When Kevin Pietersen first broke into the England side in 2005, he was quickly labelled a peacock because of his preening self-confidence and his look-at-me haircuts.
Time and experience - not to mention the fact Jessica, his wife, prefers him to wear his hair short - have since dulled the exuberance of his personal grooming.
However, judging by his latest incarnation in Australia ahead of The Ashes, Pietersen is ready to be centre of attention again.
England's star batsman has grown a moustache for charity this "Movember". The growth under his nose means he now bears a striking resemblance to the 13th Duke of Wybourne, from the BBC comedy programme The Fast Show.
He looks like he is ready for a hedonistic feast on some unsuspecting Australian bowlers, after which he will say in a caddish voice: "Bowling short at me? With my reputation? Has no-one thought of the consequences?"
He predicted on his Twitter page that he will have to be "gutsy" this month, not because of the test facing him and his England colleagues in the middle, but because of the abuse he is going to get for his 'tache.
The fact he is up for the challenge bodes well for the touring side. A (relatively) introverted Pietersen is no good for anybody.
Whisper it if you are an England supporter, but he may have just relocated his batting mojo, judging by his form in England's win over Western Australia in the opening tour match.
He top-scored in the first innings, and his cameo in the second set up a rare tour match win for the touring side. It is time for the peacock to flare his train again.
pradley@thenational.ae
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
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
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
