The global financial crisis has prompted a review of Dubai's 2015 strategic plan, the Prime Minister said yesterday, but he emphasised that many of the emirate's objectives would probably be achieved on schedule.
In an internet question and answer session with the general public, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who is also Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said there were already signs that the economy was reviving.
He said a "careful review" had been launched of Dubai's 2015 plan to take into account developments in financial markets and the global economy.
Some time frames outlined in the plan, published in February 2007, might need to be adjusted, he said, but many objectives had already been achieved ahead of schedule. He offered no specific details on either.
"The symptoms of recovery have started to manifest, and the duration of recovery is expected to be much shorter than that required for other economies," he said.
The country's strong legislative framework, diverse economy, efficient financial system and well-developed infrastructure would aid recovery, he said.
Sheikh Mohammed's comments, all made in writing in response to thousands of questions e-mailed by the public, marked the second time this year that he has so interacted via his website. In April, he took questions from journalists.
He responded to 56 submissions covering a range of issues from the economy to national identity, offering sometimes forthright answers. He accused the foreign media of spreading "fabricated" news about the country, spoke of the country's demographic future and even discussed his attitudes to family life.
Sheikh Mohammed said the demographic structure committee was finalising timetables for dealing with the imbalance in the country, adding that the global slowdown had had an impact on foreign workers in construction and other industries.
Although several ministries were working on strategies to reduce unemployment among Emiratis, Sheikh Mohammed conceded that the country "had not yet achieved an ideal situation for Emiratisation".
"The Government is well aware of this reality and is working on solving the problem in a scientific way, aiming to provide suitable jobs for all citizens in the Government and within the private sectors," he said.
Turning to Emirati culture, Sheikh Mohammed insisted that "just a minority" of young UAE nationals had eschewed traditional dress in favour of more western garb, but that this was only a temporary phenomenon.
"Even if such behaviour lasts for some time, it will come to an end," he said, adding that Emirati identity is "deeply rooted".
Indeed, the Arab and Islamic culture of the country, the Prime Minister said, had been enjoying a renewal in recent decades.
In response to a question suggesting that wasta - the use of family and other connections to secure advantage - was on the rise, Sheikh Mohammed said concerns about the issue were not based on facts.
He insisted that the UAE federal human resources law was helping to tackle the issue by providing grievance procedures to deal with alleged unfairness.
"I believe that those who work hard and ensure they are qualified for the demands of the marketplace are the ones who get the jobs," he said.
With respect to stateless citizens, Sheikh Mohammed said the Ministry of Interior was working "actively and seriously" and was "closing this case".
"Whoever deserves citizenship of the UAE will get it," he said.
Commenting on foreign press reports critical of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed said such journalism was "the price we pay for our great success and for maintaining an open society".
"One of the main reasons behind this organised attack against the UAE, and Dubai in particular, is to distort the successful and prominent model of unity set by the UAE," he said.
"To that I would add that some of the negative news has been fabricated under the supervision of certain people in authority.
"They have done this in pursuing their personal interest and agendas."
The country would, Sheikh Mohammed said, take criticism in stride.
He mentioned the English adage that today's newspaper becomes tomorrow's fish-and-chip wrapping.
He said much criticism of government services in newspapers was exaggerated and aimed at attracting attention, and he called for this to end.
"I want newspapers to train their staffs to be more accurate and honest in what they publish," he said.
dbardsley@thenational.ae
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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CABINET%20OF%20CURIOSITIES%20EPISODE%201%3A%20LOT%2036
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)
Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg
Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD
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.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Company%20Profile
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Armies of Sand
By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Company%20Profile
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Sweet%20Tooth
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2a)
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
SPEC SHEET
Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz
Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core
Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
'Ashkal'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Youssef%20Chebbi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fatma%20Oussaifi%20and%20Mohamed%20Houcine%20Grayaa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
