The Dutch design agency Studio Ditte was founded in 2005 by a trio of talented graphic designers: Marieke Dirks, Natasja Heesbeen and Endry van Zwam. Today, their playful digital wallpapers are famous worldwide and their home accessories collection expands every season.
Head here for photographic digitally printed wallpaper featuring a huge array of fun, 3D-effect images. From colourful robots and pretty porcelain plates to retro cars, bright buttons and paper birdhouses, the designs look real and are fun and bright without being too cutesy or naff. Yes, some of them are perfect for a stylish children's bedroom, but most of the designs could go pretty much anywhere in the house. The Dutch Plates paper would look lovely in a dining room, while the Scrapwood design could transform a living room in to a shabby-chic beach shack - just add driftwood furniture to complete the look.
Studio Ditte is best known for its whimsical wallpapers, but there is plenty more to explore. Beautiful bed linen, designer-style storage shelves, fun paper ornaments and stationery galore - it's a treasure trove of quirky home buys. I like the simple felt cushions best: squirrels, Chinese symbols, rabbits and tractors. They're plain padded shapes and, therefore, super-stylish.
The Kwan (Chinese for stick) bookcase is a clever design, inspired by the way laundry is dried in China - on horizontal sticks outside windows. You can hang items from the sticks or balance books on them. The system serves as an ever-evolving display as well as handy wall storage.
If I had to choose one item to buy here it would be the paper birdhouse set. These little fold-up boxes can be used to wrap gifts, as table setting place markers or even as a decorative garland. Plus, they're flat-packed and light, so shipping is a cinch.
For shipping rates to the UAE, visit www.studioditte.com
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
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Company%20profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
