AJMAN AND UAQ // Some Emiratis voted for relatives while others cast their ballot purely on the basis of a sound manifesto – but all did so with pride, having taken part in their country’s electoral process.
“The voting procedures were great and easy and did not take two minutes with me,” said retiree Juma Saif bin Ghalita.
The 50-year-old voted for Hamad Abdullah Al Ghafli, who he said was a sincere patriot and loveable person.
“I want him to provide a humanitarian service to the community and elderly and needy people, such as retirees,” he said.
Musabah bin Sarhan also voted for Mr Al Ghafli because, he said, he would be a good representative of his emirate.
“I choose my friend and brother Hamad Abdullah Al Ghafli because he is efficient and a person who deserves all the respect, appreciation and support from me and others,” said the 38-year-old. “And I say with full confidence that he will win.”
Businessman Saeed Eisa Bu Shihab Al Suwaidi came to vote for his brother, Mohammed Eisa Bu Shihab Al Suwaidi, not only because he is a sibling but because he believed he could tackle youth issues.
“At our place there are many politicians and diplomats, so we [as a family] care about these things,” the 46-year-old said. “But I want my brother to develop education.”
Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Khamiri, 56, said he put his faith in Khalid Ebrahim Al Awadi after reading his election manifesto. “I heard his speeches and the approach that he will adopt; he was convincing,” said the National Media Council observer in Ajman. “I hope he keeps his promises and achieves even a few of his goals.”
Meanwhile, just north in UAQ, voters also reported a smooth process.
Satisfaction was the optimal word for businessman Sultan Ali Mejearin Al Shamsi. “Everything was easy, there was no congestion and the instructions on how to use the voting devices were available,” the 42-year-old said.
He voted for Salem Ali Al Shamsi because “he is an efficient candidate who takes responsibility and has a lot of experience”.
“I would not lend my voice to anyone other than an efficient person who has responsibility and honesty, and I chose Salem Ali due to the experience of the man in life and all the achievements that he has,” he said.
Saad Khalifa Al Shandood and his son Hassan, 27, differed in voting choice, the father choosing his close friend and the son his uncle.
“I voted for Sultan Khalfan Al Ali because he is a kind person and my friend for years and I want to support him,” 65-year-old Saad said. “In addition, I want him to help all Emiratis in everything.”
Hassan said he chose Naser Khalifa Al Shandood because he is his uncle, is a responsible person and has achieved a lot in life.
roueiti@thenational.ae
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
RESULT
Norway 1 Spain 1
Norway: King (90 4')
Spain: Niguez (47')
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
MORE ON THE US DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES
MATCH INFO
Alaves 1 (Perez 65' pen)
Real Madrid 2 (Ramos 52', Carvajal 69')
MWTC info
Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.
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The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
Company%20Profile
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