Women wearing protective masks pose for a "selfie" picture on a cell phone in front of Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure and building in the world since 2009 (total heigh with antenna of 829.8 metres), in the city centre of the Gulf emirate of Dubai on March 8, 2020.  / AFP / GIUSEPPE CACACE
A selfie in front of Burj Khalifa, Dubai, March 8, 2020. AFP

Coronavirus: staying indoors is everyone's responsibility – and the smartest thing you can do



This refers to The National editorial To combat the coronavirus, stay at home – it is the responsible thing to do (March 23): the best counter to the threat of spreading the virus is awareness, calm and staying away from crowds. The world is failing in many areas such as trade, job security etc. However, the primary focus should be to save lives through co-ordinated effort. It is not the time for outings with friends and family. Stay indoors to reduce exposure, particularly to protect elders and children. We need to prepare for a fight to regain a good healthy tomorrow.

Ramachandran Nair, Muscat, Oman

Across the board: what happens to students and their exams?

With reference to Jack Dutton's article Coronavirus: Cambridge International axes international A levels and GCSEs (March 24): I would like to know when Pearsons Edexcel and Oxford AQA will update us. We can't cancel one exam board and have two stay silent with no updates for four days. Surely it must be about consistency around the world.
Katherine Mcbride Atsma, Dubai


All boards should draw one line. We cannot leave students and parents in uncertainty and stress about whether they sit for the exams or not. All students should have equal chances.
Bianca Ashor-de Graaff, Dubai

Questions on the minds of non-resident Indians

With reference to Taniya Dutta's India observes world's biggest lockdown in fight against the coronavirus (March 22): the spread of Covid-19 is causing major disruptions in every country. Apart from being confined to their homes, people are unable to travel. Flights, both domestic and international, are suspended in many countries. For persons of Indian origin, an amendment to the Income Tax Act, the Finance Bill proposed reducing the period of stay in India to 120 days from 182 days earlier for them to be considered non-resident Indians. However, with the travel restrictions, a great deal of uncertainty has dawned upon non-resident Indians, who are unable to plan their movements. Hence, the government should postpone the provisions relating to the rules applicable for the eligibility of NRIs by one financial year. This will provide relief to the thousands of Indians who work abroad and remit their savings to their home country.
Rajendra Aneja, Dubai

Film industry in India lends support to healthcare workers
With regards Janice Rodrigues's report Coronavirus: Aishwarya Rai, Deepika Padukone and other Bollywood stars applaud workers following lockdown in India (March 23): India's recent curfew on Sunday, March 22 brought the film fraternity to their balconies to applaud the work of the medical professionals – all the nurses and volunteers. All good deeds should be applauded and I am happy that Bollywood acknowledged the great work done by these selfless people.
K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India

Ramez Gab Min El Akher

Creator: Ramez Galal

Starring: Ramez Galal

Streaming on: MBC Shahid

Rating: 2.5/5

Illegal shipments intercepted in Gulf region

The Royal Navy raid is the latest in a series of successful interceptions of drugs and arms in the Gulf

May 11: US coastguard recovers $80 million heroin haul from fishing vessel in Gulf of Oman

May 8: US coastguard vessel USCGC Glen Harris seizes heroin and meth worth more than $30 million from a fishing boat

March 2: Anti-tank guided missiles and missile components seized by HMS Lancaster from a small boat travelling from Iran

October 9, 2022: Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose recovers drugs worth $17.8 million from a dhow in Arabian Sea

September 27, 2022: US Naval Forces Central Command reports a find of 2.4 tonnes of heroin on board fishing boat in Gulf of Oman 

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champioons League semi-final, first leg:

Liverpool 5
Salah (35', 45+1'), Mane (56'), Firmino (61', 68')

Roma 2
Dzeko (81'), Perotti (85' pen)

Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

MATCH RESULT

Liverpool 4 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Liverpool: 
Salah (26'), Lovren (40'), Solanke (53'), Robertson (85')    

The biog

Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed

Age: 34

Emirate: Dubai

Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"

BELGIUM SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Simon Mignolet, Koen Casteels

Defenders: Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Leander Dendoncker, Zeno Debast, Arthur Theate, Wout Faes

Midfielders: Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Kevin De Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco, Thorgan Hazard, Timothy Castagne, Thomas Meunier

Forwards: Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi, Loïs Openda, Charles De Ketelaere, Eden Hazard, Jeremy Doku, Dries Mertens, Leandro Trossard

Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

Profile of Tamatem

Date started: March 2013

Founder: Hussam Hammo

Based: Amman, Jordan

Employees: 55

Funding: $6m

Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media

Results

Elite men
1. Amare Hailemichael Samson (ERI) 2:07:10
2. Leornard Barsoton (KEN) 2:09:37
3. Ilham Ozbilan (TUR) 2:10:16
4. Gideon Chepkonga (KEN) 2:11:17
5. Isaac Timoi (KEN) 2:11:34
Elite women
1. Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:19:15
2. Hawi Feysa Gejia (ETH) 2:24:03
3. Sintayehu Dessi (ETH) 2:25:36
4. Aurelia Kiptui (KEN) 2:28:59
5. Emily Kipchumba (KEN) 2:29:52

Squad

Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas) 

Company Profile

Company name: Hoopla
Date started: March 2023
Founder: Jacqueline Perrottet
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Investment required: $500,000