• Traders in Mina Zayed are braced for change as a major regeneration project of Mina Zayed gathers momentum. All pictures by Victor Besa / The National
    Traders in Mina Zayed are braced for change as a major regeneration project of Mina Zayed gathers momentum. All pictures by Victor Besa / The National
  • Mohammad Riyas, from Kerala, has worked at the Mina Plant Market for ten years
    Mohammad Riyas, from Kerala, has worked at the Mina Plant Market for ten years
  • Mina Plaza Towers which will be demolished on November 27 as part of an ambitious redevelopment scheme
    Mina Plaza Towers which will be demolished on November 27 as part of an ambitious redevelopment scheme
  • Abdulla Hussein, from Pakistan, delivers pillows to the Dar Al Ain shop.
    Abdulla Hussein, from Pakistan, delivers pillows to the Dar Al Ain shop.
  • Many shop owners have operated in Mina Zayed for several years
    Many shop owners have operated in Mina Zayed for several years
  • Hassan Mohammad Ali at the pillow sales section of Dar Al Ain
    Hassan Mohammad Ali at the pillow sales section of Dar Al Ain
  • A rich array of goods are sold by the many market traders in Mina Zayed
    A rich array of goods are sold by the many market traders in Mina Zayed
  • The Jaberkhoory Household Appliances shop in the vast port area
    The Jaberkhoory Household Appliances shop in the vast port area
  • The pillows and mats section of the Dar Al Ain shop
    The pillows and mats section of the Dar Al Ain shop
  • The Mina Zayed market area will be transformed as part of plans to turn the port into a tourist attraction
    The Mina Zayed market area will be transformed as part of plans to turn the port into a tourist attraction
  • Mounir A.K. has worked at the Mina plant market for four years
    Mounir A.K. has worked at the Mina plant market for four years
  • Anna Varghese, from Kerala has owned her plant stall with her husband for 15 years
    Anna Varghese, from Kerala has owned her plant stall with her husband for 15 years

Abu Dhabi traders prepare for end of an era ahead of Mina Plaza demolition and regeneration


Haneen Dajani
  • English
  • Arabic

Latest: Relief as Abu Dhabi's Mina Zayed shopkeepers allowed to remain open

Long-standing traders are gearing up for the end of an era as plans gather pace to transform Abu Dhabi's Mina Zayed into a major tourist attraction and retail hub.

Mina Plaza, a cluster of unfinished tower blocks, will be demolished on November 27 as the second phase of a regeneration of the port area gets under way.

The ambitious project - spanning three million square metres - will include overhauling existing souqs and building separate facilities for fish, fruit and vegetable markets.

Most of the shops in the area have been selling goods for decades but are now braced to close down and relocate.

“We have been here for 30 years,” said Ishaq Ibrahim, owner of Abu Amer Furnishings.

We have already prepared a new shop in Khalifa City A. It is almost ready and we will open it soon

"We sell home appliances and furniture. If we stay here it is much better for us," said the 46-year-old from Iran.

"This market is well known for such things.

“A year ago the government told us we have to close, but we don't know when exactly."

Mr Ibrahim has already made plans to relocate his business.

“We have already prepared a new shop in Khalifa City A. It is almost ready and we will open it soon,” he said.

The new premises is not as spacious as in Mina Zayed, he said, and he is not sure if they will receive as much traffic there.

“Our shop here is well known, we have many regular customers and new ones too, especially during this season when people start buying outdoor furniture," he said.

He hopes to open another outlet in Mina Zayed when it reopens after development.

Arsalan Zainali, owner of Dar Al Ain Furnishings, said he was worried about the cost of rent in other locations, though he could return to the new Mina Zayed “if the rent is reasonable”.

“This shop has been here for 20 years, and our type of business doesn’t work anywhere else,” said the 37-year-old from Iran.

“We need wide parking space for trucks to offload, and inside the city rent is too expensive. We won’t make any profit.”

He said the rent of a shop similar to his, would be Dh2million a year in the city.

Abdullah Hussein, from Pakistan, delivers pillows to the Dar Al Ain Shop. Victor Besa / The National
Abdullah Hussein, from Pakistan, delivers pillows to the Dar Al Ain Shop. Victor Besa / The National

“Here we pay Dh300,000,” he said.

“And we are selling at very low prices, wholesale rates almost.”

Before opening in Mina in 2002, the shop operated on Electra Street for six years.

“The street used to be vibrant and a main destination for such items, but not anymore," he said.

Market traders have built up a loyal base of customers over the years.

Saif Al Mazrouei has made the Mina Zayed market his port of call for barbeque and camping equipment for six years.

“Usually in winter time, when the weather gets better we buy stuff for camping and outdoor activities, especially pots for cooking traditional Arabic food,” said the 44-year-old Emirati, who works in oil and gas.

“But all of this will close down. We need to follow them wherever they move to.

“They [the government] will probably relocate them in a different place. Some of the shops already have branches in Mussaffah.”

He said he would miss the traditional Mina Zayed market as it was now, "but if the government has a nice vision for this place, I'm excited for it."

Anna Varghese, who has been selling plants and flowers at the Mina for 15 years, said she would not be against relocating.

“I think it will be a good place. I am optimistic,” said the 65-year-old from India.

Anna Varghese has operated her plant stall in the market for 15 years but is open to a new challenge. Victor Besa / The National Section
Anna Varghese has operated her plant stall in the market for 15 years but is open to a new challenge. Victor Besa / The National Section

She opened the Umm Al Salsa shop with her husband and son in 2005.

“The best thing I like about this place is its authenticity and there are many people here – locals and many other nationalities.

“It is a casual place and everything is easy.”

She said she would certainly miss the area, but she was confident that if the government offered a place to re-locate, "it will be good as well".

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England Test squad

Ben Stokes (captain), Joe Root, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts

 
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

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How tumultuous protests grew
  • A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
  • Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved 
  • Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
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How to turn your property into a holiday home
  1. Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
  2. Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
  3. Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
  4. Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
  5. Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

Men’s singles 
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Group B: Kidambi Srikanth (Ind), Shi Yugi (Chn), Chou Tien Chen (Tpe), Viktor Axelsen (Den)

Women’s Singles 
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Group B: Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe), Sung Hi-hyun (Kor), Ratchanok Intanon (Tha), Chen Yufei (Chn)

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Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver 

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Time; race; prize; distance

4pm: Maiden; (D) Dh150,000; 1,200m
Winner: General Line, Xavier Ziani (jockey), Omar Daraj (trainer)

4.35pm: Maiden (T); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Travis County, Adrie de Vries, Ismail Mohammed

5.10pm: Handicap (D); Dh175,000; 1,200m
Winner: Scrutineer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

5.45pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

6.20pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Ejaaby, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson

6.55pm: Handicap (D); Dh160,000; 1,600m
Winner: Storyboard, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

7.30pm: Handicap (D); Dh150,000; 2,200m
Winner: Grand Dauphin, Gerald Mosse, Ahmed Al Shemaili

8.05pm: Handicap (T); Dh190,000; 1,800m
Winner: Good Trip, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

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Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others

Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.

As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.

Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.

“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”

Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.

“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”

Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting

-      Don’t do it more than once in three days

-      Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days

-      Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode

-      Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well

-      Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days

-      Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates

-      Manage your sleep

-      People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting

-      Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert

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Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars