Japan closes door to N Korean trade

Japan today banned all exports to North Korea to punish the isolated communist state for its latest nuclear and missile tests. "The cabinet has approved the total ban on exports to North Korea," said the trade ministry official Masaru Yamazumi. "The ban will be effective until April 13 next year. We have expanded the ban to cover all goods." The cabinet of prime minister Taro Aso earlier agreed on the new sanctions, an official said, without specifying what those sanctions were.

Tokyo's latest move comes amid worries Pyongyang may conduct another nuclear test after the UN Security Council voted on Friday over tougher sanctions in response to the regime's May 25 nuclear test and missile firings. Japan first imposed formal bilateral sanctions on Pyongyang in 2006, after North Korea staged its first atomic test. Tokyo has since stopped all imports from North Korea and visits by its citizens, except in special cases, and banned port calls by its ships.

To target regime leaders, Japan has also banned exports of 24 luxury products ? including caviar, fatty tuna and high-end consumer electronics. Japan's exports to the North totalled 792.6 million yen (Dh30.1m) in 2008, mainly machinery and transport equipment, such as trains and vehicles, food, electronics and industrial goods, the finance ministry says. Last month Japan also tightened a watch on money flows to North Korea, requiring that all remittances over 10 million yen (Dh381,000) be reported, lowering the limit to a third of the previous threshold.

* AFP

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Where to buy art books in the UAE

There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.

In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.

In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.

In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.

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

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.