Look: Sheikh Mohammed meets UAE's high school toppers, urges them to aim higher
He expressed his pride in their accomplishments, which he said reflect a spirit of determination and excellence.
During the meeting that took place at the Union House in Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed commended the students for their efforts in setting a high standard for educational success, noting that knowledge and learning are fundamental pillars for national progress and prosperity.
This comes after the Dubai Ruler gave a shoutout to the nation's top-performing high school students and extended heartfelt congratulations to them on June 29.
During the meeting with the students on July 13, he encouraged them to view this milestone as a guiding light for the future, urging them to aim higher and deepen their contributions to the development of their nation and society.
"We celebrate the achievements of the nation's top students and extend our appreciation to their families and teachers, whose support was essential to this success,' he said. 'These accomplishments are a source of immense pride, and we look forward to seeing these students make even greater strides across various fields of knowledge.'
He added: 'We share this joy today because we believe that success in education is the beginning of all success, and academic excellence is the cornerstone upon which all future achievements are built."
He continued: 'The top-performing students are shining examples we are proud of. This achievement is not the final stop, but the beginning of a long journey of distinction. We expect this path of excellence to continue, serving as an inspiration to others."
The students expressed their gratitude at meeting Sheikh Mohammed, describing his words as a lasting source of motivation that will guide them in their academic and personal journeys.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Emirates 24/7
5 hours ago
- Emirates 24/7
UAE leaders condole with Saudi King on passing of Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia on the death of Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, dispatched similar messages to the Saudi King. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
Israel launches Deir Al Balah ground operation and attacks areas of Gaza for first time
The Israeli army announced on Sunday that it will launch ground operations in parts of central Gaza which it has not invaded since the war began, at a time when the strip's population faces severe bombardment and critical shortages of humanitarian aid. The offensive in Deir Al Balah was announced by Israel's Arabic-language military spokesman Lt Col Avichay Adraee, who wrote in a post on X: '[The Israeli military] continues to operate with great force to destroy the enemy's capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area, as it expands its activities in this region to operate in an area it has not operated in before'. Lt Col Adraee ordered residents of the attacked areas to move south to the Al Mawasi area. The death toll in Gaza stands at 58,895 people, according to the strip's Health Minsitry. Medical sources said 73 Palestinians aid seekers were killed on Sunday, 67 of whom were in the north, the latest example of Israeli troops attacking Palestinians waiting for supplies as the humanitarian situation in the region spirals. The expanded military operation comes after hopes earlier in the month that Hamas and Israel were edging towards a hostage-ceasefire deal. Progress stalled over the extent to which Israeli troops would withdraw during the phases of an agreement. There are also fears the offensive might be part of a wider plan to force Gazans into a concentration zone in the very south of the strip, a plan that has been floated by senior Israeli officials in recent days. The military's displacement order cuts access between Deir Al Balah and the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, the latter of which Israel's defence minister wants to turn into the a 'humanitarian city'. Israeli media reported that that the military has delayed entering Deir Al Balah due to fears that Israeli hostages captured on October 7 are being held in the area and that operations would endanger them. The lower rate of military operations also means that many displaced Gazans have sought refuge in the area and is where many international organisations are attempting to distribute aid. The UN has been in contact with Israeli authorities to clarify whether their facilities in Deir Al Balah are included in Sunday's displacement order, a UN official told AP. The official said in previous instances UN facilities were spared from evacuation orders. UNRWA, the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees, wrote in a post on X on Sunday that 'the Israeli Authorities are starving civilians in #Gaza. Among them are 1 million children. Lift the siege: allow UNRWA to bring in food and medicines'. The plight of hostages continues to be one of the most divisive issues in Israel today. Saturday day evening saw more than 50,000 Israelis take to the streets of Tel Aviv in solidarity with captives. Demonstrators gathered outside the US embassy, with the father of one captive calling on US President Donald Trump to force a deal. 'The US holds the key to tipping the balance – to influencing both Israel and Hamas to close the deal and bring the hostages home,' said Ruby Chen, father of Itay Chen. 'We ask President Trump: use your power – now is the time.' After the military's announcement about the new operation, the forum said in a statement that 'can anyone guarantee us that this decision won't come at the cost of our loved ones' lives?'. The latest negotiations towards an agreement began in Doha on July 6 amid high expectations fuelled by upbeat comments made by Mr Trump that suggested a deal was in reach.
Khaleej Times
15 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Institutional investors warm to crypto but demand still nascent
Bitcoin's surge to a record last week has reignited questions about the role institutional investors are playing in pushing it higher, with analysts suggesting their role is still in its infancy. The world's largest cryptocurrency earlier this week surged to a record above $123,000, receiving a boost on the expectation of pro-crypto policies from Washington. While buzz around digital assets has increased, there is room for demand from institutional investors to grow as pension funds and other long-term buyers add bitcoin to their portfolios, analysts say. On Thursday, the US House of Representatives voted in favour of creating a regulatory framework for the U.S. dollar-pegged cryptocurrency tokens referred to as stablecoins. President Donald Trump is expected to sign that legislation into law on Friday. The House also passed two other key bills related to cryptocurrencies, both of which will now go to the U.S. Senate. "We're still in the early innings when it comes to institutional ownership," said Adrian Fritz, head of research at 21Shares, a digital assets investment firm, adding that retail investors still dominate crypto markets. Less than 5% of all spot bitcoin Exchange Traded Fund assets are held by long-term investors such as pension funds and endowments, with another 10% to 15% owned by hedge funds or wealth management firms, Fritz calculates. The latter group of wealth managers, however, often buy these funds on behalf of high-net worth retail clients, and the bulk of ETF ownership remains retail, he said. There is a correlation between soaring retail purchases of crypto ETFs and crypto-related stocks and a run-up in prices, according to estimates from Vanda, a financial research firm. The data shows retail buyers bought heavily in late 2024 when prices surged after Donald Trump - who has vowed to be a "crypto president" won the U.S. election - as well as during the recent rally. Crypto buyers have been aided by a series of bills U.S. lawmakers are expected to pass this week, the most consequential of which - known as the Genius Act - will define the rules around stablecoins, a fast-growing area of the crypto market. The passage of the crypto legislation on Thursday by the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives paves the way for the first U.S. federal law for digital assets. Some large U.S. lenders, including Bank of America and Citigroup, are also working on launching stablecoins. Another bill will provide regulatory clarity by formally establishing definitions of digital commodities and spelling out the roles of agencies in overseeing digital assets. This could make it easier for institutions that have long avoided the sector to invest. Simon Forster, global co-head of digital assets at trading platform operator and data provider TP ICAP, predicts the number of institutions active in crypto will grow by 2026, including pensions and other buy-and-hold firms. "By definition, they will be the slowest (to enter crypto)," Fritz said. Bitcoin Treasury buying Analysts say data, although patchy given how opaque crypto markets remain, points to the growing role of bitcoin treasury companies in boosting demand. These are listed companies such as Strategy and GameStop, that initially focused on software and videogame retailing respectively but now emphasize owning and making money on bitcoin positions held on their balance sheets in place of cash, gold or ultra-short Treasury securities. Strategy's shares have soared in the past year, far outpacing the rise in bitcoin, with many investors seeing the stock as a way to get exposure to crypto while investing in mainstream financial markets. Juan Leon, research analyst at Bitwise Asset Management, said these companies' ability to buy bitcoin suggests they represent a bigger source of recent demand than pension, endowment and hedge funds that are major players in stock and bond markets. Strategy and GameStop did not respond to requests for comment. Since July last year, public companies worldwide collectively have increased their bitcoin holdings by 120% and now hold just over 859,000, or 4%, of the total 21 million bitcoin that will ever be in existence, said Simon Peters, crypto analyst at investment platform eToro. Companies are also selling common stock, preferred shares and convertible securities to raise funds to spend on boosting their bitcoin holdings, in a bid to replicate Strategy's outsized stock gains. The new wave of U.S. legislation could also pave the way for more listed companies to allocate a portion of their cash reserves to crypto tokens, said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown. Analysts warn, however, that a drop below $90,000 for bitcoin could put half of these corporate treasuries underwater. Demand for crypto ETFs has also been rising in recent months. Global net inflows into crypto exchange-traded products hit $4 billion last week, the highest so far this year, according to data from crypto firm Bitwise. Among the big institutional investors to have made public their investments in crypto ETFs in the past 18 months are the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, Abu Dhabi's Mubadala sovereign wealth fund and hedge fund Millennium Management, regulatory filings show. So far this year, bitcoin has gained around 25%, compared with the SP 500 index's 6.5% gain. Ether, another cryptocurrency has climbed 2%, while XRP is up nearly 40%. The crypto sector's market capitalization now stands at $3.8 trillion, up nearly 66% since before the U.S. election in November, according to CoinMarketCap.
