Thank you UAE for taking on the killer disease (UAE and Gates Foundation to honour polio workers with new award, October 24). I am a victim of polio, which stuck me at the age of 3 and permanently disabled me.
Name withheld by request
Thank you UAE for taking steps to eradicate polio from Afghanistan and Pakistan. It’s true that volunteers put their lives in danger as they go to administer polio drops to children in those countries, but by doing so they are trying to save millions of people.
Imran Iqbal, Abu Dhabi
Let’s take part in entrepreneur’s charitable work
I appreciate the efforts of the Emirati restaurant owner who offers meals for free to those who can't afford them (Emirati restaurant owner offers free meals to people on low incomes, October 24). Why not give the option for paying customers to prepay a meal for others so that the owners are not paying for it all? They can write a note on the wall for whoever gets that meal and the person getting the meal gets a nice hello. That way everyone can participate.
Louise Lambert, Abu Dhabi
It is an act of courage. I think the act of this restaurant owner will encourage other like-minded people to to do the same.
Varghese Avicote Thomas, Dubai
It is heartening to read about this Emirati entrepreneur. It is great to have such generous and kind-hearted individuals who are more concerned about doing good and giving back to society than profit maximisation. He has surely earned a lot of blessings and prayers from those who have benefited from his policy. May Allah grant him abundantly for his selfless and noble gesture.
Fatima Suhail, Sharjah
Sharjah taxi fare is too high
Sharjah people face a lot of problems. Middle-class people like us have to live in Sharjah to save on rent and many other things, but the price we pay for that is often quite high. For example, we have to face daily traffic jams while going to and returning from our work. A short journey sometimes takes three hours. Now there is a new taxi fare (Sharjah commuters unhappy about taxi fare hike, October 23). There is nothing wrong in raising the minimum fare, but why does it have to be so high? As you have mentioned in the article, the price increase makes taxis in Sharjah the second most expensive in the country.
The residents of Sharjah will be grateful if the authorities can reconsider their decision.
Ahmed Shafi, Sharjah
Time to show statesmanship
US president Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, should put their egos aside and talk about how to sort out the imbroglio in Syria. The crisis is causing immense pain to ordinary citizens. This is not a time for sabre rattling, but a time to show statesmanship.
Rajendra K Aneja, Dubai
Irresponsible behaviour
The story about a woman deported to Taiwan after giving birth on a flight to the US is strange (Woman who gave birth on plane to US faces $33,000 emergency landing bill, October 24). It's an irresponsible thing to do, especially as she appears to have done it consciously so as to give her baby American citizenship. Not only did she waste a lot of money and people's time, but she put herself and her baby in danger.
Patricia Cooksey, US
Why didn’t the airline check her medical condition before boarding? It’s probably the airline’s fault.
Jweel Rana, Bangladesh
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 6 Huddersfield Town 1
Man City: Agüero (25', 35', 75'), Jesus (31'), Silva (48'), Kongolo (84' og)
Huddersfield: Stankovic (43')
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
Zayed Sustainability Prize
