• A woman holds a 99 million year old fossilised snail trapped in amber named "Archaeocyclotus Brevivillosus" at the Colmar Museum of Natural History in Eastern France on March 14, 2023. - The snail, which orginates from the Hukawng Valley in northern Burma, is a contemporary of the dinosaurs and gives a window on the biodiversity of the era. Measuring 9 mm long and 3. 1 mm in height and with a shell with bristly hairs the snail will go on display in June at the Colmar Museum accompanying the two hundred specimens of snails the museum has in its collection. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)
    A woman holds a 99 million year old fossilised snail trapped in amber named "Archaeocyclotus Brevivillosus" at the Colmar Museum of Natural History in Eastern France on March 14, 2023. - The snail, which orginates from the Hukawng Valley in northern Burma, is a contemporary of the dinosaurs and gives a window on the biodiversity of the era. Measuring 9 mm long and 3. 1 mm in height and with a shell with bristly hairs the snail will go on display in June at the Colmar Museum accompanying the two hundred specimens of snails the museum has in its collection. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)
  • The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery takes part in a display known as the Musical Drive in London, the final preparations for an unprecedentedly busy state ceremonial season ahead. Getty Images
    The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery takes part in a display known as the Musical Drive in London, the final preparations for an unprecedentedly busy state ceremonial season ahead. Getty Images
  • A building damaged by shelling in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine. AP
    A building damaged by shelling in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine. AP
  • Supporters gather before the trial of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko in Dakar, Senegal. AFP
    Supporters gather before the trial of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko in Dakar, Senegal. AFP
  • Snow falls in a park in Frankfurt. AP
    Snow falls in a park in Frankfurt. AP
  • A colourful mustard field on the outskirts of Srinagar. AFP
    A colourful mustard field on the outskirts of Srinagar. AFP
  • A boat lies stranded above the waterline at Serre-Poncon lake in southern France, after a prolonged winter drought. AP
    A boat lies stranded above the waterline at Serre-Poncon lake in southern France, after a prolonged winter drought. AP
  • A van burns during clashes between supporters of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan and riot police near Khan's house to prevent officers from arresting him, in Lahore. AFP
    A van burns during clashes between supporters of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan and riot police near Khan's house to prevent officers from arresting him, in Lahore. AFP
  • Five years after her death, an image of councillor Marielle Franco is projected in central Sao Paulo, Brazil. EPA
    Five years after her death, an image of councillor Marielle Franco is projected in central Sao Paulo, Brazil. EPA
  • Brutal weather brings traffic to a virtual standstill in Londonderry, New Hampshire. AP
    Brutal weather brings traffic to a virtual standstill in Londonderry, New Hampshire. AP
  • A rally to mark the 12th anniversary of the start of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and his government, in the rebel-held north-western city of Idlib. AFP
    A rally to mark the 12th anniversary of the start of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and his government, in the rebel-held north-western city of Idlib. AFP
  • Newly built houses and construction sites in the Saharawi area on the outskirts of Nouakchott, Mauritania. AFP
    Newly built houses and construction sites in the Saharawi area on the outskirts of Nouakchott, Mauritania. AFP
  • The Wolf-Rayet 124 star, on the cusp of death, is captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. AP
    The Wolf-Rayet 124 star, on the cusp of death, is captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. AP

World

Today's best photos: From a fossilised snail to a dying star

The National picks the most striking images from around the world

The National

March 15, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

More from The National:

Tuesday's best photos: from a Mumbai slum fire to Cyclone Freddy

Monday's best photos: from the Oscars in LA to a strike in Paris

Sunday's best photos: from Crufts dog show to the Birdman Rally

Saturday's best photos: from an Oscars super fan to a volcano eruption

Friday's best photos: from a collapsed mall in Brazil to Olivier Giroud

Thursday's best photos: From sheep protecting Pompeii to the Princess of Wales helping troops

The specs

Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Soldier F

“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.

“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.

“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”

Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

RESULTS

2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: AF Senad, Nathan Crosse (jockey), Kareem Ramadan (trainer)

2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Ashjaan, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.

3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Amirah, Conner Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Jap Al Yaasoob, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.

4pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup Prestige Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jawaal, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri.

4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Manhunter, Ryan Curatolo, Mujeeb Rahman.

Section 375

Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat

Director: Ajay Bahl

Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL

Rating: 3.5/5

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Five%20calorie-packed%20Ramadan%20drinks
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERooh%20Afza%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20contains%20414%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETang%20orange%20drink%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20serving%20contains%20300%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECarob%20beverage%20mix%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20serving%20contains%20about%20300%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQamar%20Al%20Din%20apricot%20drink%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20saving%20contains%2061%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EVimto%20fruit%20squash%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20serving%20contains%2030%20calories%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency
Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
%3Cp%3ECory%20Sandhagen%20v%20Umar%20Nurmagomedov%0D%3Cbr%3ENick%20Diaz%20v%20Vicente%20Luque%0D%3Cbr%3EMichael%20Chiesa%20v%20Tony%20Ferguson%0D%3Cbr%3EDeiveson%20Figueiredo%20v%20Marlon%20Vera%0D%3Cbr%3EMackenzie%20Dern%20v%20Loopy%20Godinez%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETickets%20for%20the%20August%203%20Fight%20Night%2C%20held%20in%20partnership%20with%20the%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20went%20on%20sale%20earlier%20this%20month%2C%20through%20www.etihadarena.ae%20and%20www.ticketmaster.ae.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Recipes to try
Buy farm-fresh food

The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.

In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others. 

In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food. 

In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra. 

2019 ASIA CUP POTS

Pot 1
UAE, Iran, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia

Pot 2
China, Syria, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Qatar, Thailand

Pot 3
Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, India, Vietnam

Pot 4
North Korea, Philippines, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Turkmenistan

The biog

Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages

Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”  

Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”

Favourite film:  “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”

Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”

Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information. 

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

Other IPL batting records

Most sixes: 292 – Chris Gayle

Most fours: 491 – Gautam Gambhir

Highest individual score: 175 not out – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)

Highest strike-rate: 177.29 – Andre Russell

Highest strike-rate in an innings: 422.22 – Chris Morris (for Delhi Daredevils against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017)

Highest average: 52.16 – Vijay Shankar

Most centuries: 6 – Chris Gayle

Most fifties: 36 – Gautam Gambhir

Fastest hundred (balls faced): 30 – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)

Fastest fifty (balls faced): 14 – Lokesh Rahul (for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils in 2018)

 

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea
Updated: March 16, 2023, 7:16 AM
Photography