With reference to Gillian Duncan's report Coronavirus: UAE pet owners consider abandoning animals over unfounded fears of infection (February 5): some people just don't have a clue and believe everything they read on the internet. Wait and watch as people use this as an "excuse" added to the already long list of pathetic excuses for abandoning their pets.
Emma Schlegel, Dubai
Do they abandon their kids when they get chickenpox then? There's no cure for stupidity.
Jenny Carthy Moore, Dubai
Why are people so ready to abandon pets? Is this just an excuse as the animal is past the cuteness stage? A pet is part of the family.
Mandy Peden, Dubai
I'm a teacher and I was absent last week due to a reaction to a vaccine and felt the need to message parents to be sure they know I don't have coronavirus.
Beverly Newell, Dubai
Arab singing talent that more people need to know about
With reference to Saeed Saeed's piece Why Majida El Roumi is one of the Arab world's most important artists (February 6): love her. Her voice is crystalline and expressive, and the music is so elegant and majestic. She and Mohammed Abdu are a world apart, the last two representing the old style of Arabic music.
Gianmaria Vidale, Abu Dhabi
I am an American expat and I won't trash-talk my president while on foreign soil
With reference to Layla Mashkoor's piece Donald Trump's State of the Union address: Key developments (February 5): I'm an American living as an expatriate in this country, and I love this country and consider it my second home. However as an American, I'm proud of my country. And I refuse to trash-talk any American president while I'm on foreign soil. I believe in keeping my comments in my own country.
Ronda Roylance Seeley, Abu Dhabi
Plane speak: going to have to check more than just the airline before booking
With reference to your report Three dead and 179 injured as Pegasus jet skids off Istanbul runway (February 6): going to have to start seeing what planes we're flying these days. Looks like it's yet another Boeing 737.
Mohamed Ehsan, Abu Dhabi
This is so worrying. My daughter is supposed to fly with them in June. I'm very concerned.
Sally Barnes, Dubai
Let's take steps to keep the mangroves clean
With reference to Janice Rodrigues's piece Jubail Mangrove Park is finally open, so now can we please keep it clean? (February 6): an entrance fee will solve this problem to a certain extent as it will filter random visitors. Also, more security guards are needed. And fines for people who don't comply with the regulations. It's an amazing place to visit but only for the ones who respect nature. For the rest, go to the park and make a barbecue.
Valentina Mircheva, Abu Dhabi
As far as achievers who crossed the desert go …
With regards to Haneen Dajani's story Dubai resident becomes the first man to cross Empty Quarter alone (February 4): this can't be true as Bedouin have been doing it forever.
Nasser Al Kharusi, Abu Dhabi
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
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
How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
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F1 line ups in 2018
Mercedes-GP Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas; Ferrari Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen; Red Bull Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen; Force India Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez; Renault Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr; Williams Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa / Robert Kubica / Paul di Resta; McLaren Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne; Toro Rosso TBA; Haas F1 Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen; Sauber TBA
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
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
RACE CARD
6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Kibsons%20Cares
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