Serena Williams announced she is pregnant with her second child at the Met Gala, confirming speculation roused by a TikTok video she posted before the event.
The retired tennis star said she and her husband Alexis Ohanian were “excited” that event chairwoman Anna Wintour had “invited the three of us to the Met Gala".
Later, wearing a custom-fitted Gucci gown, Williams arrived at the event with Ohanian revealing her bump to the world. With a deeply scooped neckline, the dress had sheer sleeves and a white, kick-flare skirt, which she finished with strings of pearls, a signature of Karl Lagerfeld, who was the theme for this year's event.
Having won 23 grand slam titles, Williams retired from professional tennis in September to spend more time with her daughter Olympia, who was born in 2017. Speaking with Vogue at the time, Williams explained how she was “evolving away from tennis” and that she wanted to expand her family.
Williams also launched her own fashion label, S by Serena, in 2018 and has collaborated with Nike on a line of fashion-inspired active wear. The athlete, 41, is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, while her husband Ohanian is an internet entrepreneur and investor, best known for co-founding Reddit.
Also showing off a baby bump at the event was Rihanna, who arrived late with her partner A$AP Rocky. Dressing in a vaguely bridal, camelia-inspired gown and cape, custom-made by Valentino, the singer described how her second pregnancy was a different experience from her first. Speaking with E! she explained how “just everything" had changed the second time around, and that she was experiencing "no cravings and tons of nausea". "I’m enjoying it. I feel good, I feel energetic,” she said. The couple welcomed their first son last year.
Model Karlie Klass also announced her second pregnancy, in a skin-tight black dress by Loewe. Joking with Vogue on the red carpet, Klass said of her bump: “I got a plus one, don’t tell anybody.” Her dress was created by Loewe designer Jonathan Anderson, as a tight-fitting black dress, finished with strands of pearls. It was inspired by a Chanel dress made by Lagerfeld in 1983, that featured trompe-l'œil strings of pearls.
Studying addiction
This month, Dubai Medical College launched the Middle East’s first master's programme in addiction science.
Together with the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, the college offers a two-year master’s course as well as a one-year diploma in the same subject.
The move was announced earlier this year and is part of a new drive to combat drug abuse and increase the region’s capacity for treating drug addiction.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
How to donate
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