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The leaders of the Northern Emirates have written personal letters to the nation to mark the UAE's Golden Jubilee.
In their messages, the Rulers of Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah reflect on the past 50 years and the challenges overcome, while looking ahead to the next half-century.
They encourage everyone to believe in a brighter tomorrow and say all people, Emiratis and residents, have a role to play in the country's success story.
The five joined Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, in writing the letters.
What the five Rulers said:
Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah: “Today, we celebrate what was once a dream floating on the horizon.
"We present our country to the world as a beacon of hope and a model of good-will, humanity, progress, prosperity, tolerance and happiness.
"Half a century has passed, and our country continues to march forward with confidence. It has achieved the highest quality of life indicators around the world and adopted an integrated cultural and social developmental approach that engages youth in various fields.
"The national identity instils an individual’s love for their country and a sense of belonging to their heritage and culture.
"Through that, we will see the dawn of great generations, continued success and endless prosperity for our nation."
Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman: “We are a country that is big enough to embrace all, irrespective of religious, cultural and social differences.
"We are a nation that believes in peace and prosperity for its visitors and residents alike.
"Within its heart lies pride, dignity, education, knowledge and technological advancement for its citizens and residents.
"With its hand, it extends humanitarian and development assistance to the world nations whenever the need arises.
"Our ambitions are sky-high, and our spirits are still higher. Our future is bright as we innovate to benefit humanity."
Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain: “UAE citizens have set a precedent in the Arab world by establishing scientific research and space science centres.
"Though a young country, the UAE and its leadership have sought to train its national personnel to accomplish feats such as reaching Mars to carry out scientific research, and many other accomplishments in the fields of environmental studies, climate, atmosphere, geology and energy.
"Our preparations to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the UAE is part of our comprehensive development strategy for the coming 50 years.
"The plan focuses on preparing qualified nationals and residents in the UAE to fulfil its scientific, economic and investment goals following the objectives set by the leadership.
"With this, we will continue to make the UAE a key global player in all fields."
Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah: “The secret of our success lies in our holistic vision, a forward-thinking approach and anticipating future possibilities.
"As we stride towards progress, we maintain a strong connection to our values and take great pride in our traditions. As Emiratis, we are known for our generosity, hospitality and chivalry.
"We are open to others, intelligent and capable of adapting to changing circumstances.
"The diversity in the UAE is a point of strength that has created a melting pot of cultures, allowing us to exchange valuable ideas, thoughts and information."
Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah: “Fifty years have passed since the establishment of our beloved country.
"We must now prepare for the next 50 years of development. This will require us to be vigilant to overcome the challenges that lie ahead.
"We aim to invest in the people of this country in all capacities and provide them with an environment that is socially welcoming, economically attractive, culturally rich, and one that adopts the values of tolerance and mutual respect.
"Naturally, we do not overlook the role of the residents of the UAE, who stood side by side with its citizens to help build a prosperous and developed state that promotes love and tolerance."
Citizens and residents are encouraged to read the "Letters to the Nation" in full at www.UAEYearOf.ae, and respond by writing letters to their future selves, envisioning the UAE's tomorrow.
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Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. COMPANY%20PROFILE
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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
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
FIXTURES
Nov 04-05: v Western Australia XI, Perth
Nov 08-11: v Cricket Australia XI, Adelaide
Nov 15-18 v Cricket Australia XI, Townsville (d/n)
Nov 23-27: 1ST TEST v AUSTRALIA, Brisbane
Dec 02-06: 2ND TEST v AUSTRALIA, Adelaide (d/n)
Dec 09-10: v Cricket Australia XI, Perth
Dec 14-18: 3RD TEST v AUSTRALIA, Perth
Dec 26-30 4TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Melbourne
Jan 04-08: 5TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Sydney
Note: d/n = day/night
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Queen
Nicki Minaj
(Young Money/Cash Money)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
