Several popular resorts on Egypt’s north coast closed their beaches on Friday after a man was injured in an alleged shark attack that caused widespread panic on social media.
A lifeguard working at a popular gated beach resort on the north coast was reportedly performing a routine patrol of the water when he was injured. The man is alive and his wounds have been treated.
The resort’s management quickly reported the incident to the authorities, claiming that two sharks had been sighted in the water. A swimming ban was quickly sent out to all the resort’s residents who were asked to stay out of the water until further investigations could be carried out.
News of a shark attack on the Mediterranean coast began to spread like wildfire, causing shock and panic. Many social media users expressed their surprise, as shark attacks are usually associated with the Red Sea.
In response to the mounting hysteria online, Egypt’s Environment Ministry issued a statement on Friday afternoon explaining that it had received a report of a shark attack and that it had sent a team to investigate the water and to examine the lifeguard’s injuries.
The ministry denied that the man’s injuries were caused by a shark bite, explaining that its medical team had found that the man's wounds had been caused by a sharp metal object and not a shark.
No shark attacks have ever been reported on Egypt’s Mediterranean shores, the ministry said.
Shark attacks are typically seen in the Red Sea, where a German tourist was killed by a shark in 2010.
The ministry urged people not to panic or spread false news about the incident, promising the utmost transparency in its communications. It also said that the waters in the area are being swept to ensure that they are safe for holidaymakers to return.
Beaches in the area will remain closed until further notice.
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Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
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Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
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