With regards to your article, Air conditioning complaints go ignored by Abu Dhabi property bosses (July 28), I thought we were trying to cut down on energy consumption, going green and saving the environment. How is 18 degrees in an apartment environmentally conscious?
Our villa never goes below 25 degrees. In fact, we usually have only one AC unit cooling the entire place. And this is not because we can't afford otherwise. Rather, we got our bodies used to the warm temperatures.
Wear shorts and light cotton shirts, stay barefoot, drink lots of water, and accept being a little sweaty. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as you shower regularly. How do people from the tropical subcontinent cope? How did people here cope only a few decades ago when there was little air conditioning?
By the way, we also do not wash dishes under running water, do not use plastic bags when we go shopping, and try to recycle as much of our waste as possible. We all have to do our part to save the environment.
Rita Amer, Dubai
Better ways to get to school
Concerning your article, Illegal taxis make driving school access easier for Abu Dhabi students (July 28), many students who want to learn how to drive already pay top money for the lessons and often struggle to pay the fees.
When you add in the cost of taxis to the driving classes, the cost is prohibitive.
I think we need buses to help shuttle drivers to these lessons. We should help these honest driving school students who are genuinely trying their best to learn the rules of driving here.
Brigitte von Bulow, Abu Dhabi
The government should offer free buses to the training centre for the simple reason that people who are going to get their driving lessons can’t drive a car.
I always found it strange that the centre for learning driving is located far outside of the Abu Dhabi city centre. Could we not find a suitable location that is more convenient for most people?
Bara Reed, Abu Dhabi
Making public transport better
Your editorial, Carrot and stick approach to car use (July 28) got me thinking about how I use a car on a daily basis. The bottom line is that little would encourage me to get out of my car because public transport is not up to par.
It would take me three times longer to get around if I didn't have a car. Once the system becomes quicker and has more options, then I will be ready to make the switch to public transport.
John Paravalos, Dubai
I agree with the idea that public transport is more attractive but only if there are separate public transport lanes on all roads so that they don't sit stuck in the traffic.
I would love to sell my car and save the cash. Public transport also provides chances to meet others and socialise, something this city desperately needs as more and more folks come in and segregate themselves in their own communities. Additionally, I have time to read, watch a show or eat while commuting. A winning situation for all.
George Kuruvilla, Dubai
I use and like the Dubai metro but usually I require a cab at the other end to complete my journey. This costs money and I often don't understand the bus routes, which could provide a cheaper option.
As long as petrol is below 10 dirhams a litre I am saving money compared with the UK prices that I am used to. Above all else, the car is still more convenient for now.
Brett Pearson, Dubai
Food safety is still a concern
I have read your stimulating report UAE scientists join fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria (July 27) with great interest. I want to suggest that we closely look at food standards on a variety of imported foods.
The primary issue with frozen foods, especially shrimp, which are generally farmed in Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan and are readily available in all supermarkets, is that they are full of antibiotics of questionable provenance.In the US, for example, these sorts of shrimp are not imported and inspections are made at the facilities to ensure the farmers don’t use harmful antibiotics because consumption leads to the issue described in your article.
Ultimately, this is an issue that extends far beyond shrimp and I am happy to see that scientists here are reviewing the matter because it affects us all.
Wael El Dasher, Abu Dhabi
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
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The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The Laughing Apple
Yusuf/Cat Stevens
(Verve Decca Crossover)
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
Bournemouth 0
Manchester United 2
Smalling (28'), Lukaku (70')
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
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
