Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury pulled their masks down while on a seaplane in the Maldives. YouTube / Molly-Mae Hague
Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury pulled their masks down while on a seaplane in the Maldives. YouTube / Molly-Mae Hague
Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury pulled their masks down while on a seaplane in the Maldives. YouTube / Molly-Mae Hague
Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury pulled their masks down while on a seaplane in the Maldives. YouTube / Molly-Mae Hague

British influencers Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury anger fans by not wearing face masks in the Maldives


Emma Day
  • English
  • Arabic

Just a week after being criticised by fans for not wearing compulsory face masks while in Dubai, British influencers Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury have again been called out for not wearing face coverings while travelling to the Maldives.

The couple, both 21, were filmed mask-free on a seaplane in the archipelagic state, in a video uploaded by Hague to YouTube on December 30.

It is currently mandatory to wear face masks at the airport and during domestic travel, including seaplanes, in the Maldives, to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

In the recently posted vlog, the reality TV star and Fury wear their masks under their chins on the plane, as well as after departing the aircraft and arriving at the You & Me Maldives resort in the Raa Atoll.

Fury, 21, kept his mask off as he landed at the Maldivian resort. YouTube / Molly-Mae Hague
Fury, 21, kept his mask off as he landed at the Maldivian resort. YouTube / Molly-Mae Hague

The couple, who met while filming reality show Love Island in 2019, were criticised by viewers in the video's comments section.

"Love y’all but please wear your masks above your nose during flights and interactions with others," one wrote.

"Why not wear masks properly and be considerate of the populations of the countries you're visiting?" another asked.

"I think when you're taking advantage of your privilege eg flying out on numerous holidays, you owe it to those less privileged around you to protect them," another commenter added.

Hague addressed some of the backlash in the video, after angering fans by travelling as swathes of the UK were put into Tier 4 lockdowns in December.

"I put out something on my social media just addressing the whole tier four situation and how I found out that I won’t be able to spend Christmas with my family and stuff, and it kind of backfired on me," she said.

"I since then addressed the fact that Tommy and I only came on this holiday when it was allowed in the rules, and where we actually live in Manchester, it is still allowed, we’re not breaking any rules right now.

"I think people have completely misread the situation and think that Tommy and I are breaking rules."

The couple travelled to the Maldives from Dubai, where they holidayed last month.

Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury did not wear compulsory face masks while using a taxi in Dubai. YouTube
Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury did not wear compulsory face masks while using a taxi in Dubai. YouTube

Hague and Fury incensed viewers after they were spotted in a taxi, on an Emirates flight and walking through a hotel without covered noses and mouths during a video posted to Hague's channel on December 18.

Face coverings to protect against Covid-19 became compulsory in public places across the UAE in April as health authorities aimed to reduce the spread of new infections.

Anyone who does not follow safety regulations can face a Dh3,000 fine. Masks should cover the nose, mouth and chin, and can only be removed when sat down and dining in restaurants.

It is also mandatory to wear a face mask for the entirety of the journey on Emirates flights, unless eating.

Hague and Fury have not yet directly addressed controversy surrounded their use of face masks.

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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BMW M5 specs

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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

The past winners

2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)

2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

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- Marie Curie

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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation

- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut

- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.

- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.

- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.

 

Indoor Cricket World Cup

Venue Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23

UAE squad Saqib Nazir (captain), Aaqib Malik, Fahad Al Hashmi, Isuru Umesh, Nadir Hussain, Sachin Talwar, Nashwan Nasir, Prashath Kumara, Ramveer Rai, Sameer Nayyak, Umar Shah, Vikrant Shetty

How to help

Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

2252 - Dh50

6025 - Dh20

6027 - Dh100

6026 - Dh200

Global Fungi Facts

• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA

Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600

Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder

Transmission Seven-speed automatic

Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm

Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km

The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

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Price: From Dh126,000

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Fixtures and results:

Wed, Aug 29:

  • Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
  • Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
  • UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs

Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman

Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal

Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore

Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong

Thu, Sep 6: Final

Company profile

Name: Steppi

Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic

Launched: February 2020

Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year

Employees: Five

Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai

Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings

Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year

UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

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

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request