There are few things more difficult for parents than finding out that their child has a serious illness or disability with a genetic cause. Sadly, it is a scenario that Arab parents have often faced because many congenital conditions are more common in the Middle East than in other parts of the world. Recent work by the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies in Dubai, a division of […]
We apparently now live in an era of “alternative facts”, so it is perhaps not surprising that the alternative-history genre has been making something of a comeback in film and on television in recent years. Ben Wheatley’s film adaptation of J G Ballard’s High-Rise was a surprise indie box-office hit last year, while in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine travelled back in time […]
Data-driven analytics applications are eating the world and transforming every domain. But the world is also being eaten up in a different way by several non-sustainable practices. On Earth Day, we look at what we know about the relation between big data and the environment: how big data is used to measure sustainability and inform action, and what is the impact they have on the environment as […]
It’s been a busy week: Samsung and Google partnered on special version of Google Play Music and White House staffers’ favorite secure messaging app might not be that secure. Oh, and Facebook wants you to talk and listen your skin. Luckily, we’ve kept up for you. Each week, we round up the latest app news, along with a few of our favorite new and updated products, to […]
After sitting through a course in table manners last week, I’m confident I have previously ruined many chances to impress at formal dinners simply because I did not sit down properly or forgot to place my napkin to the left of the plate when I was ready to leave the table. Participants at the Dining Like A Diplomat workshop, organised by the Protocol School of Washington in […]
He broadened his point to argue that much of the chaos gripping the Middle East today was a result of mistrust between communities over historical wrongdoings that no one is willing to confront. “The past is not the past in the Middle East,” he said. “This is the biggest obstacle to peace and stability in the Middle East.” Eric D. Weitz, a history professor at the City […]
Only a minority of the world’s pipelines can be cleaned with pigs like this one. Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto Around one-third of the world’s gas pipelines can be inspected using ‘pipeline pigs’. These cylindrical devices have figured in three James Bond movies, in one case being modified to secretly transport a person across borders. Back in the real world, the problem is that the other two-thirds of the […]
There were five huge boxes sitting at the loading dock of The Poynter Institute yesterday, waiting for the FedEx truck to pick them up. They are filled with more than 125 file boxes containing the literary effects of Donald M. Murray, in my opinion the most influential writing teacher America has ever known. The precious content of those boxes — including 100 of Murray’s experimental daybooks — […]
For some, modding PC games is a step to cybercrime. Image: iStock Cybercriminals are likely to get started young, and the barriers to getting involved with online crime are lower than ever, police have warned. The Pathways into Cybercrime report from the National Crime Agency (NCA) — the UK’s main body in the fight against organised crime — warns that free and off-the-shelf hacking tools, such as […]
Good news! Soon, Gmail users can get their hands on the newest Windows 10 Mail & Calendar apps, according to Microsoft. Windows 10 Mail & Calendar Over the years, Microsoft has worked relentlessly to come with up architectural improvements to enhance and speed up Windows 10 Mail & Calendar apps’ performance. Earlier this year, the company excitedly announced several new features, which included: • Color categories for calendar […]
The welcome After some confusion finding the valet parking service – the entrance is not where you would expect and signage is not straightforward – when I eventually pull up, I am attended to promptly and efficiently. At the reception counter, I’m greeted with a smile, but despite requesting an early check-in and having it confirmed before arrival, the room is not ready. After a 10-minute wait […]
Photo A woman laid flowers at a makeshift memorial in front of the Reina nightclub in Istanbul in January. On April 6, United States Special Operations forces carried out a ground raid in Syria that killed Abdurakhmon Uzbeki, an ISIS militant who had helped plot the attack on the nightclub. Credit Ozan Kose/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images WASHINGTON — United States Special Operations forces carried out a […]
About six months ago, we bought a drone to help us cover stories at the Yakima Herald-Republic, a daily newspaper in Yakima, Washington. We’d seen other people’s drone footage of fires and floods and protests, and wanted to get our own. We knew that a drone had a lot of potential to contribute to our news coverage, but we didn’t know exactly what rules apply to journalists, […]
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for April 22, 2017, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. Ellen Fortini rounds up 10 things to do today in the UAE. Want to see your event listed here? Email us with the details and contact information at [email protected] newslide Al Ain Concert Get tickets […]
It is clear now that from the very start, the hunters’ abduction was linked to the civil war in Syria, which has drawn in regional powers in an increasingly complicated proxy war. On one side of the hostage negotiations were Shiite powers — Iran and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah — which firmly support the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad. On the other were the Sunni powers Qatar […]
Credit: Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Publications Everyone experiences stiff muscles from time to time, whether after a rigorous workout, in cold weather, or after falling asleep in an unusual position. People with cerebral palsy, stroke and multiple sclerosis, however, live with stiff muscles every single day, making everyday tasks such as extending an arm extremely difficult and painful for them. And since there isn’t a foolproof way […]
Lisa Aiken, retail fashion director at Net-a-porter, is currently in the UAE. She was part of a panel discussion in Dubai’s Design District on April 20, with the designers behind Borgo de Nor, Carmen March, Oscar Tiye and Sara Battaglia – brands that are new to Net-a-porter.com this season. Guests varied from emerging local fashion designers to digital influencers and other fashion industry insiders. The discussion aimed […]
Booking a trip can feel like navigating through a maze, with hundreds of thousands of hotels, flight options and combinations to choose from. Which is where online travel agencies come into play. Filtering results as per your selection offers a convenient way to book flight deals and hotel stays that match your budget, date and time requests, as well as your personal preference when it comes to […]
You put the key in the front door, open it, step inside … and you’re home. Here, in the entrance hall, you have the first glimpse of the space in which you live. It’s the first area visitors and guests see, too. And yet the hallway is often neglected, relegated to a thoroughfare not worthy of a well-thought-out decorating plan. But the fact that it’s a functional […]
It’s springtime. Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and love is in the air. That can only mean one thing: It’s time to send pictures of your bits and pieces! If you’ve ever used your phone to send someone special a picture of your thing(s), you’re not alone. Data shows that sexting is a highly popular pastime enjoyed by men and women alike. As you […]
The interiors of Inked at Alserkal Avenue in Al Quoz are reworked and sectioned off into 10 tiny roofless rooms. Behind each door is a different narrative, complete with vivid scenery and at least one actor or dancer. In one, a girl writes down her dreams and hangs each note on an apple tree; in another, a baker describes the secret ingredients in his pastel-coloured, ornately iced […]
Three days ago Arconic’s CEO Klaus Kleinfeld was fired unceremoniously for “showing poor judgment,” in a letter sent to Paul Singer, founder of hedge fund Elliott Management. Elliott has just released the letter and its response which claims Kleinfeld made “veiled suggestions that he might intimidate or extort Mr. Singer” over his behavior at a 2006 soccer match… involving “singing in the rain… in a fountain” and […]
DUBAI // Drones are being tested to lift firefighting equipment on to burning high-rises and locate people trapped inside. The remote-controlled devices would use thermal-imaging cameras to find people and fire flashpoints, and could be used to carry gear to battle blazes from next year, civil defence officials revealed on Wednesday. Tests are being carried out on 15 drones in a special civil defence unit and more […]
Two of the world’s biggest sporting names have been signed up as brand ambassadors by a Dubai-based company. Altitude Mask has announced that it had teamed up with IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale. The sporting stars will promote its line of state of the art resistance masks which are designed to improve endurance and raise levels of fitness by boosting the […]
