Gagandeep Singh holds up a picture of his cousin Hardeep Singh, who died in the blast. Also pictured is his second cousin Gurprit Singh. Ruel Pableo / The National
Gagandeep Singh holds up a picture of his cousin Hardeep Singh, who died in the blast. Also pictured is his second cousin Gurprit Singh. Ruel Pableo / The National
Gagandeep Singh holds up a picture of his cousin Hardeep Singh, who died in the blast. Also pictured is his second cousin Gurprit Singh. Ruel Pableo / The National
Gagandeep Singh holds up a picture of his cousin Hardeep Singh, who died in the blast. Also pictured is his second cousin Gurprit Singh. Ruel Pableo / The National

Victims of Abu Dhabi's deadly Houthi attack named


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Hardeep Singh, 29, and fellow Indian Hardev Singh were two of the three men killed in a deadly explosion in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

The Pakistan embassy confirmed on Friday that Mamoor Khan was the third man who died in the strike, and that his body reached Peshawar airport on Wednesday.

An Indian embassy spokeswoman said the remains of two victims had been repatriated on Thursday.

Projectiles struck Adnoc's oil terminal in Mussaffah and a building site at Abu Dhabi International Airport in attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Speaking to The National, Hardeep's relative Gagandeep Singh, 33, said that his cousin's nickname among the family was “ladla” – meaning “loved one".

He had a short life but he achieved so much in this short time
Gagandeep Singh

“We were more than brothers. He was the youngest in the family and we all loved him. He is a very nice man. An honest man,” he said through tears.

“Till now we feel that he would call us. We do accept it and it is in God’s hands but this is very hard.”

Hardeep was one of three drivers killed in the blast. He had been working for Adnoc for two years when the explosion happened.

The attack on the civilian facility injured six and killed three. It was condemned by world leaders and diplomatic efforts are under way to add Yemen's Houthi group to the US list of terrorist groups.

  • Relatives mourn near the coffin of Hardeep Singh, who was killed in the January 17 drone attack in Abu Dhabi. All photos: AFP
    Relatives mourn near the coffin of Hardeep Singh, who was killed in the January 17 drone attack in Abu Dhabi. All photos: AFP
  • Punjab police officers and relatives stand near the coffins of Hardev Singh and Hardeep Singh, which were repatriated to India on Thursday.
    Punjab police officers and relatives stand near the coffins of Hardev Singh and Hardeep Singh, which were repatriated to India on Thursday.
  • Relatives of Hardeep mourn over the coffin at the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport on the outskirts of Amritsar.
    Relatives of Hardeep mourn over the coffin at the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport on the outskirts of Amritsar.
  • Two Indians and one Pakistani were killed in the blast on Monday. Six more people were injured.
    Two Indians and one Pakistani were killed in the blast on Monday. Six more people were injured.
  • Workers carry the coffin of Hardev Singh.
    Workers carry the coffin of Hardev Singh.
  • Relatives pay tribute in front of the coffin of Hardeep, a driver who was 29 years old.
    Relatives pay tribute in front of the coffin of Hardeep, a driver who was 29 years old.

Hardeep was one of the youngest killed in the blast. He was from Amritsar, Punjab. He married 10 months ago and was an only child. His father passed away two years ago. “His mother had no one but him,” Gagandeep said.

“There is no one she has in the world other than Hardeep. There is now no one. He used to support his mum.”

The UAE Government and leadership have offered their support for the families of the victims. Hardeep’s mother and family will now be provided for by the UAE Government and Adnoc.

Hardeep was an active and vibrant young man who loved sports and activities, and had celebrated his birthday last month.

“He was like a hero. He was very fit and tall. Back home he was captain of the Kabaddi team”

Hardeep celebrated his birthday on December 29, less than three weeks before the incident.

“I can’t believe that he died a month after his birthday.

“He had a short life but he achieved so much in this short time,” he said.

The last time Gagandeep spoke to his cousin, he said Hardeep wished him a happy holiday at the Indian festival of Lohri, which fell on January 14.

“I will never forget these words,” he said.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biogs

Name: Zinah Madi

Occupation: Co-founder of Dots and links

Nationality: Syrian

Family: Married, Mother of Tala, 18, Sharif, 14, Kareem, 2

Favourite Quote: “There is only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything.”

 

Name: Razan Nabulsi

Occupation: Co-founder of Dots and Links

Nationality: Jordanian

Family: Married, Mother of Yahya, 3.5

Favourite Quote: A Chinese proverb that says: “Be not afraid of moving slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”

Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

MATCH INFO

Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium, Malayisa
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD

* Second leg in Australia on October 10

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
How to increase your savings
  • Have a plan for your savings.
  • Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
  • Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
  • It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings. 

- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

 

 

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Scoreline

Swansea 2

Grimes 20' (pen), Celina, 29'

Man City 3

Silva 69', Nordfeldt 78' (og), Aguero 88'

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

The biog

Name: Younis Al Balooshi

Nationality: Emirati

Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn

Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design

In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile

Updated: January 28, 2022, 6:40 AM