I sat in Tompkins Square Park, chai latte in hand, soaking up the sunshine and the cool breeze. The only thing disturbing the peace was my friend's rant at the sight of what he had just seen: "You don't understand. The dog was completely shaved except for the hairs behind his ears that were dyed bright pink, and styled so that they stuck up. The poor thing was dressed in a ridiculous pink jacket and matching boots. Lost all its dignity!"
As if on cue, a lady with a small Yorkshire terrier dressed in a neon "hottie" sweater trotted by us. I consider myself an animal lover, and as a result nothing gets to me more than when animals are made a spectacle of. I have the same reaction to people who dress up their babies. It might seem like a funny idea at the time but to dress up your kid or your pet in some ridiculous outfit is, well, simply ridiculous, not to mention cruel.
As a kid I wasn't allowed to have a pet. I begged for a cat. In the second grade at school, when we were living in Paris, I came home one day and found a gigantic fluffy cat that took up most of my bed. This was my dad's idea of a compromise. I love him, but a furry toy wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Sorry, I was told, no cats because my sister was allergic to them and no dogs because, well, just because. However, I did end up with fish and two small water turtles.
The majority of both Sunni and Shia Muslim jurists consider dogs to be ritually unclean, although the validity of this is debatable. However, outside their ritual uncleanness, the Quran strongly urges Muslims to treat all animals with compassion and not to abuse them. Animals, together with the rest of creation, are believed to praise God, even if this praise is not expressed in the human language.
Growing up, my cousin had a lot of pets at my grandmother's house in Abu Dhabi. I loved going to visit for the summer. She had parrots and cats and dogs. According to Sunni tradition, you aren't supposed to have dogs as pets because it is believed that angels do not enter a house where there is one - a theory supported by my aunt but contradicted by my mother. Nonetheless, my cousin had Chihuahuas that were pampered at home and a Rottweiler out in the garden. To me, dogs have always been a symbol of the wholesome all-American pet. I grew up with movies and stories such as Old Yeller and shows like Lassie about brave and loyal dogs.
I've always felt that the falcon was the symbolic pet of the Emirates. Although it is not typical to have falcons as pets any more, falconry is still a valued tradition in the UAE. And it was a big part of our life in the desert. As much as I'd love to have a pet cat, I'd love a peregrine falcon even more. I think it is such a beautiful bird and I've always associated its beauty, posture, eyes and grandeur with the people of the region. Perhaps it's all the pictures of Sheikh Zayed with a "Saqr", but it holds a majestic image to me. According to His Highness, falconry or "al ganas" as it is called in the Emirati dialect is a sport that teaches endurance, strength, and patience.
The ability of a predator, such as the falcon, to be tamed and made to obey the call of its master is a mystery of nature, similar to how pet dogs can learn to be faithful to their owners. The way a relationship develops between animals and humans has always fascinated me. We are all living creatures, so there should be respect in the way we treat our animals. Have a pet, treat it well, make it part of the family, but don't dye its hair and dress it in leather boots. Really, there is no need for that.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Company%20Profile
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
The biog
Name: Gul Raziq
From: Charsadda, Pakistan
Family: Wife and six children
Favourite holes at Al Ghazal: 15 and 8
Golf Handicap: 6
Childhood sport: cricket
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
SCHEDULE
December 8: UAE v USA (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 9: USA v Scotland (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 11: UAE v Scotland (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 12: UAE v USA (ICC Academy Oval 1)
December 14: USA v Scotland (ICC Academy Oval 1)
December 15: UAE v Scotland (ICC Academy Oval 1)
All matches start at 10am
Company%20Profile
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FIGHT CARD
From 5.30pm in the following order:
Featherweight
Marcelo Pontes (BRA) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) v Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Welterweight
Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR) v Gimbat Ismailov (RUS)
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) v Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
Catchweight 100kg
Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)
Featherweight
James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)
Welterweight
Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Bantamweight:
Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) v Jayson Margallo (PHI)
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Roman Golovinov (UKR)
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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GRAN%20TURISMO
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EXPATS
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Section 375
Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat
Director: Ajay Bahl
Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL
Rating: 3.5/5
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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