Faisal Al Bannai will advise President Sheikh Mohamed on technology matters. Pawan Singh / The National
Faisal Al Bannai will advise President Sheikh Mohamed on technology matters. Pawan Singh / The National
Faisal Al Bannai will advise President Sheikh Mohamed on technology matters. Pawan Singh / The National
Faisal Al Bannai will advise President Sheikh Mohamed on technology matters. Pawan Singh / The National

UAE President issues federal decree to appoint advanced technology adviser


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UAE President Sheikh Mohamed has issued a federal decree appointing Faisal Al Bannai as Adviser for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs.

Mr Al Bannai will hold the rank of Government minister, Wam reported on Friday.

The business executive is Secretary General of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) and chairman of the board of directors of Edge Group, the Abu Dhabi-based defence and technology company.

The UAE prides itself as one of the world’s front-runners in advanced technology. Artificial intelligence is one such area in which the country is particularly well-placed to develop and innovate.

During a speech at the World Governments Summit in Dubai this year, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman praised how the UAE has embraced AI.

“[AI] could decide what sort of auditing and safety measures need to be in place before you could deploy a superintelligence system,” he said.

“For a bunch of reasons, the UAE would be well positioned to be a leader in the discussions around that.”

Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
​​​​​​​Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books

How it works

Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.

Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.

As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.

A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.

Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

HAJJAN
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The specs

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm

Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.7L/100km

On sale: now

Price: Dh149,000

 

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Director: Venkat Prabhu
Rating: 2/5
The specs

Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo and dual electric motors

Power: 300hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 520Nm at 1,500-3,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.0L/100km

Price: from Dh199,900

On sale: now

Updated: April 23, 2024, 8:09 AM