In the heart of a Abu Dhabi safe haven housing thousands of war victims and cancer patients from Gaza, love has found a way.
Emirates Humanitarian City (EHC), which is providing shelter to more than 2,000 Palestinians, many of whom are undergoing cancer treatment, celebrated its second wedding this week - a moment of happiness amid the continuing pain of displacement and loss.
Amro Abu Alqumboz, 54, and Ikram Halhool, 37, were married on Thursday in a celebration held inside EHC.
Separate halls were arranged for the bride and groom, and the air was filled with traditional Palestinian songs.
There were no extended family members present, no parents or siblings - just a close-knit circle of friends they have come to know inside the city, and a hall adorned in their honour.
“The Gazans have been through so much, and this is the least we could do for them,” said Mubarak Al Qahtani, spokesman for the EHC.
“We were delighted to hear of their intention to get married. Everyone needed some happiness in this chaos. We know they don’t have their families with them, but we have become their family.”
All costs for the wedding were covered by the EHC. Two months earlier, Nagham Alghafour, 20, became the first bride to get married at the centre.
She wed Mohamed Abu Eida, 25, a young man being treated for injuries caused by shrapnel wounds. Ms Alghafour had arrived with her parents, both cancer patients.
“I had seen him around the EHC, but had never spoken to him,” said Ms Alghafour. “Some women who were friends of my mother mentioned someone was looking for a wife and said I’d be a good match. The rest is history, we fell in love and got married. I’m lucky my parents were here to marry me off.”
Her mother, Firyal Abd Al Ghafour, 53, described her daughter’s wedding day as bittersweet.
“I was happy for her, but we miss our family back home. We’ve lost so many,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “Life moves on, but how can we ever forget?”
Shelter from horrors in Gaza
The EHC has served as a sanctuary for many of those affected by the violence of the conflict. The centre is part of the UAE's continuing humanitarian operations in solidarity with the Palestinians.
About medical 150 appointments are carried out each day within the vast complex, not including those admitted to hospitals in the capital for complex surgery.
A separate building at EHC features a pharmacy, clinics, a ward with hospital beds staffed by doctors, paediatricians, an internal medicine doctor, psychiatrists, dentists and a rehabilitation specialist.
EHC has a medical team of more than 50 doctors, nurses, therapists and administrators. A school serving more than 400 children has also been established at the EHC to support Gazans living there.
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
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
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Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
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Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
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Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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