When Abdurrahman Al Magrani landed in Dubai from Saudi Arabia on March 14 last year, he intended to stay for only a matter of days to visit his three children.
But as Covid-19 infections soared across the globe and air travel was grounded to limit its spread, he – like millions of others – found 2020 had something altogether different in store for him.
A short visit has stretched into an 11-month stay that he has vowed will not end until the pandemic has been overcome.
As Mr Al Magrani was unable to return home to Riyadh due to the flight ban, he lost his job with a real estate company in Riyadh.
But he was grateful to discover his true calling in supporting the UAE's fight against the coronavirus.
I feel unlimited loyalty towards this country
Within a week of arriving in Dubai, he started to volunteer at Covid-19 screening centres.
Since then, he has clocked up more than 3,000 hours welcoming patients, taking their temperature and guiding them through testing procedures.
“In Ramadan, I had a chance to go home, but I did not want to,” he said.
"Due to the beautiful values I have experienced during the fight against Covid-19, I vowed to stay until health officials announce the pandemic is over.
“If I had gone back to Riyadh when I had the chance, I might have been able to secure a new job, but I preferred to stay here and continue fighting the virus,” he said.
He said he was touched by the way the UAE government had handled the pandemic, and how the leaders supported those in need.
“This really influenced me. Especially when the UAE was the first country to step up and bring hundreds of stranded students from Wuhan to Abu Dhabi.”
Health workers on the frontlines of the fight against Covid-19:
Last March, in a major humanitarian operation, the UAE flew out of China 215 foreign students who had been stranded there due to the pandemic.
In co-ordination with the Chinese government, the students were brought from Hubei province to Abu Dhabi.
"I have also been supported by many friends while staying here, I will never forget them for standing by my side," said Mr Al Magrani.
His parents and siblings back in Riyadh also support his decision to remain in the Emirates.
"In the beginning, they were urging me to go back, but when they saw my determination to stay for a good cause they encouraged me to continue."
“I feel unlimited loyalty towards this country.”
He said he had witnessed many acts of kindness and solidarity during his hours working at screening centres.
“In the beginning of the pandemic, for instance, if someone showed up at the testing centre and could not afford to get tested, we used to assure them that they would be exempt from the fees," he said.
“Or when an elderly person came crying that they did not have an appointment but needed to get tested urgently, we took them by the hand and led them through the process.”
He said he was overwhelmed by how his fellow volunteers “sacrificed many things to be there in the frontline".
"Some did not see their families for months, and some got infected with the virus, yet returned to volunteer after recovering."
Even though Mr Al Magrani originally came to the UAE to see his children, he hasn’t been able to visit them much during his stay.
“They are staying with their mother, my ex-wife, in Abu Dhabi. Since entry to the capital has been restricted, I have only visited them on certain occasions.”
Mr Al Magrani has three sons, aged 8, 4 and 3.
“I had always heard people say they wished they could live in the UAE,” he said.
"The maximum time I used to spend here during my previous visits was a week, and I did not understand why living here was a dream."
"But since I've been living here for the past months, I now know why they considered it a dream. Now I don't want to leave."
MEFCC information
Tickets range from Dh110 for an advance single-day pass to Dh300 for a weekend pass at the door. VIP tickets have sold out. Visit www.mefcc.com to purchase tickets in advance.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Rating: 1 out of 4
Running time: 81 minutes
Director: David Blue Garcia
Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 2 (Van Dijk 18', 24')
Brighton 1 (Dunk 79')
Red card: Alisson (Liverpool)
COPA DEL REY
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
Scotland v Ireland:
Scotland (15-1): Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, Sam Johnson, Sean Maitland; Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (capt); Josh Strauss, James Ritchie, Ryan Wilson; Jonny Gray, Grant Gilchrist; Simon Berghan, Stuart McInally, Allan Dell
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, D'arcy Rae, Ben Toolis, Rob Harley, Ali Price, Pete Horne, Blair Kinghorn
Coach: Gregor Townsend (SCO)
Ireland (15-1): Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack Conan, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Quinn Roux; Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, John Cooney, Joey Carbery, Jordan Larmour
Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The details
Colette
Director: Wash Westmoreland
Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West
Our take: 3/5
Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Result
Tottenhan Hotspur 2 Roma 3
Tottenham: Winks 87', Janssen 90 1'
Roma 3
D Perotti 13' (pen), C Under 70', M Tumminello 90 2"
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Stamp%20duty%20timeline
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Godzilla%20x%20Kong%3A%20The%20New%20Empire
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