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Business focus

Personal status law and inheritance rules

Because the Emirates attracts residents from different parts of the world, it is important that they understand the legal implications of life’s possibilities.

Oasis

Eyes on Abu Dhabi

The winners of the photography competition Abu Dhabi Through Your Eyes were announced last night at a spectacular awards ceremony in Emirates Palace. Here are ten of the top winners.

Education faces up to double challenge

New guide to being a better boss

The Ministry of Labour expects this year to issue a guide for employers aimed at reducing labour violations and complaints.

Yemenis turn their backs on politicians

Analysts say there's growing disillusionment with party politics dominated by a powerful president and an ineffective opposition.

UAE banks’ debt woes to grow

Non-performing loans are expected to swell almost 50 per cent to nearly Dh65 billion (US$17.69bn) this year.

Police raid illegal plastic surgery clinic

Facelifts were carried out on household beds, surgical instruments lay next to kitchen implements – and latex gloves were reused.

Riyadh moves to regulate net news

Internet bloggers fear Saudi's plans to licence online news sites will eventually spread to them too.

Minnows get a shot at big time

Cricket teams from aspiring nations, made up of mainly amateur players, start their quest to share the spotlight with the world’s top sides.

UAE

Gulf rugby chiefs auction sponsorship rights on eBay

The cash-strapped governing body for rugby in the Gulf are selling themselves to the highest bidder in cyberspace.

For Burj refunds, go to Dubai

As tourists continue to be turned away from the Burj Khalifa many wonder when authorities will explain why the tower’s observation deck is closed, and when it might reopen.

Interpol warrant for runaway fraudster

A warrant has been issued for Australian businessman Ian Bruce Simm who left Dubai in 2008 with some unfinished business: two fraud cases and five years of prison time.

World

Toyota recalls Prius for brakes

Toyota is recalling nearly 200,000 of its signature Prius green cars in Japan for braking problems.

The height of Israeli intransigence

The mayor of Jerusalem has been told to evict eight families from an illegal block built by Jewish settlers. In retaliation, he has threatened to demolish 200 Palestinian homes.

Iraq leader agrees to review of blacklist

Nouri al Maliki agrees that a judicial appeals committee be allowed to arbitrate on the issue of banned election candidates.

Business

Deyaar postpones plans for fund to acquire distressed properties

Deyaar Development had hoped to raise Dh500 million for the fund, but international investors withdrew their support.

Dubizzle hits top gear with capital site

The classified advertising website says it is growing at its fastest rate ever after launching a site targeting Abu Dhabi in the middle of last year.

Gulf borrowers pay price for Greece’s debt problems

Debt troubles in Greece and southern Europe triggers a retreat by investors from global emerging markets, pushing up borrowing costs in the Gulf.

Emile Hokayem, Political editor: The Munich Security Conference, held this past weekend in the Bavarian capital, is to the security community what Davos’s World Economic Forum is to the business community.

Well-intentioned Americans but an ugly America

Shaukat Qadir: The US must leave Afghanistan at the earliest possible date but not later than 2012, in accordance with the US president Barack Obama’s “announced intent”. I have said this with increased frequency in the past few months. Why?

Repeat it until you believe it: the UAE is my home

Marten Youssef: We are now expats, hyphenated Canadians, a nurse, a journalist, a wife and husband. But wherever we are, Abu Dhabi will always be the place we established our marriage.

Sport

Triumphant Brees says it all: ‘We played for our city’

Four years after the Katrina storm battered the city, New Orleans rejoices as their team bring home the Super Bowl with the MVP completing 82 per cent of his passes.

Ten Cate admits work in progress

The new coach in charge of Al Ahli concedes he has lots of work to do as Ahli are whipped 5-0 by a resurgent Al Ain side.

Tough assignment for City

Bolton are battling to avoid relegation and will pose a sturdy test for Mancini’s side who realise they have to avoid any slip-ups to qualify for the Champions League.

Arts

Travels With Palin

Michael Palin's easy charms and natural curiosity make him an ideal travel companion.

Mama's Boy

Even a cast with a stellar history can't do much with a film that, well, stinks.

Funny People

If it took only half of a movie for a good night out, this one would be a sure thing.

Life

The play’s the thing

The physical fitness of UK children has fallen by eight per cent in a decade, according to researchers who blamed the increase in ‘screen time'.

The swing of things

Abu Dhabi is preparing to host the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first outdoor event, amid the rising popularity of mixed martial arts in the UAE.

Choose a diet that’s low in sodium, but high in health

Week six of our new year diet plan designed to make you slim and healthy.

Video

Review

Follow the money

Cover story When Salah Ezzedine’s alleged pyramid scheme collapsed, it left thousands of Lebanese Shia with empty bank accounts – and presented Hizbollah with a crisis of authenticity. Joshua Hersh reports from Beirut.

Come together

The big idea For the world’s rising powers, Bruce D Jones and Richard Gowan write, co-operation holds more promise than renewed competition.

Eastern promise

Books The West bemoans China’s increasing presence in Africa, writes Howard W French, but Beijing’s engagement with the continent could be more productive and sincere than Europe’s ever was.

Magazine

New films throw light on the Arab world

Cover At the Sundance festival an Iraqi’s road trip film, a New York-set mystery by an Arab-Bosnian and a satirical British comedy about suicide bombers have helped give new perspectives on the Arab world in film.

The young Syrian businessmen making it happen

Feature A new breed of businessman is reaping the rewards of a more dynamic, developing Syria. Entrepreneurs are tapping into a growing wave of demand and changing the country’s commercial and retail landscape beyond all recognition.

The coldest show on earth

Feature At the Winter Olympics, which start in Vancouver on Friday, some of the world’s top athletes will compete in the sort of sports we in the balmy UAE can only dream about.

Weekender

Blows to India’s free speech

As India muscles its way to the front rank of global powers, one of its principal strengths, supposedly, is its vaunted democracy.

Space rat and groundhog

Iran’s successful launch of a rocket, with passengers that included a rat, had the West anxious, Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of wintry weather, and two cubs were born to rare striped hyenas on Sir Beni Yas Island.