India’s ambassador to UAE reflected on a tough year with “light at the end of the tunnel” in an address to mark his country’s 72nd Republic Day.
Pavan Kapoor said he hoped to welcome back more Indian residents who had to leave during the pandemic.
It is estimated that 1.3 million Indians left the Emirates last year, in one of the largest repatriation operations, and many were affected by job losses.
Since then, Indian officials said more than one million travelled back to the UAE, and more hope to soon. Permission is required from the federal immigration authority.
I still remember the days when outside these very gates we had hundreds of people standing and asking for help
“I know there are a lot of people wanting to come back here and resume their jobs or get back to their friends and family,” Mr Kapoor said in a speech broadcast online.
“They are awaiting ICA approvals. We are working closely with the UAE government authorities to see how we can assist.
“We will take up every such case that is brought to our notice.”
Mr Kapoor spoke of the immense strain he witnessed when many people lost jobs last year.
He hoped that many would return as the vaccination campaign is expanded and the economic growth improves.
Low-key virtual meetings were held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on Tuesday instead of the colourful parades annually organised in schools across the Emirates.
Republic Day marks the anniversary of India adopting its constitution in 1950.
Mr Kapoor described 2020 as a difficult year during which “people have endured and suffered a lot”.
Workers queued outside the embassy and consulate to get on flights home.
“There was a lot of pressure. People were not sure what to do, people wanted to head back home but the skies were closed,” he said.
“I still remember the days when outside these very gates we would have hundreds of people standing, saying we want to go home or asking for other help.”
He said efforts by community associations and officials helped support those in need.
A senior Indian minister recently said more than 1.15 million Indians had returned to the UAE in the past seven months but about 150,000 Indians have not yet come back.
“We hope as the economy picks up, more people will be able to come back, resume their jobs and livelihood,” Mr Kapoor said.
The leaders of the UAE and India have worked together to ensure food security and healthcare for all since the beginning of the pandemic.
“Right from the beginning of the pandemic, leaders of both sides have spoken to each other on a regular basis and co-ordinated policies,” he said.
“We have in two areas made sure that our contact is enhanced and our co-operation is increased. These are the areas of food security and health care.”
Despite a shutdown of international travel in March to stem the spread of Covid-19 in both countries, air space was kept open for food supplies to the UAE.
The UAE supplied medical kits to India and New Delhi sent medicine to the Emirates during the early months.
Hundreds of nurses and critical-care specialists also flew in from India to support handling of Covid-19 patients in the Emirates.
The ambassador encouraged all Indians to have the vaccine to fight the pandemic, and to stay safe after being inoculated.
“We have to make sure that even after getting vaccinated we don’t let our guard down,” he said.
“This is still a bit way off but there is clearly light at the end of the tunnel.”
At a function in Dubai, Dr Aman Puri, India’s consul general, said the community was privileged to live in a country with one of the most successful vaccination programmes. Authorities in the UAE aim to vaccinate 50 per cent of the population by the end of March.
He expressed “gratitude to the UAE leadership for their vision, compassion and care extended to the very large Indian community of almost 3.3 million in the UAE”.
Dr Puri also called on the community to join a recently launched programme to retrain blue-collar workers in the UAE and teach them basic computer skills.
UAE President Sheikh Khalifa sent a message of congratulations to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind for Republic Day.
Messages were also sent by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dr Azad Moopen, founder and chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, urged Indians to build on the lessons of 2020.
“While Covid-19 brought our lives to a grinding halt last year, it has also brought forth resilience and strength,” he said.
“In healthcare, despite the tremendous pressure that it put on the system, it has acted as a catalyst for technology and research-led progress, much faster than what it used to be before the pandemic.”
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HyveGeo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abdulaziz%20bin%20Redha%2C%20Dr%20Samsurin%20Welch%2C%20Eva%20Morales%20and%20Dr%20Harjit%20Singh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECambridge%20and%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESustainability%20%26amp%3B%20Environment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%20plus%20undisclosed%20grant%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVenture%20capital%20and%20government%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to get exposure to gold
Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.
A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.
Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.
Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.
London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long
However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.
Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
Calvin Harris
Columbia
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
Common%20symptoms%20of%20MS
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THE SPECS
Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury
Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 367Nm
Price: Dh280,000
UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Mohammed Al Attas
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The specs
Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre
Power: 325hp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh189,700
On sale: now
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 366Nm
Price: Dh200,000
Match info
Manchester City 3 (Jesus 22', 50', Sterling 69')
Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 65')
ON%20TRACK
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