A Moroccan charity worker who cares for children with a rare condition that forces them to live in the dark is the winner of the 2025 Arab Hope Makers award.
Ahmed Zainoun collected the honour from Dubai's Ruler at Coca-Cola Arena on Sunday evening. He will receive Dh1 million ($270,000) in recognition of his work, as will fellow nominees Samar Nadeem and Khadija Al Qarti.
The award was established by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to honour people in the Arab world who dedicate their lives to bettering the lives of others.
Mr Zainoun cares for Children of the Moon, who suffer from a rare disease that causes extreme damage when the sufferer is exposed to sunlight. “I never imagined that people lived in the dark. A child dies without anyone hearing a voice,” said Mr Zainoun, from Morocco. Mr Zainoun provides everything for them, including masks with a heat-protective layer, and makes it his mission to bring them out into the sun.
He told The National that thousands of young people suffer from xeroderma pigmentosum. It was only after seeing an image of a young child with the disease that he dedicated his life to helping them, he said. “They deserve to come out into the light,” he said, “and we must help keep their skin from further disfigurement.”
He says the cases he has seen are so severe that the disease has completely destroyed some children’s facial features. “I’ll never forget a young girl who required several surgeries on her face,” he said. “Nobody deserves to live this life.”
Ms Nadeem, also known as "Egypt’s rose", provides a safe haven for abandoned and neglected elderly mothers. She offers them shelter and picks them up from the streets after they have been abandoned by their families.
“I always tell my kids, if I grow old and wear a nappy, don’t leave me. It’s only a matter of days before I go to God,” she said. “I hope that anyone who has a parent on the street will take them in before I do. It doesn’t mean that just because your parents are sick, you should abandon them. They are heaven on Earth.”
“We all age and will reach that point in our lives. What the elderly need is companionship, and even if they are aggressive or lash out, bear with them — just as they once put up with our tantrums and moods,” she added.
Ms Al Qarti, also from Morocco, lost her husband to cancer, which inspired her to help people in any way she could. She opened her home to cancer patients, sheltering more than 120 women at a time. Over 15 years, her house became a haven for 60,000 women suffering from cancer – many despondent, and one suicidal. She took in 30 patients per day, providing them with food, drink and a place to sleep for free. “I have one door. God has many doors,” she said.
What is Arab Hope Makers?
Arab Hope Makers was established in 2017 by Sheikh Mohammed. It attracted more than 300,000 nominations during its first four events. The award was launched to celebrate people engaged in projects that improve and uplift society. Sheikh Mohammed said the fifth Hope Makers received more than 26,000 stories from young men and women.
"Hope is the bridge that connects the reality we live in and the future we desire. We must contribute to building bridges for millions of young people so that they are not overcome by despair and hopelessness," said Sheikh Mohammed earlier this month. In December, the Ruler of Dubai encouraged people to nominate themselves or others on the Arab Hope Makers website.
At the end of last year, Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Secretary General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, spoke of the importance of the award in showing charitable endeavours all over the region. "This initiative is a realistic call to combat despair and negativity by focusing on the positive within our Arab communities," Mr Al Gergawi said.
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Predictions
Predicted winners for final round of games before play-offs:
- Friday: Delhi v Chennai - Chennai
- Saturday: Rajasthan v Bangalore - Bangalore
- Saturday: Hyderabad v Kolkata - Hyderabad
- Sunday: Delhi v Mumbai - Mumbai
- Sunday - Chennai v Punjab - Chennai
Final top-four (who will make play-offs): Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Last-16
France 4
Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')
Argentina 3
Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
If you go
The flights
Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.
The car
Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals. A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.
The hotels
Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.
More info
To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com. Good guidebooks include the Lonely Planet guides to Northern California and Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest.
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
RESULTS
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jordan Sport, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Jungle Cat, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Kimbear, Patrick Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: North America, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner: Hawkbill, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
