• Pakistani Muslims raise their hands in prayer after viewing the new Crescent moon (C) above the Margala Hills to mark the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Islamabad. Aamir Oureshi / AFP
    Pakistani Muslims raise their hands in prayer after viewing the new Crescent moon (C) above the Margala Hills to mark the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Islamabad. Aamir Oureshi / AFP
  • A Palestinian girl reads the Koran during the holy month of Ramadan at a mosque in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa / Reuters
    A Palestinian girl reads the Koran during the holy month of Ramadan at a mosque in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa / Reuters
  • Muslims gather around the Kaaba inside the Grand Mosque during the fasting month of Ramadan in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Faisal Al Nasser / Reuters
    Muslims gather around the Kaaba inside the Grand Mosque during the fasting month of Ramadan in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Faisal Al Nasser / Reuters
  • Egyptians play with fire works as they celebrate Ramadan in Cairo, Egypt. Amr Nabil / AP Photo
    Egyptians play with fire works as they celebrate Ramadan in Cairo, Egypt. Amr Nabil / AP Photo
  • A picture taken with a slow shutter speed shows a view of a large traditional Ramadan lantern, called 'Fanous,' installed at a roundabout in Al Shalihat Square as the traffic flows during the third day of Ramadan, in Gaza City. Mohammed Saber / EPA
    A picture taken with a slow shutter speed shows a view of a large traditional Ramadan lantern, called 'Fanous,' installed at a roundabout in Al Shalihat Square as the traffic flows during the third day of Ramadan, in Gaza City. Mohammed Saber / EPA
  • A Musaharati (dawn awakener) strikes his drum to wake observant Muslims for their overnight 'sahur', before the day's fast during Ramadan in Sidon's Old City in south Lebanon. Ali Hashisho / Reuters
    A Musaharati (dawn awakener) strikes his drum to wake observant Muslims for their overnight 'sahur', before the day's fast during Ramadan in Sidon's Old City in south Lebanon. Ali Hashisho / Reuters
  • A Yemeni Muslim worshipper reads the Koran, Islam's holy book, at the Great Mosque in the old city of the capital Sanaa, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Mohammed Huwais / AFP
    A Yemeni Muslim worshipper reads the Koran, Islam's holy book, at the Great Mosque in the old city of the capital Sanaa, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Mohammed Huwais / AFP
  • Palestinians hang umbrellas in a street ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in the West Bank city of Nablus. Abed Omar Qusini / Reuters
    Palestinians hang umbrellas in a street ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in the West Bank city of Nablus. Abed Omar Qusini / Reuters
  • An Afghan man distributes food during the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Ghazni province. Zakeria Hashimi / AFP
    An Afghan man distributes food during the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Ghazni province. Zakeria Hashimi / AFP
  • Syrians walk through Damascus' al-Hamidiyah souk on the second day of the Muslim month of Ramadan. Louai Beshara / AFP
    Syrians walk through Damascus' al-Hamidiyah souk on the second day of the Muslim month of Ramadan. Louai Beshara / AFP
  • Palestinian Muslim worshippers pray in front of the the Dome of the Rock, at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, during 'tarawih' prayer, marking the first evening of Ramadan. Ahmad Gharabli/ AFP
    Palestinian Muslim worshippers pray in front of the the Dome of the Rock, at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, during 'tarawih' prayer, marking the first evening of Ramadan. Ahmad Gharabli/ AFP
  • Turkish soldiers fire a military cannon to mark fasting break time at the Blue mosque square in Istanbul. Ozan Kose / AFP
    Turkish soldiers fire a military cannon to mark fasting break time at the Blue mosque square in Istanbul. Ozan Kose / AFP

Region in Focus: The start of Ramadan, 2016


  • English
  • Arabic

The best images from the last seven days from around the Gulf and across the Middle East.

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.

Herc's Adventures

Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5

Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68

What you as a drone operator need to know

A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.

Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.

It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.

“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.

“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.

“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.

“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”

Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.

The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.

“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.

“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.

“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”

Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
  • George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
  • Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
  • Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
  • Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills. 
Hunting park to luxury living
  • Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
  • The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
  • Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds

 

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In 2018, the ICRC received 27,756 trace requests in the Middle East alone. The global total was 45,507.

 

There are 139,018 global trace requests that have not been resolved yet, 55,672 of these are in the Middle East region.

 

More than 540,000 individuals approached the ICRC in the Middle East asking to be reunited with missing loved ones in 2018.

 

The total figure for the entire world was 654,000 in 2018.