Centuries-old customs and traditions are being showcased in Brunei as the tiny nation state celebrates the wedding of Prince Abdul Mateen and Anisha Rosnah.
Prince Mateen, 32, is the son of the Sultan of Brunei, while his longtime girlfriend Rosnah is the granddaughter of one of the sultan's special advisers, Pehin Dato Isa.
On Wednesday, the fourth of the 10-day celebration, a powdering ceremony or Istiadat Berbedak was held.
During the Malay and Bruneian ceremony, practised now for hundreds of years, the groom and bride-to-be are blessed by their close family members who apply a powder paste to their hands. In some versions, it is applied to a couple's whole body by their respective family members. The ritual is meant to symbolise fertility and wealth.
Images of the powdering ceremony, held separately for the bride and groom, showed the couple in co-ordinated red.
Prince Mateen was the first to arrive, wearing a sepangadak merah or a traditional wedding attire as well as his royal regalia. The rituals began with a parade of 40 spear-carriers followed by the firing of 17 cannon. The sultan and his wife, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, started proceedings and applied the powder paste on Prince Mateen's palm, followed by the rest of his family members.
Once completed, Prince Mateen left the venue before Rosnah arrived with her entourage. Again, once the bride-to-be was seated with her palms open, the sultan and his wife began proceedings with their blessings, followed by the rest of the attendees.
January is a special month for the Brunei royals. Prince Mateen's sister, Princess Azemah, married their first cousin, Prince Bahar ibni Jefri Bolkiah, in January last year. Prince Mateen's older sister, Princess Fadzilah, also married her Iraqi partner, Abdullah Nabil Mahmoud Al-Hashimi, in January 2022.
Prince Mateen and Rosnah will officially exchange vows at a religious ceremony on Thursday, the fifth day of the celebration. A number of other ceremonies will then take place, culminating in a royal wedding reception on Sunday. On this day, bride and groom will take to the stage as husband and wife at a glitzy function. This will be followed by a parade through Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei.
A glittering royal banquet will be held the next day, with guests from all around the world expected to attend. The list is rumoured to include Britain's Prince and Princess of Wales as well as Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa, whose weddings Prince Mateen attended.
Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Company%20profile
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RESULTS
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Profile of VoucherSkout
Date of launch: November 2016
Founder: David Tobias
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers
Sector: Technology
Size: 18 employees
Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake
Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars”
START-UPS%20IN%20BATCH%204%20OF%20SANABIL%20500'S%20ACCELERATOR%20PROGRAMME
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Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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
