ABU DHABI // Despite facing security challenges in many of the places where it operates, Emirates Red Crescent continues to be one of the first organisations to bring aid to those in need.
Since it was founded in 1983, Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) has carried out scores of foreign aid missions and thousands of development projects around the world, benefiting hundreds of thousands of people.
“There is no doubt that we face some challenges while implementing the projects in some countries,” said Fahd bin Sultan, ERC’s deputy chairman for collections and marketing.
“The main challenge is the security situation in certain countries. This could delay the execution of the project during the designated period, which is the case while implementing projects in Palestine, for instance.”
These projects include the construction of residential areas, health facilities, education institutions and utilities buildings.
Often the security concerns result in an increase in the costs of the projects.
“This is beside the other challenges, such as complications faced while trying to issue building licences in some countries, and other bureaucratic procedures,” Mr bin Sultan said.
But he believed it was worth the risks.
“The human is a human everywhere and aiding him is an obligation; standing by his side in crises is a priority regardless of time, place and distance,” he said.
Work on relief missions usually begins immediately after a crisis has hit, whereas development projects in affected areas follow at a later stage.
“This is the hope and recovery phase, to provide stability and necessary services,” he said.
“The biggest executed projects so far are building residential areas to accommodate refugees who find themselves homeless, and those who have been affected by natural and man-made disasters.”
The most significant examples include the Jineen Camp project in the West Bank and the housing scheme in Khan Younis, Gaza. In the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, ERC also built housing developments in Indonesia and Sri Lanka for victims of the disaster.
The funding for such projects is mostly met through donations. “The authority plays the role of an agent between the donor and the execution of the project, which he has chosen himself,” he said.
Some of the funding comes through appeals, such as the 2013 telethon to raise money for those displaced by the civil war in Syria.
“There are many methods for adopting projects abroad,” Mr bin Sultan said. “Sometimes the receiving party contacts the authority and requests a certain project.”
This year, ERC has been helping the victims of the conflict in Yemen. “The Red Crescent’s move towards foreign aid is in line with the goals and principles of its establishment, and in these situations, it is necessary to have fast response to catastrophes that fall upon people,” Mr bin Sultan said.
hdajani@thenational.ae
Zombieland: Double Tap
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Stars: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone
Four out of five stars
The five types of long-term residential visas
Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:
Investors:
A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.
Entrepreneurs:
A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.
Specialists
Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.
Outstanding students:
A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university.
Retirees:
Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.
Company%20Profile
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The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Company%20Profile
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Alita: Battle Angel
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Stars: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Keean Johnson
Four stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Draw
Quarter-finals
Real Madrid (ESP) or Manchester City (ENG) v Juventus (ITA) or Lyon (FRA)
RB Leipzig (GER) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Barcelona (ESP) or Napoli (ITA) v Bayern Munich (GER) or Chelsea (ENG)
Atalanta (ITA) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Ties to be played August 12-15 in Lisbon
Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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More coverage from the Future Forum
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Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH DETAILS
Chelsea 4
Jorginho (4 pen, 71 pen), Azpilicueta (63), James (74)
Ajax 4
Abraham (2 og), Promes (20). Kepa (35 og), van de Beek (55)
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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