ABU DHABI // Two Omani rally stars are gearing up to take on one of the world's toughest cross-country rallies, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
Over the next five days, and on separate teams, Nizar al Shanfari and Ahmed al Hajri will fly the flag for the sultanate as they fight their way across some of the harshest and most visually stunning terrain in the Middle East.
"Omani participation is very important for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge," Mohammed ben Sulayem, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) vice-president for sport and chairman of the Desert Challenge organising committee," explained.
"The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is one of our region's most important motorsport events and we want our fellow GCC countries to be as proud of it as we are in the UAE.
"We invite our Omani competitors to treat the UAE as a second home, and we hope their intimate knowledge of Gulf geography will help them achieve great results for their countries and this region."
Local knowledge will play a big part for al Shanfari, who is a seasoned rally driver and has made a name for himself over the years in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC).
In the 1999 MERC season, he finished first in his class and second overall, and repeated the feat the following year to show his consistency.
After shifting his focus to cross-country rallying, he has participated in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge four times, with a second place in the T1 class in 2004 being the highlight.
This year, al Shanfari is determined to do even better, and has been preparing for the extremely demanding event for the past nine months.
He will take on some of the tallest dunes in the world in a Dutch-built Fast and Speed T1 buggy alongside his Qatari co-pilot, Nasr al Kuwari, who also has a wealth of experience from competing in the MERC.
"It's a great feeling to know that I am one of only two Omani participants," al Shanfari said. "The pressure can build up with the responsibility, but I've been training really hard and I'm ready for it.
"You never know what's going to hit you when you're out there, and we've been working on the buggy for a long time, tweaking the engine and suspension settings, so we're confident."
Also waving the Omani flag at this year's competition will be al Hajri, who will navigate for the UAE's Matar al Mansouri in a Nissan Patrol as they tackle some of the toughest terrain on the planet.
The UAE's Yahya Bel Helei has taken part in every race since 1990, achieving a number of wins in both car and motorbike categories over the years.
"For me and many other Emiratis, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is the rallying event of the year," Bel Helei said.
"I speak on behalf of my UAE compatriots when I say that we cannot wait to take on the world's best racers for a spot on the podium."
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.
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
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Power: 310hp
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Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Company%20profile
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