The art of Emirati etiquette is safe in the hands of community champion Fatima Al Mughani.
Brought up to respect and uphold the country's traditions, she is now passing on her extensive knowledge to young Emiratis and expatriates alike.
Ms Al Mughani, 61, describes Emirati etiquette as the rules that regulate the behaviour of individuals, which reflect the inherent values of UAE society.
Here is Fatima's step-by-step guide to making the right impression in important social situations.
Observe customs of coffee
In a male gathering, after welcoming the guest, the host will serve Emirati coffee, from the right to the left, unless there were an elderly or an important person in the majlis then he should serve them first.
The person should hold the coffee cups in his right hand and the coffee pot in his left hand and lean forward while serving the coffee while keeping a slight distance between him and the guest.
The coffee should be hot which indicates that the coffee has been specially made to the guest which also shows respect and generosity.
Less than half of the cup should be filled with coffee and the guest should shake the cup after drinking the coffee if he does not want a refill.
The person who offers the coffee should not interrupt any ongoing conversation and he should keep standing while serving coffee.
In a female gathering, the woman who serves coffee is allowed to sit while offering coffee to others.
In any gathering, guests should take the cup using their right hand and give it back once they are done using the same hand.
Dates will be also offered at the majlis along with other traditional sweets and snacks.
The guest should avoid refusing any food or drinks offered and should show respect and appreciation.
The handshake
When entering a majlis, the person should start shaking the hands of guests from the right to the left, unless there is a well-known figure among them or an elderly person, who would take priority.
Besides the handshake, nose-to-nose greeting and kissing the top of a person’s head are other Emirati ways to greet others and show respect.
Respecting the House
Guests and visitors should take off their shoes before entering an Emirati house.
How to sit in a majlis
Avoid crossing knees while sitting up in a majlis as it can be a sign of arrogance. When sat on a floor, do not squat.
Lunch invitation
In many situations, the guest would be invited to have lunch and when the food is served, the host should wait until the guest starts eating in order to eat and should not leave the table before the guest.
Leaving a house or a majlis
When leaving the guests should shake hands with the host and others and show appreciation for their hospitality and kindness.
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How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
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Artist: Coldplay
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Number of tracks: 10
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Manchester City, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
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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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