A handout photo from Rami Abuarja's Instagram Abu Dhabi (@InstaAbuDhabi). The Jordanian, a resident of Abu Dhabi, decided to set up the account on Twitter to collect Instagram snaps from around the emirate. Courtesy Rami Abuarja
A handout photo from Rami Abuarja's Instagram Abu Dhabi (@InstaAbuDhabi). The Jordanian, a resident of Abu Dhabi, decided to set up the account on Twitter to collect Instagram snaps from around the emShow more

Thousands join Twitter account dedicated to the capital



ABU DHABI // Thousands of people have subscribed to a social media account dedicated to showcasing the capital.

Rami Abuarja, a Jordanian who has lived in Abu Dhabi for two years, decided to set up the account on Twitter to collect snaps from around the emirate.

“I am an Instagram user myself and one day I was out on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi and this idea came to me,” Mr Abuarja said.

“If I could take everyone’s pictures and put them all in once place, everyone in the world can see what Abu Dhabi is like.”

This notion inspired him to set up the Instagram Abu Dhabi – @InstaAbuDhabi – Twitter account about a month ago.

Using his knowledge of computers, Mr Abuarja wrote a script that automatically finds new Instagram pictures taken in particular locations around the city, and tweets them from the account.

Only pictures labelled as public are used.

Since being launched the account already has about 2,000 subscribers.

“A lot of people from all nationalities, especially Emiratis, are using Instagram. A lot of the pictures come from them and others from the tourists who are here just to see the sights – it is for everyone,” he said.

“Everybody used to just see photos online, but all of a sudden you have this app on your phone and you can take good pictures, it is not hard, anyone can do it.”

He said that Instagram is promoting the art of photography across the country.

The trend for using the popular site in the UAE has skyrocketed, with snap-happy residents and visitors alike uploading their best shots.

“It is especially good in Abu Dhabi because there is always things happening. People used to walk around with big cameras, SLRs and stuff and now people just use their phones.”

Users in the UAE outnumber any other Arab country on the site Instagramers Gallery, a separate entity dedicated to promoting the best pictures from the site.

Users can win prizes for the most popular pictures on the site.

UAE smartphone ownership has outstripped the global average by 30 per cent, according to a recent survey by research consultancy TNS Global.

“According to the study, about 78 per cent of the UAE population owns a smartphone, compared with the global average of 42 per cent,” said Jorge Martinez, co-founder of Instagramers Gallery.

“Also, nearly 40 per cent of UAE consumers either own or are looking to own a tablet. Furthermore, 34 per cent use their smartphones to access social networking sites. All this will fuel social media photography further in the UAE,” he said.

“Instagramers Gallery is a great tool for people to showcase their world. Most of the photos being posted on the photo platform from the UAE are mostly of the categories of people, travels, art, beauty, family, landscape and love.”

One of the most high-profile UAE users of Instagram is Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, or "Faz3" as he is known on the site.

Sheikh Hamdan has more than 625,000 followers and regularly attracts hundreds of comments and "likes" to his posts of life in and around the UAE.

ksinclair@thenational.ae

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
If you go

The flights

Fly direct to London from the UAE with Etihad, Emirates, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from about Dh2,500 return including taxes. 

The hotel

Rooms at the convenient and art-conscious Andaz London Liverpool Street cost from £167 (Dh800) per night including taxes.

The tour

The Shoreditch Street Art Tour costs from £15 (Dh73) per person for approximately three hours. 

The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Best Foreign Language Film nominees

Capernaum (Lebanon)

Cold War (Poland)

Never Look Away (Germany)

Roma (Mexico)

Shoplifters (Japan)

The UN General Assembly President in quotes:

YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”

PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”

OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”

REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”

PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

Porsche Macan T: The Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo 

Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm 

Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm 

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto 

Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec 

Top speed: 232kph 

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km 

On sale: May or June 

Price: From Dh259,900  

RESULT

Aston Villa 1
Samatta (41')
Manchester City 2
Aguero (20')
Rodri (30')

The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

INDIA'S%20TOP%20INFLUENCERS
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

Ticket prices
  • Golden circle - Dh995
  • Floor Standing - Dh495
  • Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
  • Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
  • Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
  • Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
  • Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
  • Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
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).