May 15 is Nakba Day, which commemorates when Palestinians were forcefully removed from their homes after the formation of Israel in 1948.
The Nakba – or “catastrophe” – marks a devastating watershed moment in Palestinian history, one that has taken on deeper poignancy in light of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip.
Various symbols of solidarity have since emerged, motifs that represent the many facets of Palestinian culture, from the watermelon to tatreez embroidery. Arguably, none is more potent than the keffiyeh, or checked scarf.
Origins and early use
While the distinctive patterning is indelibly linked to Palestinian nationalism today, the keffiyeh can be traced back to Mesopotamia circa 3100 BC, when it was worn by Sumerian men to denote high status and priesthood.
The Bedouin headscarf is thought to take its name from the Iraqi city of Kufa, where it reappeared in the 7th century. The keffiyeh has since been adopted across many Arab cultures, including in Saudi Arabia and Syria. Sometimes spelt kuffiyah, the headscarf has various regional names, including ghutra and shemagh.
In Palestine, it was predominately worn by farm workers as protection against the sun, but that changed during the 1936-1939 Arab revolt when Palestinians rose up against British rule. Realising the British could easily identify protesters by their distinctive headdress, the scarf was taken up by people from all walks of life – including women and the upper class – to give rioters some anonymity.
Thus the keffiyeh shifted from something practical to become a symbol of protest and resistance.
Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation from 1969 to 2004 and president of the Palestinian National Authority from 1994 to 2004, made a point of wearing the keffiyeh every day, even going as far as to painstakingly fold and drape it in the shape of Palestine.
Authenticity and retail
While many shops the world over sell black and white, or red and white, checked scarves and call them keffiyehs, it is worth noting that a vast number have no direct links to Palestine, but rather have been made by the million in China and Vietnam. For those searching for an authentic scarf that helps ensure the survival of artisans and Palestinian families and businesses, it is worth doing some research and buying only from verified companies.
In Palestine itself, only one keffiyeh factory remains today. The Hirbawi factory in Hebron was founded in 1961, but has since faced declining sales due to fast fashion imitations. It was struggling to stay afloat as recently as August 2022, but since the war began in October 2023, there has been a surge in interest from those looking to purchase an authentic keffiyeh. Hirbawi is so inundated with orders that customers are now facing a four-month wait for their scarves.
In neighbouring Jordan lies Al Bulbul, run by a Palestinian family. The mill started out making keffiyehs in Jericho in the 1950s, but had to relocate to Amman in the 1960s. Like Hirbawi, it has been inundated with orders, with many websites that stock its wares noting the scarves are sold out.
SEP (Social Enterprise Project) is another keffiyeh company of note. It has been working with Palestinian refugees in the Jerash camp since 2014, employing them to hand-embroider the scarves. The sales have provided work to some 500 people so far. In January 2024, SEP joined forces with menswear brand GMBH, to hand-embroider a suit jacket made from a red and white keffiyeh.
Controversy and revival
The scarf continues to be divisive. Earlier this year, the Museum of the Moving Image in New York ran into hot water when it refused entry to two visitors wearing keffiyehs, a move it later described as a “mistake”. Multiple fashion companies, from Fendi to Asos, have faced criticism in recent years for appropriating the keffiyeh without crediting its history or employing Palestinians artisans.
In America, the scarf is being worn by students protesting the genocide in Gaza, with sit-ins and blockades shutting down or disrupting more than 130 universities. These protests have also taken place at campuses in Australia, UK, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and Ireland.
In Malmo, three Palestinian brothers born and raised in the Swedish city, recently released Palestine Cola. The drink – orders for which have already topped four million – is meant to rival US brands Coca-Cola and Pepsi, which some have boycotted for their perceived links to Israel.
On its can? The Palestinian keffiyeh design, and the words “liberty for everyone”, underlining the founders' message – and the keffiyeh's connotation – that, regardless of ethnicity and religion, everybody has the right to freedom.
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Soldier F
“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.
“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.
“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”
Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Need to know
When: October 17 until November 10
Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration
Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center
What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.
For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
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Fight card
1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)
4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)
5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)
6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)
9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)
10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)
11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
New schools in Dubai
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
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The years Ramadan fell in May
