• A medic carries a Palestinian child injured during Israeli air strikes into a hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
    A medic carries a Palestinian child injured during Israeli air strikes into a hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
  • A man walks past images of Israeli hostages snatched by the Palestinian militant group Hamas last week in a surprise attack into Israel, plastered on a wall outside the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv. AFP
    A man walks past images of Israeli hostages snatched by the Palestinian militant group Hamas last week in a surprise attack into Israel, plastered on a wall outside the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv. AFP
  • US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives at the airport en route to neighbouring Israel for crisis talks after a tour of Arab nations, in Amman. AFP
    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives at the airport en route to neighbouring Israel for crisis talks after a tour of Arab nations, in Amman. AFP
  • An Israeli soldier adjusts his rifle as he stands on a tank near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel. Reuters
    An Israeli soldier adjusts his rifle as he stands on a tank near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel. Reuters
  • Lorries carrying humanitarian aid destined for Gaza wait for the reopening of the Rafah border, in the city of Egyptian city of Al Arish. Reuters
    Lorries carrying humanitarian aid destined for Gaza wait for the reopening of the Rafah border, in the city of Egyptian city of Al Arish. Reuters
  • Palestinians search for casualties under the rubble of a house destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Reuters
    Palestinians search for casualties under the rubble of a house destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Reuters
  • Members of a Palestinian civil emergency team react after several colleagues were killed in Israeli strikes, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Reuters
    Members of a Palestinian civil emergency team react after several colleagues were killed in Israeli strikes, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Reuters
  • US citizens wait at the port of Haifa to be evacuated to Cyprus, amid the battle between Israel and Hamas. AFP
    US citizens wait at the port of Haifa to be evacuated to Cyprus, amid the battle between Israel and Hamas. AFP
  • Paramedics from the Emergency Medical Services, the only health organisation that is operational in Sderot, Israel, pray before starting work. EPA
    Paramedics from the Emergency Medical Services, the only health organisation that is operational in Sderot, Israel, pray before starting work. EPA
  • Israeli soldiers patrol in armoured personnel carriers at an undisclosed position in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon. AFP
    Israeli soldiers patrol in armoured personnel carriers at an undisclosed position in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon. AFP
  • People rally in support of Israel outside the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver, Colorado. AP
    People rally in support of Israel outside the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver, Colorado. AP
  • Children in Khan Yunis, Gaza. Getty Images
    Children in Khan Yunis, Gaza. Getty Images
  • Residents of Gaza City evacuate as Israel continues bombing of the Gaza strip. EPA
    Residents of Gaza City evacuate as Israel continues bombing of the Gaza strip. EPA
  • Protesters participate in a rally in support of Palestinian people, on Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo, Brazil. EPA
    Protesters participate in a rally in support of Palestinian people, on Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo, Brazil. EPA
  • A Palestinian house razed by Israeli strikes in the central Gaza Strip on October 15. Reuters
    A Palestinian house razed by Israeli strikes in the central Gaza Strip on October 15. Reuters
  • A man rearranges Jewish prayer books after a synagogue was hit by a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip into Ashkelon, southern Israel. Reuters
    A man rearranges Jewish prayer books after a synagogue was hit by a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip into Ashkelon, southern Israel. Reuters
  • Volunteers clean up at the synagogue in Ashkelon. Reuters
    Volunteers clean up at the synagogue in Ashkelon. Reuters
  • Laden aid lorries wait for the opening of the Gaza-Egypt border in North Sinai, Egypt. Getty Images
    Laden aid lorries wait for the opening of the Gaza-Egypt border in North Sinai, Egypt. Getty Images
  • Injured Palestinians arrive at Nasser Hospital in the Gaza Strip, an enclave sealed off by Israel and hit by sustained retaliatory air strikes after the surprise Hamas attack. Getty Images
    Injured Palestinians arrive at Nasser Hospital in the Gaza Strip, an enclave sealed off by Israel and hit by sustained retaliatory air strikes after the surprise Hamas attack. Getty Images
  • Rockets are fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel by the Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. EPA
    Rockets are fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel by the Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. EPA
  • Palestinians sit by a building destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Rafah, Gaza. AP
    Palestinians sit by a building destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Rafah, Gaza. AP
  • Lorries carrying humanitarian aid to Palestine line up on the desert road from Cairo, heading for the Rafah border crossing into Gaza. Reuters
    Lorries carrying humanitarian aid to Palestine line up on the desert road from Cairo, heading for the Rafah border crossing into Gaza. Reuters
  • Palestinians wait at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. AP
    Palestinians wait at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. AP
  • Palestinian children wounded in Israeli air strikes are brought to Al Aqsa hospital in Deir El Balah, Gaza. AP
    Palestinian children wounded in Israeli air strikes are brought to Al Aqsa hospital in Deir El Balah, Gaza. AP
  • Palestinians charge their phones using solar power as electricity supplies remain cut off in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Reuters
    Palestinians charge their phones using solar power as electricity supplies remain cut off in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Reuters
  • Palestinians wounded in Israeli air strikes are carried into Al Aqsa hospital in Deir El Balah, Gaza. AP Photo
    Palestinians wounded in Israeli air strikes are carried into Al Aqsa hospital in Deir El Balah, Gaza. AP Photo
  • Palestinians queue to refill water containers at Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza. AFP
    Palestinians queue to refill water containers at Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza. AFP
  • Palestinians attend to the wounded after Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. Reuters
    Palestinians attend to the wounded after Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. Reuters
  • Residents carry a few belongings as they begin to evacuate following an Israeli warning of increased military operations in the Gaza Strip. EPA
    Residents carry a few belongings as they begin to evacuate following an Israeli warning of increased military operations in the Gaza Strip. EPA
  • Internally displaced Palestinians take refuge at a UN school, in the Rafah refugee camp, in the south of the Gaza Strip. AFP
    Internally displaced Palestinians take refuge at a UN school, in the Rafah refugee camp, in the south of the Gaza Strip. AFP
  • A wounded boy is rescued from the rubble after Israeli air strikes, in Khan Younis. Reuters
    A wounded boy is rescued from the rubble after Israeli air strikes, in Khan Younis. Reuters
  • An area with destroyed buildings is deserted after residents of Gaza city began to evacuate. EPA
    An area with destroyed buildings is deserted after residents of Gaza city began to evacuate. EPA
  • Palestinians in Khan Younis search for casualties under the rubble in the aftermath of Israeli air strikes. Reuters
    Palestinians in Khan Younis search for casualties under the rubble in the aftermath of Israeli air strikes. Reuters
  • Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip was bombed by Israeli forces in retaliation for last week's incursion by Hamas into Israel. Reuters
    Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip was bombed by Israeli forces in retaliation for last week's incursion by Hamas into Israel. Reuters
  • Khan Younis is in the southern Gaza Strip, where more than a million people in the north have been urged to travel by Israel as it carries out an anticipated ground invasion.
    Khan Younis is in the southern Gaza Strip, where more than a million people in the north have been urged to travel by Israel as it carries out an anticipated ground invasion.
  • Palestinians search for casualties in Khan Younis. More than 1,500 people have been killed and injured by Israeli attacks on Gaza in the past week. Reuters
    Palestinians search for casualties in Khan Younis. More than 1,500 people have been killed and injured by Israeli attacks on Gaza in the past week. Reuters
  • A rescue worker searches for casualties under the rubble of a building in Khan Younis. Reuters
    A rescue worker searches for casualties under the rubble of a building in Khan Younis. Reuters
  • A mourner grieves for a relative killed by an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. AP
    A mourner grieves for a relative killed by an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. AP
  • Palestinians evacuate a wounded youth after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. AP
    Palestinians evacuate a wounded youth after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. AP
  • Palestinians flee northern Gaza as Israeli ground forces prepare to enter the Strip. AP
    Palestinians flee northern Gaza as Israeli ground forces prepare to enter the Strip. AP
  • Palestinians have formed convoys to flee northern Gaza. AP
    Palestinians have formed convoys to flee northern Gaza. AP
  • Traffic queues as Palestinians flee northern Gaza for the south. AP
    Traffic queues as Palestinians flee northern Gaza for the south. AP
  • Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. AP
    Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. AP

How fake news is thickening the fog of war in Israel and Gaza


James Langton
  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

A black-clad Hamas fighter raises a hand-held rocket launcher to his shoulders and fires. Seconds later, an Israeli Apache attack helicopter explodes in a ball of flames.

It's an astonishing clip that shows the fury and intensity of conflict over the Gaza Strip that had been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on social media.

Except it doesn't.

Despite the claims made for its authenticity, the scene is actually taken from a video game, Arma 3, which creates simulated battle scenes with surprising accuracy.

The conflict raging between Israel and Hamas has produced a flood of misinformation on social media, much of it on X, formerly known as Twitter, which this week was labelled a “fog of war machine” by the magazine Slate.

A distorted narrative

Hundreds of posts seen by millions of users have created a distorted narrative of what is really happening on the ground. They have not just deceived gullible teenagers glued to their phones, but world leaders too.

On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden declared that “I never really thought that I would see and have confirmed pictures of terrorists beheading children.”

Despite rumours, the president had seen no such thing. He was reacting to unverified reports that Hamas had beheaded children in its assault on an Israeli kibbutz.

Some of this genuinely fake news might seem almost comical were it not for the power of platforms like X, TikTok and YouTube shaping opinions around the world.

A video on Facebook and X does not show Irish football fans waving Palestinian flags but are supporters of two Moroccan teams.

Another clip on X allegedly of Hamas capturing Israeli generals actually shows the arrest of Nagorno-Karabakh separatist leaders by Azerbaijan's security service.

A photograph of an aircraft filled with Israeli men flying home to enlist in the military is a fake generated by AI – a clue being passengers' hands with six fingers.

Another clip of a Hamas hang-glider killed after crashing into power lines and posted to Reddit is in fact a tragic accident in China first shown on YouTube three months ago. The post was later deleted by the user after fellow Reddit users said it was inaccurate.

Footage on TikTok of buildings in Gaza surrounded by smoke and red flames is actually football fans in Algiers celebrating a win with flares and fireworks.

A video posted by a Malaysian right-wing influencer, Ian Miles Cheong, and viewed over 12 million times, claimed to show Hamas going door-to-door hunting down Israelis. “Imagine if this was happening in your neighbourhood, to your family,” he wrote. It is actually footage of Israeli police conducting a raid on a house.

Other examples seem more sinister.

Sinister posts

A video, seen over a million times, claims to show Gazans faking deaths caused by Israel, when a person lying on the ground suddenly comes back to life and runs away. It is actually a video satirising Covid restrictions shot in Jordan.

A video posted on X, accompanied by a broken heart emoji, is not a kidnapped Israeli child with her Hamas abductor, but a family filmed at a military academy in Egypt in September.

Other posts mimic genuine media outlets or repost genuine footage from Gaza, but from earlier conflicts months or even years ago.

An account on X posted misinformation from a supposed BBC reporter called Verona Mark, who does not exist.

While it has since been suspended, it fooled British politician Chris Clarkson – a Conservative Member of Parliament – who launched a blistering attack on the broadcaster.

Outlets as diverse as Al Jazeera and the Jerusalem Post have also suffered from fake accounts, including claims that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been taken to hospital.

Despite its low user numbers for a social media platform, X is often the first port of call for misinformation.

Since Elon Musk took over, dozens of content moderators have been laid off. A verified user “blue tick” can now be bought for a $8 monthly subscription via Twitter Blue.

Musk says he is committed to free speech and that “our policy is that everything is open source and transparent.”

However, Slate says that X is now “a degraded site that can't be trusted for sensitive breaking news”.

Debunking false claims

The BBC now has an entire department called Verify to fact-check news. In the days following the first Hamas attack and Israeli's response, monitoring social media about the conflict has become a full time job.

Ironically, much of this monitoring happens on X, where BBC Verify staff member Shayan Sardarizadeh has debunked a host of false claims and reports that have been seen by millions.

These include a photo that wrongly claimed Netanyahu was sending his son to fight in Gaza and a video claiming to show Israel's use of white phosphorus which was actually a Russian attack on Ukraine in March.

The motives of those posting misinformation are varied.

They may be trolls acting on behalf of state actors like Iran, or simply supporters of the various waring sides making trouble. Many simply post what gets the most likes to raise their profile.

Most are eventually debunked on the platforms they appear, but not before they have been seen by millions in their original state.

The BBC's Sardairzadeh writes that “the main challenge remaining for X is addressing the issue of Twitter Blue accounts, whose false posts are not only boosted by the algorithm in feeds, but also monetised.”

The awful truth is what is really happening in Gaza and Israel is far more horrifying than the false claims on social media.

As Sardarizadeh says: “War is not a game for retweets and likes on social media.”

57%20Seconds
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rusty%20Cundieff%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJosh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Morgan%20Freeman%2C%20Greg%20Germann%2C%20Lovie%20Simone%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
McIlroy's recent struggles

Last six stroke-play events (First round score in brackets)

Arnold Palmer Invitational Tied for 4th (74)

The US Masters Tied for 7th (72)

The Players Championship Tied for 35th (73)

US Open Missed the cut (78)

Travellers Championship Tied for 17th (67)

Irish Open Missed the cut (72)

Avatar%20(2009)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EXare%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJanuary%2018%2C%202021%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPadmini%20Gupta%2C%20Milind%20Singh%2C%20Mandeep%20Singh%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20Raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2410%20million%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E28%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eundisclosed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMS%26amp%3BAD%20Ventures%2C%20Middle%20East%20Venture%20Partners%2C%20Astra%20Amco%2C%20the%20Dubai%20International%20Financial%20Centre%2C%20Fintech%20Fund%2C%20500%20Startups%2C%20Khwarizmi%20Ventures%2C%20and%20Phoenician%20Funds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

THE SPECS

Touareg Highline

Engine: 3.0-litre, V6

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Power: 340hp

Torque: 450Nm

Price: Dh239,312

The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Wonder
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20EPD%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20Switch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
​​​​​​​Penguin Press

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Company Profile:

Name: The Protein Bakeshop

Date of start: 2013

Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani

Based: Dubai

Size, number of employees: 12

Funding/investors:  $400,000 (2018) 

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

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Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HyveGeo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abdulaziz%20bin%20Redha%2C%20Dr%20Samsurin%20Welch%2C%20Eva%20Morales%20and%20Dr%20Harjit%20Singh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECambridge%20and%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESustainability%20%26amp%3B%20Environment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%20plus%20undisclosed%20grant%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVenture%20capital%20and%20government%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who are the Sacklers?

The Sackler family is a transatlantic dynasty that owns Purdue Pharma, which manufactures and markets OxyContin, one of the drugs at the centre of America's opioids crisis. The family is well known for their generous philanthropy towards the world's top cultural institutions, including Guggenheim Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate in Britain, Yale University and the Serpentine Gallery, to name a few. Two branches of the family control Purdue Pharma.

Isaac Sackler and Sophie Greenberg were Jewish immigrants who arrived in New York before the First World War. They had three sons. The first, Arthur, died before OxyContin was invented. The second, Mortimer, who died aged 93 in 2010, was a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. The third, Raymond, died aged 97 in 2017 and was also a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. 

It was Arthur, a psychiatrist and pharmaceutical marketeer, who started the family business dynasty. He and his brothers bought a small company called Purdue Frederick; among their first products were laxatives and prescription earwax remover.

Arthur's branch of the family has not been involved in Purdue for many years and his daughter, Elizabeth, has spoken out against it, saying the company's role in America's drugs crisis is "morally abhorrent".

The lawsuits that were brought by the attorneys general of New York and Massachussetts named eight Sacklers. This includes Kathe, Mortimer, Richard, Jonathan and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, who are all the children of either Mortimer or Raymond. Then there's Theresa Sackler, who is Mortimer senior's widow; Beverly, Raymond's widow; and David Sackler, Raymond's grandson.

Members of the Sackler family are rarely seen in public.

Results

6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) US$100,000 (Dirt) 2,000m, Winner Bandar, Fernando Jara (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer).

7.05pm Meydan Classic Listed (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,600m, ​​​​​​​Winner Well Of Wisdom, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

7.40pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m, ​​​​​​​Winner Star Safari, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.

8.15pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner Moqarrar, Fabrice Veron, Erwan Charpy.

8.50pm Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 2 (TB) $300,000 (T) 2,810m, Winner Secret Advisor, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

9.25pm Curlin Stakes Listed (TB) $175,000 (D) 2,000m, ​​​​​​​Winner Parsimony, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.

10pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m, Winner Simsir, Ronan Whelan, Michael Halford.

10.35pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m, ​​​​​​​Winner Velorum, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.

The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.9-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E536hp%20(including%20138hp%20e-motor)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E750Nm%20(including%20400Nm%20e-motor)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C380%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%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.

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 biog

Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer

Favourite superhero: Batman

Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.

Favourite car: Lamborghini

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Xpanceo

Started: 2018

Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov

Based: Dubai, UAE

Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality

Funding: $40 million

Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)

Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications

 

 

While you're here ...

Damien McElroy: What happens to Brexit?

Con Coughlin: Could the virus break the EU?

Andrea Matteo Fontana: Europe to emerge stronger

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPOPC%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAmna%20Aijaz%2C%20Haroon%20Tahir%20and%20Arafat%20Ali%20Khan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eart%20and%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%20u%3C%2Fstrong%3Endisclosed%20amount%20raised%20through%20Waverider%20Entertainment%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Martin Sabbagh profile

Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East

In the role: Since January 2015

Lives: In the UAE

Background: M&A, investment banking

Studied: Corporate finance

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
THE LOWDOWN

Photograph

Rating: 4/5

Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies

Director: Ritesh Batra

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014%20PRO%20MAX
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Updated: October 23, 2023, 10:46 AM