Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The message, somewhat ironic, from Areej Selmi was clear from the start of her interview with The National: the internet in Gaza is not stable, she said apologetically, uncertain if we could properly communicate. Yet, just as her persistence has carried her business through the year-long war in the enclave, she succeeded in getting through.
Like everyone affected, Ms Selmi cannot wait for the conflict to end. Personal wishes aside, she has big plans for her start-up, e-commerce platform builder Almnssa. For now, however, she's improvising and making do despite limited and often unavailable resources.
“My company relies entirely on the internet and electricity … at the beginning of the war there was no way to solve the problem. I had to contact customers via WhatsApp and email to tell them that there was a problem and that there would be a delay in responding due to technical problems,” she told The National. “But there was great understanding and sympathy from customers.”
Gaza-based Almnssa provides integrated services for creating websites for “everything related to the web”, spanning design, domain and email hosting, marketing and Google search optimisation. It counts companies in industries such as travel, recruitment and health care across the Middle East as its clients.
The platform has about 730 members and has helped procure more than $500,000 in sales, according to its website – humble numbers that Ms Selmi is determined to build upon.
“I will try to continue developing the site and try to obtain investment and expand the scope of my work,” she said. “If I am able to travel, I will complete the company’s procedures abroad to facilitate communication with customers and develop programming for the platform.”
Used to adversity
Ms Selmi is accustomed to adversity: the lightbulb moment for the creation of Almnssa was born out of exactly that.
Before the pandemic, she worked remotely for a software company in Canada, getting her feet wet in the world of marketing, sales and communications with clients from all over the world.
She said she expanded the company and helped to increase its revenue per employee multifold. As a result, she was given shares “so they wouldn't lose me”.
However, in 2020, Ms Selmi said she faced false allegations that led to a one-year legal battle, which she eventually won.
It was during that drawn-out period that she decided to build her own platform. Again, she faced a new set of problems, this time gathering finance to get the company rolling.
“I had some money, but I needed additional support from my family. It was debt that I had to pay off a year after starting Almnssa. They were in shock at the idea of the project and it was difficult for them to give me money,” Ms Selmi said.
'I am a girl from Gaza'
She then approached business incubators, particularly the EU-backed Ucas Technology Incubator, which is based in Gaza.
Ms Selmi did not mince her words and straightforwardly said, with conviction: “I am a girl from Gaza and I understand technological matters.” With that, she said, “they all trusted me … because they knew that I had the determination to succeed”.
After she received her first grant and Almnssa was launched, she gave them another shock: she quickly showed financial returns and was able to pay off debts.
“There is an opportunity in the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf … to receive a good amount of investment,” she said.
Still, the pinch of the war was too much: Ms Selmi was unable to attract investments because “no one wants to invest their money in a war-torn country, specifically Gaza”.
She also had the opportunity to attend the Arab SMEs Summit in Doha next month, but with borders closed, she will not be able to make it.
She was, however, able to receive more financial and service grants, such as Amazon hosting Almnssa's website for two years on top of a $15,000 grant.
All these developments led to Ms Selmi's first trip outside Gaza backed by the Ucas Technology Incubator. Subsequently, more fully-funded trips came her way, enabling her to visit more places and register with programmes that support women in technology in Dubai, Egypt, Jordan, France and Italy.
The grants totalled $40,000, which pales in comparison to what other start-ups have been receiving. Nevertheless, Ms Selmi remains very grateful as “that saved me large sums of money”.
The year-old Israel-Gaza war has left Ms Selmi unable to afford to boost Almnssa's research and development to enhance its services.
“But I have the determination to invest my time in searching for ways to help introduce me to institutions outside Palestine so that they can embrace me and my project,” she added.
Ms Selmi is keen to travel more to bring Almnssa to a wider audience once restrictions ease. She had considered travelling outside the Gaza Strip, specifically into Egypt – but people at the border are charging “a high-value individual co-ordination amount”, exceeding $5,000 per person, she said.
“That's higher than the financial capacity for me, my children, and my husband to travel,” she said. Instead, she opted to stay and “try to maintain my current clients as much as possible through continuous communication”.
She has established good relationships with clients, and they have stuck with her start-up throughout the conflict. “They also renewed their annual subscription because mutual trust was built,” she said.
Ms Selmi's biggest target is Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's biggest economy, a key consumer market for technology and a place with an appetite for using the latest innovations. “Therefore, it is easy to convince them to use technology to sell their products, especially after the pandemic,” Ms Selmi said.
As well as her commitment to developing Almnssa, she remains open to other opportunities. In fact, she still submits her CV to Palestinian companies in the hope of landing a job as a secretary or project manager.
However, there has been no luck so far “because job opportunities are limited in the Gaza Strip and all work contracts cannot be renewed”. At least she has Almnssa, which she describes as “a passion”.
Q&A with Areej Selmi, founder of Almnssa
Are there too many players in e-commerce? If so, is this an advantage or otherwise?
Yes, there are. It may be an advantage because the world is multiplying and greatly needs more service, and technological awareness has become great, so it is not difficult to convince the customer that [they] need to develop and have a special store.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
But it may be tiring because you must explain to customers why they should choose you over other companies.
What do you do in your free time?
Right now I am looking for an opportunity to travel. I am carrying out some field charitable initiatives despite the existing danger. I help communicate with donors and supporters and direct them to people in poor situations in terms of materials, food and drink.
What was the most interesting moment in your career?
When you persuade a client to pay you for the service you provide, specifically for annual subscriptions and major packages. When a client comes to me, I find that he has heard about me from another client.
What is your advice to budding entrepreneurs?
Your idea is definitely not the first or the last, but your self-confidence and diligence are much more important than the project idea. You must be confident in your ability to persevere, continue and present the idea in an attractive narrative form.
When the idea appears, you must start; do not be lazy because the opportunities may decrease with time. Find a unique point in your idea, build the rest of the project on it, promote it wherever you find [the opportunity] and talk a lot.
What makes you unique to your competition?
I had challenges on how to accept payments from customers and get the money to Gaza, difficulty registering the company, building a team and being a girl in a small Arab community, in addition to the challenges of permanent power outages and interruptions in internet networks, and having a family and children.
Despite the lack of financial, social and local capabilities and all the great challenges I faced in establishing a technological project over the course of four years, I did not fail and my belief in my ability to achieve success and continuity did not weaken.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER
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The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine 2.4L four-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.4L/100km
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Company%C2%A0profile
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Ferrari
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Company%20profile
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The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
More on Quran memorisation:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Match statistics
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 36 Bahrain 32
Harlequins
Tries: Penalty 2, Stevenson, Teasdale, Semple
Cons: Stevenson 2
Pens: Stevenson
Bahrain
Tries: Wallace 2, Heath, Evans, Behan
Cons: Radley 2
Pen: Radley
Man of the match: Craig Nutt (Harlequins)
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20CarbonSifr%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202022%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Onur%20Elgun%2C%20Mustafa%20Bosca%20and%20Muhammed%20Yildirim%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Climate%20tech%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%241%20million%20raised%20in%20seed%20funding%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Zayed Sustainability Prize
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
%3Cp%3EElena%20Rybakina%20(Kazakhstan)%0D%3Cbr%3EOns%20Jabeur%20(Tunisia)%0D%3Cbr%3EMaria%20Sakkari%20(Greece)%0D%3Cbr%3EBarbora%20Krej%C4%8D%C3%ADkov%C3%A1%20(Czech%20Republic)%0D%3Cbr%3EBeatriz%20Haddad%20Maia%20(Brazil)%0D%3Cbr%3EJe%C4%BCena%20Ostapenko%20(Latvia)%0D%3Cbr%3ELiudmila%20Samsonova%0D%3Cbr%3EDaria%20Kasatkina%E2%80%AF%0D%3Cbr%3EVeronika%20Kudermetova%E2%80%AF%0D%3Cbr%3ECaroline%20Garcia%20(France)%E2%80%AF%0D%3Cbr%3EMagda%20Linette%20(Poland)%E2%80%AF%0D%3Cbr%3ESorana%20C%C3%AErstea%20(Romania)%E2%80%AF%0D%3Cbr%3EAnastasia%20Potapova%E2%80%AF%0D%3Cbr%3EAnhelina%20Kalinina%20(Ukraine)%E2%80%AF%E2%80%AF%0D%3Cbr%3EJasmine%20Paolini%20(Italy)%E2%80%AF%0D%3Cbr%3EEmma%20Navarro%20(USA)%E2%80%AF%0D%3Cbr%3ELesia%20Tsurenko%20(Ukraine)%0D%3Cbr%3ENaomi%20Osaka%20(Japan)%20-%20wildcard%0D%3Cbr%3EEmma%20Raducanu%20(Great%20Britain)%20-%20wildcard%3Cbr%3EAlexandra%20Eala%20(Philippines)%20-%20wildcard%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
