With regard to Ayesha Almazroui's opinion piece (Bad driving is bad driving, except when it isn't, February 9), I have just returned to Australia after living in Al Ain for six years.
I loved living in the UAE but as an adviser working for the Abu Dhabi Education Council, I was on the roads daily, visiting schools all over the city and in the desert. Each afternoon, I would let out a huge sigh of relief when I returned home safely.
I now drive in Queensland, where there are much busier highways but my immediate impression is that the vast majority of drivers do not speed – 20 kph over the speed limit is not allowed – indicate when changing lanes, are generally patient and do not tailgate, flash their headlights, or honk the horn.
There are always exceptions, of course, but speeding is the exception here. It is not the norm.
I wonder how driving practices in the UAE went so wrong? Where did the aggressive and arrogant attitude come from?
I do not believe ADHD is the reason. This is not why there is arrogance and aggression on the roads. Instead of finding excuses, we need to find workable solutions for the UAE and these must start with young people, even before they start driving.
It is difficult to change attitudes that have been allowed to set in. But you can work on those who are yet to be drivers.
Jenny Campbell, Australia
It would help if those who comment on this article read it first. The author makes a salient point that there is a lack of mental health data in the UAE.
The terrible driving culture is intolerable and inexcusable, but a survey would be interesting. It would help identify and treat mental health disorders that contribute to the problem.
Paul O Driscoll, UK
I do not approve of blaming bad driving on diseases and disorders.
Recently we were told that it was diabetic drivers who were getting into accidents and now you report that it is the ADHD-afflicted. What illness is next? Arthritis? Chronic fatigue? Gastritis? The main cause of accidents on UAE roads is speeding and reckless driving, not disease.
Dambar Basnet, Abu Dhabi
BJP spurned for overconfidence
Your story, Anti -Graft party scores landslide win in Delhi (February 11), indicates the confidence that the people of Delhi feel towards the anti-corruption Aam Aadmi (common man) Party.
The Bharatiya Janata Party was overconfident and underestimated the opposition caused by failing to do things such as implement women’s safety laws.
The BJP is not reaching the common man, which I think is the main reason for this defeat.
This result is a wake-up call for all political parties about never underestimating people power.
K Ragavan, India
Nepalese charity an inspiring tale
With regard to your story, UAE mothers raise money to build school for Nepalese children (February 11), I wish these women the best of luck in their endeavour.
During a recent trip to Nepal, we recently visited a school in a remote village outside Kathmandu and donated directly. Many of the children were orphans but I suspected that the money given to charities would never reach them.
Winter was coming but most of the children didn’t even have shoes. The small donation we made enabled the administrators to buy new shoes, clothing and school material for almost a hundred students. The principal sent us photographs to show what our money had achieved.
A few hundred dollars was only a little bit of money for us but it went a long way in Nepal.
Name withheld by request
I would like to thank these women.
Nepal has so many natural resources but we are poor because of our corrupt leaders.
Dambar Basnet, Abu Dhabi
I salute these women for raising funds for deprived Nepalese schoolchildren.
I wish them luck in their future endeavours and hope they all enjoy even more success.
Lokendra Rai, Dubai
A rock to show a penguin in love
Your news article, Penguin proposes at Ski Dubai, just in time for Valentine's Day (February 11), omits an important point: did she accept?
Jo Alf, Dubai
How cute is this? I will have to take myself to see these penguins.
Sammy Constance, Abu Dhabi
I was banking on this being Tiffany and company pebbles.
Dambar Basnet, Abu Dhabi
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
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
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
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
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Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
Company%20Profile
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Guns N’ Roses’s last gig before Abu Dhabi was in Hong Kong on November 21. We were there – and here’s what they played, and in what order. You were warned.
- It’s So Easy
- Mr Brownstone
- Chinese Democracy
- Welcome to the Jungle
- Double Talkin’ Jive
- Better
- Estranged
- Live and Let Die (Wings cover)
- Slither (Velvet Revolver cover)
- Rocket Queen
- You Could Be Mine
- Shadow of Your Love
- Attitude (Misfits cover)
- Civil War
- Coma
- Love Theme from The Godfather (movie cover)
- Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb cover)
- Wish You Were Here (instrumental Pink Floyd cover)
- November Rain
- Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
- Nightrain
Encore:
- Patience
- Don’t Cry
- The Seeker (The Who cover)
- Paradise City
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
Results
STAGE
1 . Filippo Ganna (Ineos) - 0:13:56
2. Stefan Bissegger (Education-Nippo) - 0:00:14
3. Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:21
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:24
5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) - 0:00:30
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 4:00:05
2. Joao Almeida (QuickStep) - 0:00:05
3. Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) - 0:00:18
4. Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma) - 0:00:33
5. Adam Yates (Ineos) - 0:00:39
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
