On the seventh day


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A new study suggests there might be a direct correlation between the day of the week and the chances of success of an operation or the risk of car accidents or street crime, among other things.

Researchers from Imperial College London found that Monday is the safest day to have an operation - but it's also the day when thieves are most active. Tuesday is the second safest day for an operation, and the safest day to drive. Thursday is in the middle of the week in terms of risks, although it is the best day to have sex, with cortisol levels at their highest. Generally, Sunday is the safest day.

But Friday is the scariest day. It is the most dangerous day to drive. More astonishingly, Friday is the most likely day for the eruption of wars or for coups. As The Guardian noted, four of the world's 15 leaders who ascended to power through a coup did so on a Friday, including Sudan's Omar Al Bashir. Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country on a Friday, and Egypt's Hosni Mubarak was toppled on a Friday.

Some of these findings are specific to the United Kingdom, though there are some striking similarities with trends in this region. Friday in the UAE, for example, is often associated with higher rates of road accidents. Thursday has been traditionally associated with couples having sex, as it is the day before the weekend. Navigating the week just got easier.

If you go

The flights

There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.

The trip

Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.

The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.

 

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New schools in Dubai
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5