The Abu Dhabi Department of Finance’s commercial buildings finance committee approved 245 loans for funding commercial buildings at a total cost of more than Dh3 billion on instructions of Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, also helped in the approval of the property loans for Emiratis who own lands but did not have adequate financing to build commercial business facilities, Wam, the state news agency, reported.
Of the total 245 finance facilities, 133 were allocated for demolishing and rebuilding residential investment towers and villas, 103 for building new buildings and 9 for building annexes to buildings.
Hamad Al Hurr Al Suwaidi, chairman of the Finance Department, said finance plays a vital role in economic life for having positive impact on other sectors.
The finance, he added, would push the urban development agenda forward in line with the Abu Dhabi Government's vision and strategy to provide public finance to stimulate the property sector. He added that this finance facility would encourage property investment and supply the property with new high-quality buildings consistent with the emirate's urban development.
The Abu Dhabi Government issued the commercial buildings finance law in 2005 to help landowners get funds for property developments.
* WAM
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
if you go
The flights
Emirates fly direct from Dubai to Houston, Texas, where United have direct flights to Managua. Alternatively, from October, Iberia will offer connections from Madrid, which can be reached by both Etihad from Abu Dhabi and Emirates from Dubai.
The trip
Geodyssey’s (Geodyssey.co.uk) 15-night Nicaragua Odyssey visits the colonial cities of Leon and Granada, lively country villages, the lake island of Ometepe and a stunning array of landscapes, with wildlife, history, creative crafts and more. From Dh18,500 per person, based on two sharing, including transfers and tours but excluding international flights. For more information, visit visitnicaragua.us.