Dear Ali: Can you tell me why alcohol is served at the many restaurants within the UAE Armed Forces Officers Club? I am not referring to the hotel next door, but to the restaurants housed within the club. AB, Abu Dhabi
Dear AB: I understand your being puzzled. But the club and the hotel are one commercial complex and as such are considered in terms of licensing like a five-star-hotel. This includes the opportunity to obtain permission to serve alcohol.
The club not only serves the UAE Armed Forces, but also hosts many international events and conferences and it is in this context that the alcohol licence is considered.
Dear Ali: I’ve heard about an initiative that empowers Emiratis to win a grant and become business owners. Can you tell me more about it? S?A, Abu Dhabi
Dear S?A: You are talking about Akoun ("To be"), which is run by the Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development (ADCED) and is the organisation's first entrepreneurial campaign. Check out the website www.akoun.ae to register to participate in the Akoun competition, which invites Emirati students in Abu Dhabi to write and submit a short business plan for the chance of winning up to Dh50,000 and full funding and training support from the Khalifa Fund.
I had been approached by ADCED two years ago to participate as an Emirati entrepreneur. Somehow I must have been etertaining and able to share some of my knowledge with students as ADCED did me the honour of inviting me to join the second and third Akouns at Zayed University.
The other Akoun partners were representatives of the Khalifa Fund, the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, the Western Region Development Council and twofour54. I and other entrepreneurs spoke about financing, training and supporting students and how to make their business ideas come true – all in a programme created and delivered entirely by Emiratis.
Dear Ali: What is the proper greeting between men and women in an employment interview situation? SD, Sinton, Texas
Dear SD: In an interview situation things tend to be formal and the applicant would be the one to greet the interviewer first.
When it comes to shaking hands, the usual rule is that a handshake should be initiated by the person "higher in rank" - in this case, the interviewer.
In this scenario, gender is of no significance. So if the greeting is between two men or two women, the one in "higher rank" would offer his or her hand first. It would also be correct etiquette for a male interviewer to offer a handshake to a female candidate.
But if the greeting is between an Arab and a westerner of different genders, it's best for westerners to play it safe and not initiate a handshake, even if etiquette would allow you to. Arab women would commonly avoid shaking hands with a man, and Arab men may avoid the ritual with a woman.
True, many Arabs are used to western business etiquette and shaking hands has become less of an issue. But if you're meeting someone for the first time, a nice "Good morning" and a friendly smile should do it.
Language lesson
Arabic: Fedha
English:Silver
Fedha means silver, referring to jewellery. You might say "Eshtereet khatim fedha", which means "I bought a silver ring". But it also can be used as a person's name, mainly for women.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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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.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Second ODI
England 322-7 (50 ovs)
India 236 (50 ovs)
England win by 86 runs
Next match: Tuesday, July 17, Headingley
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More on Quran memorisation:
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
MANDOOB
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
Favourite animals: All of them