The rains at Sham and Wadi Ghalilah in RAK led to flooding in the mountainous areas. Residence say floods haven't been seen since 1975. Mariam Al Nuaimi / The National
The rains at Sham and Wadi Ghalilah in RAK led to flooding in the mountainous areas. Residence say floods haven't been seen since 1975. Mariam Al Nuaimi / The National

Rain is welcome, but potentially dangerous



I refer to Man swept to death in flooded wadi (November 19).

While rains are a blessing, they can also bring a lot of problems and inconvenience for people.

I think that the unusually heavy downpours that residents in Ras Al Khaimah have witnessed over the past few days are the effects of global warming.

Fatima Suhail, Dubai

Arrogance is roadblock to peace

Faisal Al Yafai's opinion piece, A deal with the devil could save Syria from the inferno (November19), was thought-provoking.

The author has clearly analysed the past and present status of Syria, and the current regime’s arrogant attitude.

Despite international calls for a peaceful settlement, president Bashar Al Assad is still adamant that he will stay in power.

I hope that peaceful dialogue between the people and the Assad government can yield some results. Innocent people should not have to suffer any longer.

K Ragavan, India

I have yet to see or hear of any diplomatic solution that would see Bashar Al Assad step down.

He will definitely not accept any deal that puts him out of the president’s palace. He wants the presidency for his children and grandchildren.

Abu Zein, New Zealand

Lifestyle changes can ease psoriasis

Thank you for the article Removing the stigma from psoriasis (November 18).

Having lived with the condition for much of my life, I believe the best treatment is exercise, sunlight, keeping hydrated and eating well.

After I changed my lifestyle, practically all the symptoms of the condition disappeared within about two months.

One major cause of psoriasis is stress, so it is important that you are able to effectively manage your life and create as little stress as possible – which is easier said than done. At the least, you must allow yourself sufficient time to relax.

Alcohol can also aggravate the condition and should be avoided.

In my experience, it is best to stay away from creams, tablets and steroids because as soon as you stop using them, the symptoms return. The best weapon to combat psoriasis is to understand it.

PTH, UK

Timeshare buyers must be cautious

I refer to Dubai offers new look for luxury timeshares (November 17).

A timeshare sales agreement is the contract that you get at the moment you purchase a fractional ownership.

Some timeshare companies make these contracts long and difficult to understand, so the buyer doesn’t know well what he or she is getting into.

The terms and conditions are often made to benefit the resort, but not the owner.

The timeshare sales agreement gives you the right to use the resort, over a certain number of years, for a specific number of weeks each year.

That means that the developer still owns the resort and your interest should not be considered as real estate.

Potential buyers should check that verbal promises given during the sales presentation are actually in the contract.

Also, many of these agreements have no cancellation policy.

B Taylor, Dubai

Feed birds in the park, not street

Walking along the Istiqlal street in Abu Dhabi recently, I was shocked to see pieces of bread had been thrown on to the pavement near an advertising sign.

I realised that this was done by someone with the intention of feeding the birds, mostly pigeons, in the area.

Although feeding birds may be considered a humane act or devotional gesture, it contributes to the bird droppings all around the area, including on parked cars and the windows and balconies of nearby buildings.

The municipality is spending a huge amount of money to keep our city clean. Encouraging these birds to live in the inner-city area detracts from the environmental, ecological and aesthetic qualities of the locality.

For this reason, I think that feeding birds in the city should be discouraged. Instead, feeding areas for birds and other animals could be set up in public parks and gardens.

Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi

Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica

Best Agent: Jorge Mendes

Best Club : Liverpool   

 Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)  

 Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker

 Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

 Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP

 Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart

Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)

Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)

Best Women's Player:  Lucy Bronze

Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi

 Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

 Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)

 Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

The biog

Age: 46

Number of Children: Four

Hobby: Reading history books

Loves: Sports

THE SPECS

Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury

Engine:  3.6L V-6

Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 310hp

Torque: 367Nm

Price: Dh280,000

Cultural fiesta

What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421,  Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day. 

The specs

Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm

Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)

On sale: Now