A pair of grandparents who became stuck in Dubai airport for almost two months after flights were grounded globally were able to return to their home country of India on Thursday.
Amal Mandal, 75, and his wife Tripti boarded a flight to New Delhi after spending 53 days in a hotel in Dubai International Airport. Their flight was arranged as part of a major repatriation drive to facilitate outgoing flights for expatriates who wish to return home.
Until my last day, I will not forget how people have helped and looked after us
The Mandals had been in the airport since March 21, when bad weather delayed the last flight to India before the South Asian country imposed a nationwide lockdown and suspended air travel to contain the spread of Covid-19. The couple were transiting in Dubai after visiting their daughter and grandchildren in Australia.
"I will not forget the response of the people of Dubai. I felt like I was living in my own house," Mr Mandal told The National.
“Until my last day, I will not forget how people have helped and looked after us. I want to come back when this is coronavirus is all over so I can meet the people I have spoken to on the phone.”
He said he was grateful to the Dubai government, airport, hotel staff and Indian consular officials.
“We are tense travelling at this time also because we don’t know exactly when we will reach our own home. But we are happy we are finally going back.”
On arrival to India’s capital, the Mandals could be taken to a facility to quarantine for 14 days or be placed on a domestic flight to Gujarat, where their hometown of Vadodara is located.
India shut down domestic flights and rail travel during the lockdown.
The national carrier, Air India, said on Thursday that it would operate special ferry flights for passengers repatriated under the Vande Bharat or Salute India mission from hub airports to their home states.
No information was available when direct flights would start from either the UAE or New Delhi to the Mandals' home state.
Vipul, India’s consul general in Dubai, said passengers were given information about the flights so they could make a choice regarding travel.
“They have been stuck here for so long and so we left the decision to them,” he said.
“There are so many people who want to go back and everyone has an emergency that they need to attend so we are doing our best to help.”
The Mandals tested negative for coronavirus in three tests conducted by Dubai airport authorities over the past two months.
“This tension of coronavirus can eat away at you so it was good to test negative,” Ms Mandal said.
“On our journey we will remember all the people in Dubai who took such good care of us.”
The grandparents were among at least 19 passengers staying in the Dubai airport hotel. Several of the travellers have since returned home.
More than 15,000 Indians from around the world have returned to their home country on over 70 flights since repatriations began last week.
More than 30,000 Indians will return home from 31 countries on 149 flights in the second phase that begins on May 16.
Allardyce's management career
Clubs (10) - Limerick (1991-1992), Perston North End (1992), Blackpool (1994-1996), Notts County (1997-1999), Bolton Wanderers (1999-2007), Newcastle United (2007-2008), Blackburn Rovers (2008-2010), West Ham United (2011-2015), Sunderland (2016), Crystal Palace (2016-2017)
Countries (1) - England (2016)
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
New schools in Dubai
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
The biog
Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."
Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell
Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Company%20Profile
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
