ABU DHABI // Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, wife of the late Founding Father of the UAE, was yesterday honoured with the title “Mother of the Arabs”.
The General Union of Arab Producers and the Arab Women’s Campaign bestowed the honour on Sheikh Zayed’s wife at a ceremony in Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak’s palace, with Dr Maytha bint Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State, receiving it on her highness’s behalf.
“I’m very pleased to announce to you that Sheikha Fatima was bestowed the title of Mother of the Arabs by the General Union of Arabs and the Arab Women’s Campaign,” said Sheikh Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development.
“I’m also happy to announce that the Ministry of Youth and Culture, in cooperation with the General Union of Arab Producers and Arab Women’s Campaign, will organise a big, national celebration to commemorate the occasion at Emirates Palace on April 28.”
Activities to celebrate the honour will also take place at all cultural centres in the UAE and a website titled Mother of the Arabs will be created.
Sheikh Nahyan said the occasion was a chance for the people of the UAE to show their deep love and admiration to her highness.
“While we celebrate Mother’s Day, we feel pride in also celebrating the Mother of the Arabs,” he said. “She’s an exemplary mother of endless achievements. She’s a kind, benevolent model for all Arab Muslim women.”
Sheikha Fatima, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, was given the accolade in recognition of her role in supporting human development in the Arab world and for her efforts in social welfare activities in the humanitarian field.
Dr Mustafa Salama, the general secretary of the Arab producers’ union, said: “Sheikha Fatima’s global achievements go beyond national borders. This makes her not only a mother to the UAE but a mother to the rest of the Arab world.”
Dr Rehab Zein Al Dein, the ambassador of the Arab Women’s Campaign, said: “We have been following all the achievements that Sheikha Fatima is continually achieving in supporting and empowering women everywhere.
“She remains a shining example for the Emirati and Arab woman. We follow in her footsteps not only because she’s the Mother of the UAE but because of the outreach of her continuous grace and benevolence has extended to every woman in the Arab world.”
Sheikha Fatima was also presented with the Shield of Excellence by the General Union of Arab Producers earlier this year.
Ms Al Shamsi, who is also Chairwoman of the Marriage Fund and an adviser to Sheikha Fatima, thanked Sheikh Nahyan for sponsoring the event.
“Ten years ago on Mother’s Day, Sheikha Fatima was honoured with the title Mother of the Nation,” she said. “It celebrated her highness’ role in supporting education, health and environmental issues, as well as shed light on her commitment to advancing women’s role in society and her key role in building the United Arab Emirates.”
Abla Al Nowais, the former media adviser to the Office of the President, said: “Sheikha Fatima is everything to me. I’ve witnessed her achievements from the day she established the Abu Dhabi Women Development Association as the first women’s society in the country in 1973.
“She championed women’s rights all the way to the Federal National Council and the pinnacle of the government.”
Sheikha Lubna Al Qassimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development, added: “Sheikha Fatima supports family development in the UAE. She treats everyone like they were her children because of her highness’ recognition of the importance of family and women’s role in it.
“Sheikha Fatima’s characteristics will forever shine for her humanity, and compassion has become her destiny. May she be the Mother of the Nation, the Mother of the UAE, the Mother of Arabs and the pride of the UAE and the entire Arab world.”
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Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.
The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.
The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.
The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Can NRIs vote in the election?
Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad
Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency
There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas
Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas
A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians
Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.
This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India
A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians
However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed
The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas
Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online
The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online
The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation
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- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
- 1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
- 2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
- 3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
- 4th ODI, Sunday, April 16
Squads:
- UAE: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
- Zimbabwe: Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura
Scoreline:
Manchester City 1
Jesus 4'
Brighton 0
Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
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