DUBAI // Awatif Akbari has a high-powered job that has earned her numerous awards and national recognition.
But when it comes to organising her finances, the 33-year-old Emirati still needs her father by her side.
It is not that she is bad with money. Ms Akbari is blind and, she says, banks are denying her the financial independence that she craves.
Whenever she wants to withdraw a sizeable sum of money from a cashier, or apply for a banking service, she needs her father's signature to proceed.
"I am 33, I am working, I finished my studies, have a master's degree in public administration and I have my own salary," said Ms Akbari, a manager in the education sector.
"I am the head of an operational unit, and yet the bank treats me like a baby and not an adult."
Ms Akbari said she was not allowed to open a current account, only a savings account.
When she requested a credit card she was initially refused, and was only given one when she returned to the bank with her father.
"When I travelled to the US, I needed a credit card, but they would not allow me to have one," she said. "I challenged the bank. They wanted to know how I would know the amount I was being charged. I got very upset."
Ms Akbari is not alone. Mohammed al Ghasli, a 30-year-old journalism student from Dubai, has been blind since he was six and has faced similar problems.
"I have an account, but my father has to come with me," Mr al Ghasli said.
"I have an ATM [automated teller machine] card now, but I had to take my father with me to sign forms.
"If I want to transfer money or make an application for a credit card, in the US or the UK they have Braille or electronic forms, but here I have to bring my father to sign for me."
Abdul al Kumait, a Dubai-based lawyer, has six partially sighted Emirati clients seeking his counsel on ways to request legislation that will improve their situation.
"For a long time, I have been fighting for so many banks to arrange an ATM for the blind," he said.
"There is no federal law about this at the moment, and when I have spoken to two or three individual banks they have told me that it costs too much."
In Kuwait, Mr al Ghasli came across a "speaking" ATM, and suggested that banks here should invest similarly.
Provisions differ from bank to bank. Belinda Scott, the senior corporate social responsibility officer at the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, said visually impaired customers could open savings accounts, with a "stringent level of signatory requirements" for their security.
Barclays offers automated telephone banking as well as fingerprint authentication on ATMs. Its Premier and Premier Life customers are offered "relationship managers" who are "available 24/7 to visit customers either at their home, office or meet them and provide assistance in branch".
Dubai Islamic Bank requires two witnesses for the signing of any transactions between the bank and blind or partially sighted customers, to "serve its customers' interests".
While it does not issue any statements in Braille, the bank says it is happy to speak with partially sighted customers and "assist their needs in every possible way".
Nazem Fawzi, of the Ministry of Social Affairs' disabilities department, said it hoped to prepare guidelines on banking for the blind and partially sighted.
Adil al Zamar, the vice president of the Emirates Association for the Blind, would like to see Braille or audio services introduced. While he does not doubt that policies regarding witnesses are designed to protect customers, he feels that a clear policy is needed.
In Britain, for example, the Disability Discrimination Act requires that people with disabilities have access to the same goods and services as non-disabled people.
Helen Deerman, the campaigns officer for the Royal National Institute for the Blind, said: "I think the banks realised that it would be seen as unacceptable to impose restrictions on financial services.
"It is about striking a balance of trying to protect but also allowing them access."
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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.
Feeding the thousands for iftar
Six industrial scale vats of 500litres each are used to cook the kanji or broth
Each vat contains kanji or porridge to feed 1,000 people
The rice porridge is poured into a 500ml plastic box
350 plastic tubs are placed in one container trolley
Each aluminium container trolley weighing 300kg is unloaded by a small crane fitted on a truck
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
SPECS
Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works Countryman
Engine: two-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 306hp
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Price: JCW Clubman, Dh220,500; JCW Countryman, Dh225,500
Astroworld
Travis Scott
Grand Hustle/Epic/Cactus Jack
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
if you go
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
PRISCILLA
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The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
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
Leading all-time NBA scorers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
Karl Malone 36,928
Kobe Bryant 33,643
Michael Jordan 32,292
LeBron James 31,425
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Fight card
- Aliu Bamidele Lasisi (Nigeria) beat Artid Vamrungauea (Thailand) POINTS
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- Kem Ljungquist (Denmark) beat Mourad Omar (Egypt) TKO
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- Zuhayr Al Qahtani (Saudi Arabia) beat Mohammed Mahmoud (UK) POINTS
- Darren Surtees (UK) beat Kane Baker (UK) KO
- Chris Eubank Jr (UK) beat JJ McDonagh (Ireland) TKO
- Callum Smith (UK) beat George Groves (UK) KO
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
