Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, will provide financial support to help to restore a Lebanese theatre abandoned decades ago.
Sheikh Dr Sultan is backing an international effort led by Unesco, the cultural arm of the UN, to renovate the Beirut Grand Theatre in the heart of the country's capital.
The curtain came down on a once thriving theatre when it was damaged during the civil war from 1975 to 1990.
The landmark building, which opened in 1929, has been disused in the years since, but assistance from Sharjah is adding momentum to a mission to take it to its former glory.
Abdullah Al Owais, chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture, attended a ceremony in Beirut on Thursday to confirm the emirate's contribution to the rehabilitation campaign. Details of funding provided by the Sharjah government were not disclosed.
The gathering in Beirut was also attended by Ghassan Salameh, Minister of Culture for Lebanon; Audrey Azoulay, director general of Unesco; Ibrahim Zeidan, Mayor of Beirut; and a number of officials, academics, technicians, and engineers.
Mr Salameh thanked Sheikh Dr Sultan for being the "principal donor" of the initiative an praised his ongoing commitment to promoting culture.
Mr Al Owais stressed the importance of global collaboration in preserving cultural heritage for future generations.
“We are pleased to participate in this occasion, which affirms the joint efforts to preserve Arab and global cultural heritage and support cultural progress for all societies,” Mr Al Owais said.
Sharjah's support further highlights the UAE's commitment to protecting and regenerating cultural attractions in the region and beyond.
This week, a UAE-led project was completed which has restored historic landmarks in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, erasing some of the last examples of ISIS destruction.
The seven-year project in the 2,500-year-old city involved the reconstruction of Al Nuri Mosque and its leaning minaret, along with the churches of Our Lady of the Hour Convent and Al Tahera.
Sheikh Dr Sultan is a dedicated and long-standing champion of culture and heritage in the Arab world.
In 2022, he directed a grant to restore and modernise the Gibran Museum in the Lebanese town of Bsharri.
Sharjah has been a staunch ally of Lebanon in recent years as the country seeks to emerge from a troubled recent history.
In May, the emergency and trauma unit at a Lebanese hospital that was destroyed in the 2020 Beirut port explosion became a beneficiary of Sharjah's philanthropic vision.
The Big Heart Foundation, a global humanitarian organisation based in the Sharjah, contributed Dh8.7 million ($2.36 million) to reconstruct and expand the facility at the 147-year-old Saint George Hospital University Medical Centre in Lebanon's capital.
The hospital is about half a kilometre from the port and bore the brunt of the explosion, which killed more than 200 people and left thousands injured.
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Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
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Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
TRAINING FOR TOKYO
A typical week's training for Sebastian, who is competing at the ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon on March 8-9:
- Four swim sessions (14km)
- Three bike sessions (200km)
- Four run sessions (45km)
- Two strength and conditioning session (two hours)
- One session therapy session at DISC Dubai
- Two-three hours of stretching and self-maintenance of the body
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.
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Everton 2
Walcott 21', Sigurdsson 51'
Tottenham 6
Son 27', 61', Alli 35', Kane 42', 74', Eriksen 48'
Man of the Match: Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur)
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Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
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“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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Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
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Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
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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
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6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
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7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
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8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
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9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
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THE SPECS – Honda CR-V Touring AWD
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Power: 184hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 244Nm at 3,900rpm
Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
0-100kmh in 9.4 seconds
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Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
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- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Aahid Al Khalediah II, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
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8pm: President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Medahim, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
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Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
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