The UAE was founded in the conviction that we are stronger together than divided. We believe that well-being and prosperity depend on our unity and tolerance. This conviction has guided the 50 years of our national development and it has motivated our participation on the world stage, including our commitment to an active National Pavilion at the Venice Art and Architecture Biennale.
This year, when the UAE celebrates its 50th anniversary, we can confidently affirm that the country’s dynamic growth and stable security are the outcome of a multicultural, inclusive society working together as a vibrant community. We can take pride in our history of peaceful collaboration with other nations, our service to global institutions, the multilateral partnerships we have enabled, and our leadership in addressing regional problems that threaten international security, stability and peace. The UAE is the world’s largest donor of humanitarian and development assistance in proportion to its gross national income. It has initiated and led international medical aid to alleviate the Covid-19 pandemic.
In June this year, the UAE was elected to the UN Security Council for 2022-23. This is symbolic of our steadfast commitment to unity and tolerance. It is also a global recognition of the powerful relevance of our founding conviction. It is essential that nations unite to work together on a collaborative strategy for environmental, social and economic sustainability. The well-being and prosperity of nations depend now, more than ever before, on our collective willingness and joint ability to seek shared solutions to these mutual challenges. Diplomacy – the process that builds and sustains effective relationships – has never been more vital.
The UAE’s conviction in the wisdom of tolerance and unity is demonstrated in its investment in the processes of diplomacy, at home and abroad. Within the UAE, we invest in the infrastructure and activities that bring together people and communities from across the world to connect, explore and collaborate. Through channels such as the Office of Public and Cultural Diplomacy, we stimulate and enable intercultural exchange, learning and relationships on different scales – sometimes individual, sometimes based on common interests, and sometimes at an institutional level. Our confident and inclusive diplomacy embraces human potential, brings people together and results in innovative and lasting impact. The Expo 2020 Dubai is one very good example of all of this.
Our missions abroad are also very important to the diplomatic process. These open windows to the culture and traditions of the UAE and communicate both our heritage and our progressive, cosmopolitan values. They allow us to explain and take pride in our identity and provide our talented community with a showcase for their originality and forward thinking. When we engage with others, we enable mutual understanding and learning. We use dialogue to create the trust that builds and sustains long-term international partnerships. The National Pavilion UAE at the Venice Biennale is a very good example of this.
This year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the pavilion at one of the world’s most significant international festivals of art and architecture. In the context of the pandemic, the event itself was not inevitable. The opening in May is testament to the conviction of the 90-plus participating nations and the importance of their international exchange and co-operation. Italy deserves much credit for its commitment to hosting people from all over the world, in the belief that their exchange is important, and their artistic expressions and architectural thinking are worthwhile to talk about. The UAE is grateful to be able to participate in international dialogue and engage with the biennale’s question: “How do we live together?” This question has never been more important to ask, and provokes debates about sustainability, urban development and climate change.
The pavilion presents the UAE to the world, telling the stories of our history, representing current issues and envisioning our future aspirations. In the past 10 years, we have raised awareness and interest in the UAE as a vibrant centre of art, architecture and scientific research. The pavilion is an investment in both cultural diplomacy and the UAE’s cultural ecosystem. It represents our significance in hosting world-class exhibitions and our wish to support talented new professionals. It is part of the strategy to ensure that our creative industries continue to connect with local, regional and international communities, and generate economic value.
Our architectural response titled “Wetland” is inspired by the UAE’s sabkhas – salt flats – and has led to scientific and manufacturing innovation. Scientists at the American University of Sharjah, the University of Tokyo and New York University Abu Dhabi have invented environmentally friendly cement made from recycled saltwater – the waste of industrial desalination. Architects Wael Al Awar and Kenichi Teramoto have used this to design and build large-scale prototype structures.
The exhibition is complemented by Farah Al Qasimi’s photographic portrayal of the tensions between urbanisation and nature in the UAE’s sabkha. How we live together sustainably means balancing the modern world’s need for an immense amount of construction and manufacturing with the need to preserve our natural environment. The pavilion shows other countries how they, too, might combine local resources with modern technology to find such a solution.
Art and architecture are a powerful vehicle for diplomacy. They engage people in exchanges about culture, invention and values without the barrier of spoken language. They use symbols and artefacts to prompt questions and responses about what is important or new. They depend on collaboration for their technical and methodological innovation, and this often means drawing on the talented and the experts in different parts of the world. Art and architecture speak to the aspects of our humanity that are universal, such as our human emotions and our interaction with the environment around us. This creative production enables us to focus on what we share.
We look forward to welcoming the world to the Expo in October. With its overarching theme of connecting minds and creating the future through sustainability, mobility and opportunity, we aim to continue broadcasting the message of post-Covid-19 hope for humanity so manifest in Venice, to say together that we have the power to build a better world and to shape the future.
Meydan Racecourse racecard:
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes Listed (PA) | Dh175,000 | 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden for 2-year-old fillies (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,400m
7.40pm: The Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 1,600m
8.15pm: Maiden for 2-year-old colts (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,600m
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 2,000m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,600m.
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
AVOID SCAMMERS: TIPS FROM EMIRATES NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos
Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')
Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
Bookshops: A Reader's History by Jorge Carrión (translated from the Spanish by Peter Bush),
Biblioasis
