NEWS ROOM
-
Abu Dhabi Municipality runs campaign against washing cars in front of houses
-
UAE NRI (Ramesh Viswanathan) wins Media Guild Academy award 2010-2011
- Don't be a victim of identify theft
- UAE Ministry of Labour reveals conditions for lifting of the six-month restriction
- Public schools to get 325 Emirati, Arab teachers
- Police propose dedicated officers
- Parking Timing during Ramadan
- Sharjah steps up crackdown on unkempt balconies
- Mohammad Bin Rashid wins European Endurance race
- Issues related to Residency in the UAE
- UAE Residency Visa, Labour Card Validity cut to Two years
- Dubai police set to auction 747 impounded vehicles
- Sharjah police urge public to phone in with security, crime concerns
- White points if he or she maintains a clean record for a year
- IAB, Madurai has secured 100% PASS
- Children as young as six face heart risks later
- Medical tests in home countries must for expats
- Child safety warning issued after two children die in accident
- Hamdan: Nurture talent to help nation progress (Please find Gulf News Article)
-
New agency to take care of Indian passport and visa services
-
United Indian Expat Council-Dubai - UIEC (click to read more)
THE NEW RULES IN UAE
1.
ID
cards must
2.
Child safety campaign
3.
Traffic fines
4.
IBAN
5.
Rent registration
6.
Unified car purchase contract
7.
Fake mobile phones
8.
Things you should know
before signing a new lease
Thinking of moving to a
new pad? Well, don’t even pick up a pen to sign that lease until you’ve
read our checklist
1. Ask for a customised tenancy contract
2. Read the contract closely before you sign
3. Get the contract registered
4. Have your deposit held in an escrow account
5. Never pay in one cheque
6. Know your landlord
7. Get proof of authorisation
8. Document expenses in the contract
9. Plan for the unexpected
10. Make sure all bills have been settled
11. Have automatic provisions in the contract
ASix-month
work ban applies evenly to men and women
Dubai: A six-month ban imposed by the Ministry of Labour on people who
fail to complete the period of employment stipulated under labour rules
also applies to working women sponsored by their family members. An
official from the ministry said women seeking to change their jobs or
leave work before completing the contractual obligation of two years
with their employer would automatically attract the ban.
The official who did not wish to be named said the ban will take effect
the moment a woman under the sponsorship of her husband or father
cancels her labour card.
The official was commenting on the case of an Algerian woman identified
as Hasnaa Talbi who was slapped with a six-month ban after resigning
from work despite being on the sponsorship of her Tunisian husband
Radawan.
Hasnaa, who worked for around two months at a jewellery store in Dubai,
was shocked that she had been handed down a six-month labour ban by the
ministry despite the fact that she had been working for just two months.
“This ban is an issue for me because I was looking to move to a new
employer. Most employers will not wait for six months while the ban
period elapses,” she said.
The aggrieved woman said she had lodged a complaint at the Ministry of
Labour but it took the ministry almost six months to respond forcing her
to eventually drop the complaint.
Officials had previously stated that women who take up employment while
remaining under the sponsorship of a male relative are not affected by a
work ban. The ministry has now come round to the view that in cases
where a wife or daughter decides to change jobs or to leave work without
completing two years of employment, she will be automatically banned by
the Ministry of Labour for six months.
30-day grace period after visa cancellation
Labour ban still making life tough for workers
Changing jobs not allowed during ban
Problems at work and credit card debt
“Bans are imposed on all expatriate employees working in private sector
when they want to move from one employer to another if they left
employer without having completed a minimum of two years service,” the
official said.
He said the mandatory six-month labour ban applies to both men and women
even if individuals are sponsored by family members and is calculated
from the date an employee’s labour card is cancelled at the ministry of
Labour. “This is an administrative ban, meaning that a block is inserted
into the ministry’s computer system preventing an application for labour
approval being processed against banned person’s name and passport
number,” he said.
The ban cannot be lifted by paying a fine either. “The ban is mandatory
under law, this means it is implemented automatically unless the
Ministry of Labour is instructed otherwise,” the official said.
Changing employers not allowed
during ban period
I was employed in Dubai from November 2010 on a two-year limited
contract. In January this year, I resigned because I had to go back to
my home country for personal reasons. As such, I received a one-year
labour ban for not completing my contract. The ban ends this December.
Can I return to Dubai on a visit visa before the ban ends? If I find a
new employer, will there be a problem getting a work permit? My sponsor
is not ready to lift the ban. What are the requirements to apply for a
visit visa and what will it cost?
The questioner may apply for a visit visa through one of his relatives
even if there is a ban; the requirements of visit visa as per the
Department of Residency and Foreigners’ Affairs are as follows:
Three photographs together with the application.
Salary shall be Dh4,000 if the sponsor is related, namely; father or
mother.
Salary shall be Dh6,000 if the sponsor is the questioner’s brother or
sister.
Salary shall be Dh8,000 if the sponsor is a relative other than his
mother, father or brother.
Salary shall be Dh10,000 if the sponsor is the questioner’s friend.
The questioner’s sponsor can apply for a 30-day or 90-day visit visa. A
30-day visit visa costs Dh620 while a 90-day visa costs Dh1,120. A
deposit of Dh2,000, refundable at the end of the visit, must be
provided.
Finally, the questioner is not allowed to work with a new company until
the one-year ban ends.
Questions answered by Advocate Mohammad Ebrahim Al Shaiba of Al Shaiba
Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Worker gets 30-day grace period
after visa cancellation
I came to Dubai on an employment visa in December 2011. However, the
company I signed up for was not particularly to my liking and so I told
them to cancel my visa. However, I have not been for a medical
examination in this time, and the visa too was never stamped on my
passport. My employer asked me to pay Dh8,000 as compensation in lieu of
the visa cancellation. I signed the cancellation paper after which the
company PRO called me the same day and informed me that my visa had been
cancelled. He continues to withhold my passport. My questions are: 1.
How many days can I stay in the UAE after cancellation of my visa? 2.
Shall I attract a one-year ban? 3. Is there any chance to come back on
an employment visa after exiting the country in case the Ministry of
Labour places a ban on me? Note that I had not started working at the
company.
The questioner may stay in the country for 30 days after cancellation of
his visa. A one-year ban might be imposed if the sponsor has made such a
request on the grounds that the questioner has not started work with the
company and thus caused a loss to the sponsor. Therefore, in the event
of a ban being imposed on the questioner, the questioner may not enter
the country on employment visa immediately, but only after the lapse of
the ban.
Questions answered by advocate Mohammad Ebrahim Al Shaiba of Al Shaiba
Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Abu Dhabi Municipality runs
campaign against washing cars in front of houses
Abu Dhabi:The Municipality of Abu Dhabi City recently ran a two-day
campaign against washing cars in front of houses, targeting residents of
Mohammad Bin Zayed City and Bani Yas residential areas.
It reminded the residents that such a practice is against the health
regulations, causing wastage of water and affecting the urban outlook of
the city.
Khalifa Al Rumaithi, Director of Public Health at the Municipality of
Abu Dhabi City, said: “The campaign resulted in serving 53 warnings to
residents. Several cases of car washing in front of houses were
reported.”
Al Rumaithi called upon the people to preserve water and avoid wasting
huge amounts of water in washing cars. “It will cause waterlogged
streets which in turn would trigger subsidence of the asphalt pavement
as a result of the accumulated water, and create a breeding ground for
mosquitoes and insects,” he said.
“The municipality is following up all warnings served to offenders to
ensure their compliance with the regulation. If the violation is
repeated, an instant fine of Dh 500 shall be issued,” he added.
Al Rumaithi underlined the importance of preserving the vital resource
of water, adopting a lifestyle to ensure the optimal use of water and
maintain the aesthetic appearance of the city in order to realise the
municipality’s vision of ensuring superior living and sustainable
environment for the residents of Abu Dhabi city.
Etisalat to cancel unverified
SIM cards
Dubai: Etisalat’s mobile subscribers who got SMSs from the telecom
service provider should update their personal information within three
months, failing which their mobile connection will be disconnected and
later on their SIM card numbers will be cancelled, a top etisalat
official told Gulf News.
Hassan Al Abdouli, Director of Channel Management at etisalat, said:
“Etisalat has sent SMSs to 1.5 million subscribers kindly asking them to
update their personal data within three months, otherwise they will be
eligible to lose their SIM cards. If the subscribers fail to update the
information within the specified period following the SMSs, the SIM card
will be suspended and after another three months the number will be
cancelled as well.”
According to etisalat’s policy, he said the telecom service provider can
resell the number to another customer three months after the number has
been cancelled.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the UAE has
launched the “My Number, My Identity” campaign in collaboration with the
two telecom service providers (etisalat and du) to increase awareness on
the new registration procedures which are aimed to organise registration
processes and requirements for mobile phone services, provided by the
licensees.
The TRA has warned that 18 months after the launch of the campaign,
owners of the mobile phone SIMs which were issued under their names will
have to bear the consequences of any misuse of SIM cards issued to them,
their family members or even friends.
“Etisalat has around 8.6 million subscribers and we are going to inform
them through several phases requesting 1.5 million subscribers every
three months to update their mobile registration. After three months of
this notice, the mobile subscription would be disconnected and won’t be
activated until the actual owner of the SIM card submits the necessary
documents to complete registration. The new registration procedures will
be considered as strict measures to protect the users’ rights against
fraud, bad debt as well as criminal cases,” Al Abdouli said.
Al Abdouli said that to register the personal information, etisalat
subscribers should visit any of the 104 etisalat offices or service
centres across the Emirates and submit original copies of their personal
documents for authentication.
“It won’t take more than ten minutes to fill up the form handing it to
etisalat staff to enter the date and save it,” he said.
“The information will process automatically and subscribers would get
SMSs saying that they have completed the registration update
successful.”
The service will not be affected or interrupted during the process. It
involves just updating the customer profile, he added
“Everyday we have an average of 10,000 subscriber who approach etisalat
offices to update their personal information.
Even if customers SIM is not under their names, they can update their
personal information and can re-register the SIM cards under their names
temporarily as the ownership will be transferred automatically if the
original owner didn’t claim it back within six months time,” Al Abdouli
said.
Don't be a
victim of identity theft
Residents have been warned against giving their bank account details or
passwords in response to any e-mail
Dubai: Residents have been warned against giving their bank account
details or passwords in response to any e-mail or request that they
cannot authenticate with their banks to avoid falling victim to identity
theft.
Brigadier Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Director of Dubai Police's
Criminal Investigation Department, said internet users were lured by
phishing e-mails, which is the easiest way for a criminal to gain access
to the victim's bank account and drain it.
It is best not to believe any request over the internet that cannot be
confirmed with the bank and not to enter credit card details on random
websites to buy or trade.
A user should authenticate these websites before engaging in electronic
transactions, or else face dire consequences, Brig Al Mansouri said.
Article continues below
Major Saeed Al Hajiri, Director of CID's Electronic Crime section, said
people should avoid responding to missed calls from numbers they do not
know, as most belong to criminal gangs.
Whether or not the caller falls for the trick and transfers the money to
the gang, he still ends up being cheated because of the prime-rate
number charges.
Another trick people still fall for is the call or text message
informing them they have won a prize and asking them to make a money or
phone credit transfer to claim it.
"The alleged winner finds once the money is transferred, the caller
disappears without a trace," Major Al Hajiri said.
UAE Ministry
of Labour reveals conditions for lifting of the
six-month restriction
Ray of hope for workers slapped with six-month labour ban
UAE Ministry of Labour reveals conditions for lifting of the six-month
restriction
Dubai: People who have been slapped with a six-month labour ban for
breaking their contracts before the expiry of two years can work for a
new company, provided they hold at least a high school diploma and have
been offered a good position and salary by the new company, employers
were told by the Ministry of Labour last week.
To lift the ban, an employee should have been offered a minimum salary
of Dh5,000 for high school graduates, Dh7,000 for diploma holders and
Dh12,000 for bachelor's degree holders.
The salary must be mentioned in the labour contract.
No fee will be imposed for lifting the ban when these conditions are
met, Ali Al Shehi, Senior Administrator at the ministry, said in a
seminar held to inform employers about their rights and duties as well
as recent ministerial decisions.
Article continues below
"We are still imposing the six-month labour ban on employees who quit
their jobs before completing two years of service, but the ban can be
lifted if the new employer offers the candidate a good position and an
appropriate salary," he said.
The new employer needs to submit the employee's educational certificate,
which does not need to be attested at this stage. It will be scanned and
entered into the Tas'heel system, and a new labour permit will be issued
accordingly.
Al Shehi told employers that as of January 2012, company categories will
have a different scale when it comes to labour permit applications.
"When a new company is registered, it will be charged Dh1,500 for each
of the first four work permits to be issued to the company, which
corresponds with category B2," he said.
Afterwards, the company can move up or down categories B1, B2 or B3, or
C depending on its activity, the number of employees it hires, their
qualifications and diversification in the nationalities of workers.
Companies in B1 category pay Dh600 per work permit, while B2 companies
pay Dh1,500 and B3 companies pay Dh2,000 for each permit.
Diversification
"This step aims to encourage diversification and hiring employees from
various nationalities, so companies who hire workers from one
nationality will not be upgraded, while those that hire from more
nationalities will move up to categories B3, B2 and so on," Al Shehi
said, adding that companies will also upgrade their categories by hiring
skilled workers.
He advised people who want to start new companies to check their
sponsor's record at the Department of Economic Development to ensure
that their record is clear and they have no other companies facing
problems, which will hinder their application.
"The sponsor of a company has to clear any outstanding dues or labour
issues before he can sponsor another one, so we advise those who want to
open a new business to look for a sponsor who has no other companies
registered under his name," Al Shehi said.
Public schools to get 325
Emirati, Arab teachers
Recruitment plan for both teaching and administrative posts gives
priority to UAE nationals
1Share.Abu Dhabi: Some 325
Emirati and Arab teachers will be appointed to public schools across Abu
Dhabi during the upcoming 2011/2012 academic year, the Abu Dhabi
Education Council (Adec) has announced.
"While Adec is seeking to attract qualified staff in order to
effectively contribute to the implementation of its 10-year Strategic
Plan aiming at developing the educational system in the emirate of Abu
Dhabi… this recruitment plan, which is for both teaching and
administrative positions, will prioritise the appointment of UAE
nationals," Mohammad Salem Al Daheri, Adec's Executive Director of the
School Operations Sector, said.
The number of required teachers for the upcoming school year was
ascertained through school merger plans carried out by the council in
Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region in addition to factors such as
increasing teacher workload and numbers of female teachers in schools.
"Adec had announced vacancies… in May, [for positions] including
kindergarten teachers, physical education, arts, music, special
education and psychologists. [We received] a total of 8,000 applications
submitted within the UAE [but] only 600 met Adec's requirements," he
said.
Article continues below
"From those, 276 teachers were selected based on interview results and
school needs. Furthermore, 49 male and female physical education
teachers were selected from across the region out of the total 127
candidates who were interviewed for those positions," Al Daheri added.
Police
propose dedicated officers
Police propose dedicated officers
Dubai: A resident policeman will be assigned to every neighbourhood in
Dubai as part a new initiative to enhance levels of communication
between the public and police, Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim,
Dubai Police chief, said yesterday.
The initiative, titled ‘Your Neighbourhood Policeman' will be
implemented in stages after Eid Al Fitr, starting with areas with a
greater concentration of UAE nationals and expanding to cover the entire
emirate, Lt Gen Dahi said. "The neighbourhood policeman will be
approachable and close to his neighbours, which makes it easier for him
to know any issues of concern they have," he said.
Dedicated officers would know their neighbours well, and residents would
be informed about their presence so that they would contact them in
their hour of need and the officers would not have set working hours, Lt
Gen Dahi added.
The initiative was announced on the sidelines of a ceremony held to
honour winners of the Minister of Interior's Excellence Awards, during
which distinguished police departments and stations were feted.
Parking
Timing during Ramadan
Dear All,
Important News
Please be informed that parking timing in Dubai will be changed during
Ramadan to:
Morning 8:00AM to 1:00PM
Evening 7:00PM to 12:00AM (midnight)
For more information please contact 8009090 Ramadan Kareem
Sharjah steps up crackdown on
unkempt balconies
Sharjah steps up crackdown on unkempt balconies
Municipality inspection teams visiting all residential areas to ensure
compliance with rules
By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Staff Reporter Published: 00:00 July 20, 2011
Laundry is left out to dry in a building in Sharjah’s Muwailah area.
Civic authorities in the emirate have issued 3,753 fines so far this
year to people who have ignored repeated appeals to stop hanging laundry
or installing satellite dishes on their balconies.
Sharjah: Municipal authorities in Sharjah have stepped up a crackdown on
residents who give buildings an unkempt look despite repeated appeals
not to tarnish the image of neighborhoods.
Since January, Sharjah Municipality has issued 3,753 fines to people for
leaving laundry out on their balconies or installing satellite dishes
despite repeated reminders to the contrary. Civic officials also
recently began distributing leaflets printed in Arabic, English, Farsi
and Hindi in residential areas besides leaving clear messages at the
entrance to buildings.
Abdul Aziz Al Mansouri, assistant director general for technical affairs
at Sharjah Municipality, said the municipality had earlier issued
warnings about the consequences of hanging laundry on balconies or using
them as storage areas but the rules had still been flouted.
Awareness campaign
Article continues below
The pamphlets also advise residents to call the municipality hotline 993
for queries and clarifications about the rules.
"The public need more awareness on the rules because such violations
have been reported on a daily basis. In order to preserve the public
health and the appearance of Sharjah, we are educating the public once
again," Al Mansouri said.
A municipality circular was issued earlier in the year notifying
landlords about the risks of storing heavy boxes and household items on
their balconies. Municipality inspection teams are now visiting all
residential areas to ensure compliance with the rules.
Al Mansouri said the leaflets clearly state that anyone violating the
rules will invite a fine of up to Dh250 that has to be paid within one
week. Any further delay in the payment will see the fine go up to Dh500.
Hotline | Residents need to call the municipality hotline 993 for any
queries about the rules
Mohammad Bin Rashid wins European Endurance race
The 120 km-race was held on the sidelines of the fourth session of the
UAE-Italian Joint Economic Committee
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad
Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and
Ruler of Dubai, on Saturday won the the first round of the European
Endurance Championship, which was held in Verona, Italy.
Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, won the
first round of the European Endurance Championship, which was held on
Saturday in Verona, Italy.
The 120-km race was held on the sidelines of the fourth session of the
UAE-Italian Joint Economic Committee, also held in Verona.
Shaikh Mohammad came first with a timing of 6.19.02 hours followed by
Shaikh Rashid Bin Dalmook at 6.19.03 hours. Saif Al Katbi came third at
6.19.04.
Seventy horse riders from various European countries contested in the
race. The win is another feather in the cap of Emirati riders in
European championships. The Emirati riders began to make their mark in
1999 when they won the gold medal in Spain.
Issues related to Residency in the UAE
Issues related to
Residency in the UAE
UAE Residency Visa, Labour Card Validity
cut to Two years
New rule to reduce the life of the labour card for all workers and
employees in the private sector to come into effect next month
Dubai: A new decision has been approved to reduce the life of the labour
card for all workers and employees in the private sector, to two years
from the current three, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
A senior official at the Labour Ministry told Gulf News the rule will be
implemented in January 2011. "As the labour card will be for only two
years, naturally the residency visa will also be for two years," the
official explained.
According to a statement by Humaid Bin Deemas, Acting Director-General
of the Ministry of Labour, carried by WAM, "The UAE Cabinet has reduced
the validity of labour cards of all categories of people who work in
private sector from three years to two years in a bid to regulate the
labour market."
The Cabinet decision aims to unify the labour card validity for all work
categories to be similar to that of drivers, domestic helpers and other
similar categories who are given only two-year labour cards and
residence visas by the Department of Residency and Foreigners Affairs,
while other professions currently get three-year labour cards and
three-year residence visa.
Major General Nasser Al Awadi Al Minhali, Assistant Undersecretary at
the ministry's Naturalisation and Residency Affairs department told Gulf
News the change in the validity of the labour card will impact the
expiry date of the residence visa issued to expatriates.
"When we get an application for a residence visa we look at the validity
of the labour card issued by the Ministry of Labour; if it is for two
years then we will issue a two-year residence visa," he explained.
Significant amendments
He also revealed that the ministry is currently studying significant
amendments to the current law which deals with residency and foreigners'
affairs.
Bin Deemas said the decision will help private sector employers to "save
Dh678 million annually", as ministry statistics show that 70 per cent of
labour cards are cancelled before two years have passed.
He said total licence and work permit fees for 2009 were Dh2.25 billion,
and that it cost 70 per cent of employers who paid the three-year
irretrievable fees, a sum of Dh1.757 billion.
However, they could have saved Dh678 million if the cards were valid for
two years.
"The decision would also achieve certain flexibility in the relationship
between employers and employees; it would give both parties the ability
to end the relationship without big losses for the employers and in a
way that will not violate the labour laws," he said, adding that for the
employees, the decision will help enhance competitiveness and movement
in the job market.
By Bassma Al Jandaly, Senior Reporter, Gulf News
Dubai police set to auction 747 impounded
vehicles
Dubai: A Dubai Police committee will organise an auction on June 22 of
747 vehicles seized for accumulated penalties, after owners failed to
pay the fines.
Brigadier Anas Al Matroushi, acting Director of the General Department
of Operations, said owners of the impounded vehicles had not contacted
the force in more than six months or settled their dues.
He said all impounded cars lying in police yards would be auctioned by
Dubai Police after a grace period.
Dubai Police Wednesday auctioned another 210 impounded vehicles. Their
owners had not made any claims within six months to have the cars
released.
Al Matroushi said Law No.34 of 2008 gives Dubai Police the right to
dispose of seized vehicles and machinery if owners do not claim them
within six months.
Notifying owners
Dubai Police placed advertisements in both the local Arabic and English
media, and another declaration on its website that it was selling the
747 cars, he added.
Al Matroushi said police had also contacted owners whose vehicles had
been impounded for over six months. They were asked to pay the fines and
get their vehicles released.
Police have called on people whose vehicles have been seized to speed up
the payment of fines. Delays in payment would lead to the vehicles being
auctioned, Al Matroushi said.
He also called on insurance companies, banks and the department of fines
in the General Directorate of Traffic Police to speed up the necessary
procedures to help clients claim back their impounded vehicles.
Sharjah police urge public to phone in with
security, crime concerns
Sharjah Police Tuesday launched a service called Najeed for the public
to report any information that helps to maintain the security and
stability of the country.
Launching the service, Major General Humaid Al Hudaidi, Chief of Sharjah
Police, said it enables residents to lodge complaints and provide
information about any illegal activities.
Maj. Gen. Al Hudaidi said Sharjah Police is keen to implement advanced
electronic technology to enhance the security services.
"The service will help people contact the police in a secret and secure
way, and also maintain confidentiality. All information provided by the
caller will be confidential, their identities will be protected and they
will be exempted from any criminal responsibility," Maj. Gen. Al Hudaidi
said.
Information
Residents can contact Najeed service by calling 800151, SMS to 7999, fax
to 06-5529000, email
najeed@shjpolice.gov.ae or visit the website:
www.shjpolice.gov.ae/najeed
Any driver who owns a car and holds a driving license issued in Dubai
will be able to collect white points if he or
she maintains a clean record for a year.
Any driver who owns a car and holds a driving license issued in Dubai
will be able to collect white points if he or she maintains a clean
record for a year.
Dubai: Good drivers will be awarded with white points that may come in handy when they commit an offence, it was announced on Monday.
The new system, which
rewards safe drivers who commit no violations for a year, will be
announced in a month, said Major General Mohammad Saif Al Zafeen,
Director of the Dubai Police Traffic Department.
The system is the brainchild of Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim,
Dubai Police Chief, and aims to reward good drivers and encourage them
to abide by traffic laws and regulations.
Major General Al Zafeen told Gulf News that any driver who owns a car
and holds a driving license issued in Dubai will be able to collect
white points if he or she maintains a clean record for a year.
"The number of white points per year has not been specified yet, it may
be eight or 10," he said, adding that the points will be credited to a
driver's account and taken into consideration if he commits a violation.
"The white points can help in scrapping simple offences or reducing car
impoundment period," Major General Al Zafeen said.
IAB, Madurai has secured 100% PASS
Great News, Great achievement from IAB, Madurai has secured 100% PASS
results in the XII standard public Exam
With Immense pleasure I wish to convey that IAB (Indian Association for
the Blind) has secured 100% PASS results in the XII standard public Exam
results that was published today 09-05-2011.
All the 20 Students (Visuall
Challenged Student) had cleared the exams and have come out with the
flying colors.
Out of 20 Students 5 Student have crossed 1000 out of 1200 and the top
scorer is
Top Scorer Mr. Saravanan -1111/1200. This is top score in History of IAB
(Indian Association for the Blind).
Second - Mr. Ramesh - 1083, Third - Ms. Revathi – 1051
In addition, 10 students staying in IAB hostel and studying in
integrated education have also secured 100% pass result in their XII
standard public exams with top score of 1092/1200(Dinesh).
Message from Mr. S M A JINNAH (Founder & Secretary General, Indian
Association for the Blind, Web : www.theiab.org)
I (S M A Jinnah) take this opportunity to wish all the 30 students
(Visually Challenged) who will be entering Universities next year and
start their next phase of their career. On behalf of all the students,
teachers and management I pass on my sincere thanks to you/your
organization for supporting and helping us to make this result a
possibility.
Children as young as six face heart risks later
London: Children as young as six are risking heart problems in later
life because they are allowed to spend too much time watching TV or
playing on computers, scientists warn.
A study of 1,492 primary school pupils found that those who spent hours
glued to the screen suffered narrowing of blood vessels in their eyes —
an early warning sign of increased likelihood of heart disease and high
blood pressure.
But those who exercised for one hour a day were significantly healthier.
The study was carried out by Dr Bamini Gopinath and a team of
researchers at the University of Sydney. Parents answered a
questionnaire detailing the amount of time their children spent watching
TV, playing video games, reading and engaging in indoor and outdoor
physical activity.
Scientists then took digital photographs of the blood vessels at the
back of each child's eye and calculated their size.
They also measured height, weight, body mass index and blood pressure.
They found on average, children spent 1.9 hours per day watching TV or
playing on their computer and only 36 minutes doing physical activity.
They had an average ‘retinal arteriolar' narrowing of 2.3 microns.
But those who regularly participated in outdoor physical activity had
retinal blood vessels that were 2.2 microns wider.
Medical tests in home countries must for expats
Dubai: UAE Sunday announced that expatriate workers coming to work in
the Emirates will have to first get their medical tests done in their
home countries.
But to make sure that job-seekers do not try to beat the system and show
fake medical test results, the new expatriates will also be re-tested
here to see the test results are in order.
The new system was announced Sunday after a Ministerial Service
Council's meeting was chaired by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. The Council
has instructed the Ministry of Health to issue the necessary bylaws to
implement the new system.
No Ministry of Health or Dubai Health Authority official was available
for comment on the new system at the time of going to print.
The Health Council had been debating this issue of tests for migrant
workers for some time as the check-up in the home countries would stop
many workers from developing countries bringing in deadly communicable
diseases into the country.
Anyone coming to work and live in the UAE has to get a check-up done to
see if he or she is free from HIV/Aids, syphilis and pulmonary TB. A
pregnancy test has to be done for someone coming to work as a housemaid
or a nanny.
Medical experts said the new system will ease the situation at the
designated medical clinics which usually have long lines of people
waiting for hours to get the tests done. In Dubai, the municipal medical
test clinic was closed recently and the huge spill-over is frequently
seen at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) clinics, specially in Deira and
Satwa. The DHA made a surprise visit to the Satwa clinic after Gulf News
reported a near breakdown in services recently.
The UAE also has to bear huge expenses for those coming in with
communicable diseases as they are first treated and then deported.
It was recently decided to scrap tests for hepatitis C.
Besides nannies and housemaids, the other categories of new workers who
are required to test for hepatitis B and HIV/Aids are kindergarten
school employees, employees at barber shops, health clubs and
restaurants. Those found infected will be deported.
Child safety warning issued after two children die
in accident
Dubai: Children younger than 10 years are not allowed to sit in a car's
front seat, warned a chief traffic prosecutor Sunday following an
accident that killed two children, including a one-year-old baby and his
four-year-old sister.
It is against the Traffic Law and ministerial decision number 127 of
2008 to allow children younger than 10 to be seated in the front seat of
a car, cautioned Chief Traffic Prosecutor Salah Bu Farousha, Head of
Dubai Traffic Public Prosecution (TPP).
His warning remarks came in wake of a traffic accident in which a
29-year-old Emirati mother lost control of her vehicle and rammed into
another car resulting in the death of her one-year-old son and her
four-year-old daughter on Saturday 8.30pm on Hatta Road.
Seat belt
He also added that passengers in the front seat are required by law to
wear their seat belts. He said this applies to driving within or outside
the city.
Bu Farousha said. Investigations at the scene revealed, according to the
head of TPP, that the mother lost control and veered off from the left
to the right lane before she hit a sports utility vehicle driven by a
60-year-old Emirati man.
The woman's vehicle overturned twice and landed at the roadside. Two
children died and two Filipina housemaids, aged 23 and 26, a
five-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy were injured.
The mother had minor injuries and the SUV driver was not injured.
"We have asked the Hatta Police Station to provide us with a report
about the accident and prosecutors have started an investigation."
Bu Farousha said the investigation will focus on which of the children
was in the front seat and the fact that there were no children's car
seats in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Questioning
He continued: "Upon the directives of Dubai's Attorney General Essam
Eisa Al Humaidan, suspects are held liable and questioned if they cause
injuries or deaths to their relatives in traffic accidents." Bu Farousha
said the court is asked to show compassion to such people and consider
the circumstances.
"We ensure that the law is properly enforced hence we constantly ask the
court to consider the suspect's emotional state and background, in
addition to other factors such as his [or] her clean record, age and the
belief that the crime will not be repeated," Bu Farousha added.
When children fall victim to parents' mistakes, the law must be applied
humanely, Bu Farousha told Gulf News earlier.
Traffic prosecutors have recorded 44 deaths, including nine Emiratis, in
the first four months of this year.
Hamdan:
Nurture talent to help nation progress (Please find Gulf News Article)
Dubai: Schooling is not just about scoring good grades, as much as it is
about developing a well-rounded personality. As educators and parents
relentlessly strive towards moulding a child to be a global citizen, few
exceptional students stand out.
The need to encourage these few and share their success stories to allow
more youngsters to follow in their footsteps was highlighted at the
Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Academic
Performance ceremony, last week.
From across the country, 208 outstanding performers in the field of
education were identified by the award committee and honoured to
encourage the spirit of excellence. The winners included outstanding
students, teachers, social workers, projects, scientific innovation,
educational research, school, school administration among others.
Encouraging
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister
of Finance, had said at the ceremony that encouraging those who are
talented is an exemplary way to help the community progress forward.
"We continue to supply human resources with principles and skills into
the academic arena by enabling them with what qualifies them to excel in
serving the nation," he said.
Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al Qutami, Minister of Education, said that the
quality of education has improved year after year, and we sense a
culture of excellence and its practices among students and teachers.
So what is it that allowed these winners to stand out from the rest of
the crowd? Gulf News spoke to a handful of students, who were bestowed
the award.
Never get into anything that doesn't feel right for you, is the advice
Aayush Rajasekaran has for his fellow students. This is the second time
Rajasekaran, who recently completed his grade 12 from Indian High School
(IHS) Dubai, has won the award.
"If you feel comfortable and happy pursuing something, then push
yourself to excel in it with the support of your parents and your
school," he said.
He now plans to study computer engineering in a college abroad. Getting
admissions were made much easier for him with the Hamdan Award adding
weight to his application, he said.
Apart from academic excellence, his varied interests such as scuba
diving, horse riding, public speaking and creative writing helped him
win the award.
Someday he hopes to join the United Nations and influence change from
within, Rajasekaran added.
Thrilled
Vandana Marwaha, principal of the Delhi Private School (DPS) Sharjah,
said she is thrilled about the school winning the highest number of
outstanding student awards.
"We won 12 awards this year, as compared to last year, when we won nine
awards," she said.
Neha Swaminathan, a grade 6 student of DPS Sharjah said aiming high is
the secret to her success. She has won over 25 trophies and 45
certificates in a variety of competitions.
Another grade 6 student of the same school, Megha Sathish said the award
has increased her confidence manifold. "We should believe in ourselves
and be passionate in our work, and then success will follow," she said.
Raj Aryan, a grade 5 student of IHS, said there is no substitute for
hard work. He said that winning the award is an encouragement for him to
perform even better and realise his dream of becoming a scientist when
he grows up.
"It will help me do things that others consider impossible," Aryan
added.
Another recipient, Aparijitha Ramesh, a grade 5 student of IHS was not
only the topper in studies from grade 1, but is actively involved with
charitable organisations.
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/education/hamdan-nurture-talent-to-help-nation-progress-1.801876
29-03-2011
New agency to
take care of Indian passport and visa
services
Indian passport and visa services will be handled by BLS International
Services from April 6
Staff Report | Published: 00:37 March 29, 2011-Reader comments (0)
Abu Dhabi: The Indian passport and visa services will be handled by BLS
International Services from April 6, Indian Embassy said in a statement
on Monday. The locations of the service centers will be as follow:
Abu Dhabi: M-1, Plot No. 159, Shark Lot (19/2), Near Main Bus Depot,
Muroor Road, Opposite Aramex Office, Abu Dhabi.
There will be two centres in Dubai. The first one will be at Bur Dubai
at 105, 106 Al Khaleej Centre, Opposite Al Ain Centre on Mankhool Road
and the second one at Port Saeed, at 202, Dubai National Insurance
Building, Plot No. 315 (129-134).
The Ras Al Khaimah centre will be at shop no. 3, Opposite al Safeer
Furniture, Al Safeer Mall and Awwad Trading, behind Subaru Showroom (Alkah
Establishment).
In Sharjah, the centre will be at 201, second floor, Faisal building, 2,
King Faisal Road.
The Umm Al Quwain centre will be on Jawasat Road, Riqqah Area, opposite
Lulu Centre.
The passport and visa service centres located at the premises of the
Indian Associations and Indian Social centres in different emirates will
continue to function in the existing locations.
BLS International will maintain a ‘call centre no: 04-3594000’ to answer
all queries related to Indian passport and visa services. The Call
Centre will be operational from April 6 onwards.
BLS International will also launch a website: www.blsindiavisa-uae
containing detailed information on the Indian passport and visa services
from April 6.