Two Dubai residents travelled through five cities over four days for 40 hours to get from southern India to the UAE, via London.
Ananth Ramakrishnan, 63, and his daughter Priyesha Ananth, 19, travelled on three carriers on their laborious journey back to the Emirates last week.
The two got stuck in India after flights were suspended in March to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The pair have now reunited with Jaya, Mr Ramakrishnan’s wife and Ms Ananth’s mother.
“There was a lot of tension and apprehension in the planning,” said Mr Ramakrishnan, who works with an information technology support company.
At present, India is yet to resume regular passenger flights after grounding flights four months ago.
An announcement of limited flights being operated between India and the UAE was made this week but tickets quickly sold out and several flights were cancelled.
I needed to get back to Dubai. We decided we had to take the plunge as soon as restrictions eased in July around the village I was in
Desperate to return to jobs and family, some UAE residents stuck in India ended up spending thousands of dirhams pooling in with strangers to charter private jets or planning lengthy travel routes like the Ramakrishnan family.
The trip cost about 100,000 rupees (Dh4,900) each – roughly half the amount passengers have paid for a seat on a small jet.
Mr Ramakrishnan clocked 40 hours on road and during air travel beginning on July 8, when he drove from a small village in southern India, Kinathukadavu, to Coimbatore, where he took a plane to meet his daughter in Chennai. The pair then travelled to Mumbai after a stopover in Hyderabad, took a flight to London and then doubled back to arrive in Dubai on July 11.
The 10-hour journey to London on a packed Air India flight required them to wear full personal protective gear.
Exhausted but triumphant, they are relieved to be back in the UAE.
“I needed to get back to Dubai. We decided we had to take the plunge as soon as restrictions eased in July around the village I was in,” said Mr Ramakrishnan.
“My wife was alone for months, my daughter was alone in another city fending for herself so it was better for us to come back together."
When India closed its borders, Mr Ramakrishnan was visiting his 85-year-old mother in Kinathukadavu village after a business trip from Dubai.
His daughter had been studying in Bangalore but travelled to the family’s flat in Chennai after her architecture college closed and moved to classes online.
For months, the family waited for air travel out of India to resume but then heard about a relative who returned to the Emirates via London.
Mr Ramakrishnan and Ms Ananth could travel to the UK, having previously applied for five-year visit visas to see his eldest daughter who studies there.
The journey took two hours to plan over a Zoom call with Mr Ramakrishnan and his teenage daughter in India, his wife in Dubai and elder daughter in the UK.
They booked tickets from Mumbai to London and then London to Dubai first before working backwards to reserve the domestic flights.
Unable to get connecting flights on the same day, they booked hotel stays near Mumbai and London airports.
Their plan was fraught with uncertainty due to frequent flight cancellations and several Indian cities reimposing lockdown measures as a result of rising Covid-19 cases.
To add to their worries, many cities in India require a special electronic permit for road travel with restrictions on commuting for people aged over 60, such as Mr Ramakrishnan.
Ms Ananth was unsure her father would even make the first one-hour plane trip to reach her so they could travel together to the UAE.
“I kept hearing so many different things about the rules changing from different people,” she said.
“It was a relief to finally see him. All through our journey I barely slept. I was so exhausted and it was only on the last Emirates flight to Dubai that I actually crashed.”
They met her elder sister for a short “socially distanced” meeting in London before taking the morning flight to Dubai last Saturday.
The pair also had to navigate each airline’s rules with face shields compulsory on their Indigo flight to Mumbai.
The Air India flight from Mumbai to London was the most difficult. They were each assigned a middle seat and had to wear full personal protective gear, including overalls, gloves, face shields, masks and even shoe covers.
When we got on the Emirates flight, I felt like I was home
The Emirates flight back to Dubai was not as busy and they were able to each stretch out across four seats.
“When we got on the Emirates flight, I felt like I was home,” said Mr Ramakrishnan, who has lived in the UAE for close to 30 years.
“I had kept my fingers crossed right until we boarded.”
About 160,000 people from the Emirates have repatriated to India.
On landing, the Ramakrishnan family were tested for Covid-19 and have since received the all-clear. Despite this, they have remained in self-imposed isolation for at least a week, staying in separate rooms in their home in Karama.
The family plan to celebrate with a group hug on Saturday, when their self-imposed quarantine ends.
“I have been anxious about my husband’s health because he is diabetic and also due to his age,” said Ms Ananth’s mother.
“We are being extra watchful to be sure there are absolutely no symptoms. It has been a tense period for all of us and it is a relief that it will soon be over.”
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'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
Queen
Nicki Minaj
(Young Money/Cash Money)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
ORDER OF PLAY ON SHOW COURTS
Centre Court - 4pm (UAE)
Gael Monfils (15) v Kyle Edmund
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Magdalena Rybarikova
Dusan Lajovic v Roger Federer (3)
Court 1 - 4pm
Adam Pavlasek v Novak Djokovic (2)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Gilles Simon
Angelique Kerber (1) v Kirsten Flipkens
Court 2 - 2.30pm
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Marcos Baghdatis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Christina McHale
Milos Raonic (6) v Mikhail Youzhny
Tsvetana Pironkova v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
'Cheb%20Khaled'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKhaled%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBelieve%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who is Ramon Tribulietx?
Born in Spain, Tribulietx took sole charge of Auckland in 2010 and has gone on to lead the club to 14 trophies, including seven successive Oceania Champions League crowns. Has been tipped for the vacant New Zealand national team job following Anthony Hudson's resignation last month. Had previously been considered for the role.
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
The Laughing Apple
Yusuf/Cat Stevens
(Verve Decca Crossover)
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
