Debris from a passing alien spacecraft or a sculpture put there by a mischievous artist a decade ago? While ufologists and conspiracy theorists were this week debating what the Utah monolith – a silver pillar that mysteriously appeared in the US desert last month – actually is, an "unknown party" removed the object, and got the world talking about it yet again.
“We have received credible reports that the illegally installed structure, referred to as the 'monolith' has been removed from Bureau of Land Management public lands by an unknown party,” the US Bureau of Land Management agency said in a Facebook statement. “The BLM did not remove the structure, which is considered private property.”
The exact location of the monolith hadn't been disclosed to the public, to prevent visitors from becoming stranded in the remote area, but people found it – and posed with it – anyway.
The New York Times reported an Instagram post by the Utah Department of Public Safety, which declared: "It's gone! Almost as quickly as it appeared, it has now disappeared," adding, one "can only speculate", alongside the alien emoji. The post has since been removed.
But while this mystery seems to have lasted no more than a fortnight, other unsolved conundrums have endured for over 100 years and counting.
Here are five to keep you up at night…
1. The Voynich manuscript
The manuscript is an illustrated, handwritten codex scribed in a writing system and language seemingly unknown to anyone on Earth. Written on vellum (fine parchment made from calfskin), which has been carbon-dated back to the early 15th century, experts believe it is Italian in origin. It is named after Wilfrid Voynich, the Polish book dealer who bought it in 1912.
Cryptographers throughout history have had a crack at the manuscript, which still has 240 of its remaining pages intact, with both American and UK codebreakers from the First and Second World Wars drafted in to make sense of the script ... but it has so far eluded decrypting.
2. The disappearance of the Flannan Isle lightkeepers
What happened to the three lighthouse keepers of Flannan Isle in the Outer Hebrides off the coast of Scotland in 1900?
On December 7, James Ducat, Thomas Marshall and William MacArthur alighted on the island to look after the lighthouse for a two-week shift. However, on December 15, the steamer ship Archtor recorded something amiss. Sailing past in foggy weather, the captain made a note that said lighthouse was without light.
Owing to adverse weather, no relief vessel could reach the island until December 26. When the rescuers arrived, they found the lighthouse locked, the clocks stopped and, strangely, the men's waterproof gear inside … but no lighthouse keepers. No bodies were ever found.
3. 'Kryptos'
Another code no one has been able to crack is the fourth one on Kryptos, the coded sculpture that stands outside the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Created by US artist Jim Sanborn and unveiled in 1990, the sculpture has eluded even the brightest minds at the Central Intelligence Agency, who have not been able to break the final code that Sanborn carved into the copper and granite piece. The first three, however, have been solved over the years by computer scientists and members of the CIA and National Security Agency.
Back in 2006, Sanborn revealed that the answers to the first three passages contain clues to the fourth, but as of yet, no one has been able to solve it. Fitting, really, as the name "Kryptos" comes from the ancient Greek word for "hidden".
4. The mystery of the 'USS Cyclops'
On February 16, 1918, the USS Cyclops, a Proteus-class collier built for the US Navy before the First World War, left Barbados with 306 passengers and crew. Bound for Baltimore in the US, she was never seen again. As the ship was travelling during wartime, it was assumed she had been the victim of German U-boats, as she had been carrying 11,000 tonnes of manganese ore, which is used to produce munitions.
However, German authorities at the time, and ever since, have denied they had anything to do with the disappearance of the vessel. The USS Cyclops had travelled through the Bermuda Triangle after leaving Barbados, and remains the single largest loss of life in US naval history, not involving combat.
5. The Dyatlov Pass incident
Many theories have been put forward as to what happened on the slopes of the Ural Mountains on the night of February 1, 1959, which resulted in the bodies of nine experienced Russian hikers being found under inexplicable circumstances. But nothing conclusive has ever emerged, despite numerous investigations.
It has been established that during the evening of February 1, something occurred that led the men to tear their way out of their tents and race from their campsite wearing inadequate clothing in sub-zero temperatures.
Soviet authorities determined that six died from hypothermia, while of the other three, one had a fractured skull and the other two had major chest fractures.
The investigation concluded that a “compelling natural force” had caused the deaths, although there was no evidence of an avalanche. Other theories that have been put forward over the years include animal attack, infrasound-induced panic, katabatic wind, military involvement or human attack.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
SUZUME
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FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Brackets denote aggregate score
Tuesday:
Roma (1) v Shakhtar Donetsk (2), 11.45pm
Manchester United (0) v Sevilla (0), 11.45pm
Wednesday:
Besiktas (0) v Bayern Munich (5), 9pm
Barcelona (1) v Chelsea (1), 11.45pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera
Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas
SERIES SCHEDULE
First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6
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The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Mountain Classification Tour de France after Stage 8 on Saturday:
- 1. Lilian Calmejane (France / Direct Energie) 11
- 2. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana) 10
- 3. Daniel Martin (Ireland / Quick-Step) 8
- 4. Robert Gesink (Netherlands / LottoNL) 8
- 5. Warren Barguil (France / Sunweb) 7
- 6. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 6
- 7. Guillaume Martin (France / Wanty) 6
- 8. Jan Bakelants (Belgium / AG2R) 5
- 9. Serge Pauwels (Belgium / Dimension Data) 5
- 10. Richie Porte (Australia / BMC Racing) 4
RESULTS
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Brraq, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Taamol, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Eqtiraan, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Soft Whisper, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Etisalat, Sando Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
The biog
Name: Mariam Ketait
Emirate: Dubai
Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language
Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown
Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
