• A supporter dressed as Uncle Sam listens to speakers prior to an appearance by former President Donald Trump at a rally on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Florence, Az. (AP Photo / Nathan Howard)
    A supporter dressed as Uncle Sam listens to speakers prior to an appearance by former President Donald Trump at a rally on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Florence, Az. (AP Photo / Nathan Howard)
  • Downtown Dubai as showers fell on Sunday. Chris Whiteoak/ The National
    Downtown Dubai as showers fell on Sunday. Chris Whiteoak/ The National
  • Gold Coast Suns players celebrate after winning the Australian Football League Women's final against the West Coast Eagles in Melbourne. Getty Images
    Gold Coast Suns players celebrate after winning the Australian Football League Women's final against the West Coast Eagles in Melbourne. Getty Images
  • Thousands of opened packages litter the train tracks after being looted from a Union Pacific line hauling Fed Ex, Amazon, UPS and other box cars through the Lincoln Heights area of Los Angeles, California. EPA
    Thousands of opened packages litter the train tracks after being looted from a Union Pacific line hauling Fed Ex, Amazon, UPS and other box cars through the Lincoln Heights area of Los Angeles, California. EPA
  • Afghan workers during a snowy day in the city of Meygun, north of Tehran, Iran. Figures issued by the Iranian Government in October 2020 showed about 780,000 Afghans were living in Iran as refugees. EPA
    Afghan workers during a snowy day in the city of Meygun, north of Tehran, Iran. Figures issued by the Iranian Government in October 2020 showed about 780,000 Afghans were living in Iran as refugees. EPA
  • Rudi, a Spotted Bengal cat, is held by his owner before being judged at the 46th Championship Short Haired Cat Society Show in Coventry, Britain. Reuters
    Rudi, a Spotted Bengal cat, is held by his owner before being judged at the 46th Championship Short Haired Cat Society Show in Coventry, Britain. Reuters
  • A Palestinian municipal worker helps UNRWA school pupils cross a flooded street in Gaza City. AFP
    A Palestinian municipal worker helps UNRWA school pupils cross a flooded street in Gaza City. AFP
  • People place floral tributes and candles at a makeshift memorial during a vigil outside the London Irish Centre in Camden in memory of murdered primary school teacher Ashling Murphy. The 23-year-old was found dead on Wednesday afternoon after going for a run on the banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore, Co Offaly in the Republic of Ireland. PA
    People place floral tributes and candles at a makeshift memorial during a vigil outside the London Irish Centre in Camden in memory of murdered primary school teacher Ashling Murphy. The 23-year-old was found dead on Wednesday afternoon after going for a run on the banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore, Co Offaly in the Republic of Ireland. PA
  • Members of Guatemala's military stop migrants who are part of a caravan from Honduras hoping to reach the US, after they crossed the border in Puerto Barrios. AP
    Members of Guatemala's military stop migrants who are part of a caravan from Honduras hoping to reach the US, after they crossed the border in Puerto Barrios. AP

Today's best photos: from Uncle Sam at a rally to migrants hampered in Guatemala


  • English
  • Arabic

Saturday's best photos: from Northern Lights in Finland to elephants in Sri Lanka

Friday's best photos: from a rare snowy owl in the US to a frozen lake in France

Thursday's best photos: from fog over Kuwait City to a giant ice disk in Maine

Wednesday's best photos: from incense sticks in Vietnam to the Magh Mela festival

Tuesday's best photos: from Abu Dhabi's Corniche to Dubai's The View at The Palm

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)

Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg

Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

  • be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
  • not be younger than 25 years old
  • not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
  • be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
  • have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
  • undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
  • A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

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.

Fixtures:

Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm

Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm

Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm

The specs: 2018 Kia Picanto

Price: From Dh39,500

Engine: 1.2L inline four-cylinder

Transmission: Four-speed auto

Power: 86hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 122Nm @ 4,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.0L / 100km

Expert input

If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?

“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett

“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche

“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox

“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite

 “I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy

“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra

Updated: January 17, 2022, 12:19 PM