On April 16, 2008, I hit the button to start the printing press for the inaugural edition of The National newspaper.
Two hundred days before, I had landed in Abu Dhabi in 50°C heat to find deserted streets in the middle of a Ramadan afternoon. I checked into my hotel and burst into tears – I had made a terrible mistake. But here I am, 15 years later, still in my role as managing editor of this ever-growing news organisation with ample war stories and comic relief – especially from those founding days.
A few weeks before, I found myself in a puddle of pity. I had been working away at the National Post newspaper in Toronto, another title I helped launch in 1998. Martin Newland was an editor on that paper and when he called to recruit me for the Abu Dhabi start-up I was an easy sell: “There’s no snow and no taxes.”
It is fair to say none of us realised what we were getting ourselves into or how unusually ambitious this project would be. But we all understood the mission: to create a quality, broadsheet newspaper that would bring the capital and the country credibility and signal that it was an up-and-coming place to visit and do business. That was the easy bit.
We soon realised we had no newsroom, no computers, no computer system and no place to house the 200-plus people we had begun to hire and who were arriving on our doorstep every day.
We ordered computers. We did a 48-hour trip to Copenhagen to settle on a computer editorial system.
Then we found out we didn’t have a printing press.
Buying and building a printing press is normally a multi-year proposition, and outsourcing the printing was not a viable option. We were in a real pickle. This was when the head of the printing division, Ali Alnuaimi, earned his wings. He somehow found a printing press that had been ordered by a Russian newspaper. It was on a boat making its way to its final destination. Ali convinced that company to transfer ownership of the press to us and had the boat redirected to Abu Dhabi.
Printing presses, however, are sold in a million pieces. So when it arrived it had to be assembled – a process that would normally take no less than a year. A giant concrete slab was poured, and a small army of people set out working around the clock to build us a press. As the behemoth machine was assembled, the walls and roof of the building went up around it.
Fifteen years ago, Yas Island, Saadiyat, Reem, Al Zeina and Al Bandar had yet to be built. There were only a few hotels and barely any vacancies in the city’s apartment buildings. Because the demand could not be met, rents were extraordinary – especially given the quality of the accommodation.
Our company covered our first month in a hotel; after that we were paying extortionate rates to stay in aged hotel apartments. Enter Lizzie Eschauzier, a long-time resident of Abu Dhabi with a strong institutional knowledge of how to make things work. She was tasked with helping newcomers navigate the bureaucracy. The solution to our housing woes was to rent entire apartment buildings before they were even built. Staff then signed up to rent rooms in these apartments. It took several years before Abu Dhabi’s infrastructure caught up with the demand, these leases finally ran out, and I was able to turn in the keys and stop playing property manager.
Meanwhile, we conceived, designed and hired a team of journalists from more than 20 countries to create a newspaper we were proud of. But it still needed the ultimate stamp of approval.
We were told Martin would be summoned at any moment so he could show Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the time, the prototype and hopefully get the green light to proceed. Martin put on his best suit and shiniest shoes and carried the prototype under his arm for three days waiting anxiously for The Call.
Finally, it came with instructions to meet Sheikh Mohamed, now President of the UAE, at Marina Mall. There, in a cafe, Martin received the praise we had hoped for.
Soon after, we moved out of the dingy auditorium we had hunkered down in and into our sparkling new offices to begin “dry runs”. This is an exercise to produce the full newspaper every day to deadline until all the kinks are worked out. During this time we cut our teeth covering one of the biggest UAE news events of the day: a 200-car pile-up on Sheikh Zayed Road caused by thick fog. We did it well, and we knew we were ready to roll.
On Thursday, April 17, 2008, we proudly held the first edition of The National. On Friday morning, the second edition went out just fine.
On Saturday morning, Martin received a call from the Crown Prince’s office concerned that they had not received that day’s edition. It was explained that we had been commissioned to do only six days a week.
New instructions came down: we need a Saturday paper. It needs to be bigger and better than all the other days and it should have a magazine too.
Fifteen years later, the challenges keep on coming – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
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
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
SCHEDULE FOR SHOW COURTS
Centre Court - from 4pm (UAE time)
Angelique Kerber (1) v Irina Falconi
Martin Klizan v Novak Djokovic (2)
Alexandr Dolgopolov v Roger Federer (3)
Court One - from 4pm
Milos Raonic (6) v Jan-Lennard Struff
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Evgeniya Rodina
Dominic Thiem (8) v Vasek Pospisil
Court Two - from 2.30pm
Juan Martin Del Potro (29) v Thanasi Kokkinakis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Jelena Jankovic
Jeremy Chardy v Tomas Berdych (11)
Ons Jabeur v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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More on animal trafficking
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
More on Quran memorisation:
Results
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
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The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, kick-off 10.45pm
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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The specs: 2019 Jeep Wrangler
Price, base: Dh132,000
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 285hp @ 6,400rpm
Torque: 347Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.6L to 10.3L / 100km
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
