The women cowered behind a flimsy bedroom door. One of them dialed 911. Another clutched a stubby kitchen knife. Continue reading the main story Since leaving the corps in 2012, Siatta had been unable to switch off the habits of war. He was hypervigilant and struggled to relax. He watched people, sizing them up and scanning for threats. In the varying situations of everyday life, he constantly […]
SEOUL North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Sunday that the isolated nuclear-capable country was close to test-launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). “Research and development of cutting edge arms equipment is actively progressing and ICBM rocket test launch preparation is in its last stage,” Kim said during a televised New Year’s Day speech. North Korea tested ballistic missiles at an unprecedented rate during 2016, although […]
New Year’s Eve 2016 is a gig tailor made for Coldplay. The uplifting vibe inherent to nearly all of the British group’s oeuvre was sorely needed in what was a tumultuous year, both internationally and in the region. Back in the capital five years after their New Year’s Eve show on the Corniche, the Chris Martin led four-piece provided the closure fans craved. Coldplay also quickly dispelled […]
DUBAI // UAE leaders hailed the beginning of a new year promising progress as hundreds of thousands of Emiratis and people from around the world celebrated the arrival of 2017 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and across the country. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid expressed pride for challenges that were overcome and achievements accomplished last year. The Vice President and Ruler of Dubai said he looked forward to the […]
CAIRO Egypt began on Saturday handing over to their families the bodies of those who died when EgyptAir flight MS804 crashed into the Mediterranean in May with the loss of 66 passengers and crew, the state news agency MENA reported. The remains of crew members were handed over on Saturday, with the handover of Egyptian, French and other foreign passengers expected to begin on Sunday. Among those […]
Alison Shan Price, the CEO and founder of the One World Actors Centre (OWAC) in Kuwait has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list. Having been involved in theatre since she was five, Price has been in Kuwait for years, running OWAC with her daughter Eleni Rebecca, the managing director and chief choreographer, alongside a large team of artists. The British Government said Price […]
Social media firm Snap Inc may be the highest profile tech IPO planned for 2017, with the potential to raise billions. But more than a dozen expected stock offerings of relatively obscure software firms targeting business customers – little-known names such as Apttus, Tintri and Okta – could be just as important in thawing a long-frozen IPO market, according to investment bankers and advisers who work on […]
BEIJING There is no space for Hong Kong independence in the “one country, two systems” agreement under which Beijing governs the former British colony, but there can be tolerance for differences in their systems, a senior Chinese official said. Chinese leaders are increasingly concerned about a fledgling independence movement in Hong Kong, which returned to mainland rule in 1997 with a promise of autonomy known as “one […]
Two beauty queens with links to the Gulf have won the latest season of The Amazing Race Asia. After they returned from filming The Amazing Race Asia last summer, Maggie Wilson-Consunji and Parul Shah could barely contain their excitement. “Don’t let our invisible crowns fool you. We are beauty-queen fighting machines,” they told their fans on social media. “We are scared but also super excited. We cannot […]
UAE-based Azizi Developments on Thursday said it was to press on with plans to launch 50 new developments in 2017, which will comprise residential, commercial and retail space, following talks with Dubai Land Department. The developer said in a statement that it discussed Dubai’s economic situation, the current market conditions and predictions for the upcoming year as well as regulatory changes. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Saeed […]
By Yashaswini Swamynathan Wall Street aimed to end 2016 on a positive note, setting up the Dow for its best annual performance since 2013 amid increasing optimism about the outlook for the economy. The markets have shown surprising resilience to major political events, such as Britain’s vote in June to leave the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president in November. U.S. stocks, […]
A team of researchers made a significant breakthrough which will help patients with heart problems all over the world. The scientists managed to create synthetic stem cells, which can help the heart tissue regenerate just as well as normal stem cells, while also avoiding the complications associated with them. Promising Results A team of American and Chinese researchers joined efforts in order to provide a better treatment […]
As we live through it, every year seems packed with significant events and key players who, for better or worse, seize our attention on the world stage. But as 2016 draws to a close and the white noise of 24-hour news cycles and transient Twitter storms fades into the background, it is already clear that history will remember only a handful of those people, each of whom […]
The Singapore government has invested significant resources and efforts in building up a thriving startup environment, but its inhabitants must now take risks and look beyond local shores. Jeffrey Paine, general partner at Golden Gate Ventures, believed Singapore’s startup scene had progressed well over the last six to eight years. He said a number of successful startups had grown and executed well in the region, as well […]
Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 29 December, 2016 The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), based in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is providing a US $5 million financing support for construction of a solar power plant which is expected to contribute to the sustainability and financial resource optimization of the “King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) Expansion Project” in Jordan. The approval came during the 316th meeting of […]
A poll of 60 staff members of The National resulted in useful travel hacks, such as low-fare flights with flexible date options, hassle-free packing, and convenient add-ons, that can make your holiday a more cheerful, potentially cheaper experience. newslide Be flexible The prices of flights and hotel rooms varies a lot depending on demand, so compare prices, choose less busy dates and even be willing to alter […]
Long-running Broadway musical Cats will be staged at the Qatar National Convention Center from February 1 to 4 2017, organisers have revealed. Tickets for the show have gone on sale at Virgin Megastore and online outlets with prices ranging from $41 (QR150) to $330 (QR1,200). The award-winning musical is based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, and includes popular hits such as Memory and […]
From an architecture pioneer to legends of screens, music and stage , the Arab world has lost its share of icons and stars in 2016. Here are some of those who we bid farewell to. Zaha Hadid October 31 1950 – March 31 2016 Born in Baghdad, Iraq, the award winning Iraqi-British architect pushed architectural boundaries with her designs and broke new grounds for female architects in […]
Jamillah Ali, daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, visited Qatar on Monday for a private tour of an exhibition dedicated to the champion’s life and career. Ali, who is one of the boxer’s nine children, visited the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha where the exhibition, Muhammad Ali: Tribute to a Legend, is being staged. The exhibition, which was launched in July, displays 22 artefacts, including signed […]
On the other were Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Trump, firing back at what they deemed a hypocritical betrayal of America’s closest friend in the Middle East. Continue reading the main story If Mr. Obama and Mr. Kerry were playing for history, Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Trump were playing for time. The departing administration intended for the speech to lay out a path to peace that they had […]
MANILA Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened corrupt government officials with the prospect of being thrown out of a helicopter mid-air, warning he has done it himself before and had no qualms about doing it again. The fiery-tempered former prosecutor said he once hurled a Chinese man suspected of rape and murder out of a helicopter. “If you are corrupt, I will fetch you using a helicopter […]
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella says there are no indications that would prompt the declaration of martial law. KING RODRIGUEZ/ Presidential Photo The recent bombings in Leyte and North Cotabato are not “indicators” for a possible declaration of martial law, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said on Thursday. Abella said the separate bombings Wednesday night in Hilongos, Leyte, and Aleosan, Cotabato, were “areas of concern” but were not cause […]
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for December 29, 2016, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. newslide Abu Dhabi Fitness event Take part in the vertical training at TrainZSC, presented by Daman Activelife, and run the 884 stairs of the National Stadium for a fun cardio workout. Or take advantage of […]
Noise originating from the coherent nature of laser light is the scourge of digital holography, always causing holographic images to be of lower quality than conventional photographs. Now scientists have practically eliminated this noise by using a two-stage algorithm. The output obtained exhibited both qualitative and quantitative improvement over recently developed de-noising techniques. In particular, the algorithm reduced noise in background regions by 98 percent and in […]
