Do skin-lightening creams perpetuate racism?

Condolences on the passing of Hatem Nusseibeh

With reference to Lina Sinjab's article Hatem Nusseibeh: The Total executive who left a mark beyond his field (June 20): may he rest in peace. He was always smiling.

Dina Karrar, Paris, France

Schools reopening have parents divided

Regarding Simon Rushton's piece Education chiefs briefed on reopening educational institutions in September (June 21): it will be a challenge wearing masks all day long. And even play wearing them! Experts have advised in the past too about the effects of wearing masks for too long (on lungs).

Monika Arora Agarwal, Dubai

Schools need to open. Children can’t learn from home. It is not the same. Mental health will be a bigger problem than the virus if this continues for much longer.

Jasmine Mckean, Abu Dhabi

By keeping schools closed the female workforce is discriminated against. Most mothers will have to stay home and look after the children as usually the husband is the breadwinner. It is a step backwards for women’s rights.

Natasha Hawkes, Dubai

If schools can give parents an option if they want to send their children to school or not, that would be great for all. Those who prefer to stay home can continue e-learning. We spent four months and will continue educating our children on how to socially distance and sanitise. I am sure most of them will do perfectly once they are back in school.

Jamila Amisafi, Dubai

Skin-lightening creams should not be necessary

With reference to Emma Day's piece Johnson & Johnson to stop selling skin-lightening creams in the Middle East (June 20): good. These creams are ridiculous and the reason they were created is that the "lighter" you look the better you look, which just perpetuates the subconscious racism.

Mike Bruski, Dubai

Happy that the company made this decision. It’s a step in the right direction

Yasmin Lear, Dubai

If they are good to remove dark spots and scarring caused by acne then it is unfair to stop the product for those people.
People should be allowed to make that choice to buy it for themselves.

Saadias Halim, Dubai

Good to read about greening the desert

I write to you regarding John Dennehy's article The man who turned the UAE's desert green (December 29, 2019): I have only just seen it while going down memory lane and searching the internet for articles about Ghayathi. I was tree planting there from 1976 to 1978.
Thank you for publishing the article and to John Dennehy for writing it. It is wonderful that David Pryce revisited Ghayathi after working there so many years ago.
Nick Phillips, Kent, UK

Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs

A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.

The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.

Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.

Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.

HAEMOGLOBIN DISORDERS EXPLAINED

Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.

Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.

The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.

The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.

A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.

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All about the Sevens

Cape Town Sevens on Saturday and Sunday: Pools A – South Africa, Kenya, France, Russia; B – New Zealand, Australia, Spain, United States; C – England, Scotland, Argentina, Uganda; D – Fiji, Samoa, Canada, Wales

HSBC World Sevens Series standing after first leg in Dubai 1 South Africa; 2 New Zealand; 3 England; 4 Fiji; 5 Australia; 6 Samoa; 7 Kenya; 8 Scotland; 9 France; 10 Spain; 11 Argentina; 12 Canada; 13 Wales; 14 Uganda; 15 United States; 16 Russia

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.	United States
2.	China
3.	UAE
4.	Japan
5	Norway
6.	Canada
7.	Singapore
8.	Australia
9.	Saudi Arabia
10.	South Korea

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.

Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers

1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.

THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)