Live updates: Follow the latest news on the UK general election
People from Britain who live abroad have been offered the prospect of greater representation in the UK through the suggestion of constituencies for overseas voters, but the plan has some way to go before it wins over many in the UAE.
The Liberal Democrats, led by Ed Davey, want British citizens to have their own MPs to represent them in Parliament.
Those living abroad who are registered can vote in general elections but their ballot applies to the last place in which they lived in the UK.
The Liberal Democrats want to change that and follow France, Italy, Portugal and Croatia, all of which have separate representatives for overseas voters.
George Cunningham, chairman of the Steering Committee of Lib Dems Abroad, told The National: “The local MP is not really focused on the issues of people abroad, because it’s such a small proportion of constituents.
“So they rarely deal with them and therefore they cannot adequately serve them.”
He said MPs would address specific issues affecting expats, such as frozen state pensions, which do not increase annually in line with those collected in the UK.
Mr Cunningham said the issue affects half a million pensioners living overseas.
“You have people living on a quarter of the pension that’s being received at home, if they are quite elderly,” he added.
Up to three million long-term overseas' residents are eligible to vote for the first time in Thursday’s election following a change in the law.
Part of the UK government's Election Act 2022, the change means citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years but have either previously lived in or been registered to vote in Britain are now permitted to vote.
They include long-term UAE expat, Jennifer Brown, a Scot living in Abu Dhabi, who said the idea of overseas constituencies was “interesting in principle”.
“Long-term expats have been disenfranchised and disengaged for years, partly due to not being able to engage with the government," she said.
“Perhaps this would enable more engaged expats? If so, I think it would lead to a positive outcome.”
Keren Bobker, administrator of the British Expats Dubai and UAE Facebook page, and a columnist for The National, who is also voting for the first time in years following the change in law, said it was probably not a priority for many voters, even those overseas.
“I’d like to think that many of us will vote for the greater good, not just for self-interest, so our votes will be about more than what works for us as non-residents.
“How different are our views to those of UK residents, especially for those who plan to return one day?”
Polls suggest the Labour Party is on course for a return to power for the first time since 2010 with an overwhelming majority.
That outcome would see Britain swing leftwards back to the centre ground after almost a decade and a half of right-wing Conservative governments.
Labour has enjoyed a consistent 20-point lead in the polls over the past two years, with many voters dissatisfied at the Conservatives' handling of a range of issues including the cost of living, public services, immigration and the economy.
But on Tuesday former prime minister Boris Johnson – who was ousted by his own colleagues, including current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in 2022 after a string of scandals, and who has been notably absent from the campaign – urged supporters not to see the result as a "foregone conclusion".
UK general election campaigning - in pictures
The Brexit stalwart told a rally late on Tuesday that Labour leader Keir Starmer would try to "usher in the most left-wing Labour government" since the Second World War.
Earlier, Survation pollsters predicted Labour was on track for more than the 418 seats it won when Tony Blair ended 18 years of Conservative rule in 1997.
Labour requires at least 326 seats to secure a majority.
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- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
Red Sparrow
Dir: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Egerton, Charlotte Rampling, Jeremy Irons
Three stars
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Results
Final: Iran beat Spain 6-3.
Play-off 3rd: UAE beat Russia 2-1 (in extra time).
Play-off 5th: Japan beat Egypt 7-2.
Play-off 7th: Italy beat Mexico 3-2.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Match info
Newcastle United 1
Joselu (11')
Tottenham Hotspur 2
Vertonghen (8'), Alli (18')
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
Palestine and Israel - live updates
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Du Plessis plans his retirement
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.
Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.
"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday.
Aston martin DBX specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Top speed: 291kph
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: Q2, 2020
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
