Western leaders voiced dismay over the reversal of US abortion rights before a crucial G7 summit in the Bavarian Alps this weekend.
The US Supreme Court's decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v Wade decision has struck a chord beyond American borders.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was quick to comment following the ruling on Friday.
“I’ve got to tell you, I think it’s a big step backwards,” he said at a news conference during a visit to Rwanda.
It is unusual for any British leader to speak critically of the US, given how highly the UK prizes its special relationship, particularly to comment on domestic matters.
Mr Johnson is the first Catholic prime minister of the UK following his return to the faith last year.
He said the US ruling “has massive impacts on people’s thinking around the world”.
Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau, who was also in Kigali for the Commonwealth summit, defined it a “devastating setback.”
Mr Biden, a practising Catholic, agreed a few hours later by saying the US now finds itself “an outlier”.
The US essentially would now stand among its G7 cohort as a nation with some of the most stringent restrictions on the reproductive rights of women. Abortion was legalised in mostly-Catholic Italy in 1978.
The next to comment was the recently re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron, representing a nation where the separation of church and state has been sacrosanct for centuries.
His tweet, translated into English, was unequivocal: “Abortion is a fundamental right for all women. We must protect it.”
Members of Mr Macron’s party, who last week lost their majority in the National Assembly, said on Saturday they would move to enshrine the right to abortion in France’s constitution.
The ruling came on the same day the lower house of Germany’s Parliament moved to abolish a law that banned doctors from providing information about abortions.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the G7 host, tweeted on Saturday about the US ruling. It will no doubt be something that he and other leaders at the summit will be asked about in the coming days.
The US downplayed the impact, if any, that it will have on the G7 talks, and said Mr Biden would not be sidetracked by the issue.
“The president is not worried about that at all,” National Security Council co-ordinator John Kirby said.
It comes as thousands of demonstrators in major cities across the US from New York to Los Angeles held largely peaceful protests in reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision.
Crowds gathered for a second day on Saturday in Washington where they chanted “Stand up, fight back,” “My body, my choice” and “Give our rights back” along the street in front of the US Supreme Court.
Roe v Wade protected the constitutional right to abortion. Overturning the ruling leaves it to individual states to decide whether abortions are allowed, and in what circumstances. A leak last month of a draft opinion to strike down Roe sparked nationwide protests from abortion rights supporters.
The Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research group, said 26 states are “certain or likely” to ban or limit abortion in the absence of Roe, while 16 states have laws that protect the right to abortion.
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How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
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.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
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.
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
