SHARJAH // Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah, has been made a member of a prestigious and centuries-old scientific and educational group.
Dr Sheikh Sultan, who holds a bachelor’s in agricultural engineering as well as his PhD in history, was welcomed into the Academy of Sciences of Lisbon, an institution that dates back to 1779 and is dedicated to the advancement of science and learning.
The invitation was extended while the Ruler is visiting Lisbon, the capital of Portugal.
Manuel Pechirra, president of the Luso-Arab Cooperation Institute, said Sheikh Sultan was chosen as a member of the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa as a clear indication of the scientific and cultural status held by the ruler of Sharjah, reported state news agency Wam.
He was presented with the Academic Medal, given to those who contribute to efforts in the service of cultural exchange and cooperation.
Dr Sheikh Sultan was in Lisbon for the opening of the Sharjah Cultural Days exhibition, which aims to create a cultural dialogue between the UAE and other countries, particularly in the West.
At the launch on October 3, Dr Sheikh Sultan said Sharjah believed in the importance of cultural communication and building bridges of knowledge to promote understanding and tolerance among all cultures, reported Wam.
Citing the historic Arab-Portuguese relations, Dr Sheikh Sultan said the civilisations had been “parallel and sometimes intersected” and “contributed to the contemporary sciences and arts”.
Human civilisation is a wide and cultural fabric, he said, and the patterns interact with each other.
Dr Sheikh Sultan presented copies of his translated books to the Portuguese foreign minister, Rui Machete, at the launch, which was also attended by UAE Ambassador to Portugal, Saqr Nasser Al Raisi; Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, head of the Department of Culture and Information; Dr Omro Abdul Hamid, adviser to the Ruler of Sharjah for Higher Education; and other senior officials.
Portugal’s deputy prime minister, Paulo Portas, met Dr Sheikh Sultan on the sidelines of the exhibition, and discussed cooperation in cultural, technical and academic domains.
Mr Portas welcomed Dr Sheikh Sultan and his delegation, expressing thanks for choosing Lisbon to be one of the destinations for Sharjah Cultural Days.
He said the event helped to increase and consolidate cooperation between the countries, reported Wam.
Jorge Barreto Xavier, Portugal’s secretary of state for culture, accompanied Dr Sheikh Sultan on a visit to the National Archives in Lisbon, which house a large collection of manuscripts and original documents from as far back as the 16th century.
Dr Sheikh Sultan examined a collection of documents and manuscripts from 1515 that showed the history of the Arab region, especially the Julfar area, which now makes up part of modern day Ras Al Khaimah.
At the end of the tour, Dr Sheikh Sultan and his delegation were presented with a rare collection of maps of the world and the Arabian Gulf region from 1571.
The Ruler also visited the National Library of Portugal, the Antique Automobile Club of Portugal and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Museum.
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
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Scores
Day 2
New Zealand 153 & 56-1
Pakistan 227
New Zealand trail by 18 runs with nine wickets remaining
The%20specs
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Handicap (rated 100 ) US$175,000 1,200m
Winner: Baccarat, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (78-94) $60,000 1,800m
Winner: Baroot, Christophe Soumillon, Mike de Kock
7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes Group 3 $200,000 1,600m
Winner: Heavy Metal, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.15pm: Handicap (95-108) $125,000 1,200m
Winner: Yalta, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 $200,000 1,800m
Winner: Promising Run, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
9.25pm: Handicap (95-105) $125,000 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
10pm: Handicap (95-105) $125,000 1,400m
Winner: Oh This Is Us, Tom Marquand, Richard Hannon
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Tips for SMEs to cope
- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Stamp duty timeline
December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
RESULTS
Argentina 4 Haiti 0
Peru 2 Scotland 0
Panama 0 Northern Ireland 0
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