Saboor Ash's Blog

  The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has announced a new 20 billion UAE dirham (approximately $5.4 billion USD) humanitarian and sustainability scheme. The scheme will be launched in memory and to honor the legacy of the UAE's founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.  The new initiative will support initiatives related to food, clean water, healthcare, and sustainable development in countries around the world over the next 20 years. It aims to help communities be more self-sufficient and less dependent on food imports or humanitarian aid. Priority will be given to projects in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The UAE president said the new scheme aligns with the vision and principles of the late Sheikh Zayed, who was known for his efforts to aid developing nations and contribute to solving humanitarian issues. It will continue the legacy of the founding father in providing relief, empowering people and extending ...

  The UAE topped the rankings in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report for 2023-2024. It achieved the highest National Entrepreneurship Context Index score in the report's history at 7.7, cementing its position as providing the best environment globally for starting and operating new businesses. This supportive ecosystem has encouraged many entrepreneurs to pursue new opportunities in the country. The UAE also featured strongly in terms of its physical infrastructure, coming in third internationally - highlighting how business-friendly resources and facilities are being developed.  Significant efforts within the UAE have gone into nurturing entrepreneurship from a young age. The report recognized its leading entrepreneurship education programs within schools that focus on developing skills like creative thinking, problem solving and risk assessment. As a result, the UAE ranked among the top five countries in this important area out of 49 total. This emphasis on entreprene...

  Kuwait Hospital in Sharjah conducted free surgeries on Zayed Humanitarian Day to commemorate the legacy of UAE's founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The surgical and orthopaedic departments performed surgeries for low-income patients in need of medical care. A 70-year-old Asian man underwent a colon tumor removal surgery. A 25-year-old Asian man who met with an accident also received treatment for an open leg fracture with a metal brace.   The hospital's director, Afra Salem, said that participating in initiatives on Zayed Humanitarian Day reinforces their commitment to Sheikh Zayed's legacy of humanitarian work and helping those in need. It demonstrated the hospital's dedication to humanitarian collaboration, which is an authentic part of Emirati culture. Conducting free surgeries for low-income individuals exemplified important humanitarian values of giving back to the community and contributing to nation building. These acts help uphold the essence ...

  Zakat al-Fitr, also known as Sadaqat al-Fitr, is an obligation for all Muslims residing in the UAE during the month of Ramadan. It involves paying a nominal amount before Eid ul-Fitr so that poor people in society can celebrate the festivities. According to Islamic traditions, this amount should either be equivalent to a saa' (approx. 2.92 kg) of rice or dirhams 25 per person paid in cash or kind. In the UAE for 2024, the government has set the zakat al-fitr amount at 25 dirhams that can be paid either in money or rice.  The UAE authorities have also outlined guidelines for missed daily fasts or fidya amount during Ramadan. If someone was unable to fast intentionally or unintentionally, the compensation or fidya amount is set at 15 dirhams per missed day per person. Similarly, if one fails to make up for missed fasts later or breaks an oath during fasting, they must pay 15 dirhams to 10 poor people. People living in the UAE have convenient online options to fulfill their obl...

   The United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Alzaabi, demonstrated interfaith harmony and community spirit by participating in the "Breaking the Fast" initiative in Islamabad. On Tuesday, he joined embassy officials in distributing Iftar meals to people on the street nearing Maghrib prayer time so they could end their daylong Ramadan fasts before returning home. Over 150 meals were provided as part of this charitable program to strengthen communal bonds.  Alzaabi said the objective of the "Breaking the Fast" initiative was to contribute to fostering close ties and feelings of familiarity among all sections of society. It embodied concepts of brotherhood within communities and highlighted shared customs and values between cultures. By reaching out to people before they finished work for the day, the initiative ensured fasting individuals did not have to wait to end their fasts with families at home. This gesture of sharing Iftar meals together prom...

The countries of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have substantially increased their humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. According to reports from state media in the UAE, the country conducted its 13th airdrop over inaccessible areas in northern Gaza, delivering 24 tons of essential relief supplies and food items. This is aimed at helping address the dire needs of Palestinian civilians in the blockaded coastal enclave. In addition, the third Emirati aid ship has begun its journey to the Egyptian city of Al-Arish, carrying a massive consignment of 4,630 tons of relief materials intended for Gaza.  Meanwhile, Jordan has also stepped up its efforts during Ramadan by initiating multiple aid operations. The Jordanian army carried out six humanitarian and food airdrops over northern Gaza on Sunday. These special operations involved aircraft from several friendly countries, including the Royal Jordanian Air Force as well as plan...

  Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, received Joseph Palacios the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus. During the meeting, Sheikh Abdullah appreciated the prominent role and great efforts made by Cyprus to deliver humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip. Cyprus had launched a maritime corridor between its ports and the Gaza Strip to transport humanitarian supplies. This opened an important channel for Gaza, helping alleviate the humanitarian crisis faced by the people there.  The Foreign Ministers discussed ways to strengthen relations between their countries. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest. Sheikh Abdullah stressed the UAE's desire to enhance cooperation with Cyprus, an important European nation. This included working together in areas of trade, economics and investment. Both sides agreed on coordinating their diplomatic efforts, especially at the UN. Cyprus has taken a ...