This picture taken on August 12, 2017 shows a Perseid meteor along the Milky Way illuminating the dark sky near Comillas, Cantabria community, northern Spain, during the "Perseids" meteor shower. Northern hemisphere sky-gazers are in for a special treat on August 11 and 13, night with a rare shooting star "outburst", which astronomers hope will not be marred by clouds and a bright Moon. / AFP PHOTO / CESAR MANSO
This picture taken on August 12, 2017 shows a Perseid meteor along the Milky Way illuminating the dark sky near Comillas, Cantabria community, northern Spain, during the "Perseids" meteor shower. Northern hemisphere sky-gazers are in for a special treat on August 11 and 13, night with a rare shooting star "outburst", which astronomers hope will not be marred by clouds and a bright Moon. / AFP PHOTO / CESAR MANSO
This picture taken on August 12, 2017 shows a Perseid meteor along the Milky Way illuminating the dark sky near Comillas, Cantabria community, northern Spain, during the "Perseids" meteor shower. Northern hemisphere sky-gazers are in for a special treat on August 11 and 13, night with a rare shooting star "outburst", which astronomers hope will not be marred by clouds and a bright Moon. / AFP PHOTO / CESAR MANSO
This picture taken on August 12, 2017 shows a Perseid meteor along the Milky Way illuminating the dark sky near Comillas, Cantabria community, northern Spain, during the "Perseids" meteor shower. Nort

Perseid meteor shower to shine in dark skies on Sunday night


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  • Arabic

The world will be treated to a special show on Sunday night as the earth passes through the trail of the comet Swift Tuttle, an annual occurence known as the Perseid meteor shower.

As pebble size pieces of stony grit in the comet’s debris hit our atmosphere, it burns up.

The moon will be a waxing crescent and absent from the sky most of the night, so it will dark enough to see up to 60 meteors an hour.

To watch the shower, just head to the darkness of the desert after midnight, throw down a mat and look to the skies. The meteor shower will be visible to the naked eye after midnight in areas without light pollution.

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Read more:

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August is an important month in the traditional Emirati almanac too. According to the 365-day Drour calendar, a traditional calendar informed by the stars, the appearance of the star Suhail on August 22 traditional heralded the end of the pearl diving season and the beginning of moderate weather.

Dubai Astronomy Group will host a Perseid Meteor Shower Party in darkness of Dubai's Al Qudra desert from 10pm until 4am. This will include talk and a chance to view Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, stars, globular clusters, nebula through the group's telescopes. It costs Dh150 for adults and Dh70 for children below age 13 and Dh50 for group members. Tickets can be purchased here.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)

Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)

Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)

Last five meetings

2013: South Korea 0-2 Brazil

2002: South Korea 2-3 Brazil

1999: South Korea 1-0 Brazil

1997: South Korea 1-2 Brazil

1995: South Korea 0-1 Brazil

Note: All friendlies

Dhadak

Director: Shashank Khaitan

Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana

Stars: 3

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Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

if you go

The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow. 
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes). 

Election pledges on migration

CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections" 

SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"