A mural in solidarity with Palestinians painted on the International Wall in Falls Road, in the nationalist area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Reuters
A mural in solidarity with Palestinians painted on the International Wall in Falls Road, in the nationalist area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Reuters
A mural in solidarity with Palestinians painted on the International Wall in Falls Road, in the nationalist area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Reuters
A mural in solidarity with Palestinians painted on the International Wall in Falls Road, in the nationalist area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Reuters

Opinion

Comment

Northern Ireland's path to peace offers lessons to Palestine and Israel

  • English
  • Arabic
Gavin Esler is an author and broadcaster, and a UK affairs columnist for The National

November 08, 2023

Belfast’s Europa Hotel has its place in history – some good, some bad. It was built in 1971 near the city centre on Great Victoria Street, two or three years after the start of the Northern Ireland “Troubles” during which more than 3,000 people were killed.

When I lived in Northern Ireland, there were so many bombings of businesses along Great Victoria Street that I thought of the area as being like a mouth in which most of the teeth had been removed. There were demolished buildings turned into car parks and the stumps of bomb sites with few remaining shops, offices and restaurants.

By 1995, then US president Bill Clinton and his family stayed in the Europa as part of his peace efforts. Their entourage booked 110 rooms.

The hard work of Mr Clinton, several Irish prime ministers and British prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair eventually paid off. Great Victoria Street now is a thriving shopping and dining area.

I’m back in the Europa Hotel to speak at an event for 500 people as part of an event called Ireland’s Future. You can’t plan a future without remembering the past, but the trick is not to be stuck there.

The idea behind the Belfast discussions is that while Northern Ireland nowadays is at peace, it is fragile. Hatreds can be intractable. (It’s a lesson elsewhere too, as we know.) And peace here has been upset by Brexit. Many see politicians in Westminster ignoring the fact that Northern Ireland, like Scotland, clearly voted to stay in the EU.

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, hold a joint news conference on a post-Brexit deal, in Windsor. Bloomberg
Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, hold a joint news conference on a post-Brexit deal, in Windsor. Bloomberg
Britain and the EU agreed to an overhaul of trade rules in Northern Ireland, a breakthrough aimed at resetting strained relations since Brexit. AFP
Britain and the EU agreed to an overhaul of trade rules in Northern Ireland, a breakthrough aimed at resetting strained relations since Brexit. AFP
Britain's King Charles III receives Ms von der Leyen during an audience at Windsor Castle. PA
Britain's King Charles III receives Ms von der Leyen during an audience at Windsor Castle. PA
Anti-Brexit campaigners protest outside Downing Street in London. EPA
Anti-Brexit campaigners protest outside Downing Street in London. EPA
Mr Sunak and Ms von der Leyen hold talks in Windsor. Photo: No 10 Downing Street
Mr Sunak and Ms von der Leyen hold talks in Windsor. Photo: No 10 Downing Street
Mr Sunak greets Ms von der Leyen at the Fairmont Windsor Park hotel, where the meeting was held. AFP
Mr Sunak greets Ms von der Leyen at the Fairmont Windsor Park hotel, where the meeting was held. AFP
Mr Sunak and Ms von der Leyen make their way into the hotel. PA
Mr Sunak and Ms von der Leyen make their way into the hotel. PA
The Prime Minister arrives in Windsor. PA
The Prime Minister arrives in Windsor. PA
Government cars arrive at the Fairmont Windsor Park hotel. PA
Government cars arrive at the Fairmont Windsor Park hotel. PA
In Belfast, I was struck by how the violence in Gaza and Israel repeatedly came up in our conversations as a dangerous road to be avoided at all costs

Although technically part of the UK, the main British political parties – Conservatives and Labour – govern Northern Ireland but don’t have MPs here. Those British parties, with notable exceptions, are often accused of indifference except when there is trouble, bombings and shootings.

There is also a boycott of the Stormont parliament by the largest unionist group the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). It’s committed to staying within the UK, but the DUP unwisely supported Brexit, and Brexit made their own voters feel less secure because the British government placed a customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

The Ireland’s Future discussions hope to bring together those from any political party (and none) who want to solve problems by discussing whether the reunification of Ireland is possible, desirable, possibly even inevitable.

Unionists, who tend to be Protestants, were historically the majority in Northern Ireland. They rejected a united Ireland partly because Catholics form the majority on the whole island of Ireland. But now, many younger voters are less interested in historic religious differences.

They just want a better life. Change is happening. Even some traditional British unionists have taken Irish passports because that makes travel in the EU much easier.

The challenges of bringing people together and ending ancient political, national and religious differences are immense (yet again, as we know from Palestine and Israel.)

Irish nationalists talk of British violence ranging back at least to Oliver Cromwell in the 17th century and the Anglo-Irish War of the 20th century. Unionists celebrate every year the victory of King William of Orange’s protestant army in 1690 or speak of the killings of protestants in 1641 and terrorism by the IRA in the Troubles from the 1960s onwards.

Palestinians cry as they walk away after an area hit by Israeli missiles in Rafah, the Gaza Strip. AP
Palestinians cry as they walk away after an area hit by Israeli missiles in Rafah, the Gaza Strip. AP
Palestinians with foreign passports wait for permission to leave Gaza at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Reuters
Palestinians with foreign passports wait for permission to leave Gaza at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Reuters
A Palestinian boy pushes a man on a wheelchair past debris in Rafah. AFP
A Palestinian boy pushes a man on a wheelchair past debris in Rafah. AFP
A paramedic holds an injured bird as he searches through buildings destroyed during Israeli air raids in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Getty Images
A paramedic holds an injured bird as he searches through buildings destroyed during Israeli air raids in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Getty Images
Israeli soldiers take part in ground operations at a location given as Gaza. Reuters
Israeli soldiers take part in ground operations at a location given as Gaza. Reuters
A man listens for any potential sounds of life following an Israeli air strike on the Maghazi refugee camp in Gaza. AFP
A man listens for any potential sounds of life following an Israeli air strike on the Maghazi refugee camp in Gaza. AFP
People flee after Israeli air strikes on the Maghazi refugee camp. AFP
People flee after Israeli air strikes on the Maghazi refugee camp. AFP
An Israeli soldier arranges artillery shells near the border with the Gaza Strip. AFP
An Israeli soldier arranges artillery shells near the border with the Gaza Strip. AFP
Relatives and friends of those kidnapped during the October 7 Hamas attack hold photos of their loved ones during a protest calling for their return outside Israel's parliament. AP
Relatives and friends of those kidnapped during the October 7 Hamas attack hold photos of their loved ones during a protest calling for their return outside Israel's parliament. AP
Israeli flares illuminate the sky over west Gaza in the northern Gaza Strip. EPA
Israeli flares illuminate the sky over west Gaza in the northern Gaza Strip. EPA
Smoke rises from northern Gaza after Israeli pounded the besieged enclave. AFP
Smoke rises from northern Gaza after Israeli pounded the besieged enclave. AFP
Ambulances queue at the Rafah border as they wait to cross into Gaza to transport the injured back to Egypt for treatment. Getty Images
Ambulances queue at the Rafah border as they wait to cross into Gaza to transport the injured back to Egypt for treatment. Getty Images
Women cry as one of them holds an injured toddler outside Shuhada Al Aqsa hospital after an Israeli bombardment of Deir Balah, in the central Gaza Strip. AFP
Women cry as one of them holds an injured toddler outside Shuhada Al Aqsa hospital after an Israeli bombardment of Deir Balah, in the central Gaza Strip. AFP
Displaced Palestinian children sit in a makeshift shelter at Al Shifa hospital, amid the Israel-Gaza war. Reuters
Displaced Palestinian children sit in a makeshift shelter at Al Shifa hospital, amid the Israel-Gaza war. Reuters
Israeli soldiers patrol outside a house destroyed during fighting with Hamas militants, in the kibbutz of Kfar Aza. Bloomberg
Israeli soldiers patrol outside a house destroyed during fighting with Hamas militants, in the kibbutz of Kfar Aza. Bloomberg
Palestinians from Bureij refugee camp use Salah Al Din street as they flee the southern Gaza Strip. AP
Palestinians from Bureij refugee camp use Salah Al Din street as they flee the southern Gaza Strip. AP
Palestinian children clean up outside their home after Israel struck Maghazi refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. AP
Palestinian children clean up outside their home after Israel struck Maghazi refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. AP
Khan Younis residents search through buildings destroyed during Israeli air raids. Getty Images
Khan Younis residents search through buildings destroyed during Israeli air raids. Getty Images
People take part in a candlelight vigil in Dizengoff Square, in Tel Aviv. Getty Images
People take part in a candlelight vigil in Dizengoff Square, in Tel Aviv. Getty Images
Demonstrators rally in support of Palestinians in Denver, Colorado. AFP
Demonstrators rally in support of Palestinians in Denver, Colorado. AFP
Galya David, the mother of hostage Evyatar David, takes part in the 'Bring them home' event organised by the Greek Israeli Community in Athens. EPA
Galya David, the mother of hostage Evyatar David, takes part in the 'Bring them home' event organised by the Greek Israeli Community in Athens. EPA
Lebanese parademics show the blood-stained high-vis jackets of four of their colleagues wounded after their ambulances were hit in a strike on the Lebanese town of Tayr Harfa. AFP
Lebanese parademics show the blood-stained high-vis jackets of four of their colleagues wounded after their ambulances were hit in a strike on the Lebanese town of Tayr Harfa. AFP
Flares are dropped by Israeli forces above Gaza, as seen from Sderot, near the border with the Palestinian enclave. AFP
Flares are dropped by Israeli forces above Gaza, as seen from Sderot, near the border with the Palestinian enclave. AFP
Israeli forces at a position along the the border with Gaza. AFP
Israeli forces at a position along the the border with Gaza. AFP
Palestinians search for bodies and survivors at Magazi refugee camp in Gaza after an Israeli air strike. Reuters
Palestinians search for bodies and survivors at Magazi refugee camp in Gaza after an Israeli air strike. Reuters
Leaflets are dropped by the Israeli army over Gaza city asking people to evacuate towards the south of the Palestinian enclave. AFP
Leaflets are dropped by the Israeli army over Gaza city asking people to evacuate towards the south of the Palestinian enclave. AFP
An injured toddler awaits treatment at the emergency ward of Al-Shifa Hospital following an Israeli strike, in Gaza city. AFP
An injured toddler awaits treatment at the emergency ward of Al-Shifa Hospital following an Israeli strike, in Gaza city. AFP
A Palestinian man wails amid a search for casualties after an Israeli strike on houses, at Magazi refugee camp, Gaza. Reuters
A Palestinian man wails amid a search for casualties after an Israeli strike on houses, at Magazi refugee camp, Gaza. Reuters
Anadolu news agency cameraman Mohammed El Aloul pictured after several of his children and siblings were killed in Israeli strikes. Reuters
Anadolu news agency cameraman Mohammed El Aloul pictured after several of his children and siblings were killed in Israeli strikes. Reuters
Israeli soldiers walk past debris and damaged buildings at a location given as Gaza by Israel's military. Reuters
Israeli soldiers walk past debris and damaged buildings at a location given as Gaza by Israel's military. Reuters
Protesters rally outside the White House in support of Palestinians in Gaza, Washington. Reuters
Protesters rally outside the White House in support of Palestinians in Gaza, Washington. Reuters
A man mourns after losing relatives following an Israeli air strike in Gaza city. AP
A man mourns after losing relatives following an Israeli air strike in Gaza city. AP
An art installation of prams with the faces of kidnapped children on display in Tel Aviv. Getty Images
An art installation of prams with the faces of kidnapped children on display in Tel Aviv. Getty Images
An Israeli woman calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. AP
An Israeli woman calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. AP
A Palestinian man stands on a collapsed building following a strike by the Israeli military on Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
A Palestinian man stands on a collapsed building following a strike by the Israeli military on Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinians gather at the site of Israeli strikes on a residential building in Khan Younis. Reuters
Palestinians gather at the site of Israeli strikes on a residential building in Khan Younis. Reuters
Thousands of civilians, both Palestinians and Israelis, have died since October 7, 2023. AFP
Thousands of civilians, both Palestinians and Israelis, have died since October 7, 2023. AFP
A Palestinian woman sits in the rubble as rescuers look for her relatives following the Israeli bombardment of Khan Younis. AFP
A Palestinian woman sits in the rubble as rescuers look for her relatives following the Israeli bombardment of Khan Younis. AFP
Smoke rises from Gaza as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas continues. Reuters
Smoke rises from Gaza as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas continues. Reuters
Mourners at the funeral of Druze Israeli Lt Col Salman Habaka in the village of Yanuh Jat, northern Israel. AP
Mourners at the funeral of Druze Israeli Lt Col Salman Habaka in the village of Yanuh Jat, northern Israel. AP
A Palestinian boy pulled from the rubble of a building following an Israeli air attack on Bureij refugee camp, in the Gaza Strip. AP
A Palestinian boy pulled from the rubble of a building following an Israeli air attack on Bureij refugee camp, in the Gaza Strip. AP
A survivor calls from Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis following Israeli air attacks. EPA
A survivor calls from Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis following Israeli air attacks. EPA
People wait on the Egyptian side of the border after passing the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. EPA
People wait on the Egyptian side of the border after passing the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. EPA
Pro-Palestinian supporters during a demonstration near a US military transport vessel at the Port of Oakland in California. AP
Pro-Palestinian supporters during a demonstration near a US military transport vessel at the Port of Oakland in California. AP
More from Gavin Esler

The Israel-Gaza war shows why the world needs more Jacinda Arderns

Is the party over for Conservatives and Republicans?

But Ireland’s Future discussions have attracted interest from a number of political parties, although unfortunately not the DUP.

One of their famous party slogans was that “Ulster Says NO!” to Irish unity. Demographic changes suggest growing numbers are now thinking “Ulster says MAYBE”, or at least hope for a better relationship with the Irish Republic, an enduring peace, stability and economic opportunity.

I talked with many people in the audience, including Mary Lou McDonald, the leader of Sinn Fein, the main opposition party in the Irish parliament – a party with its roots in the paramilitary IRA.

Ms McDonald is tipped to be a future Taoiseach, the Irish name for prime minister. This itself is an astounding change. Sinn Fein – once a fringe republican group – is now polling well north and south of the Irish border.

It is impossible to predict Ireland’s real future, beyond the fact that many want a change from old conflicts and the brain-dead politics of the past. Unionists and Nationalists both want peace and prosperity for their children and grandchildren.

And once more in Belfast, I was struck by how the horrific violence in Gaza and Israel repeatedly came up in our conversations as a dangerous road to be avoided at all costs. Gaza, as an Irish supporter of Palestine described it to me, has been an “open prison” for years.

Fear, suspicion and hatred are never a good basis for peace anywhere. Yet as another of the Belfast participants reminded me, the late Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin insisted that you don’t need to make peace with your friends. You need to make peace with your enemies.

Mr Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli extremist before he could achieve that peace he so desired.

Also read: Progress made in loss and damage talks, says Irish climate minister

FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

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2016 Islamabad United

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2018 Islamabad United

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The Details

Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5 

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Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7%E2%80%9D%20LPTO%20Amoled%2C%202412%20x%201080%2C%20394ppi%2C%20HDR10%2B%2C%20Corning%20Gorilla%20Glass%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Qualcomm%20Snapdragon%208%2B%20Gen%202%2C%20octa-core%3B%20Adreno%20730%20GPU%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F12GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20128%2F256%2F512GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Android%2013%2C%20Nothing%20OS%202%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%2050MP%20wide%2C%20f%2F1.9%20%2B%2050MP%20ultrawide%2C%20f%2F2.2%3B%20OIS%2C%20auto-focus%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2030%2F60fps%2C%201080p%20%40%2030%2F60fps%3B%20live%20HDR%2C%20OIS%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2032MP%20wide%2C%20f%2F2.5%2C%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Full-HD%20%40%2030fps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204700mAh%3B%20full%20charge%20in%2055m%20w%2F%2045w%20charger%3B%20Qi%20wireless%2C%20dual%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Google%20Pay)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fingerprint%2C%20face%20unlock%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20USB-C%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP54%2C%20limited%20protection%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual-nano%20SIM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dark%20grey%2C%20white%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nothing%20Phone%20(2)%2C%20USB-C-to-USB-C%20cable%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%20(UAE)%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh2%2C499%20(12GB%2F256GB)%20%2F%20Dh2%2C799%20(12GB%2F512GB)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
On Women's Day
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea
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

Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

Company%20Profile
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Scoreline

Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan

 Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying

In 2018, the ICRC received 27,756 trace requests in the Middle East alone. The global total was 45,507.

 

There are 139,018 global trace requests that have not been resolved yet, 55,672 of these are in the Middle East region.

 

More than 540,000 individuals approached the ICRC in the Middle East asking to be reunited with missing loved ones in 2018.

 

The total figure for the entire world was 654,000 in 2018.

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)

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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
While you're here
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Dates for the diary

To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:

  • September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
  • October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
  • October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
  • November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
  • December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
  • February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
On Women's Day
Updated: November 08, 2023, 2:46 PM`
IsraelGazaNorthern Ireland