The public should be able to know what is in the fruit and vegetable produce that they buy at supermarkets, says one reader. Ravindranath K / The National
The public should be able to know what is in the fruit and vegetable produce that they buy at supermarkets, says one reader. Ravindranath K / The National

Multiple factors are contributing to the rise of cancer



It is a known fact that pesticides, as well as many other chemicals, can trigger cancer (Doctors in UAE report increase in chronic illnesses due to pesticides, July 16). Sadly, there are many factors contributing to higher rates of cancer, including toxic materials being used in construction, which pollute our living and working environment, while exhausts of cars are not as regulated here as in some other countries.

Wiltrud Matthes, Dubai

I think consumers should be told about the levels of pesticides in fruit and vegetables sold at supermarkets.

Neena Dewan, Dubai

Employers hold passports of their employees illegally

I refer to Keren Bobker's Q&A Retaining an employee's passport is against the law (July 15). There needs to be huge efforts to combat this practice. It's essentially holding someone against their will. That's not OK.

Rgna Cordell, Abu Dhabi

This is common practice here and employers hold the passports of their employees despite being aware that it is illegal. They know that those employees cannot complain as they are afraid of losing their jobs.

Name withheld by request

Holding someone's passport is illegal. Nobody should comply with an illegal policy. Your passport is not your personal property; it is the property of your government. No company in the world has the authority to confiscate, seize or hold it, except government agencies and officials.
Alexey Ballyev, Dubai

A passport is the property of the issuing government. No foreign entity has the right to seize or hold it. That’s clearly mentioned on the first page of every passport.

Haroon Rashid, Dubai

Gulf airlines must be proud, but Qatar Airways’ remark was rude

In reference to the news item American Airlines slams 'offensive' remarks by Qatar Airways chief executive (July 13), recently my daughter in the United States was dealing with a flight problem with American Airlines. The flight was delayed on the runway, then the passengers were off loaded for further delay and, finally, the flight was cancelled. This was a domestic flight. The airline handled it very badly and were very rude. She compared it to her situation when she missed a connection in Dublin when travelling with Etihad several years ago. The Gulf carriers handle all this better than the US carriers and should brag about it.

Beverly Newell, Dubai

Don't get fined

The UAE FTA requires following to be kept:

  • Records of all supplies and imports of goods and services
  • All tax invoices and tax credit notes
  • Alternative documents related to receiving goods or services
  • All tax invoices and tax credit notes
  • Alternative documents issued
  • Records of goods and services that have been disposed of or used for matters not related to business
The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

Disclaimer

Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

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.

The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year
Company%20Profile
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher:  Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

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

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

Singham Again

Director: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
Three ways to get a gratitude glow

By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.

  • During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
  • As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
  • In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
LEADERBOARD
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The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?

It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.

Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.

By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.

In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. 

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War and the virus
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