Since the death of George Floyd in the US last week, the internet has been awash with tributes to the 46-year-old.
Floyd, an unarmed black man, died during arrest by police officers, one of who had his knee placed on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes, a restraint tactic banned by most police forces.
Caught on video by shocked bystanders, Floyd’s death has sparked fury in the US and around the world, reigniting the Black Lives Matter movement and causing protests in many major cities.
Of the many touching tributes being shared online, it is likely you will have come across a colourful illustration of Floyd, his face circled by a wreath of bright flowers, with the words “Justice for George” written in italics above.
The image is the work of Palestinian-American artist Shirien Damra, who posted it to her Instagram account Shirien.Creates alongside the caption, “Heartbroken, angry and disgusted. This must end. Much love and solidarity to Black communities grieving another beautiful life lost. May George Floyd Rest in Power.”
The work has been liked more than three millions times and has had hundreds of thousands of shares.
It is not the first time the illustrator, 33, has stood in solidarity following unjust killings in the US. Earlier this year, she also created an art work following the death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, who was shot while out running by two white men claiming they were conducting a citizen’s arrest for burglary.
"I was afraid that people would only see the video and remember his soul being taken away from him," Damra told Elle. "I wanted to not only have the art for myself to process, but also in the hopes that other people that are facing similar things can identify with it and help them process, too."
She made similar digital portraits following the deaths of African-Americans Breonna Taylor and Floyd, who were also killed at the hands of the police.
Damra is not the only Arab illustrator using her work to speak out for black community. Lebanese artist Nour Flayhan also shared an illustration showing protests in Minnesota following Floyd’s death alongside the words: “Black lives matter. The whole world is watching.”
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Two-step truce
The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.
By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National.
The second stage will be the complete withdrawal of all pro-government forces and rebels from Hodeidah city, to be completed by midnight on January 7.
The process is to be overseen by a Redeployment Co-ordination Committee (RCC) comprising UN monitors and representatives of the government and the rebels.
The agreement also calls the deployment of UN-supervised neutral forces in the city and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure distribution of aid across the country.
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
