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Expo 2020 Dubai is a beacon of hope for the world, the President of the UN General Assembly told The National on Monday.
“The spirit of the Expo and what we are seeing from the Expo goes fully in line with the vision that I've laid down for my presidency, the presidency of hope,” Abdulla Shahid said in an exclusive interview during a visit to Dubai.
Mr Shahid took up the presidency in September with five main goals that he calls the “five rays of hope”.
“Specifically, the first two rays of hope – the Expo has given us hope and assurance that with vaccines and protocols you can actually come back to a normalcy, whereby you can meet loved ones,” he said.
The UN official, who is also the Foreign Minister of the Maldives, is in the UAE for five days to take part in several Expo events on climate change and biodiversity.
During his trip he has met several UAE officials and is expected to deliver remarks at four more Expo events.
Mr Shahid said his engagements in the UAE align with his priorities on delivering urgent climate action, addressing the needs of the planet, recovering from the pandemic and rebuilding sustainably.
“The UAE has always been a beacon of hope, to not only the nation but also throughout the world. It has shown its pioneering leadership in renewable energy, science and technology. It has even moved from this planet to the realms of other planets,” Mr Shahid said.
Expo 2020 is aiming to gather around 25 million visitors over six months. All ticket holders must show proof of vaccination or have a fresh negative PCR test.
It will be the biggest global gathering since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.
Covid-19 recovery
Mr Shahid's other priorities are to deal with Covid-19 on a global scale. He said vaccinating the international community without discrimination was the only way to recover from the global pandemic.
“The only way out of this pandemic is to make sure that everyone is vaccinated because the virus has shown us that no one is safe until everyone is safe,” he said.
“So, let us get a vaccine for everyone,” he said, adding that he will convene a high-level meeting of the General Assembly next January on this issue.
The UN official said that only 2-3 per cent of people in Africa and developing countries have been vaccinated. Conversely, in many developed countries, citizens are already taking booster shots.
“My call is to ensure that everyone in the world is vaccinated by the end of 2022. I have confidence that we can achieve it. It is doable,” Mr Shahid said.
Climate change
Mr Shahid's visit comes about a month before the Cop26 UN climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, where the countries that signed the 2015 Paris climate accord will announce pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The $100 billion that was promised each year for developing countries to fund climate change reforms has not been met, he said.
What is more challenging is not just attaining the funds but that disbursement is hindered, especially for small island states, he said.
“On top, we do not have the capacity, or the data that is required to create bankable projects, which is required by the funding agencies,” Mr Shahid said.
“So the question now is not only reaching $100 billion, but getting access to what is available. My call to member states will be to let us get to it,” he said.
The upcoming summit in Glasgow will meet “the expectation of the entire international community, especially the expectations of countries like the Maldives, the small island developing countries and the landlocked countries.”
Mr Shahid comes from the tropical Maldives, which may lose its entire islands unless it can quickly access cheap financing to fight the impact of climate change. It is vulnerable to the anticipated rise in sea levels that experts say is inevitable in the coming years.
The UN official believes that "humanity has solutions. We just need to make that very brave, courageous step forward."
"Humanity must be at the centre of all our efforts," he said.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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.
Federer's 19 grand slam titles
Australian Open (5 titles) - 2004 bt Marat Safin; 2006 bt Marcos Baghdatis; 2007 bt Fernando Gonzalez; 2010 bt Andy Murray; 2017 bt Rafael Nadal
French Open (1 title) - 2009 bt Robin Soderling
Wimbledon (8 titles) - 2003 bt Mark Philippoussis; 2004 bt Andy Roddick; 2005 bt Andy Roddick; 2006 bt Rafael Nadal; 2007 bt Rafael Nadal; 2009 bt Andy Roddick; 2012 bt Andy Murray; 2017 bt Marin Cilic
US Open (5 titles) - 2004 bt Lleyton Hewitt; 2005 bt Andre Agassi; 2006 bt Andy Roddick; 2007 bt Novak Djokovic; 2008 bt Andy Murray
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books
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No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Schedule for Asia Cup
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
