If I had children, I would have had CCTV cameras at home as well (Why have CCTV at home at all?, June 11). Too many babies were killed because of blind trust.
Nashwa Hamad, Dubai
I think if there are children at home, CCTV cameras are necessary. Otherwise we don’t need them.
Brigitte von Bulow, Abu Dhabi
Teachers’ pay is too low
I find it ironic that academic jobs have some of the highest entry requirements in terms of qualifications, yet the pay is comparatively poor (The Debt Panel: Abu Dhabi lecturer has not received a pay rise for eight years and owes Dh215,000, June 8).
A salary of Dh26,000 a month isn’t really that much when you consider that an academic is generally expected to have an undergraduate degree, a master’s degree and a doctoral degree.
Add to that the workload that usually extends far outside “normal” working hours, and it’s actually a low salary.
Ben Adamson, Abu Dhabi
Hard to read about tragedy
Being a parent I could not completely read the article, Parents of boy found on Abu Dhabi roof remember 'loving, caring' son (June 6).
My eyes and heart could not control themselves. I deeply sympathise with the parents. This is a loss that can never be recovered. And I hope that the monster is hanged.
Ayaz Khan, Abu Dhabi
I can’t even begin to imagine the parents’ heartache. I’m so sorry. This innocent child has been snatched away from Earth by an absolutely evil wicked monster.
Belinda Wallington, Dubai
I’m so sorry for the loss. My heart goes out to this family. What a vile beast he is to kill a child, and in Ramadan, too. It breaks my heart knowing he died struggling. I offer my condolences and prayers for strength, peace, patience and love for this family.
Feda Jarad, Abu Dhabi
As appalling as this incident is in every sense and a nightmare for me and every parent out there, there is a dire need of making it convenient for labourers to live with their families.
Their wages should be increased and monitored, living conditions should be improved and they should be encouraged to live with their wives and children.
They are humans, not robots, and we cannot shut our eyes to their inhumane living conditions in certain cases that affect their mental health. This is a huge issue and punishing the rapists won’t solve it. What about those people who consider death as the only freedom from their hard lives?
Joveria Shah, Dubai
Want to know more on region
The list of books you have provided is great (Best books 2017: our guide to the perfect summer reads, June 9). Do you have a recommendation for a book about the Arabian region’s history and archaeology? I always feel intrigued by the amazing cultures that survived and thrived in the desert for so many generations.
I also wonder what kind of people lived in the region when its topography was different and how it slowly changed.
Name withheld by request
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
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
more from Janine di Giovanni
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
