Women's rights activists at a rally to mark International Women's Day in Karachi, Pakistan, on March 8. AFP
Women's rights activists at a rally to mark International Women's Day in Karachi, Pakistan, on March 8. AFP
Women's rights activists at a rally to mark International Women's Day in Karachi, Pakistan, on March 8. AFP
Women's rights activists at a rally to mark International Women's Day in Karachi, Pakistan, on March 8. AFP

Dozens of marches held across Pakistan to mark International Women's Day


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Thousands of activists marched in major cities across Pakistan on Tuesday to demand freedom from exploitation and an end to violence against women.

Dozens of demonstrations were held to mark International Women’s Day, despite threats from right-wing groups.

Police were present to prevent any violent backlash from hardline clerics, who had demanded that the rallies be banned, calling them “vulgar, pro-western and against the teachings of Islam".

In the port city of Karachi, a large crowd of female protesters gathered just across the road from the Jinnah Mausoleum, the symbol of the city and the last resting place of the country’s founder, Muhammed Ali Jinnah.

The rally, known as Aurat March in Urdu, was led by prominent women activists and young educated Pakistanis seeking safety and equality for women and LGBTQ groups.

Pakistan was ranked as the sixth most dangerous country for women, according to a Thomas Reuters Foundation poll in 2018.

The World Economic Forum’s recent global index on gender gap put the country at 153 out of 156 nations.

Protesters carried hand-written posters calling for an end to misogyny, unequal pay and exploitation of female workers.

Nurses and polio workers spoke out against poor working conditions, harassment and risks they face in delivering basic health services.

Young rap artists performed on stage to confront toxic masculinity and the subjugation of women.

Pro-democracy women activists delivered charged speeches against the alleged torture and abductions of their loved ones by state security forces.

“We demand respect for our fundamental rights and an end to impunity,” one speaker shouted.

Meanwhile, conservative opponents of the march, including the Jamaat-e-Islami party, held rival rallies.

Hundreds of women covered in hijab and burqas marched in Lahore and Karachi to assert that “Islam already protects women’s rights and dignity".

The women’s wing of the religious party emphasised the significance of "modesty" and repeated traditional family values in their slogan: “Strong women, strong family, strong society.”

“Who turns a house into a home?” asked a female marcher, before answering: “A mother, a daughter and a wife.”

Yet somewhere in Pakistan women and children are raped, tortured and murdered every day, often by men closely known to them, rights groups say.

Most of these cases go unreported and fewer make it to the headlines. Even in high-profile criminal cases, influential culprits rarely pay for their crimes and are usually freed by the courts.

“The problem is our patriarchal system, which shapes our police, media and the judiciary and normalises violence against women and children,” said a volunteer for Women Action Forum.

“Changing that requires a paradigm shift. It requires empowering our girls but also changing the way we bring up our boys."

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

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Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance

Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.

Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.

The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.

Family reunited

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.

She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.

She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.

The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.

She was held in her native country a year later.

The Brutalist

Director: Brady Corbet

Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn

Rating: 3.5/5

Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

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Founder: Amir Barsoum

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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.
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  • 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

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
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  • Fly it within visual line of sight
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You may remember …

Robbie Keane (Atletico de Kolkata) The Irish striker is, along with his former Spurs teammate Dimitar Berbatov, the headline figure in this season’s ISL, having joined defending champions ATK. His grand entrance after arrival from Major League Soccer in the US will be delayed by three games, though, due to a knee injury.

Dimitar Berbatov (Kerala Blasters) Word has it that Rene Meulensteen, the Kerala manager, plans to deploy his Bulgarian star in central midfield. The idea of Berbatov as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder, might jar with Spurs and Manchester United supporters, who more likely recall an always-languid, often-lazy striker.

Wes Brown (Kerala Blasters) Revived his playing career last season to help out at Blackburn Rovers, where he was also a coach. Since then, the 23-cap England centre back, who is now 38, has been reunited with the former Manchester United assistant coach Meulensteen, after signing for Kerala.

Andre Bikey (Jamshedpur) The Cameroonian defender is onto the 17th club of a career has taken him to Spain, Portugal, Russia, the UK, Greece, and now India. He is still only 32, so there is plenty of time to add to that tally, too. Scored goals against Liverpool and Chelsea during his time with Reading in England.

Emiliano Alfaro (Pune City) The Uruguayan striker has played for Liverpool – the Montevideo one, rather than the better-known side in England – and Lazio in Italy. He was prolific for a season at Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League in 2012/13. He returned for one season with Fujairah, whom he left to join Pune.

'Moonshot'

Director: Chris Winterbauer

Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse 

Rating: 3/5

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

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Updated: March 09, 2022, 4:48 AM`