A reader welcomes the release of new rental apartments on Abu Dhabi's Reem Island. Silvia Razgova / The National
A reader welcomes the release of new rental apartments on Abu Dhabi's Reem Island. Silvia Razgova / The National

Reem offers rental relief



Focus on drug addiction will help free users

Thank you to Colin Simpson for highlighting drug addiction in the UAE through Screen insight into the nightmare of drugs (April 13).

Publishing this article will certainly enable others to address the problem and to accept the reality of drug use.

This will ensure holistic treatment is provided to those ensnared by drugs; they need love, acceptance and fair treatment.

Though I am not an addict, I have worked with hard-core addicts and seen them released off their bondage and go mainstream.

Daniel Grimmer, Dubai

Racial definition is no laughing matter

I want to thank Anna Zacharias for writing A new generation of Emiratis speaks out about mixed parentage (April 6).

I have one Emirati parent. My Lebanese husband and I saw a picture on Facebook of a wristband inscribed "half-Emirati" that is now being sold in Dubai.

While I laughed, my husband said it was insulting to me, for the reasons Ms Zacharias has spelt out in the article.

I suppose I'm just used to it. But I agree that we have to widen our definitions, for the good of the country and its future.

Name withheld by request

Downloads can benefit creators

Various thoughts spring to mind regarding Brett Debritz's opinion article about online piracy, If the hottest trends in viewing are unavailable, who loses? (April 12).

For example, how can so-called "piracy" be theft when no one is deprived of their property?

The example of Game of Thrones is interesting, as the producers of that show have said that piracy can actually increase interest in the product, and generate extra revenue from downloaders who buy merchandise or recommend the show to new viewers.

It is also moot to claim that every download is a lost sale. This is akin to saying that if I try on a pair of shoes in a shop, but don't buy them, then that shop has lost a sale to which it was entitled.

And what about the expatriate who pays an annual fee for TV in his or her home country, but is pilloried for downloading the same programmes in the UAE?

Copyright of intellectual property is a relatively new concept, and copyright owners are constantly moving the goalposts to maintain their control over their products.

The article does come to an interesting conclusion: that if the providers are willing to rethink the pre-internet territorial holdbacks on releasing films and TV shows and offer them for download, then, eventually, the market will find its balance and everyone will be happy. I hope that is right.

Chris Moran, Abu Dhabi

Outreach needed to tackle trafficking

I would like to comment on the issue of human trafficking as raised in Maid gang-raped after her drink was spiked, court told (April 11)

There should be more active community outreach about this issue to educate people, especially those house-helpers who don't even understand the idea of human trafficking.

M Al Marzoqi, Abu Dhabi

Green incinerator a welcome project

I am writing in reference to US$850m Abu Dhabi incinerator to generate greener power (April 12).

It would be a nice thought that, one day, the landfills will be removed and all waste will be fed into this incinerator.

Peter Nixon, Abu Dhabi

Much ado over next to nothing

Hunger-strike threat over Goa Playboy club (April 10) caught my attention.

Rather than worry about this, the Indian government would do better to concentrate on removing corrupt and inept officials.

Too many bribes have to be paid to get the simplest task performed by civil servants.

One expatriate Indian friend of mine complained recently that his wife had to pay a bribe to an electricity board clerk before he would even accept payment for her bill.

Name withheld by request

Reem Island flats will meet a need

Reduced rents in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have sadly become a thing of the past but 5,000 new Reem flats to open (April 14) is encouraging.

Let's hope that these new housing units offer some relief to residents in the capital.

Fatima Suhail, Dubai

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Company%20profile
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Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

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Greatest Royal Rumble results

John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match

Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto

Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus

Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal

Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos

Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe

AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out

The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match

Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last

The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now