Government employees spoke of their joy on Sunday at the news that they would receive a bonus of one month's salary.
Some described the move as a another Ramadan blessing.
On Saturday, President Sheikh Khalifa ordered a month's salary to be paid as a bonus for serving and retired government employees to mark 100 years since the birth of the country's Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed on May 6.
Some Dh1.6 billion has been allocated for the bonuses. Rulers of the individual emirates followed by announcing similar bonuses for their local government employees.
“The announcement made my day - especially as it came before Ramadan,” said Mona Hajaj, an executive secretary at the UAE Space Agency.
The 42-year-old was watching a film with her children when her phone started beeping non-stop.
"All the groups were sending WhatsApp messages like crazy," she said.
“At first, I thought they had announced that we would be receiving our salaries early ahead of Eid, but then I read the comments and my son was sitting beside me. I literally jumped [for joy] from the couch.”
“Every month I send cash to my mother in Jordan, and I was hoping I could send her more money in Ramadan. And now I can give an extra amount.”
Her colleagues were equally pleased.
“This morning, everybody arrived to work happy and were all hailing the Rulers for this beautiful initiative,” she said.
Salem Al Shehhi, a member of the Federal National Council representing Ras Al Khaimah, said the initiative marks the birth of the entire nation.
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“Sheikh Khalifa has always made his citizens happy, and for it to coincide with Sheikh Zayed’s 100th birthday is very significant because Sheikh Zayed’s legacy has instilled happiness and compassion within the entire nation.
“Even [some of] the private sector has followed,” he said.
Majid Hamad Al Shamsi, chairman of the retailer Union Co-op, has announced an additional basic month’s salary to all employees to celebrate the occasion.
“The importance of a nation is always in the heart of the leadership. I used to work for the Armed Forces and our leaders were constantly seeking initiatives to honour their people,” he said.
Dubai FNC member Azza bin Suleiman said the move shows that “Zayed’s fruitful tree of giving continues.”
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
The five pillars of Islam
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
RACE SCHEDULE
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm
Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm
Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on Quran memorisation:
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One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
