Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, chaired the first meeting of the restructured Abu Dhabi Executive Council. Photo: Wam
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, chaired the first meeting of the restructured Abu Dhabi Executive Council. Photo: Wam
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, chaired the first meeting of the restructured Abu Dhabi Executive Council. Photo: Wam
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, chaired the first meeting of the restructured Abu Dhabi Executive Council. Photo: Wam

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince puts housing, health care and education at top of agenda


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Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has underlined the emirate's plans to boost the quality of life of its citizens through a focus on housing, health care and education.

Sheikh Khaled set out a vision for the future while chairing the first meeting of the restructured Abu Dhabi Executive Council on Thursday.

The council approved an updated housing benefits policy for citizens, which will include providing ready-built homes for those on low-incomes, increasing the value of housing loans to help those in need and reducing waiting times for claimants.

“His Highness [Sheikh Khaled] highlighted that the Executive Council will ensure the continuity of the Abu Dhabi government's commitment to achieving the priorities and vision of President Sheikh Mohamed by further enhancing the quality of life for citizens and continuing to strengthen their security and stability through the key pillars of housing, education and health care,” said state news agency Wam in its report of the meeting, which was held at the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court.

The Abu Dhabi Crown Prince directed the development of a future-proof housing services framework, supported by the private sector, to drive up efficiency and improve access to services, said Wam.

He stressed the importance of structures being put in place to deliver suitable homes for citizen as soon as possible.

Sheikh Khaled has already taken significant steps to boost housing policies for Emiratis.

In April, he approved a Dh2.74 billion ($746 million) housing support scheme for Emiratis living in the capital.

The Abu Dhabi Executive Council meeting at the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court. Photo: Wam
The Abu Dhabi Executive Council meeting at the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court. Photo: Wam

Assistance for 1,800 citizens will be delivered under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed.

Low-income retirees and families of deceased mortgage holders will not to be required to make housing loan repayments under the strategy. Housing loans will also be provided to eligible citizens.

On Tuesday, Sheikh Khaled approved a Dh85.4bn community master plan to build 76,000 homes and residential plots for citizens in the capital over the next five years.

The long-term investment will support efforts to develop integrated community housing and neighbourhoods across the emirate.

The major project will encompass community and recreational amenities, including the construction of a number of mosques, schools, public parks and green spaces.

Improving liveability

Sheikh Khaled was told of progress being made in the first phase of a Dh12 billion liveability strategy, which encompasses the development of community facilities in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. These include pedestrian and bicycle paths, sports facilities, health clinics, mosques, public parks and green spaces.

He gave instructions for the next stage of the strategy, in line with wider efforts to establish sustainable neighbourhoods that promote healthy lifestyles and are in keeping with Emirati culture and traditions.

He also called for government services to be upgraded in order to provide better experiences for customers.

Sheikh Khaled emphasised the importance of empowering citizens and youth and ensuring they are given the platform to succeed.

He gave directives for the launch of more programmes aimed at allowing young people to unlock their potential in both the public and private sector and contribute to Abu Dhabi's economic growth.

Council restructure

President Sheikh Mohamed, in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, in March issued an Emiri decree to restructure Abu Dhabi Executive Council with Sheikh Khaled as its chairman.

Members include Dr Ahmed Al Mazrouei, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office and the Strategic Affairs Council, and Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority and Strategic Affairs Council.

Also named as members were Jassem Al Zaabi, chairman of the Department of Finance and the Strategic Affairs Council, Dr Mugheer Al Khaili, chairman of the Department of Community Development, and Awaidha Al Marar, chairman of the Department of Energy.

Sheikh Khaled tours housing project - in pictures

  • Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi. All photos:
    Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi. All photos:
  • Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
    Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
  • Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
    Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
  • Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
    Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
  • Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
    Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
  • Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
    Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
  • Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
    Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, tours the expansion of Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, which has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
  • Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
    Al Falah housing project, developed by Abu Housing Authority and stakeholders, has provided 899 new homes for citizens in Abu Dhabi
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

Boulder shooting victims

• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65

Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos

Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km

Book%20Details
%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EThree%20Centuries%20of%20Travel%20Writing%20by%20Muslim%20Women%3C%2Fem%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EEditors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiobhan%20Lambert-Hurley%2C%20Daniel%20Majchrowicz%2C%20Sunil%20Sharma%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EIndiana%20University%20Press%3B%20532%20pages%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants

THE SIXTH SENSE

Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Rating: 5/5

On Instagram: @WithHopeUAE

Although social media can be harmful to our mental health, paradoxically, one of the antidotes comes with the many social-media accounts devoted to normalising mental-health struggles. With Hope UAE is one of them.
The group, which has about 3,600 followers, was started three years ago by five Emirati women to address the stigma surrounding the subject. Via Instagram, the group recently began featuring personal accounts by Emiratis. The posts are written under the hashtag #mymindmatters, along with a black-and-white photo of the subject holding the group’s signature red balloon.
“Depression is ugly,” says one of the users, Amani. “It paints everything around me and everything in me.”
Saaed, meanwhile, faces the daunting task of caring for four family members with psychological disorders. “I’ve had no support and no resources here to help me,” he says. “It has been, and still is, a one-man battle against the demons of fractured minds.”
In addition to With Hope UAE’s frank social-media presence, the group holds talks and workshops in Dubai. “Change takes time,” Reem Al Ali, vice chairman and a founding member of With Hope UAE, told The National earlier this year. “It won’t happen overnight, and it will take persistent and passionate people to bring about this change.”

UAE-based players

Goodlands Riders: Jamshaid Butt, Ali Abid, JD Mahesh, Vibhor Shahi, Faizan Asif, Nadeem Rahim

Rose Hill Warriors: Faraz Sheikh, Ashok Kumar, Thabreez Ali, Janaka Chathuranga, Muzammil Afridi, Ameer Hamza

Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says. 

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

The bio

Favourite vegetable: Broccoli

Favourite food: Seafood

Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange

Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania

Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.

Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

SPECS
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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Updated: May 14, 2023, 5:09 AM