UAE residents who were stranded abroad when the borders closed last month have begun to receive permission to return to the Emirates.
Teachers, healthcare staff and airline workers were among those to be placed on a priority list, as were university students separated from their families.
Each received an electronic receipt confirming their consent to fly from officials in Abu Dhabi.
But at present, there are no special flights to bring residents home and many expect to have to wait until commercial flights resume.
Of the 17 residents that The National reached who were given permission, all were in the job categories listed, apparently placing them at the front of a queue.
It is definitely a big step towards getting back to the UAE, but I am still unsure of how to go about returning
But in some cases parents who work in the essential sectors were given permission to travel, while their children were not. In one case, an airline pilot stranded in Europe with his 7-year-old daughter said he was given the green light to travel, but she was not.
And teacher, Helen Smit, said her daughter was still waiting to be approved too.
"I felt so relieved when I received approval as I've been checking my emails several times a day hoping for some good news," the Welsh national told The National.
“The thought of being reunited with my 2-year-old son and husband in the UAE was overwhelming as I miss them so much.
“Unfortunately, my 11-year-old daughter who is with me has not been approved and has been rejected again, so now I feel anxious as to when she will be allowed to fly. I cannot travel without her.”
Ms Smit, a teacher at British School Khuzam in Ras Al Khaimah, left the UAE on March 12 to visit her elderly mother in the UK. They were due to return to the UAE on March 20. All in bound and outbound flights were cancelled on March 19.
The mother-of-two received approval through the government's registration service, Tawajudi or 'My Location', on Tuesday, April 28 but was not given details of how and when to book flights.
Sophie B, 26, a British teacher, received confirmation from Tawajudi earlier this week.
“I'm very happy to be approved, it is definitely a big step towards getting back to the UAE, but I am still unsure of how to go about returning,” said Sophie, who works in Dubai and asked that her surname not be used.
“There has been no announcement on this front.”
For more than a month she has taught pupils remotely, standing in front of a laptop at her parents' home in the UK.
“Apart from a sporadic internet connection and having to get up at 4am every day, it has not been too problematic," she said.
Manal Muhammed, 19, was among the students to find themselves stuck abroad. The Sri Lankan left the UAE to pursue her studies at Monash University in Melbourne.
It was her first time living away from Dubai, where she was born and raised.
She received approval two weeks ago and said she hoped that special flights may be allowed to fly despite the aviation shutdown.
Emirates has begun limited outbound flights to key destinations but no inbound flights bringing passengers to UAE.
Etihad was due to begin flights in May but pushed operations back to mid-June earlier this week.
“I was under the impression that once I got approval, I would be allowed to go home on a special flight as soon as possible,” Ms Muhammed said.
"It looks like everyone who has gotten approval has been told the same thing ‘book when normal flights resume’."
She said she felt “grateful for approval” and understands the efforts to contain Covid-19, but was eager to get home.
“I want nothing more than to be back with my parents during this time, especially for Ramadan,” she said.
“But it looks like it will be quite a while before I will be back with them though, weeks if not months."
Another resident, a Canadian university lecturer who asked not to be named, said she was given approval but her children have not been.
“I left Dubai for Canada on March 10 with my kids and we were supposed to return on March 19 at 6pm, a few hours before the flight ban,” said the professor.
“I was denied boarding at the airport in Canada.
“I filled out the latest forms on April 13 and I got approved on April 17, but my kids, both minors, have not.
“I’m a professor in Dubai so I think that may have something to do with my approval, but I have not heard any further details since."
The news Tuesday that Dubai could reopen for tourists as early as July has given residents abroad some hope, though said they July was a long way off.
Afshan Ehsan, from Pakistan, said her son, Abdullah, was given approval to fly in March, but more than a month later, he was yet to travel.
"My son is 20 and is stranded in London where he was studying," she said.
"We registered on Tawajudi on March 21 and got a call from the Ministry on March 26 saying he was approved to return to the UAE but only when Emirates and Etihad flights resume.
"They told us his name would be on the Arrival Passenger Information list.
"We plead to the government to please let him come back soon."
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LIST OF INVITEES
Shergo Kurdi (am)
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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
Company%20profile
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Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
Summer special
