid 2 (Ramos 52', Carvajal 69')

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

The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20S%20Frederick%20Starr%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Oxford%20University%20Press%3Cbr%3EPages%3A%20290%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20January%2024%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19

July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan

Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US

Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK

MATCH INFO

Burnley 1 (Brady 89')

Manchester City 4 (Jesus 24', 50', Rodri 68', Mahrez 87')

Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

Ahmed Raza

UAE cricket captain

Age: 31

Born: Sharjah

Role: Left-arm spinner

One-day internationals: 31 matches, 35 wickets, average 31.4, economy rate 3.95

T20 internationals: 41 matches, 29 wickets, average 30.3, economy rate 6.28

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMaly%20Tech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mo%20Ibrahim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%20International%20Financial%20Centre%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.6%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2015%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%2C%20planning%20first%20seed%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20GCC-based%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20OneOrder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tamer%20Amer%20and%20Karim%20Maurice%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E82%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Series%20A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

Price: from Dh94,900

On sale: now

'Worse than a prison sentence'

Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.

“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.

“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.

“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.

“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.

“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”

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
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS

- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns 

- Margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars

- Energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces

- Infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes

- Many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Tentative schedule of 2017/18 Ashes series

1st Test November 23-27, The Gabba, Brisbane

2nd Test December 2-6, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

3rd Test Dcember 14-18, Waca, Perth

4th Test December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

5th Test January 4-8, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney