Rosberg denies car set-up explains form
Nico Rosberg heads into Sunday’s Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix bidding to win three races in succession for the first time in his career: the Mercedes-GP driver triumphed in Mexico and Brazil. He denied on Thursday that there had been a change to the car set-up that suddenly made the W06 suit him more than Lewis Hamilton, Rosberg’s championship-winning teammate. Hamilton complained in Brazil that a change to the car coincided with Rosberg starting to out-perform him, particularly in qualifying, but the German said: “I’m not really sure what he’s referring to. There’s no change in the feel of the car or anything. For me, it was always very close before and now it’s just swung the other way. It’s very close but I’m ahead now and I’ve been quicker lately. That’s it.”
POLL: Who will win the 2015 Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
Graham Caygill: Why Hamilton likes racing in Abu Dhabi
Jonathan Raymond: Button confident McLaren will improve in 2016
By the numbers: The 2015 Formula One season
Hulkenberg says Williams will be tested
Nico Hulkenberg says Force India can step up and challenge Williams next season for third place in the constructors’ standings. Since updating their car in mid-season, the team have moved forward and have had one of their cars in the top eight in the past eight races. They are fifth in the constructors’ championship on 120 points, but Hulkenberg wants them to target Williams, who like them use a Mercedes engine but are third in the standings, 133 points ahead of Force India. “I think there is a still a good margin to the cars very much in front but first we need to look at people like Williams and try and close the gap to them and hopefully make their lives a little harder next year,” the German said.
Stevens wants to stay in F1
Will Stevens is hopeful he will remain on the grid with Manor Marussia next season. The Briton, who joined the British team at the start of the season has competed in every race this season, with his best result being 13th in the British Grand Prix. “I would love to be here next year,” he said. “The reason we wanted to start with this team is it has a very exciting future ahead of them and as far as I am concerned we are in a good position and I would like to think I have done enough for the team to give me the seat for next season.”
Raikkonen frank about his performance
Kimi Raikkonen did not hold back in describing his season on Thursday. The Ferrari driver is fifth in the drivers’ standings, but has scored 131 fewer points than teammate Sebastian Vettel, who has also won three races. “Pretty average, I must say,” the Finn, who won the 2012 race at Yas Marina Circuit, said of a year when he has made the podium only twice, with second in Bahrain his best result. “Better than last year but still far away from what it should be. But that’s life and next year we’ll try again.”
Hamilton wants F1 to learn from Nascar
World champion Lewis Hamilton was a visitor to the Nascar season finale at Homestead last weekend and he was impressed with what he saw. The Mercedes-GP driver says there are lessons F1 can pick up from the premier racing series in the US, in terms of the entertainment side of proceedings. “There were for sure things that we could learn from them,” he said. “It was a great show, a great spectacle, particularly for the fans. The fans get very, very close to the garages in the background and to the drivers.”
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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
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
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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
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The specs
Engine: 2.2-litre, turbodiesel
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Power: 160hp
Torque: 385Nm
Price: Dh116,900
On sale: now
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
Results:
First Test: New Zealand 30 British & Irish Lions 15
Second Test: New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
Third Test: New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Results
Final: Iran beat Spain 6-3.
Play-off 3rd: UAE beat Russia 2-1 (in extra time).
Play-off 5th: Japan beat Egypt 7-2.
Play-off 7th: Italy beat Mexico 3-2.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
More coverage from the Future Forum
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
