We are all only human - all of us besides politicians at least



I have just returned from a few days in France, where I was blessed by lazy breakfasts, blue skies and undiluted sunshine. Best of all for a self-confessed news junkie, it gave my poor sizzled brain cells a few hours respite from the breaking headlines.

In the light of events in the British government this week, I imagine a couple of ministers would have welcomed the chance to accompany me to the Cote d'Azur. If nothing else, the chance to sit in dark sunglasses behind a newspaper in an anonymous European cafe would have been just what they needed.

One would surely have been Liam Fox, who resigned his post as UK defence secretary on Friday after a desperate (and ultimately fruitless) attempt to stave off professional ignominy following one of the more eccentric scandals of recent history.

Not for him the usual stuff of political intrigue, such as financial misdemeanours or illicit romance. Instead, Mr Fox had allowed an old friend (and best man at his wedding), a fellow named Adam Werritty, to accompany him on 19 official overseas trips. Indeed, so used to this jet-set lifestyle had Mr Werritty become that he had calling cards printed advertising himself as an "official adviser", although there was nothing official about him.

When I left for France on Tuesday, Mr Fox still had the full backing of his employer, Prime Minister David Cameron. But as we all know, whether in football or government, "full backing" is now an inevitable precursor to clearing out your desk a few days later.

Yet if you thought the case of the politician and his unpaid adviser was odd, it was soon to be followed by an even more baffling episode - that of the Conservative grandee and the disappearing documents.

The man in question, Oliver Letwin, was once tipped for high office. Indeed, there were many who reckoned that if only he could tone down his plummy vowels and shed a few kilos, he would have been a contender for party leader.

Alas, Mr Letwin's ascent of the greasy pole of politics stalled after the Conservatives' 2005 elections loss. A particularly damning critique came from a woman on the street interviewed by the BBC. When asked what she thought of Mr Letwin, she answered simply "twit" - and sadly the appellation stuck.

Six years later with his party in office, Mr Letwin was safely tucked away in a middle-ranking cabinet post, his reputation seemingly safe. But then on Thursday, a newspaper photographer captured Mr Letwin casually disposing of official government documents in a park litter bin on his way to work.

The images of Mr Letwin stuffing handfuls of important papers into a public bin seemed to confirm that woman's judgement so long ago. Not only did he look decidedly twittish, but following Mr Fox's inexplicable lapse, it has left Mr Cameron's government looking like a gallery of eccentrics and blunderers.

Indeed, one wag on Twitter has suggested that Mr Fox handed in his resignation letter to Mr Letwin on Tuesday, but the bin men only found it 72 hours later.

Yet the odd thing about both of these furores is the absence of any clear wrongdoing. Mr Fox may have shown a lack of judgement in allowing an old pal to swan around the world with him, but there is only the suggestion of impropriety; Mr Letwin has confirmed that none of the correspondence he discarded contained anything likely to compromise state security. Nonetheless, two hefty political careers have been mortally wounded.

I wonder if perhaps we are becoming too severe on what are essentially human frailties. Time was when ministers could get up to all sorts of nefarious activities without so much as a slap on the wrist. Now their every word and deed is recorded, scrutinised, and weighed in the balance. A single mistake and political oblivion is the result.

In any case, it's too easy to look for dark motives where none exists. I've never been privy to state secrets, but I can recall an occasion in my acting career when, having become frustrated by the director's silence during play rehearsals, I spied him writing furtively in a notepad. Desperate to see his innermost thoughts, I leapt from the stage, snatched the pad out of his hand and read what he had written.

His observations on my performance turned out to be less than inspiring. All he had written was "remember to buy potatoes".

Michael Simkins is an actor and writer based in London

England-South Africa Test series

1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London

2nd Test South Africa win by 340 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham

3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London

4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
How it works

A $10 hand-powered LED light and battery bank

Device is operated by hand cranking it at any time during the day or night 

The charge is stored inside a battery

The ratio is that for every minute you crank, it provides 10 minutes light on the brightest mode

A full hand wound charge is of 16.5minutes 

This gives 1.1 hours of light on high mode or 2.5 hours of light on low mode

When more light is needed, it can be recharged by winding again

The larger version costs between $18-20 and generates more than 15 hours of light with a 45-minute charge

No limit on how many times you can charge

 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
  • Drones
  • Animals
  • Fireworks/ flares
  • Radios or power banks
  • Laser pointers
  • Glass
  • Selfie sticks/ umbrellas
  • Sharp objects
  • Political flags or banners
  • Bikes, skateboards or scooters
The specs

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The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

Europe’s rearming plan
  • Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
  • Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
  • Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
  • Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
  • Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
The studios taking part (so far)
  1. Punch
  2. Vogue Fitness 
  3. Sweat
  4. Bodytree Studio
  5. The Hot House
  6. The Room
  7. Inspire Sports (Ladies Only)
  8. Cryo
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport


Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial


Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The%20specs
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”