The sounds and colours of the spectacular firework displays are already fading in the memory. But even as we greet the first day of the new year we are not quite done with the old. Today is a time for quiet reflection, a chance to pause and consider the achievements of the past 12 months even as we prepare to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.
As the Year of Zayed, 2018 was a great tribute to the legacy of the man whose wisdom shaped the multicultural beacon of peaceful coexistence that is the UAE today. On this first day of January, the flame initially lit by Sheikh Zayed will illuminate 2019 as the Year of Tolerance, in the spirit of which the Pope will make his historic to the UAE.
Throughout 2018, the UAE continued to grow in stature on the world stage. A state visit by the Chinese president highlighted the nation's growing portfolio of global partnerships, while the launch of the first satellite designed and built by Emiratis demonstrated that its ambitions are not constrained by gravity. One hundred years from now, New Year's Eve could well be celebrated in a UAE colony on Mars.
More down to earth, but vital for the prosperity of the UAE in a post-oil global economy, 2018 saw the evolution of the regulatory and economic landcape continue apace, from the launch of Abu Dhabi's Dh50 billion stimulus package to new retirement visa regulations designed to encourage residents to settle in a country many already think of as home.
By any standards, 2018 has been quite a year for the UAE, which is nevertheless resolved to make 2019 even more memorable. For each of us, this is also a time for personal resolutions. So join that gym, study for that degree, learn that new language – or simply promise yourself that in 2019 you will make the most of what this remarkable country has to offer. And, from all of us at The National, have a very happy and prosperous new year.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
