The talk this morning is all about fish - and who has caught the most and biggest while waiting between races. What had begun as a humorous diversion seems to have become a bit of a competition, with Peter Reggio, the principal race officer, allegedly catching seven yesterday. Even being so close to the city, Auckland's outer harbour is full of fish.
I'm on one of TeamOrigin's chase boats, following the British team as it heads out to the race course. It's a tense day for the Brits, as they stand a real risk of being eliminated from the series after two losses yesterday. (Never mind the fact that the second of those races, against Artemis, was the most aggressive, exciting race of the series, with protest flags galore from both sides.)
Today, however, the team is in sober, focus mode and so the original plan to take me on their coaches' boat has changed since any distraction is too much of a distraction. Having coaches on the water is fairly new to sailing - unlike football, for example, where they have always been a constant presence at the edge of the field, gesticulating, grimacing and occasionally looking very pleased with themselves. I never did find out exactly what TeamOrigin's coaches do while their boys are racing but I'm sure it's none of the above.
We're bouncing around out here today: there's a stiff breeze and whitecaps all over the choppy water. A squall passes, wiping out the sun, whipping up the wind, then disappearing as quickly as it came.
Whether it's something TeamOrigin's coaches said or not, as soon as the 10-minute gun fired Ben Ainslie and his crew get serious, turning the boat in tight circles around All4One, determined to get the advantage at the start.
It's astonishing to see such big, powerful boats being manoeuvred like the Lasers that Ainslie sailed to Olympic gold. All the more impressive with today's wind whipping the water up over the boats' bows. It could almost be a visit from the Fremantle Doctor, which made the 1987 America's Cup in Perth so memorable.
Ainslie is just one of the stars that have been packed into TeamOrigin since it was established in 2007 by Sir Keith Mills. There's Iain Percy and his Olympic teammate Andrew Simpson, Mike Sanderson, who has won just about everything there is to win on the water... the list goes on. Today they live up to their credentials and sail a great race to ensure that they stay in the competition.
On the radio we hear James Spithill, fresh from winning the 33rd America's Cup at the helm of BMW Oracle: "At this stage of the regatta anyone could win.... they key is to create momentum but not peak too early." Looks as if that's what TeamOrigin is working on.
At the end of the day we troop over to the Maritime Museum where the Auld Mug is making a guest appearance, courtesy of Spithill and the BMW Oracle team. It's a pretty powerful way of underlining the link between the Louis Vuitton Trophy and the America's Cup (and, by the way, the trophy travels in its own, made-to-measure Louis Vuitton trunk - and does not get relegated to the hold, either).
It's strange to be in its presence, frankly, knowing that this ugly piece of overblown Victorian silverware is what drives this whole world on.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
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.
The cost of Covid testing around the world
Egypt
Dh514 for citizens; Dh865 for tourists
Information can be found through VFS Global.
Jordan
Dh212
Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.
Cambodia
Dh478
Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.
Zanzibar
AED 295
Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.
Abu Dhabi
Dh85
Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.
UK
From Dh400
Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.
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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