From the desert sands to the pristine snow of the French Alps, two Emirati skiers will join the world’s elite to compete in the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships this weekend.
Abdulla Albelooshi and Hassan Al Fardan will take the next step towards Emirati participation in the winter Olympics when they join 600 competitors from 75 nations at the International Ski Federation event in Courchevel and Meribel in France.
After months of training at Ski Dubai, the athletes will take to the slopes to compete in downhill and slalom ski races under the banner of the UAE national team.
“We are thrilled to see such a significant Emirati participation in international forums,” said Hamel Al Qubaisi, Vice President of the UAE Winter Sports Federation.
“We will continue to work closely with our athletes to achieve more progress and success in this sport.”
The World Championships at the Savoyard resorts will see athletes compete in the downhill, Super G, giant slalom, slalom, combined and parallel slalom ski races.
The Emirates Winter Sports Federation and Ski Dubai enjoy a long-standing partnership, collaborating regularly to achieve their shared vision of promoting winter sports in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The UAE was in 2021 ratified as a full member of the International Ski Federation after a five-year campaign by Ski Dubai and the UAE Winter Sports Federation.
It opened up International competition for UAE-based alpine athletes with hopes of one day competing in the Winter Olympic Games, held every four years.
It also allowed the UAE to host FIS-accredited international snow sports competitions.
Both skiers will surely have one eye on the Asian Winter Games in 2029, due to be held in the Middle East for the first time.
The Trojana resort in Saudi Arabia, part of the $500 billion Neom project, will host the event.
It will provide the perfect opportunity to showcase their talents, set against an unlikely backdrop offering outdoor skiing amenities, a man-made freshwater lake and a nature reserve.
The kingdom will become the first nation in western Asia to host the games, at which more than 32 countries are expected to participate.
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Number of staff: 22
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
