• Police officers are seen in-front of protesters, as they continue to throw stones and block roads during mass protests after preliminary results were released in Conakry. Guinea. AFP
    Police officers are seen in-front of protesters, as they continue to throw stones and block roads during mass protests after preliminary results were released in Conakry. Guinea. AFP
  • A Hindu devotee takes a selfie as priests perform traditional prayers in front of the idol of ten-handed Hindu Goddess Durga during the 'Durga Puja' festival in Chennai, India. AFP
    A Hindu devotee takes a selfie as priests perform traditional prayers in front of the idol of ten-handed Hindu Goddess Durga during the 'Durga Puja' festival in Chennai, India. AFP
  • Royalist supporters wait to catch a glimpse of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn as he heads to the Grand Palace for a Buddhist ceremony for the late king Chulalongkorn in Bangkok. AFP
    Royalist supporters wait to catch a glimpse of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn as he heads to the Grand Palace for a Buddhist ceremony for the late king Chulalongkorn in Bangkok. AFP
  • Tonantzin Guerrero is dressed as a "Catrina" to perform in a play promoting the upcoming Day of the Dead holiday, in the Xochimilco borough of Mexico City. AP Photo
    Tonantzin Guerrero is dressed as a "Catrina" to perform in a play promoting the upcoming Day of the Dead holiday, in the Xochimilco borough of Mexico City. AP Photo
  • A man is silhouetted against mist caused from police water cannon used to disperse anti-government demonstrators protesting over inequality in Santiago, Chile. AP Photo
    A man is silhouetted against mist caused from police water cannon used to disperse anti-government demonstrators protesting over inequality in Santiago, Chile. AP Photo
  • US President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives for a campaign rally at The Villages Polo Club in The Villages, Florida, US. Reuters
    US President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives for a campaign rally at The Villages Polo Club in The Villages, Florida, US. Reuters
  • A man feeds seagulls as he stands on the banks of Yamuna river, on a smoggy morning in New Delhi, India. Reuters
    A man feeds seagulls as he stands on the banks of Yamuna river, on a smoggy morning in New Delhi, India. Reuters
  • A 16th-century Ottoman dagger and a Mughal hilted dagger go on view at Sotheby's in London, England. Getty Images
    A 16th-century Ottoman dagger and a Mughal hilted dagger go on view at Sotheby's in London, England. Getty Images
  • People buy flowers ahead of the Hindu Navaratri festival in Bangalore, India. EPA
    People buy flowers ahead of the Hindu Navaratri festival in Bangalore, India. EPA
  • Repsol Honda Team's Spanish rider Alex Marquez takes a curve during the first free practice session of the MotoGP race of the Grand Prix of Teruel at the Motorland circuit in Alcaniz. AFP
    Repsol Honda Team's Spanish rider Alex Marquez takes a curve during the first free practice session of the MotoGP race of the Grand Prix of Teruel at the Motorland circuit in Alcaniz. AFP

World in focus - best photos for October 24, 2020


  • English
  • Arabic

More galleries from The National:

Egypt upgrades visitor experience at Giza pyramids site

A year lived differently: 8 photos from National Geographic Abu Dhabi's competition

What Audi's Q7 lacks in speed, it makes up for in serene space

The Birkin bag is made by Hermès. 
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Ottewill-Soulsby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrinceton%20University%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E392%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJuly%2011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km

Price: from Dh285,000

On sale: from January 2022 

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Results

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1hr 32mins 03.897sec

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) at 0.745s

3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 37.383s

4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 46.466s

5.Sergio Perez (Red Bull-Honda) 52.047s

6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59.090s

7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1:06.004

8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) 1:07.100

9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:25.692

10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:26.713,

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.

The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.

However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.

Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.