Inaash employs Palestinian women to decorate pieces with traditional embroidery, including this abaya and clutch. Courtesy Inaash.
Inaash employs Palestinian women to decorate pieces with traditional embroidery, including this abaya and clutch. Courtesy Inaash.
Inaash employs Palestinian women to decorate pieces with traditional embroidery, including this abaya and clutch. Courtesy Inaash.
Inaash employs Palestinian women to decorate pieces with traditional embroidery, including this abaya and clutch. Courtesy Inaash.

Shopping for good: Emirates Red Crescent brings regional designers together for 2021 Ataya initiative


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Emirates Red Crescent will launch its 2021 Ataya event this week, bringing together designers from around the world to raise money to be used for the training of medical staff.

Launching on Thursday, and running until May 31, the 11th Ataya event will have designers selling a number of unique and unusual items to raise funds for Emirates Red Crescent, which will be used to provide 200 fully funded training grants for nurses in India, the Philippines, Egypt, Albania, Bosnia, Mauritania and the UAE. Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, this year's event will be held entirely online.

Brazilian brand Bossa offers decorative table and glassware such as these hand-painted goblets. Courtesy Bossa / Instagram
Brazilian brand Bossa offers decorative table and glassware such as these hand-painted goblets. Courtesy Bossa / Instagram

Ataya, which is Arabic for giving, was established in 2012 by Emirates Red Crescent, under the patronage of Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan bin Mohammed. So far, it has raised more than Dh100 million for those in need.

This year, 35 companies will be part of the initiative, offering everything from food and fashion to homeware and art from the UAE and beyond. With many well-known names taking part, visitors can shop from the likes of Azza Showroom, with its range of mix-and-match jewellery charms, and Beirut jewellery brand L'Atelier Nawbar.

Azza Showroom creates charms, chains and bracelets that are designed to be mixed and matched. Courtesy Azza Showroom / Instagram
Azza Showroom creates charms, chains and bracelets that are designed to be mixed and matched. Courtesy Azza Showroom / Instagram

Those looking for homeware can browse Brazilian brand Bossa's range of decorated tableware, while Halla M by Halla Moghabghab offers striking metal serving dishes, bowls and platters. For a more traditional take, Al Ghadeer UAE Crafts uses traditional Emirati weaving techniques to create homeware items that are surprisingly modern, while Sheikha Hind bint Majed Al Qasimi's company Designed by Hind takes inspiration from the Tumenah ceremony (which celebrates a child reciting the Quran) as a motif for her chinaware.

Jordanian food brand Kama will also be present, bringing an array of Jordan's delicacies, while Lebanese brand KanZamon Arts & Crafts will offer a broad range of Levantine handicrafts, including fashion, homeware, paintings and sculptures.

Also taking part is Inaash, a Lebanese non-profit that provides financial support to Palestinian families living in camps in Lebanon. By training women to embroider goods using traditional Palestinian techniques, it offers an income as well as the survival of these unique skills.

To date, Inaash has helped more than 2,000 women, and there are currently 400 women across five camps working to embellish a wide range of products such as shawls, jackets, abayas, clutch bags, homeware and accessories.

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics

 

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The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

Six large-scale objects on show
  • Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
  • The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
  • A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
  • Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
  • A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
  • Torrijos Palace dome
yallacompare profile

Date of launch: 2014

Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer

Based: Media City, Dubai 

Sector: Financial services

Size: 120 employees

Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:

Ajax 2-3 Tottenham

Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate

Final: June 1, Madrid

What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

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

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0
De Bruyne (70')

Man of the Match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)

What is the definition of an SME?

SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.

A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors. 

The bio

Who inspires you?

I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist

How do you relax?

Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.

What is favourite book?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times

What is your favourite Arabic film?

Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki

What is favourite English film?

Mamma Mia

Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?

If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.