Day: April 12, 2022

DUBAI, Azizi Developments have announced a contribution of AED10 million in support of the 1 Billion Meals initiative, the largest in the region to feed underprivileged and vulnerable groups, including children, refugees, displaced people and those affected by crises and disasters in 50 countries.

The campaign, organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, was launched to coincide with the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan, and is based on the values of giving, charity and humanitarianism. Targeting contributions from individuals and institutions in the UAE and around the world, it is centered on the concept of sustainable community contributions to provide essential food requirements to the most vulnerable groups.

Mirwais Azizi, Founder and Chairman of Azizi Developments, said, “We are delighted to contribute to the 1 Billion Meals initiative. This is a very important social movement, launched in light of the Holy Month of Ramadan, which is marked by togetherness and the spirit of giving, and driven by the wise leadership and humanitarian devotion of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. It is undoubtedly the single most powerful and effective initiative of its kind, in the realm of curbing global hunger.”

He continued, “With 800 million people around the world suffering from malnutrition, it is up to each and every one of us to contribute to securing a brighter future in which all of humanity has access to vital, healthy food. We will stand steadfast with this cause for years to come, and with the notion that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts in mind, we encourage participation to ensure a happier, healthier tomorrow for those in need.”

Donors can contribute to the One Billion Meals campaign through the following donation channels – the campaign’s official website: www.1billionmeals.ae; bank transfer to the campaign’s account at Emirates NBD, number: AE300260001015333439802. Donors can also opt to donate AED1 a day through a monthly subscription by sending “Meal” via SMS to 1020 on the du network or 1110 on the Etisalat network. Donations can also be made through campaign’s call centre via a toll-free number 8009999.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM), the first interplanetary exploration undertaken by an Arab nation, has finalised a science data analysis collaboration initiative with NASA’s MAVEN Mars Mission, which will pave the way towards greater scientific collaboration and data exchange between the two missions.

The partnership enables the sharing and collaborative analysis of data and observations made by the Emirates Mars Mission’s Hope Probe and NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) project and will enhance scientific returns from both spacecraft, which are currently orbiting Mars and observing the Red Planet’s atmosphere. The arrangement is expected to add significant value to both EMM and MAVEN and the global scientific communities analysing the data the missions are collecting.

“Since the inception of EMM, the project has been defined by strong international collaborations and partnerships. The opportunity to work alongside other Mars missions and derive greater insights by sharing our observations and working together to fit together the pieces of the puzzle is one we are delighted to take. The complementarity of EMM and MAVEN means we can truly gain a bigger picture together,” said Omran Sharaf, Project Director of the Emirates Mars Mission.

MAVEN completed its Mars orbit insertion in 2014. Its mission is to investigate the upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Mars, offering an insight into how the planet’s climate has changed over time.

“MAVEN and EMM are each exploring different aspects of the Martian atmosphere and upper-atmosphere system. Combined, we will have a much better understanding of the coupling between the two and the influence of the lower atmosphere on escape to space of gas from the upper atmosphere”, said Shannon Curry, Research scientist in planetary sciences at the University of California, Berkeley and MAVEN Principal Investigator.

The Emirates Mars Mission’s Hope Probe, which entered Mars orbit on 9th February 2021, is studying the relationship between the upper layer and lower regions of the Martian atmosphere, giving the international science community full access to a holistic view of the planet’s atmosphere at different times of the day, through different seasons.

Sharaf added, “EMM science complements MAVEN and the Hope probe was designed to answer scientific objectives aligned directly with MEPAG goals. Its observations were always designed to provide new insights that weren’t possible from past Mars missions. Now, by combining the two datasets from the EMM and MAVEN missions and analysing the results together, we can build a powerful response to many fundamental questions we have about Mars and the evolution and dynamics of its atmosphere.”

EMM was designed to answer a number of objectives defined by the global grouping of Mars scientists and researchers, MEPAG – the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group. Following on from MAVEN and other previous missions, Hope set out to measure the global, diurnal and seasonal response of the Martian atmosphere to solar forcing; the atmospheric conditions relating to the rate of atmospheric escape – particularly of Hydrogen and Oxygen and the temporal and spatial behaviour of Mars’ exosphere. With early results showing exciting observations of Mars’ discrete aurora and additional bandwidth and resources available to encompass additional observations, further measurements of auroral phenomena have been brought into the mission’s goals, extending its capabilities beyond Hope’s planned goals.

EMM and the Hope Probe are the culmination of a knowledge transfer and development effort that started in 2006, which has seen Emirati engineers working with partners around the world to develop the UAE’s spacecraft design, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities.

Weighing some 1,350 kg, and approximately the size of a small SUV, the spacecraft was designed and developed by Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) engineers working with academic partners, including the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado, Boulder; Arizona State University and the University of California, Berkeley.

The MAVEN mission is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for the Principal Investigator at the University of California at Berkeley. Spacecraft operations are carried out by Lockheed Martin, and science operations by the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Dubai Next, the digital crowdfunding platform that has attracted many young innovators and start-up ideas, is anticipating an increase in fund-seekers and contributors following the country approving a federal system for such platforms recently.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, announced the new federal framework that will allow operators from the government and private sectors to back crowdfunded projects.

Currently, Dubai Next has 398 contributors and 62 campaigns approved and running, while the total number of campaigns registered till date is 1,570. Between the first three months and now, the campaigns have increased by 50 percent, while contributors have increased by 60 percent.

Dubai Next was launched in May 2021 by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council. The platform, which is managed by Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) in Dubai, is attracting innovators and has already enabled eight start-up concepts raise the required funds.

“Crowdfunding has had a significant impact in ushering in a new generation of entrepreneurs in the UAE. It provides an alternate financing option, and an ideal opportunity to turn start-up ideas into viable projects. Students aged 12 and above can create campaigns on Dubai Next and the campaigns seen so far are diverse and innovative,” said Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of Dubai SME.

Crowdfunding involves small amounts sourced towards financing of a single commercial venture. Anyone with an innovative idea or project can create a campaign on Dubai Next and seek funds from contributors. The not-for-profit platform is open to people of all nationalities.

“The Dubai Next experience confirms that crowdfunding can motivate our growing youth population to pursue entrepreneurship, thus ushering in a new generation of entrepreneurs and eventually positioning Dubai as the global hub of innovative enterprise,” Al Janahi said.

“With the federal legislation in place and the Securities and Commodities Authority being responsible for regulating the activities of crowdfunding, the crowdfunding platforms will see increased transparency, competitiveness and demand from the growing community of local, regional and global innovators in the UAE. It will create a sustainable pipeline of creative start-ups in the UAE,” added Al Janahi.

“Crowdfunding provides access to funding for a large segment of the society, particularly the younger generation, and facilitates financing amongst entrepreneurs and their family as well as friends and the wider community. Ideas submitted on Dubai Next go through a viability testing before it moves to the funding stage, thus minimising future risks. Campaign owners are also supported by Dubai SME in marketing their idea among the target contributor groups,” said Saeed Matar Al Marri, Deputy CEO of Dubai SME.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, today announced that flights to Taif in Saudi Arabia will commence on 15th April with a daily service. This brings the number of destinations served by the carrier in the Kingdom to seven.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said, “We are pleased to see our network grow to offer more than 95 unique destinations. The network expansion has been supported by our growing fleet as we continue to take delivery of more aircraft over the next few months. We look forward to welcoming passengers back on our flights to Taif and thank the authorities for their continuous support.”

flydubai has built a network of more than 95 destination in 50 countries served by a young fleet of 63 Boeing 737 aircraft. With the resumption of daily flights to Taif, flydubai’s network in Saudi Arabia has now grown to seven destinations, including AlUla, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh and Yanbu.

flydubai’s passenger experience has been redesigned to enable travel in a safe environment that minimises crew and passenger contact and offers passengers confidence to travel at every step of their journey.

Flights from Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB), to Taif International Airport (TIF), will operate daily.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to Shehbaz Sharif, after he’s been elected as Pakistan’s new Prime Minister.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, sent similar messages to the Pakistani Prime Minister on the occasion.

Source: Emirates News Agency