Chinese residents in Dubai are looking forward to spending Lunar New Year with their families following the reopening of travel to mainland China after three years.
Some have booked tickets in time for China’s most important holiday, after the withdrawal of quarantine requirements for inbound travellers by Chinese authorities on Sunday.
When I met them at the airport, my son was so shy. Then I hugged him and it was all fine
Can Cai,
36, an assistant at a Dubai law firm
Many have not seen their parents and grandparents since 2019.
Others were unable to travel home to mourn the death of loved ones as fares soared to Dh30,000 for a one-way air ticket and domestic quarantine restrictions stretched to almost a month during the coronavirus pandemic.
Chinese travellers will arrive in Dubai this week, with residents thrilled to greet wives and children in time for the festivities.
Airfares remain high. with a one-way ticket costing Dh4,000, compared to Dh3,000 both ways before the pandemic.
Excited to go home after four years
Dubai resident Zhong Ling Li last saw her parents in 2019 when she visited her hometown Suizhou, north of Wuhan, where the pandemic started.
Ms Zhong will travel home on Friday and has made plans to take her parents to visit family in other Chinese cities.
They will be among millions travelling during the 40-day Lunar New Year period, which begins on January 22.
It will be the first holiday since 2020 without domestic Covid-19 travel restrictions and Chinese officials expect two billion passenger trips during the festive period.
“I’m so excited to see my parents,” said Ms Zhong, 37, who runs a family-owned lighting store in Dragon Mart. “This is the longest time I have not seen them. We are very happy everything has finally opened.
“I was not planning to go back for Chinese New Year but when I heard the rules had changed, I immediately booked my ticket.”
Ms Zhong requires a 48-hour PCR test before her flight to China.
The quarantine requirement for travellers at entry points such as Shanghai, and for a second quarantine in their home city, have been withdrawn.
“My family is from the countryside,” said Ms Zhong. “My parents are farmers, they are old but their bodies are strong.
“They caught Covid and recovered quickly. We have all had Covid and I don’t worry about it now.”
Health experts have warned the Covid-19 outbreak could worsen, with the surge in travel. But like others worldwide after years of isolation, Ms Zhong is anxious about making the journey.
“It has been a challenging year for everyone,” she said.
“Business has been slow so it’s been quite difficult. But to see my parents and know they are in good health is my happiest wish.”
Unable to say goodbye
Stringent entry rules to control the spread of Covid-19 prevented many expatriates from returning home to grieve when they lost relatives.
The scrapping of the zero-Covid policy has led to joy.
Jiang Yanying, who lost a close relative during the time when the strict rules were in place, has not seen her parents for more than three years.
She has planned a surprise visit during the March school break, when she will travel with her husband and seven-year-old daughter to Heze, in eastern China’s Shandong Province.
“My auntie passed away in a car accident and I couldn’t travel because of quarantine,” said Ms Jiang, 35, who works in a luxury shop and owns a small cafe in Dubai.
“All your life you feel regret because you wanted to meet to say farewell but you missed it.
“My friend’s mother passed away and she too could not travel to say goodbye. Now when we sing songs and she remembers her mum, she cries.”
Ms Jiang has told her sister about her travel plans but will hide the news from her parents.
“I want it to be a surprise,” she said.
“My husband has not seen his family for four years. We are so excited as we prepare to go home. My daughter talks a lot now compared to our last visit — for grandparents it will be such a difference to see.”
Her neighbour, Qiuyun Wei, will take her four children to visit their grandparents in Nanjing during the July-August summer break.
“It has been a tough time,” she said.
“I was always worried because I’m a single child.
“I have relatives in Nanjing but I was worried if my parents needed help and I could not reach them in time.”
A New Year with real meaning
Dr Huafei Li’s family are counting down to being together for New Year celebrations when his wife and three sons arrive in Dubai on Thursday.
“Chinese New Year means being united with the family and there is a real meaning this time,” said Dr Li, 45, who practises acupuncture in Dubai.
“It’s important to sit and eat together as we celebrate the connection between the end of the previous year and the beginning of the next year.”
His wife and sons will visit Dubai for the first time in three years.
The family count themselves lucky, as Dr Li was able to travel to Chengdu in August and September.
“Tickets in August were Dh22,000 for one-way Dubai to China,” he said.
“In China, I quarantined for seven days in a hotel and three days at home.
“But now China is open and we are all very, very happy.”
January is a special month
It is a time of celebration for the Can Cai's family, who will spend New Year together after three years.
The family will visit Expo City on Saturday with thousands of Chinese citizens for a special grand parade.
“We will walk around to see the floats and I want to show all this to my son,” said Mr Can, 36, an assistant at a Dubai law firm.
The family are from Chengdu, famous for its giant pandas. Mr Can's friends plan to wear panda costumes for the parade to highlight their home province.
Mr Can is also preparing for his son’s birthday party next week.
His mother Ying Luo and son Tiancheng Cai arrived from Chengdu in August, ending a two-year period when the family were apart.
“It will be so good to celebrate his birthday together,” said Mr Can.
“When I met them at the airport, my son was so shy. Then I hugged him and it was all fine. We really missed each other.”
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December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
%3Cp%3EEtihad%20Airways%20operates%20seasonal%20flights%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi%20to%20Nice%20C%C3%B4te%20d'Azur%20Airport.%20Services%20depart%20the%20UAE%20on%20Wednesdays%20and%20Sundays%20with%20outbound%20flights%20stopping%20briefly%20in%20Rome%2C%20return%20flights%20are%20non-stop.%20Fares%20start%20from%20Dh3%2C315%2C%20flights%20operate%20until%20September%2018%2C%202022.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20Radisson%20Blu%20Hotel%20Nice%20offers%20a%20western%20location%20right%20on%20Promenade%20des%20Anglais%20with%20rooms%20overlooking%20the%20Bay%20of%20Angels.%20Stays%20are%20priced%20from%20%E2%82%AC101%20(%24114)%2C%20including%20taxes.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
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Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
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Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Mane 51', Salah 53'
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
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If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
Sri Lanka's T20I squad
Thisara Perera (captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva.
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Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
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Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Day 1
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
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Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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1 India 71 per cent
2 New Zealand 70 per cent
3 Australia 69.2 per cent
4 England 64.1 per cent
5 Pakistan 43.3 per cent
6 West Indies 33.3 per cent
7 South Africa 30 per cent
8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent
9 Bangladesh 0
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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Defence review at a glance
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• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
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ENGLAND%20SQUAD
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Second Test, Day 2:
South Africa 335 & 75/1 (22.0 ov)
England 205
South Africa lead by 205 runs with 9 wickets remaining
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
