It was not surprising that the German chancellor Angela Merkel swept to victory in Sunday’s general election. But the victory of the world’s most powerful woman, whose reach extends far beyond Germany’s borders, is remarkable for several reasons.
Not only did her party win the election, but it did so with the best results since Germany’s reunification in 1990.
Mrs Merkel has also managed to successfully chart her country’s course through the worst years of the economic crisis. The financial meltdown was swift and ferocious when it arrived and claimed many political victims. Indeed, of those European leaders who occupied seats of power in 2008, only she and the Swedish prime minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, remain in office today.
Mrs Merkel, of course, not only survives but thrives. Her focus on domestic interests won her the near universal trust of the population she presides over. Germany’s economy remains in robust health.
As the German newspaper Der Spiegel noted, the nation’s gratitude to Mrs Merkel is reminiscent of the appreciation conferred on Helmet Kohl, her former mentor. As Mr Kohl is credited with reuniting Germany, so Mrs Merkel has been commended for Germany’s fiscal good governance.
In terms of foreign policy, she has emerged as an influential politician in the wider European Union during the bloc’s hardest times – as some of its members experienced political and financial unrest that threatened the fabric of the trading zone itself.
Despite her victory, Mrs Merkel still faces several pressing issues, not the least of which are an ageing population (with an associated pensions and benefits time bomb) and a commitment to making Germany nuclear-free by the end of 2022.
She also has to work out how to govern effectively: she can rule on her own, which will make her next four years in power a lot more challenging, or seek a “grand coalition” with the centre-left Social Democrats, Mrs Merkel’s partners between 2005 and 2009.
The latter option might be preferable for the German public, as well as Europeans at large, who hope that such a partnership will soften the chancellor’s preference for swingeing austerity policies within the EU’s more dysfunctional states.
What can other leaders take away from Mrs Merkel’s startling success? Chiefly, that domestic issues and economic certainty currently matter most to Germany’s voters.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The years Ramadan fell in May
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
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
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
