Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has shared his joy over the marriage of a young Emirati couple eight years after congratulating the bride for earning top marks at her school.
The Vice President and Ruler of Dubai shared his message to the happy couple on Twitter on Thursday, saying they were an example of the type of people who were "raising the country up".
It was the second time the bride, Huda Ahli, received direct recognition from Sheikh Mohammed, who first contacted her in 2012 when she earned the highest mark at her school in Dubai.
On receiving her Grade 12 results in July, eight years ago, Ms Ahli received a phone call from the Dubai Ruler, who told her she was a "pride to our society".
Ms Ahli, aged 18 at the time, had scored 99.8 per cent in her final exams at Princess Haya bint Al Hussein Public School. She told local media that the call motivated her to continue her career.
And it would appear she followed through. Ms Ahli is currently completing her PhD in plastic electronics at Imperial College London, where she is also a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Her work involves using dye sensitised cells to develop low-cost, easy to manufacture, low-weight and printable solar cells that work within a variety of weather conditions.
Her husband is Mohammed Al Amiri, a PhD candidate researching genomes at University College London.
Sheikh Mohammed congratulated the pair on their "simple marriage" and shared pictures of the two.
A few weeks ago, Sheikh Mohammed sent newly-wed Emiratis, who married through low-cost virtual weddings, letter congratulating them on their "simple wedding" at home.
Couples read out the letters in a video shared by Dubai Post in which he praised them for "displaying the highest values" by marrying without excessive cost.
Last month, UAE officials said the rise of virtual weddings in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic offered a "golden opportunity" to slash marriage costs.
In the past, the topic of costly weddings among Emiratis has been raised at the Federal National Council.
Results:
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah (PA) | Group 2 | US$55,000 (Dirt) | 1,600 metres
Winner: AF Al Sajanjle, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
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Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
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8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 (TB) | $250,000 (T) | 1,800m
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Winner: Lava Spin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Mountain Hunter, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor
ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
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Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
