When my sister got married, I set off excitedly in search for something to wear. I have never been a fan of shopping; negotiating stores in my wheelchair is not an enjoyable experience but on this particular occasion, my feelings went from dislike to utter hatred. As I trawled a big department store in London, a member of staff approached me. I explained I was looking for a wedding outfit but she cut me off and said: “We don't have anything that will suit you.” I left upset, disappointed and empty-handed, having been made to feel that I did not belong.
I did eventually spend £350 in another store with a fully accessible changing room, where I was allocated a staff member to help me find a variety of clothes to try on, but I know I am not alone in being frustrated by businesses ill-equipped to cater to people like me. Yet we are growing in number and the sooner they realise that, the better. Thanks to an ageing population and medical advancements that have enabled people to survive serious forms of disability and injuries, one billion people worldwide – equivalent to 15 per cent of the global population – experience some form of disability. Among them are about 40 million Arabs, according to UN figures, who are not being recognised as a source of spending power and could contribute hugely to the region's economy.
The problem with so many shops and businesses globally is that they think by having a lift or ramp, they have fulfilled their requirements. This ignores the fact not all disabled people are wheelchair users and simply getting inside a shop is not the sum total of accessibility and inclusion.
Having spoken to several disabled people in the GCC region, one thing they all agreed on is the fact that shopping or going to restaurants is often a challenge. One friend, Tarek Salem, a wheelchair user from Egypt, says 80 per cent of the products he buys are from online stores as most shops in Cairo do not have accessible changing rooms. There is also the issue of having the right products. If you are a wheelchair user, for example, you need your trousers to be a certain length and the material to be comfortable enough to accommodate sitting in a wheelchair all day.
Often products or items of clothing are not within reach of a wheelchair user and stores can be filled with so much stock, there is no room to manoeuvre. Things are even more difficult if you are visually impaired, as Alaa Mahfouz, a doctorate student in Jordan, says. He detests shopping in Amman as he needs someone to accompany him and when he does his grocery shopping from the local market, he is often tricked by traders who sell him fruit and vegetables that are rotten, knowing he won't be able to tell.
A recent study in the UK found the annual spending power of customers with disabilities stands at £249 billion, which opens up the debate of what more retailers, brands and advertisers could do to appeal to disabled people. In the Arab world, 40 million disabled people surely make up one of the largest untapped consumer markets.
So why aren't brands doing more to attract disabled customers? Doing so would mean some tiny but significant steps – featuring disabled models regularly in advertising campaigns, fashion magazines and on the runway, for example, and having disabled members of staff working in stores. Some stores think being inclusive means more expense but they forget that providing better access to more customers spending money will generate greater profits in the long run.
People with disabilities present new, targeted business opportunities, such as designing equipment, technology and services to facilitate adaptive sports and everyday activities. But it's difficult to understand the needs of disabled people without employing or even consulting them. A recent study in the US found companies that improved internal practices for inclusion were four times more likely to see higher shareholder returns. The alternative is to ignore the potential market and its opportunities and not just lose billions of pounds but the chance to play a part in making the world a more inclusive one.
Raya Al Jadir is a freelance journalist and co-founder of the first Arabic lifestyle e-magazine of its kind, Disability Horizons Arabic
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Tathoor, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: Aiz Alawda, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohammed Daggash
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ain Mile Group 3 (PA) Dh350,000 1,600m
Winner: Somoud, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Al Jazi, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Iran's dirty tricks to dodge sanctions
There’s increased scrutiny on the tricks being used to keep commodities flowing to and from blacklisted countries. Here’s a description of how some work.
1 Going Dark
A common method to transport Iranian oil with stealth is to turn off the Automatic Identification System, an electronic device that pinpoints a ship’s location. Known as going dark, a vessel flicks the switch before berthing and typically reappears days later, masking the location of its load or discharge port.
2. Ship-to-Ship Transfers
A first vessel will take its clandestine cargo away from the country in question before transferring it to a waiting ship, all of this happening out of sight. The vessels will then sail in different directions. For about a third of Iranian exports, more than one tanker typically handles a load before it’s delivered to its final destination, analysts say.
3. Fake Destinations
Signaling the wrong destination to load or unload is another technique. Ships that intend to take cargo from Iran may indicate their loading ports in sanction-free places like Iraq. Ships can keep changing their destinations and end up not berthing at any of them.
4. Rebranded Barrels
Iranian barrels can also be rebranded as oil from a nation free from sanctions such as Iraq. The countries share fields along their border and the crude has similar characteristics. Oil from these deposits can be trucked out to another port and documents forged to hide Iran as the origin.
* Bloomberg
Everton 1 Stoke City 0
Everton (Rooney 45 1')
Man of the Match Phil Jagielka (Everton)
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
GAC GS8 Specs
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Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Specs
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Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Race 3
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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