In his opinion article Securing disaster (January 22), Peter Hallward argues that the American-led mission to Haiti is repeating past mistakes. I wonder if he has thought the matter through when he accuses the US of putting military stability ahead of humanitarian aid. The news here in the US is full of reports from Haiti of looting and attempts to commit various crimes.
Before the US (or anyone else) can begin to distribute humanitarian aid, the people delivering it must be safe from assault and murder. If the volunteers of the American Red Cross or the Red Crescent or anyone else are in danger of being attacked, will they deliver needed food, water, and medicine?
Bob Morris, US
In reference to the article Survey finds most UAE residents have unhealthy lifestyles (January 22), no surprise there. Traditionally in UAE society the father was the primary bread winner. Due to the rising cost of living and ridiculously high rents, mothers have had to seek work opportunities to support their households. Unless you are exceptionally fortunate, it is becoming increasingly difficult to live in Abu Dhabi on a single income. Some of us parents work 12-16 hour days. Yet we do not earn enough to be able to pay the rent, send our kids to good schools or provide them with the standard of living that our parents did. Our parents worked much less and may have earned less, but what they earned was more than enough to live on comfortably while we had our mothers at home cooking and caring for us.
Where are parents today supposed to find the time to provide their children with the quality care they deserve? Parenthood is not a part-time job. It should be treated and approached as a career that requires real life-changing decisions, and it cannot be held in second place after individual career goals.
These are all problems of modern day living and a society that is too focused on material appearances and not enough concerned for the family unit.
The obesity rates, the divorce rates, the traffic accidents, the stress levels and any increase in youth crime are all related. They need to be approached responsibly as a collective set of symptoms of a disease currently afflicting UAE and GCC societies.
BuAhmed al Hashimi, Abu Dhabi
I was pleased to read the article UK Muslims in battle for hearts and minds (January 20) and to note the positive feedback to the public awareness campaigns in support of Islam. I would like to add that as an expat from the UK, now living in Dubai, I have found that there is definitely a general negative impression about Islam presented in the media there.
We should all support such initiatives, as this shows the true, peaceful nature of Muslims and Islam, and after all this is why many of us are Muslims today. We need to be much more focused on showing these positive messages about Islam in the media and all work together for this goal.
The UAE is a perfect example of how people from various backgrounds and religions can co-exist peacefully, but it requires projects like the "hearts and minds" campaign in the UK to show others that this is the reality.
R Malik, Dubai
In reference to the news article Dubai's bijou hotel is forced to close (January 23), I cannot express how appalled I am by this news. My husband and I, and two other couples, were starting to talk about visiting the UAE, and were only beginning our search for just such a place to stay as this. It sounds like it was not only idyllic, but also a brilliant business idea that succeeded by the innovation and hard work of its proprietors.
How could the municipality, in such a global economic climate as this, choose to discourage such brilliance? This story has taken us all aback and certainly raised eyebrows on this end.
Rachel Rivera, US
Why give a licence in the first place if you're going to decide not to renew it two years later? It's not like the street they were on was not residential when the hotel first opened. It's arbitrary decisions like this which make people feel very hesitant to invest large sums of money in the UAE. Overnight your life savings can be lost through no fault of your own - just like that.
Ritesh Tilani, Dubai
In reference to UAE residents choose cheap petrol over climate (January 22), I am surprised that a nation that was founded by nomadic tribes who were as close as possible to the environment in their lifestyle and habits should forget the dictates of their own people, culture and religion and adopt the bad habits they have today. It is baffling.
Mita Srinivasan, Dubai
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
The five pillars of Islam
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
THREE
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Wednesday and the pair embraced but he failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice.
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Mental%20health%20support%20in%20the%20UAE
%3Cp%3E%E2%97%8F%20Estijaba%20helpline%3A%208001717%3Cbr%3E%E2%97%8F%20UAE%20Ministry%20of%20Health%20and%20Prevention%20hotline%3A%20045192519%3Cbr%3E%E2%97%8F%20UAE%20Mental%20health%20support%20line%3A%20800%204673%20(Hope)%3Cbr%3EMore%20information%20at%20hope.hw.gov.ae%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
