Flamingo breeding activity has increased by 12 per cent. Courtesy: Environment Agency Abu Dhabi
Flamingo breeding activity has increased by 12 per cent. Courtesy: Environment Agency Abu Dhabi
Flamingo breeding activity has increased by 12 per cent. Courtesy: Environment Agency Abu Dhabi
Flamingo breeding activity has increased by 12 per cent. Courtesy: Environment Agency Abu Dhabi

Flamingos in Abu Dhabi: are the birds thriving because humans backed off?


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With reference to Anna Zacharias's report Abu Dhabi flamingos enjoy record breeding season as nature benefits from Covid-19 restrictions (July 21): this is probably due to the fact that people have not been disturbing the colony since March.

Janet Humphrey, Abu Dhabi 

Parents in two minds over schools having pupils wear masks

With reference to Gillian Duncan's report Abu Dhabi pupils to wear masks as authorities set out new school rules (July 21): it is easier to just keep the children at home and homeschool them.

Saif Omar Al Suwaidi, Abu Dhabi

I think secretly parents are hoping online classes will continue. The stress of sending children to formal school as of now is way too high.

Monika Arora Agarwal, Dubai 

Teachers will need all the luck trying to get the pupils under 10 to follow social distancing rules and wear masks for the entire day. I cannot picture these poor children playing at 1.5m spacing. I don't see how it can happen.

Aashiq Kumandan, Al Ain

UAE enters the history books for launching Mars probe

With reference to Sarwat Nasir's article UAE joins elite space race nations as Mars probe makes first contact (July 20): this is truly a spectacular feat all the more so given the challenging year it has been for the world. For such a young nation to launch this probe and embark on a 200-day journey to the Red Planet is the result of a great vision. It was wonderful to read about the UAE's leadership complimenting the young engineers and technical people for their contribution to accomplish this in such a short span. It is a historic occasion. It was wonderful to read about the UAE's leadership complimenting the young engineers and technical people for their contribution to accomplish this in such a short span. It is a historic occasion. Kudos to the UAE for making it happen.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India

A day's earnings for Jeff Bezos could help millions

With reference to the report Amazon's Jeff Bezos adds record $13bn to his wealth in one day (July 21): it is amazing to think that his one day's earnings can rescue a small country in these challenging times.

Mirey Kara Dantziguian, Beirut, Lebanon 

Kanye West's meltdown is a red flag and should be taken seriously

With reference to the report Presidential run in jeopardy as Kanye West says wife tried 'to lock me up' (July 21): this video is uncomfortable to watch. It is not to be taken lightly. His breakdown evidently shows him suffering from mental health issues. That he's having an episode so publicly is hurtful to watch. Hope he checks in to a hospital and gets the help he needs.

Amina Bashir, London, UK

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

EPL's youngest
  • Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
    15 years, 181 days old
  • Max Dowman (Arsenal)
    15 years, 235 days old
  • Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
    15 years, 271 days old
  • Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
    16 years, 30 days old
  • Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
    16 years, 68 days old
Prop idols

Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.

Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)

An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.

----

Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)

Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.

----

Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)

Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Pathaan
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Thor: Ragnarok

Dir: Taika Waititi

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson

Four stars

TICKETS

Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

MATCH INFO

Tottenham Hotspur 0 Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 55')

Man of the Match Allan (Everton)

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.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

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.

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Company%20Profile
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