Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is among the speakers at the Abu Dhabi Ideas Festival. Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is among the speakers at the Abu Dhabi Ideas Festival. Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

Gordon Brown’s piece on the global order is a must-read



I refer to Gordon Brown's article, The future of our global order (March 26). Former British prime minister Gordon Brown's meaningful and thought-provoking article on the global order was enlightening.

I was happy to read his thoughts on cyber security as this is an issue many are unfamiliar with and does not often make headlines.

I particularly enjoyed his take on international issues, such as US-China rivalry in the age of technology.

Overall I think he made some excellent points.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru

Mr Brown’s views on the state of the world order merit urgent attention. For years, many nations have failed to provide adequate employment opportunities to their people, sparking xenophobic sentiment in many of those countries.

However, the solution is not to curb the flow of migration across borders. It lies instead in upgrading local skills.

Globalisation has made the world a better place and it should not be stopped.

We should not retreat into nationalism but let new ideas and international talent into our nations.

Rabindranath Tagore’s poem Where the mind is without fear is a reminder that great nations are not those who close their borders and fear otherness. As he writes:

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments

By narrow domestic walls.

Rajendra Aneja, Dubai

Maroon 5 should definitely perform live in Dubai

I write to you in reference to Saeed Saeed's article Will Maroon 5 be the first act to play at City Walk's new Dubai Arena? (March 24). Let's hope this comes true. I would absolutely love to see Maroon 5 performing live in the UAE. If their concert does end up taking place in Dubai, my friends and I will surely be in the audience.

Julie Gilbert, Abu Dhabi

Brexit fever is getting to everyone, including pilots

I write to you in reference to Hayley Skirka's article How can a plane accidentally land at the wrong airport? (March 26).

A British Airways flight bound for Germany ended up landing in Scotland this week and it is apparently not the first time such a mistake has happened in the aviation industry.

My humble opinion is that Brexit is making everyone go slightly crazy. Thankfully, the plane did not instead land in the Atlantic Ocean.

Name withheld by request

SPECS

Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now

Brief scores:

Toss: Nepal, chose to field

UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23

Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17

Result: UAE won by 21 runs

Series: UAE lead 1-0

Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

Stats at a glance:

Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)

Number in service: 6

Complement 191 (space for up to 285)

Top speed: over 32 knots

Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles

Length 152.4 m

Displacement: 8,700 tonnes

Beam:   21.2 m

Draught: 7.4 m