Approximately 37% of local businesses said they do not intend to raise employee pay next year.

According to the Khaleej Times, 41% of firms increased salaries in 2021, with advisory, HR, manufacturing, technology, strategy, and public sectors among those that increased salaries by up to 10%.

For 2022, 43% of UAE businesses plan to increase salaries, with 35% increasing by 0-5%, 4% increasing by 6-9%, and 5% increasing by 10% or more.

Around 37% of local businesses said they do not intend to raise employee pay next year. 

As the world’s first paperless government, Dubai has achieved its Paperless Strategy that was launched in 2018.

Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said they have reached a new level in Dubai’s journey to digitize life.

“Four years ago, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had a vision that no Dubai Government employee or customer would need to print any paper document after 2021. Today, that promise has been fulfilled,” he said.

Next year, Apple iPhone 14 Pro models with punch-hole displays will be available.

According to the report of the Filipino Times, the iPhone 14 Pro series may include a hole-punch screen design, and next year’s Pro models will include 48MP punch-hole selfie cameras.

LG display LTPO 120Hz OLED panels are said to be used in the 6.06-inch iPhone 14 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The non-Pro iPhone 14 models, which include a 6.06-inch model and a new 6.7-inch model, will keep the notch and will be supplied by BOE.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: In compliance with the UAE government’s decision, the Dubai government announced a four-and-a-half-day work week for public sector employees.

The weekend has been changed to Saturday and Sunday, with Friday being a half-day. The changes will take effect on 1 January 2022 across all government entities, and Sunday, 2 January 2022, will be an official holiday.

The new work week will better align the UAE with global markets, reflecting the country’s strategic status on the global economic map. It will also boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing, while increasing performance to advance the UAE’s economic competitiveness.

The changes to the work week system also include new official working hours. Public sector employees will be expected to work from 7:30am to 3:30pm from Monday to Thursday (8 hours) and 12:00pm on Fridays (four-and-one-half hours).

(WAM)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has opened a new dialysis centre in Al Twar. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) also announced the opening of another new dialysis center in Al Barsha.

Equipped with the latest technologies and compliant with global best practices and protocols, the two new centers have been designed to maximize customer convenience. Staffed by qualified medical and administrative personnel, the centers provide customers with high-quality specialized services.

The two new centers reflect Dubai’s strategy to develop integrated medical facilities to enhance the health and wellbeing of the community in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed was received at the Al Twar dialysis center by Hamad Al Sheikh Ahmed Al Shaibani, Director General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD), Awad Saghir Al Ketbi, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority and Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Executive Director of the Charitable Work Sector of IACAD.

The Al Barsha dialysis centre, which was funded by a generous donation from the sons of the late Abdul Salam Rafiea, serves the needs of patients suffering from kidney failure who require regular dialysis. The center also provides preventive medical services in the field of nephrology.

Sheikh Hamdan was briefed by DHA officials about the dialysis units, clinics, facilities and services offered by the two new centres at Al Twar and Al Barsha. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed commended the policy of allocating 30 per cent of the capacity of the Al Twar dialysis centre and its 40 beds to needy and distressed patients referred to the center by charitable organizations.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed emphasized the importance of providing specialized health centres with international standards in Dubai, especially in areas of medical specialization that are seeing a growing demand for services. He further said the continuous development of the health sector is one of the highest priorities of the Dubai government. The Crown Prince of Dubai praised the role of the private sector and associations in the healthcare industry for supporting the development of medical facilities in Dubai.

Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) and a number of charities contributed to the development of the new dialysis centres with the support of the Dubai Health Authority.

A number of officials who contributed to the initiative attended the event including Dr. Muhammad Suhail Al Muhairi, CEO and Managing Director of Dar Al Ber Association; Sharaf El Din Al Sayed Sharaf, member of the Board of Directors of Beit Al Khair Association; Taher Abdeen, Director General of Beit Al Khair Association; Ahmed Mohamed Mesmar, Secretary of the Dubai Charitable Society; Ali Al Mutawa, Secretary General of the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation, and Musa Tariq Khoury, Director of the Sharia Audit Department at Dubai Islamic Bank.

Awadh Al Ketbi, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority, extended his gratitude to His Highness, the Crown Prince of Dubai, for attending the inauguration of the two new centres.

His Highness’ commitment to ensure Dubai’s healthcare sector stays abreast of global developments in the field inspires all stakeholders and personnel in the sector to work together for its growth, he said.

Al Ketbi further said that the Dubai Health Authority is keen to foster partnerships with institutions and members of society to advance the development of the healthcare sector, in line with the vision and directives of Dubai’s leaders.

Hamad Al Sheikh Ahmed Al Shaibani, Director General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD), also expressed his gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his unlimited support for charitable activities in Dubai.

The UAE’s humanitarian ethos has made it one of the most giving countries in the world, he said. Al Shaibani also extended his thanks to all those who contributed to this initiative, which, he said, enhances Dubai’s position as a global centre for charitable and humanitarian activities.

Extending over an area of 5,500 sq m, the Al Twar centre has a capacity of 40 beds while the 6,000 sq. m Al Barsha dialysis centre has a capacity of 60 beds.

“Strength of great leadership comes from the amount of commitment of the followers,” says Niranjan Gidwani, former CEO of Eros Group, known for his vision, ability and expertise to build regional groups and organizations into brands. 

He added: “How leaders behave determines whether or not the followers will committedly follow. Authority, power and influence in leaders actually comes not through our positions or titles, but through our followers.”

Gidwani, who comes from a humble, middle-class, extremely value-based background, said leadership is “most definitely about performance, numbers and parameters. 

“And yet, in today’s highly connected and socially influenced world, it is most certainly not just about wealth or profits. This, in part, can be seen by the large number of people globally leaving jobs for a relatively better quality of life. The new generation has very different aspirations.”

Citing Malcolm Gladwell’s book titled ‘David and Goliath’. Gidwaini says that people will obey and follow much, much better when they believe they are being treated legitimately well. 

“In the final analysis,” Gidwani says, “leadership is the act of leaving behind a lasting legacy that others will be honored to take forward. 

“The cultural impact of good, strong leadership is a culture-based on the concept that attitude needs to be correct and honest towards both people and performance. 

“At the country level, (a) classic case study of sustained success with this thought process is the UAE. The country which is home to almost 200 nationalities. The country which has performed on all “people” and “performance” parameters. This small nation which has created massive cultural impact on the global stage. Huge credit goes to the forward thinking and building up of the right culture by its Rulers.”

A degree holder in Mechanical Engineering who holds an MBA from the Symbiosis Institute of Management in Pune, India, Gidwani has over 38 years of hardcore senior management experience with a strong exposure to handling international business.

Out of these 38 years, he has had working stints in India, Hongkong, Germany, Singapore and Dubai. Dubai has been the longest stint of 28 years.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced that it conducted 355,085 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours, using state-of-the-art medical testing equipment.

In a statement, the Ministry stressed its aim to continue expanding the scope of testing nationwide to facilitate the early detection of coronavirus cases and carry out the necessary treatment. As part of its intensified testing campaign, MoHAP announced 69 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the UAE to 742,507.

According to the Ministry, the infected individuals are from various nationalities, are in a stable condition, and receiving the necessary care.

The Ministry added that no COVID-19-related deaths have been recorded in the past 24 hours, with the death toll remained unchanged at 2,149.

MoHAP also noted that an additional 89 individuals had fully recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 737,570. (WAM) 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, has said that social responsibility plays a key role in building a strong and cohesive society and enabling the private sector to contribute to Dubai’s development in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

At a meeting held at Expo 2020 Dubai, chaired by Sheikh Hamdan, The Executive Council adopted policies aimed at encouraging corporate social responsibility among private sector companies. H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, also attended the meeting.

The Crown Prince of Dubai said: “The deep commitment demonstrated by local companies and the private sector to social responsibility values reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to promote partnerships between the private, public and nonprofit sectors with the aim of creating a positive impact on the community. 

“The concept of social responsibility represents the commitment of companies to enhance the wellbeing and happiness of the community. Strong partnerships with the private sector, which is a strategic partner in our development journey, is vital to accelerate our development plans.”

He further said: “Many private sector institutions have proven over the years that they are responsible towards the community and are capable of fulfilling their social responsibilities. The most recent example is the collaboration between the private sector and the Dubai Government during the pandemic through the Community Solidarity Fund, to which the private sector contributed more than AED356 million.”

The newly introduced social responsibility policy seeks to raise the role of companies and private establishments in social and economic development and inspire private companies to contribute to the community. The policy also seeks to align their projects and contributions with the priorities set by the government.

During the process of developing the policy, the Community Development Authority (CDA) engaged with stakeholders from the public, private and non-profit sectors to gain a deeper understanding of their expectations. A survey highlighted that 67% of companies’ social responsibility initiatives were in the field of education, while 63% contributed to causes related to the environment, and 58% contributed to empowering people of determination.

Meantime, to promote the use of mass transportation in the emirate, The Executive Council approved the RTA’s joint mobility plan and an electric scooter policy designed to support the use of sustainable transport. The joint mobility plan, which covers the individual’s journey from the ‘first mile’, highlights various means of transportation provided by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority to take users to the ‘last mile’ of their journeys.

The joint mobility plan aims to increase the use of public transportation to reach about 35.5% of total sustainable mobility by 2026. As part of the plan, Dubai seeks to legalise and operate multiple means of joint transportation, which will be integrated with the public transportation system.

The Roads and Transport Authority has begun a trial run of several initiatives that support this plan, including the use of electric scooters. Surveys revealed an 82% satisfaction rate in the use of electric scooters in key areas of Dubai. A total of 390,000 electric scooter journeys were made during the period from October 2020 to June 2021. (WAM)

The Abu Dhabi Police fulfilled a child’s wish to be a police officer for a day in a heartwarming gesture.

Khalifa, a 9-year-old student at Virginia International Private School, had his dreams come true at the Al Rawdah Police Station in Abu Dhabi, according to an official social media post.

The Capital Police Department provided him with an official uniform to wear, and he was then greeted at the Al Rawdah Police Station.

He was also taken on a tour of the station’s advanced control center and given the opportunity to ride in an official security patrol vehicle.

#أخبارنا |#شرطة_أبوظبي تسعد طفلاً من أصحاب الهمم

التفاصيل : https://t.co/Qn22TMuRN4#أخبار_شرطة_أبوظبي pic.twitter.com/SCFYeTm8m6

— شرطة أبوظبي (@ADPoliceHQ) December 8, 2021

Colonel Tarsh Mohammed Al-Kaabi, the station’s head, stated that the move aimed to inspire the boy to continue his medical treatment and to instill hope.

He also stated that Abu Dhabi was delighted to fulfill Khalifa’s wishes in commemoration of the UAE’s 50th National Day and the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Expo 2020 Dubai has seen a staggering 5,663,960 visits from opening day on 1 October to 5 December, with recent figures buoyed by the UAE’s Golden Jubilee festivities and a raft of spectacular sport, music and cultural performances.

During October and November, a total of 5,383 government leaders, including presidents, heads of state, prime ministers and ministers, have graced the Expo site to speak at official events or celebrate their nation’s Expo National Day, with Expo hosting a total of 10,461 events in just the first two months.

During his visit last week, French President Emmanuel Macron, congratulated Expo 2020 Dubai for “organizing this exhibition and making it a success”.

Proving that one day isn’t enough to experience everything Expo 2020 Dubai has to offer, six out of 10 visitors (57 percent) now hold an Expo Season Pass, with the number of repeat visitors in the first two months reaching 1.2 million.

Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director-General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said, “We are delighted with the figures, and that so many people chose to celebrate such a momentous occasion, the UAE’s 50th National Day, with us here at Expo 2020 Dubai.

“Two months in, these numbers are a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in Expo, from the hosting of spectacular events that make people want to visit again and again, to the bringing together of global changemakers on a powerful platform for action and collaboration, and – crucially – to our robust COVID-19 measures, which allow us to accommodate such large numbers in a safe, reassuring manner.”

More than a quarter (28 percent) of November visitors came from outside the UAE, with the top international visitor countries including India, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the UK.

The Expo School Programme has attracted nearly 250,000 pupils from private and public schools across the UAE who have participated in 10,000 dedicated school journeys encompassing The Legacy of the UAE; World of Opportunities; The Universe in Motion; and The Sustainable Planet, while more talented youngsters have delighted visitors from the stage, as part of Expo’s popular Young Stars and Rising Stars entertainment.

November saw some major crowd-pullers, including the end of Riverdance’s popular run; a spectacular performance from the Accademia Teatro alla Scala; award-winning Pakistani musician Javed Bashir; Egyptian singer Mohamed Hamaki; a KITE (K-Pop in the Emirates) concert and the opportunity to take part in a family fun run with sprint king Usain Bolt.

Other highlights included the Golden Jubilee’s ‘Journey of the 50th’ – a stirring show in Al Wasl dome that skilfully melded the tenacity of the past with the UAE’s visionary present and pioneering future – as well as the ‘The Boy and the Horse’, a 20-minute theatrical production that honoured His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

Expo’s Programme for People and Planet in November continued to attract changemakers from around the world, with two of Expo 2020’s 10 Theme Weeks – Urban & Rural Development Week and Tolerance & Inclusivity Week – as well as a slate of festivities and activities to mark World Children’s Day, International Day of Persons with Disabilities and International Volunteer Day pulling in the crowds.

Numbers are expected to rise further with Christmas festivities and more world-class performances, such as Grammy Award-winner Alicia Keys’ show at Al Wasl Plaza on 10th December, Academy Award-winning composer and musician A.R. Rahman on 22nd December and Broadway superstar Lea Salonga on 25th December.

During October and November, around 455,000 rides – using RTA transport – were made to and from the site using taxis, more than 600,000 trips were made on the free Expo Rider bus service, and 2.2 million users entered and exited Expo via the Dubai Metro.

Expo 2020’s virtual visitation rose to an incredible 25 million, driven by the uptake of Live@Expo, which enables visitors to take a bespoke live virtual tour through the site. Virtualexpodubai.com was also honoured by the UK’s Favourite Website Awards (FWA) with the ‘Most Favourite Website Award’ for November 2021.

Expo 2020 Dubai maintains robust COVID-19 measures, ensuring a safe and exceptional event for all attending. (WAM)