Syrian people walk amid destruction in the Bab al-Qinnasrin area in Aleppo's Old city. AFP
Syrian people walk amid destruction in the Bab al-Qinnasrin area in Aleppo's Old city. AFP
Kuwaiti school students carry and march with a 2,019-metre-long national flag in a bid to claim a place in the Guinness Book of World Records with world's longest national flag, in Kuwait City, Kuwait. According to media reports, more than 4,000 school students and teachers carried the 2,019-metre-long national flag to claim a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, as part of the Kuwaiti celebrations of the 58th anniversary of the Independence Day. EPA
Kuwaiti school students carry and march with a 2,019-metre-long national flag in a bid to claim a place in the Guinness Book of World Records with world's longest national flag, in Kuwait City, Kuwait. According to media reports, more than 4,000 school students and teachers carried the 2,019-metre-long national flag to claim a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, as part of the Kuwaiti celebrations of the 58th anniversary of the Independence Day. EPA
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, right, meets with Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement leader Ziad Nakhala, left, heading a Palestinian delegation, at the Iranian embassy in southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Zarif arrived in Beirut for an official visit where he will meet with Lebanese officials. EPA
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, right, meets with Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement leader Ziad Nakhala, left, heading a Palestinian delegation, at the Iranian embassy in southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Zarif arrived in Beirut for an official visit where he will meet with Lebanese officials. EPA
Ashraf Saber, who runs a pet motel and shelter, feeds cats at the motel in Giza, Egypt. EPA
Ashraf Saber, who runs a pet motel and shelter, feeds cats at the motel in Giza, Egypt. EPA
Tamer Attallah, left, drummer, Hani El Dakkak, centre, lead singer and guitarist, and Mahmoud Siam, right, guitarist for Egyptian rock band Massar Egbari, warm up in a recording studio in the Egyptian capital Cairo. AFP
Tamer Attallah, left, drummer, Hani El Dakkak, centre, lead singer and guitarist, and Mahmoud Siam, right, guitarist for Egyptian rock band Massar Egbari, warm up in a recording studio in the Egyptian capital Cairo. AFP
An altar boy shakes people’s hands during Sunday service at Mart Shmony Orthodox Church in Erbil, Kurdish region of Iraq. AP
An altar boy shakes people’s hands during Sunday service at Mart Shmony Orthodox Church in Erbil, Kurdish region of Iraq. AP
Palestinians check damage in a demolished house in the village of Walajah, near Bethlehem, West Bank. The Israeli army demolished Palestinian houses in area C, where Palestinians can not get the needed permits to build from Israeli authorities. EPA
Palestinians check damage in a demolished house in the village of Walajah, near Bethlehem, West Bank. The Israeli army demolished Palestinian houses in area C, where Palestinians can not get the needed permits to build from Israeli authorities. EPA
Mohammad Ali, a 28-year-old Canadian extremist captured by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks to AFP at a detention centre in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh. Ali, who joined ISIS in 2014 under the nom de guerre Abu Turab al-Kanadi, was captured while trying to flee north into Turkey with his Canadian wife and two children. AFP
Mohammad Ali, a 28-year-old Canadian extremist captured by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks to AFP at a detention centre in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh. Ali, who joined ISIS in 2014 under the nom de guerre Abu Turab al-Kanadi, was captured while trying to flee north into Turkey with his Canadian wife and two children. AFP

The Middle East framed - regional photography for February 11, 2019

We bring you the best pictures from the Middle East and North Africa

The National

February 11, 2019

  • English
  • Arabic

More galleries from The National:

Who wore what: 24 red carpet looks from the 2019 Grammy Awards

Baftas 2019: The best behind-the-scenes photos from the night

Boeing 747: Marking 50 years of the 'Queen of the Skies'

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

While you're here
The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

While you're here
About Takalam

Date started: early 2020

Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: HealthTech and wellness

Number of staff: 4

Funding to date: Bootstrapped

ANALYSTS’ TOP PICKS OF SAUDI BANKS IN 2019

Analyst: Aqib Mehboob of Saudi Fransi Capital

Top pick: National Commercial Bank

Reason: It will be at the forefront of project financing for government-led projects

 

Analyst: Shabbir Malik of EFG-Hermes

Top pick: Al Rajhi Bank

Reason: Defensive balance sheet, well positioned in retail segment and positively geared for rising rates

 

Analyst: Chiradeep Ghosh of Sico Bank

Top pick: Arab National Bank

Reason: Attractive valuation and good growth potential in terms of both balance sheet and dividends

War and the virus
Rahul Gandhi in UAE:
While you're here
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)

In numbers

Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m

Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’  in Dubai is worth... $600m

China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn

The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn

Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn 

What is tokenisation?

Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets. 

MATCH INFO

First Test at Barbados
West Indies won by 381 runs

Second Test at Antigua
West Indies won by 10 wickets

Third Test at St Lucia
February 9-13

 

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