• A worker cleans part of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque ahead of Ramadan, in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. AFP
    A worker cleans part of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque ahead of Ramadan, in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. AFP
  • Ramadan lights lit up at Piccadilly Circus in central London for the first time. Reuters
    Ramadan lights lit up at Piccadilly Circus in central London for the first time. Reuters
  • A vendor prepares khajla deep-fried pastry in Karachi, ahead of the holy month. EPA
    A vendor prepares khajla deep-fried pastry in Karachi, ahead of the holy month. EPA
  • Palestinians add the final touches to a crescent moon and star decoration in preparation for Ramadan, just outside Jerusalem's Old City. AP
    Palestinians add the final touches to a crescent moon and star decoration in preparation for Ramadan, just outside Jerusalem's Old City. AP
  • A member of the Saudi security forces stands on duty at an entrance to the Grand Mosque of Makkah ahead of Ramadan, with the holy city's Clock Tower in the background. AFP
    A member of the Saudi security forces stands on duty at an entrance to the Grand Mosque of Makkah ahead of Ramadan, with the holy city's Clock Tower in the background. AFP
  • A man carries a traditional lantern at Sayyeda Zeinab Ramadan market in Cairo, before the start of the holy month. AFP
    A man carries a traditional lantern at Sayyeda Zeinab Ramadan market in Cairo, before the start of the holy month. AFP
  • Palestinian artisan Maan Al Muhtaseb makes traditional lanterns and decorations ahead of Ramadan in Hebron city in the occupied West Bank. AFP
    Palestinian artisan Maan Al Muhtaseb makes traditional lanterns and decorations ahead of Ramadan in Hebron city in the occupied West Bank. AFP
  • Visiting graves at a Covid-19 cemetery in Depok, Indonesia. The practice is one of the traditions carried out by Muslims before Ramadan in the South-east Asian country. EPA
    Visiting graves at a Covid-19 cemetery in Depok, Indonesia. The practice is one of the traditions carried out by Muslims before Ramadan in the South-east Asian country. EPA
  • An Egyptian family out shopping for traditional decorative Ramadan lanterns, called Fanous, in the Sayyidah Zaynab district in Cairo. Reuters
    An Egyptian family out shopping for traditional decorative Ramadan lanterns, called Fanous, in the Sayyidah Zaynab district in Cairo. Reuters
  • Palestinian workers sort and pack dates at a factory in preparation for the holy month in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
    Palestinian workers sort and pack dates at a factory in preparation for the holy month in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
  • A torch parade to welcome the holy month that will start around March 23, in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. AFP
    A torch parade to welcome the holy month that will start around March 23, in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. AFP
  • A Ramadan lantern is hung on a wall painted in vivid colours in the Zeitun district of Gaza city. AFP
    A Ramadan lantern is hung on a wall painted in vivid colours in the Zeitun district of Gaza city. AFP
  • An Egyptian buys a Ramadan lantern at a workshop in Cairo. EPA
    An Egyptian buys a Ramadan lantern at a workshop in Cairo. EPA
  • Street decorations for the holy month of Ramadan in Giza, Egypt. EPA
    Street decorations for the holy month of Ramadan in Giza, Egypt. EPA
  • Architect Shahed Saleem in the Ramadan Pavilion at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, on show until May 1. PA
    Architect Shahed Saleem in the Ramadan Pavilion at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, on show until May 1. PA
  • Palestinian artisan Reham Shurab makes traditional 'fanous' lanterns at her home workshop in the Gaza Strip. AFP
    Palestinian artisan Reham Shurab makes traditional 'fanous' lanterns at her home workshop in the Gaza Strip. AFP
  • Workers sew women's prayer clothes called Mukenah at the Siti Khadijah clothing factory in Depok, Indonesia. EPA
    Workers sew women's prayer clothes called Mukenah at the Siti Khadijah clothing factory in Depok, Indonesia. EPA
  • Shoppers buy fresh produce at the Sidi Moussa market in Morocco's Atlantic coastal city of Sale. AFP
    Shoppers buy fresh produce at the Sidi Moussa market in Morocco's Atlantic coastal city of Sale. AFP

Preparations around the world for Ramadan - in pictures


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More from The National:

When is Ramadan 2023 in the UAE?

UAE cultural tips and etiquette to follow during Ramadan 2023

UAE announces Ramadan 2023 working hours for private sector

Ramadan 2023: Iftars to try at award-winning restaurants in Dubai

Specs%20
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Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Director: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 4/5

TEST SQUADS

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.

Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson and Jackson Bird.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Company%20profile
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Rainbow

Kesha

(Kemosabe)

ORDER OF PLAY ON SHOW COURTS

Centre Court - 4pm (UAE)
Gael Monfils (15) v Kyle Edmund
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Magdalena Rybarikova
Dusan Lajovic v Roger Federer (3)

Court 1 - 4pm
Adam Pavlasek v Novak Djokovic (2)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Gilles Simon
Angelique Kerber (1) v Kirsten Flipkens

Court 2 - 2.30pm
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Marcos Baghdatis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Christina McHale
Milos Raonic (6) v Mikhail Youzhny
Tsvetana Pironkova v Caroline Wozniacki (5)

'Downton Abbey: A New Era'

Director: Simon Curtis

 

Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan

 

Rating: 4/5

 

Fifa Club World Cup:

When: December 6-16
Where: Games to take place at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi and Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain
Defending champions: Real Madrid

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 325bhp

Torque: 450Nm

Price: Dh359,000

On sale: now 

Scoreline:

Barcelona 2

Suarez 85', Messi 86'

Atletico Madrid 0

Red card: Diego Costa 28' (Atletico)

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Profile of Tamatem

Date started: March 2013

Founder: Hussam Hammo

Based: Amman, Jordan

Employees: 55

Funding: $6m

Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

MATCH INFO

What: Brazil v South Korea
When: Tonight, 5.30pm
Where: Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae

Generation Start-up: Awok company profile

Started: 2013

Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev

Sector: e-commerce

Size: 600 plus

Stage: still in talks with VCs

Principal Investors: self-financed by founder

THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)

Power: 141bhp 

Torque: 250Nm 

Price: Dh64,500

On sale: Now

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

'The Predator'
Dir: Shane Black
Starring: Olivia Munn, Boyd Holbrook, Keegan-Michael Key
Two and a half stars

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Updated: March 22, 2023, 7:19 AM