Ukrainian servicemen push a Bayraktar TB2 drone, an aircraft that has proved successful in the defending the skies against Russia. Getty Images
Ukrainian servicemen push a Bayraktar TB2 drone, an aircraft that has proved successful in the defending the skies against Russia. Getty Images
Ukrainian servicemen push a Bayraktar TB2 drone, an aircraft that has proved successful in the defending the skies against Russia. Getty Images
Ukrainian servicemen push a Bayraktar TB2 drone, an aircraft that has proved successful in the defending the skies against Russia. Getty Images

Ukraine's drone strikes a threat to Russia's advancing forces


Thomas Harding
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Ukraine is battling tanks and trucks with drone strikes while Russia’s air force remains notable by its absence, military analysts have said.

Ukrainian commanders are also considering how to attack the huge armoured convoy, which by Tuesday afternoon was about 25 kilometres from Kiev.

But despite the early successes of Ukraine’s drone force, destroying a number of crucial supply trucks, the country is urgently requesting more unmanned attack aircraft to hold off the Russian advance.

Its drone force was meant to have been wiped out by Russia’s electronic warfare devices, air defences and fighter jets in opening battles, but still it remains a threat.

This Maxar satellite image shows part of the large military convoy heading towards Kiev. Photo: ©2022 Maxar Technologies / AFP
This Maxar satellite image shows part of the large military convoy heading towards Kiev. Photo: ©2022 Maxar Technologies / AFP

While Ukraine has a variety of its own drone manufacturers, it is relying heavily on the Turkish-built Bayraktar TB2s that have proven their effectiveness against Russian hardware in Syria, Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh.

The TB2s carry four guided anti-tank missiles, fly at a maximum speed of 220kph and have an endurance of 27 hours.

The unmanned aircraft have destroyed three SAM missile systems and four 152mm artillery pieces, along with more than 10 trucks and several tanks, according to evidence provided to the London-based Rusi think tank.

However, the TB2s navigate by GPS sending out a strong radio signal making them easy to track and destroy if Russia chooses to concentrate on them.

Ukraine possesses at least 12 and on Tuesday the country’s ambassador to Britain, Vadym Prystaiko, called for more aircraft. Ukrainian military personnel were also being trained in Turkey on how to operate drones as not enough people know how to use the devices effectively, he said.

That the drones have been able to fly is partly due to the failure of the Russia air force, the VKS, to dominate the skies.

Russian fighter jets have come under attack by Ukrainian unmanned aircraft. AP
Russian fighter jets have come under attack by Ukrainian unmanned aircraft. AP

Its absence over Ukraine has baffled military observers. When the opening barrage of missiles took out much of Ukraine’s early warning radar, rendering its air defences blind, it was a given that Russia’s armada of 300 modern warplanes, all within striking range, would immediately follow.

The force includes 80 advanced Su-35S air superiority fighters and 110 multirole Su-30SM, all capable of firing precision-guided missiles.

Close air support is a vital aspect of modern warfare with land units usually advancing only when the skies are secured.

However, it is possible that many of the VKS’s precision bombs have been fired during fighting in Syria and as yet the Russians are unwilling to drop “dumb” bombs for fear of causing mass civilian casualties.

An apparent overreliance on their fabled ground-based air defence might have meant fewer VKS warplanes overhead to avoid blue-on-blue incidents.

Ironically, a number of SAM systems mounted on tracked vehicles have been destroyed while caught in columns.

VKS pilots have less flying training compared to their Western counterparts, averaging about 100 hours a year while US and UK fighter pilots receive up to 240 hours, said the Rusi report, The Mysterious Case of the Missing Russian Air Force.

“Despite an impressive modernisation programme that has seen the acquisition of around 350 new modern combat aircraft over the past decade, VKS pilots struggle to effectively employ many of the theoretical capabilities of their aircraft in the complex and contested air environment of Ukraine,” said Justin Bronk, the report’s author and an airpower expert at Rusi.

A destroyed Russian TIGR vehicle on a road in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Reuters
A destroyed Russian TIGR vehicle on a road in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Reuters

The air failures have also been highlighted in an intelligence report by the UK Ministry of Defence. “Russia has failed to gain control of the airspace over Ukraine prompting a shift to night operations in an attempt to reduce their losses," it said.

This could mean that Russia’s T-90 and T-72B3M tanks, equipped with modern thermal-imaging sights supplied by a French firm, will now fight at night.

Failure to control the skies has caused other issues. The Ukrainians have been able to shoot down both attack and transport helicopters using western-supplied Stinger missiles. This prevented a swift airborne assault taking place for a decapitation operation on Kiev.

The sight of their own fighter jets in the air above Kiev has also proven a major morale boost for the population, spurring on their defences.

With the 64-kilometre armoured column bearing down on Kiev, it is thought the Ukrainian military might deploy tanks, artillery and other weapons that they have not yet been committed to the battle.

These arms can probably be used only once before they suffer significant losses but that moment might be now as Kiev faces being surrounded by a ring of Russian steel.

How the Ukrainians use their offensive weapons has to be balanced carefully. “With artillery there's this concept called 'unmasking', which basically means once you open fire, the clock starts on how long that artillery is going to be alive,” said Sam Cranny-Evans, a Russia military expert at Rusi. “Usually that will be about four minutes unless they move position. So they have to be careful about when they are unmask their various resources as they will probably only have one chance to deploy it.”

A Russian TOS-1 fires during military drills. EPA
A Russian TOS-1 fires during military drills. EPA

Questions have been raised over whether Russia has changed tactics and is driving straight down major roads seemingly without their flanks secured.

“It really depends on how the Russians fight,” Mr Cranny-Evans said. “They can continue driving down roads without any real creativity. If the Ukrainians are able to bring enough forces into place with anti-tank and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles they could severely maul that column.”

The war may well move on to a more brutal phase with the Russians willing to resort to tactics used in Homs and Aleppo of surrounding a city and using the bludgeon of airpower and artillery to take out strong points, regardless of civilian casualties.

Tuesday’s attack on Kharkiv was a clear assault on non-military targets using cluster weapons, although it is not yet clear if thermobaric vacuum bombs have been used.

Western officials have made it clear that any human rights violations will be investigated, with President Vladimir Putin held to account.

  • A monitor displays a projectile striking the regional state administration building in Kharkiv, as the Russian invasion continues. Reuters
    A monitor displays a projectile striking the regional state administration building in Kharkiv, as the Russian invasion continues. Reuters
  • People help a wounded woman in the aftermath of Russian shelling in Kharkiv. EPA
    People help a wounded woman in the aftermath of Russian shelling in Kharkiv. EPA
  • Ukrainian emergency service personnel carry the body of a victim following shelling in Kharkiv. AP
    Ukrainian emergency service personnel carry the body of a victim following shelling in Kharkiv. AP
  • Students who fled the conflict rest in a refugee camp in Voluntari, Romania. AP
    Students who fled the conflict rest in a refugee camp in Voluntari, Romania. AP
  • Members of an Ukrainian civil defence unit pass new assault rifles to the opposite side of a blown-up bridge on Kiev’s northern front. AFP
    Members of an Ukrainian civil defence unit pass new assault rifles to the opposite side of a blown-up bridge on Kiev’s northern front. AFP
  • Civilians cross a river on Kiev's northern front. AFP
    Civilians cross a river on Kiev's northern front. AFP
  • A woman takes photos of a destroyed accommodation building near a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kiev. AP
    A woman takes photos of a destroyed accommodation building near a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kiev. AP
  • The city hall of Kharkiv, damaged by Russian shelling. AFP
    The city hall of Kharkiv, damaged by Russian shelling. AFP
  • Debris litters the square outside the damaged Kharkiv city hall. AFP
    Debris litters the square outside the damaged Kharkiv city hall. AFP
  • A Ukrainian woman sleeps on the floor of the railway station in Zahonyi close to the Hungary/Ukraine border. AFP
    A Ukrainian woman sleeps on the floor of the railway station in Zahonyi close to the Hungary/Ukraine border. AFP
  • A medical worker attends to wounded man at a hospital in Brovary, outside Kiev. AP
    A medical worker attends to wounded man at a hospital in Brovary, outside Kiev. AP
  • Refugees from Ukraine in a tent at the Medyka border crossing, Poland. AP
    Refugees from Ukraine in a tent at the Medyka border crossing, Poland. AP
  • Debris outside the regional administration building, which city officials said was hit by a missile, in Kharkiv. Reuters
    Debris outside the regional administration building, which city officials said was hit by a missile, in Kharkiv. Reuters
  • A student evacuated from Ukraine is embraced by her family after arriving at Tunis-Carthage International Airport in Tunisia. AFP
    A student evacuated from Ukraine is embraced by her family after arriving at Tunis-Carthage International Airport in Tunisia. AFP
  • Rescuers in a building damaged by a missile in central Kharkiv. Reuters
    Rescuers in a building damaged by a missile in central Kharkiv. Reuters
  • An ambulance is visible through the damaged window of a vehicle hit by bullets in Kiev, Ukraine. Reuters
    An ambulance is visible through the damaged window of a vehicle hit by bullets in Kiev, Ukraine. Reuters
  • Territorial defence members prepare to head out on patrol in Kiev. EPA
    Territorial defence members prepare to head out on patrol in Kiev. EPA
  • UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres delivers a speech on screen during the opening of the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. AP
    UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres delivers a speech on screen during the opening of the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. AP
  • A policeman detains a young demonstrator during a protest against Russia's attack on Ukraine in St Petersburg, Russia. AP
    A policeman detains a young demonstrator during a protest against Russia's attack on Ukraine in St Petersburg, Russia. AP
  • Local residents in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, prepare Molotov cocktails. Reuters
    Local residents in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, prepare Molotov cocktails. Reuters
  • Residents clean a bomb shelter under an out-of-service cinema in central Zhytomyr. Reuters
    Residents clean a bomb shelter under an out-of-service cinema in central Zhytomyr. Reuters
  • Ukrainian volunteers tear cloth into strips to make camouflage nets in Lviv, western Ukraine. AP
    Ukrainian volunteers tear cloth into strips to make camouflage nets in Lviv, western Ukraine. AP
  • Part of the military convoy north-west of Invankiv, Ukraine. AP
    Part of the military convoy north-west of Invankiv, Ukraine. AP
  • Mark Goncharuk, a young boy from Kiev, leaves his father behind as he travels with the rest of his family towards the border. Reuters
    Mark Goncharuk, a young boy from Kiev, leaves his father behind as he travels with the rest of his family towards the border. Reuters
  • People hold an anti-war protest outside the Russian Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. Reuters
    People hold an anti-war protest outside the Russian Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. Reuters
  • A crater caused by shelling on the outskirts of Kiev. AFP
    A crater caused by shelling on the outskirts of Kiev. AFP
  • People queue outside a grocery store in the Ukrainian capital. EPA
    People queue outside a grocery store in the Ukrainian capital. EPA
  • Ukrainian soldiers stand at Maidan Nezalezhnosti, or Independence Square, in Kiev. EPA
    Ukrainian soldiers stand at Maidan Nezalezhnosti, or Independence Square, in Kiev. EPA
  • Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, second left, and Davyd Arakhamia, faction leader of the Servant of the People party in the Ukrainian Parliament, third right, attend the peace talks in the Gomel region of Belarus. AP
    Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, second left, and Davyd Arakhamia, faction leader of the Servant of the People party in the Ukrainian Parliament, third right, attend the peace talks in the Gomel region of Belarus. AP
  • People who have fled the Russian invasion in Ukraine, clamour to board a bus bound for a refugee centre established in Przemysl, Poland. Reuters
    People who have fled the Russian invasion in Ukraine, clamour to board a bus bound for a refugee centre established in Przemysl, Poland. Reuters
  • Hanna Pavlovna Lukasz, from Mirhord, Ukraine, said her sons, aged 12 and 8, and her 66-year-old mother had been waiting on the Ukrainian side of the border crossing with Medyka, Poland, for four days. AP
    Hanna Pavlovna Lukasz, from Mirhord, Ukraine, said her sons, aged 12 and 8, and her 66-year-old mother had been waiting on the Ukrainian side of the border crossing with Medyka, Poland, for four days. AP
  • A volunteer from Kiev prepares a rear post with trenches in the city. AFP
    A volunteer from Kiev prepares a rear post with trenches in the city. AFP
  • A child being treated for cancer rests in the bomb shelter of the oncology ward at a hospital in Kiev. Getty
    A child being treated for cancer rests in the bomb shelter of the oncology ward at a hospital in Kiev. Getty
  • Police officers check occupants of a suspicious car in Kiev, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues. Reuters
    Police officers check occupants of a suspicious car in Kiev, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues. Reuters
  • A woman from Ukraine uses a phone to listen to a speech by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a refugee shelter in Beregsurany, Hungary. Reuters
    A woman from Ukraine uses a phone to listen to a speech by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a refugee shelter in Beregsurany, Hungary. Reuters
  • Shelves empty of bread after a curfew was lifted as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Kiev. Reuters
    Shelves empty of bread after a curfew was lifted as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Kiev. Reuters
  • Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, left, and President Zelenskyy. AFP
    Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, left, and President Zelenskyy. AFP
  • Snow-covered shoes donated for those fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland. Reuters
    Snow-covered shoes donated for those fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland. Reuters
  • People who have fled Ukraine wait for a bus to transport them away from the border crossing in Medyka. Reuters
    People who have fled Ukraine wait for a bus to transport them away from the border crossing in Medyka. Reuters
  • Norwegian soldiers of the Nato-enhanced forward presence battalion pose at a military plane as they arrive at an airport in Kaunas, Lithuania. AP
    Norwegian soldiers of the Nato-enhanced forward presence battalion pose at a military plane as they arrive at an airport in Kaunas, Lithuania. AP
  • A person fleeing Ukraine sits during snowfall at a temporary camp in Przemysl, Poland. Reuters
    A person fleeing Ukraine sits during snowfall at a temporary camp in Przemysl, Poland. Reuters
  • Footage reportedly of Russian Buk missile system vehicles on a road before a drone strike near Malyn, Ukraine. Reuters
    Footage reportedly of Russian Buk missile system vehicles on a road before a drone strike near Malyn, Ukraine. Reuters
  • An explosion after what are said to be Russian Buk missile system vehicles on a road are struck by a drone. Reuters
    An explosion after what are said to be Russian Buk missile system vehicles on a road are struck by a drone. Reuters
  • The monument to Russian troops from the Second World War, after the figures’ hands were painted red, at the Red Army memorial in Sofia, Bulgaria. EPA
    The monument to Russian troops from the Second World War, after the figures’ hands were painted red, at the Red Army memorial in Sofia, Bulgaria. EPA
  • The Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, is lit up with the colours of Ukraine’s national flag in a show of support. AP
    The Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, is lit up with the colours of Ukraine’s national flag in a show of support. AP
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the construction site of the National Space Agency on the premises of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre, in Moscow. EPA
    Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the construction site of the National Space Agency on the premises of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre, in Moscow. EPA
  • A man looks out from a train, at the railway station in Lviv, Ukraine. The UN has estimated the conflict could produce as many as four million refugees. AP
    A man looks out from a train, at the railway station in Lviv, Ukraine. The UN has estimated the conflict could produce as many as four million refugees. AP
  • A Ukrainian boy waits for his mother after passing the border crossing point in Siret, northern Romania. EPA
    A Ukrainian boy waits for his mother after passing the border crossing point in Siret, northern Romania. EPA
  • Russian policemen detain a demonstrator in St Petersburg, during a protest against the country's military actions in Ukraine. EPA
    Russian policemen detain a demonstrator in St Petersburg, during a protest against the country's military actions in Ukraine. EPA
  • Ukrainian soldiers at a check point in the city of Zhytomyr. Reuters
    Ukrainian soldiers at a check point in the city of Zhytomyr. Reuters
  • Residents prepare petrol bombs to defend the city, in Uzhhorod, Ukraine. Reuters
    Residents prepare petrol bombs to defend the city, in Uzhhorod, Ukraine. Reuters
  • A pro-Russian fighter sits inside a tank in the separatist self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, in the Luhansk region, Ukraine. Reuters
    A pro-Russian fighter sits inside a tank in the separatist self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, in the Luhansk region, Ukraine. Reuters
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, speaks to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, second left, and Head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and First Deputy Defence Minister Valery Gerasimov, left, during their meeting in Moscow. AP
    Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, speaks to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, second left, and Head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and First Deputy Defence Minister Valery Gerasimov, left, during their meeting in Moscow. AP
  • Ukrainians and supporters gather during a demonstration in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens against the Russian military's operation in Ukraine. AFP
    Ukrainians and supporters gather during a demonstration in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens against the Russian military's operation in Ukraine. AFP
  • Ukrainian Territorial Defence fighters test an automatic grenade launcher taken from a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicla after a battle in Kharkiv. AFP
    Ukrainian Territorial Defence fighters test an automatic grenade launcher taken from a destroyed Russian infantry mobility vehicla after a battle in Kharkiv. AFP

Particular concern is focused on the TOS-1A thermobaric weapon that fires 24 rockets, creating an indiscriminate firestorm effect. “This is a subject that we will keep under close observation,” one western official said. “I think we will be very attentive of and alert to war crimes or breaches of international humanitarian law in this conflict.”

Western officials are also concerned that once Russia irons out its flaws, it will persevere.

“There is a likelihood that they will then be able to bring more of the firepower and then manoeuvre forces to bear into combat with Ukrainian fighters,” a security official said. “I think we will then see an attempt by Russia to achieve its original objectives Kiev and the Donbas.”

However, the Russians have already suffered “significant numbers of casualties” that they will not be able to hide from the people "back home”, the official said.

Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

Europe’s rearming plan
  • Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
  • Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
  • Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
  • Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
  • Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital

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.”

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.

  1. Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
  2. It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
  3. 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.
  4. Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410

Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000

Engine 3.5L V6

Transmission Six-speed manual

Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm

Torque 420Nm @ 3,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying

Leap of Faith

Michael J Mazarr

Public Affairs

Dh67
 

Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE

There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.

It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.

What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.

When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.

It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.

This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.

It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.

Brief scores:

Toss: Nepal, chose to field

UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23

Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17

Result: UAE won by 21 runs

Series: UAE lead 1-0

Result

Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2

Man City: Jesus (39), David Silva (41)

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
Updated: March 01, 2022, 3:42 PM