Bees, to put things into pop culture parlance, are having a “moment”. This would be news to bees of course, who have been happily buzzing between flowers and hives for the past 130 million years with little thought to what Angelina Jolie, Jason Statham or the Duchess of Cambridge think about them.
But as bees continue to appear on endangered lists across the globe, with colonies threatened by loss of habitat, disease, pesticides, and climate change, their plight and story is being brought further into the public eye and, thanks to TikTok, a new generation of conservationists.
Celebrities too have been keen to share their beekeeping hobbies, with Beyonce, whose fans are collectively known as “the beyhive” revealing to Harper’s Bazaar: “I’m building a honey farm. I’ve even got hives on my roof.” Adding: “I found healing properties in honey that benefit me and my children.”
As with all popular trends, Hollywood has been keen to get in on the act, and with the news that one of Tinseltown’s most celebrated action stars is bringing the “mythology of beekeeping” to the big screen, here’s the latest buzz on bees…
Jason Statham’s 'bee mythology' movie
Could bees get a bigger boost than one of the biggest action stars in Hollywood taking their story to the big screen? Having saved the world onscreen far too many times to count, Statham has signed up to star in the new movie The Bee Keeper, which Deadline has described as “a lightning-paced thriller deeply steeped in the mythology of beekeeping.”
Written by Kurt Wimmer, who penned the Point Break remake, The Bee Keeper "explores universal themes with an unconventional story that will have fans sitting on the edge of their seats,” said Miramax chief executive Bill Block.
Angelina Jolie: ‘My bees are very, very happy’
Named the godmother of Unesco and Guerlain’s Women for Bees programme in March this year, the Oscar-winning actress has thrown herself into the role with gusto. Recently appearing in a new video for Vogue, the star, 46, met up with members of the programme's first graduating class at L’Observatoire Francais d’Apidologie (OFA) in Provence, France.
“I thought I knew something about bees and beekeeping and training, and I thought I understood the importance,” the Eternals star told Vogue. “But really, when you really dig into it and you really start to learn about what, for example, what we would lose, 30 per cent of the honeybees disappearing. Had we not had the beekeepers and the work of places like OFA, we would lose them.”
The humanitarian also posed covered in bees for a National Geographic portrait for World Bee Day earlier this year, revealing that she also keeps hives on the roof of her home.
“I have a lot of wildflowers and my bees are very, very happy,” she told the publication. “There are two types of bees. This is to all you women: wild and solitary or domestic and honeybee. Take a choice. The domestic honeybee is the one that makes the honey and then there's this other bee, that's the wild solitary bee that lives a very different life and does not make honey but pollinates. I feel like lately I’ve been a lot of domestic honeybee, but in my heart, I'm wild solitary.”
Royal bees and hives for meditation
While Buckingham Palace is home to four beehives, with their own royal beekeeper in attendance, Kate Middleton has also shared her passion for beekeeping, revealing that she has her own hive.
The Duchess of Cambridge shared spoonfuls of honey with British schoolchildren this summer during a visit to the wildlife garden at London’s Natural History Museum, telling them: “This came specially from my beehive. See if it tastes the same as at home. Does it taste like honey from the shops? Does it taste like flowers?”
Kate’s decision to start keeping bees was inspired by a gift she and her sister Pippa gave their brother, James, a few years ago. James, who has been candid about his ongoing struggle with depression, revealed his sisters bought him 1,000 bees, which have been instrumental in helping him with his mental health.
“One of my strategies for coping with depression is beekeeping,” he told the Daily Mail. “I’d always harboured a longing to keep bees, but it wasn’t until I turned 24 that the wish became reality. My family clubbed together to buy what for me was the most fantastic birthday gift imaginable.
"A delivery van arrived with a large buzzing box with the cautionary label: “Live Bees”. Inside was the nucleus – the start – of my colony: 1,000 Buckfast bees." He later posted on Instagram: “Beekeeping to me is a meditation. It’s a chance to escape my mind and be so consumed by something that hours can pass by without knowing it.”
The TikTok bee lady
Erika Thompson, aka the bee lady from Texas Bee Works, has garnered 9.6 million followers on TikTok after introducing Gen Z to the world of bees on the social media platform. With no protection gear or gloves, and wearing her normal clothes, Thompson is called in to save and move bee colonies from homes and public places, rather than have the hive face extermination.
Scooping up handfuls of bees, she has rescued the insects from cars, patio umbrellas, garden sheds, outdoor bins, under floorboards and even from a toilet. Thompson also posts educational shorts about hives and colonies, as well as explaining the role of the queen bee and worker bees in videos that have been viewed hundreds of millions of times.
“Most honeybees are very gentle and docile and they don’t want to sting you,” she told Today. “I’ve been doing this for a long time and over the years I’ve learned to read the bees' behaviour. I feel so privileged to be able to work with them.”
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
FIGHT CARD
Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
Mohammed Adil Al Debi v Moaz Abdelgawad (Bantamweight)
Amir Boureslan v Mahmoud Zanouny (Welterweight)
Abrorbek Madaminbekov v Mohammed Al Katheeri (Featherweight)
Ibrahem Bilal v Emad Arafa (Super featherweight)
Ahmed Abdolaziz v Imad Essassi (Middleweight)
Milena Martinou v Ilham Bourakkadi (Bantamweight, female)
Noureddine El Agouti v Mohamed Mardi (Welterweight)
Nabil Ouach v Ymad Atrous (Middleweight)
Nouredin Samir v Zainalabid Dadachev (Lightweight)
Marlon Ribeiro v Mehdi Oubahammou (Welterweight)
Brad Stanton v Mohamed El Boukhari (Super welterweight
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
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