The UAE, Sheikh Zayed once declared, will always welcome those in need. The generosity of the Founding Father has been the animating spirit behind this country's approach to giving. These past 12 months, designated by President Sheikh Khalifa as the Year of Giving, have broadened our understanding of benevolence while fostering solidarity. The objectives of the Year of Giving were threefold: to strengthen social responsibility, encourage the spirit of volunteerism across society and promote service to the nation.
Where once giving was regarded as a private virtue or a state imperative, the Year of Giving has taught us that it can be an act in service of a larger goal. Being kind, donating books or blood or clothes, and radiating tenderness towards those in need: these seemingly simple actions are all forms of giving. Every individual can make a difference, as demonstrated by the 275,000 volunteers who devoted 2.8 million hours to good causes.
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Read more
Year of Giving: millions of volunteer hours and a billion dirhams
How the Year of Giving and the Year of Zayed offer the same strong message
As the Year of Giving draws to a close, spare a thought for those less fortunate than you
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The spirit unleashed by the Year of Giving will not end when the year ends, and the compassion shown by individuals at the local level will continue to be on the world's stage by the state. Between 1971 and 2014, the UAE gave nearly $50 billion in foreign aid alone. As Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said earlier this year: "The UAE does not provide conditional assistance and neither does [it give aid] for the sake of reciprocal interests. It does so only for the good and stability of all peoples." In April, it was ranked the world's most generous donor for the third consecutive year by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Thanks to the UAE's unyielding efforts, polio has practically been eradicated from its last remaining hideouts in Pakistan.
Instead of resting on its laurels, the UAE promptly hosted the Reaching the Last Mile forum to find a way to eradicate malaria and other deadly diseases. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, made a personal donation of $20 million to the $100 million fund announced at the forum. As Sheikh Mohammed said as he announced his generous gift at the Last Mile Forum, "Sheikh Zayed's life and legacy are a never-ending celebration of the principles, values and beliefs that are foundational to our country's identity." It is fitting that the Year of Giving will segue, come January 1, 2018, into the Year of Zayed, dedicated to celebrating and honouring his vision.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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
The bio
Academics: Phd in strategic management in University of Wales
Number one caps: His best-seller caps are in shades of grey, blue, black and yellow
Reading: Is immersed in books on colours to understand more about the usage of different shades
Sport: Started playing polo two years ago. Helps him relax, plus he enjoys the speed and focus
Cars: Loves exotic cars and currently drives a Bentley Bentayga
Holiday: Favourite travel destinations are London and St Tropez
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
- Saturday 15 January: UAE beat Canada by 49 runs
- Thursday 20 January: v England
- Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad:
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles
Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly,
Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya
Shetty, Kai Smith
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'O'
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BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Don't get fined
The UAE FTA requires following to be kept:
- Records of all supplies and imports of goods and services
- All tax invoices and tax credit notes
- Alternative documents related to receiving goods or services
- All tax invoices and tax credit notes
- Alternative documents issued
- Records of goods and services that have been disposed of or used for matters not related to business
