• Cairo during a sandstorm. Asmaa Waguih / Reuters
    Cairo during a sandstorm. Asmaa Waguih / Reuters
  • A man and a woman ride on a motorcycle over a bridge in Cairo. Asmaa Waguih / Reuters
    A man and a woman ride on a motorcycle over a bridge in Cairo. Asmaa Waguih / Reuters
  • Egypt’s Cairo International Airport was briefly closed to arrivals late Tuesday. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo
    Egypt’s Cairo International Airport was briefly closed to arrivals late Tuesday. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo
  • An Egyptian couple walk seek shelter under a bridge during the sandstorm. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo
    An Egyptian couple walk seek shelter under a bridge during the sandstorm. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo
  • Egyptian fishermen on the Nile. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo
    Egyptian fishermen on the Nile. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo
  • A mosque’s minaret through the haze. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo
    A mosque’s minaret through the haze. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo
  • An Egyptian man covers his face. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo
    An Egyptian man covers his face. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo
  • Cairo during the sand storm. Mohamed Abd El Ghany / Reuters
    Cairo during the sand storm. Mohamed Abd El Ghany / Reuters
  • A man walks on the promenade near the Nile. Mohamed Abd El Ghany / Reuters
    A man walks on the promenade near the Nile. Mohamed Abd El Ghany / Reuters
  • Lebanese workers repair a section of Beirut's corniche which was damaged by strong and high waves. Hussein Malla / AP Photo
    Lebanese workers repair a section of Beirut's corniche which was damaged by strong and high waves. Hussein Malla / AP Photo
  • Seagulls fly over waves during a stormy weather off the shore of the Beirut. Joseph Eid / AFP Photo
    Seagulls fly over waves during a stormy weather off the shore of the Beirut. Joseph Eid / AFP Photo
  • Waves hit fishing boats in Beirut. Hussein Malla / AP Photo
    Waves hit fishing boats in Beirut. Hussein Malla / AP Photo
  • The Middle East is being hit with a storm that has brought heavy winds, rain and snow to Lebanon's mountains. Hussein Malla / AP Photo
    The Middle East is being hit with a storm that has brought heavy winds, rain and snow to Lebanon's mountains. Hussein Malla / AP Photo

Sandstorm roars through the Middle East — in pictures


  • English
  • Arabic

A sandstorm roared through the Levant on Wednesday, sending powerful waves tearing into Beirut’s famed Corniche along the Mediterranean Sea.

The sandstorm, made up of accumulated dust carried from the far reaches of the Sahara Desert in North Africa, also engulfed Cairo for a second day. High winds lashed those on the streets, causing some to walk In Beirut, strong waves broke fences, tiles and tore away part of its corniche overlooking the Mediterranean. The storm also brought heavy winds, rain and snow to the mountains. Lebanese weather forecasters said the wind reached speeds of 100 kilometres per hour.

On Tuesday, the strong sandstorm first reached Egypt, temporarily closing Cairo International Airport to incoming flights. The weather front also caused strong waves to crash into the coast and saw Egypt close two of its seaports.

The sandstorm hit Egypt after unusually warm and sunny weather for a February day. Such sandstorms are common in Egypt this time of year.

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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEric%20Barbier%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYoussef%20Hajdi%2C%20Nadia%20Benzakour%2C%20Yasser%20Drief%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now

Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.

The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.

1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):

a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33

b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.

2. For those who have worked more than five years

c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.

Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.

Seven tips from Emirates NBD

1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details

2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet

3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details

4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure

5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs  (one-time passwords) with third parties

6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies

7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately

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

Gulf Under 19s final

Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

While you're here
THE DETAILS

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Director: Ron Howard

2/5

If you go

The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.

The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.

ENGLAND SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope 
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold 
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph 
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck

Abu Dhabi traffic facts

Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road

The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.

Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.

The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.

Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019

 

The Florida Project

Director: Sean Baker

Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe

Four stars

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The story in numbers

18

This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens

450,000

More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps

1.5 million

There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m

73

The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association

18,000

The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme

77,400

The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study

4,926

This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee

The biog

Favourite colour: Brown

Favourite Movie: Resident Evil

Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices

Favourite food: Pizza

Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon

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