Days after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were widely criticised for taking a private jet, Prince William and Kate have been photographed taking a budget flight with their three children.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were seen taking their three children, Prince George, 6, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, 1, on a FlyBe flight from Norwich to Aberdeen. According to reports, the family were travelling to the Queen’s summer residence, Balmoral Castle.
"We were delighted to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their family on board one of our flights again, this time when they flew from Norwich to Aberdeen on a Flybe flight operated by Eastern Airways," a FlyBe spokeswoman said.
It comes in the same week that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with three-month-old son Archie, took a private jet to the south of France. The family were visiting the home of singer Sir Elton John, who later revealed he paid for the jet.
Critics were quick to call out the family over the jet’s carbon footprint, citing that Meghan and Harry are both outspoken on environmental issues.
Sir Elton, however, was quick to jump to the defense of the couple, saying he was "deeply distressed" by the media criticism. He said he had provided the family with the private plane to "maintain a high level of much-needed precaution".
The singer added that he has a profound sense of obligation to “protect Harry and his family from unnecessary press intrusion” because of his friendship with the royal’s late mother, Princess Diana.
Defending the royals, Sir Elton said that he wanted to support their commitment to environmental causes and had paid to compensate for the carbon impact by donating to charity.
Carbon offsetting works by allowing passengers to invest money in environmental projects such as planting trees to balance out the carbon emissions caused by jet travel.
The singer called on the media to “cease these relentless and untrue assassinations on their character that are spuriously crafted on an almost daily basis”.
Members of the British Royal Family often fly commercially and Prince Harry and Meghan did so when they flew with Qantas in 2018 for their tour of Australia.
Charter planes are often preferred for trips where royals need to stop in multiple countries or destinations or where security could be an issue on a scheduled flight.
SPECS
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Ant-Man%20and%20the%20Wasp%3A%20Quantumania
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Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Terminator: Dark Fate
Director: Tim Miller
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis
Rating: 3/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Book%20Details
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
RESULTS
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Company%C2%A0profile
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Hurricanes 31-31 Lions
Wellington Hurricanes:
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett
British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)
