It is almost impossible to conceive what the UAE, formerly the Trucial States, might have been like when Sheikh Zayed was born a century ago. The youngest of four sons, he was born into a country where survival in the harsh desert heat was tough and depended on eking out a living on the scarce resources of the land, from fishing and pearl diving to basic crops grown in a few scattered oases. In his youth, he travelled extensively to acquaint himself both with the country and his people. In the heart of the desert, he lived among Bedouin, discovered the joys of falconry and learned an appreciation of the land. By the time of union in December 1971, he had already served as the ruler's representative in Al Ain for 20 years and as ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1966, where he was well-versed in both the needs of the people he served and how to go about addressing them. When Abu Dhabi began exporting crude oil in the 1960s, the riches it brought helped fund schools, housing, transportation, hospitals and roads, all under his vision and leadership. The country we see today has largely been shaped by his extraordinary ability to understand its potential and foresee its development.
As the years go by, there will be fewer people who can recall just how far the UAE has come in a breathtakingly short timespan. While there are still stories handed down firsthand by those who can recall meeting the Founding Father and being dazzled by his foresight, grace and wit, that pool will get steadily smaller. And as time passes, all that will remain will be stories passed down from generation to generation of the man who led the charge to make the world take note of a tiny corner of desert – and succeeded. What was once personal experience will become posterity.
That process has already begun with the Year of Zayed, which commemorates his achievements in the centennial year of his birth. The monuments it will see inaugurated, the anecdotes that will be recounted, the exhibitions that will be visited – all these form an important part of the tapestry being woven to tell the story of how far the UAE has come. History tells us who we are and never more so when it is still in living memory. How it is retold is crucial to how life here will be remembered for centuries to come.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Chinese Grand Prix schedule (in UAE time)
Friday: First practice - 6am; Second practice - 10am
Saturday: Final practice - 7am; Qualifying - 10am
Sunday: Chinese Grand Prix - 10.10am
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
SPECS
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AT%20A%20GLANCE
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Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
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