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Girl, 15, raped after being forced to work in Dubai massage centre

head dubai March 9, 2020 No Comments

Dubai: A man has been accused of forcing a 15-year-old girl to carry out sexual activities at a Dubai massage centre and raping her after offering her a soda mixed with alcohol.

The Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Monday that the Bangladeshi girl testified that her aunt brought her to the UAE last year, before forcing her to work in a massage centre. When she refused to “please customers” after a massage session, her aunt kept her in the house promising to send her back to her country.

“I met the defendant who told my aunt that he fell in love with me. I refused to have an affair with him. He took me to a nightclub and offered me a soda. I didn’t know the drink was mixed with alcohol and I start losing my balance. I don’t remember what happened after that but I woke up in the man’s bedroom,” the victim said in records.

She said she later discovered that the 36-year-old Bangladeshi defendant had sex with her. Her aunt told her the defendant would pay for her studies if she had sex with him.

After one month, her aunt was caught by the police for prostitution work after which the victim was left in the care of the defendant.

“The defendant forced me to work at massage centres and was collecting the money himself. He threatened to keep me without food and water if I refused to comly with his orders and once he even beat me with a belt,” the girl claimed.

In August 2019, the defendant took her to a massage centre where she met a countrywoman and showed her signs of violence on her body.

“She felt sorry for what had happened to me and helped me reach a police station by calling a taxi.”

A 28-year-old Emirati policeman said the victim reported the incident at Al Qusais police station.

Dubai Police arrested the defendant at Al Nahda and he admitted to having an illegal affair with the victim and bringing women from Bangaldesh to work in massage centres.

Dubai Public Prosecution has charged the defendant with human trafficking and raping the victim. It has asked the court to award death penalty to the defendant.

The defendant is in police custody and the next trial is on March 19.

Business

Coronavirus: UAE airlines react to flight suspension to and from Saudi Arabia

head dubai March 9, 2020 No Comments

Dubai: UAE airlines have released statements regarding the temporary suspension of flights between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

A statement from Etihad said, “Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has suspended temporarily all flights between Abu Dhabi and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in response to a directive from the General Authority for Civil Aviation, Saudi Arabia, to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

“The airline operates up to 12 flights per day between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. It has cancelled a total of seven flights today between Abu Dhabi and the Saudi cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina, and is now advising passengers who were booked to travel today.”

The statement added, “Another four flights which were en-route to Saudi Arabia at the time of the directive were permitted to land. When flights arrived in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, nationals of Saudi Arabi were permitted to disembark but all other passengers remained on the aircraft, which will return to Abu Dhabi. The fourth flight operated to Medina to repatriate Umrah passengers.

“In addition to the flight suspensions to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia has also banned Saudi nationals and Saudi residents from travelling to countries including the UAE and on passengers travelling from or transiting through Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, Italy, Egypt and Korea.

“Etihad Airways is working closely with regulatory authorities in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and is continuing to monitor this situation closely.

“For passengers impacted by the flight cancellations, procedures are in place for fare refunds or for flight changes when services resume. Etihad will continue to provide updates on this situation as information becomes available.”

A statement from Emirates read, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have issued a directive, which takes immediate effect, suspending operations from several countries including the UAE to all airports in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in an effort to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This includes all flights to Damman, Jeddah, Medina and Riyadh on 9, 10, and 11 March. As previously updated, operations to Medina have been cancelled up to and including EK809/810 12th March 2020.

“Affected customers due to the cancellations for tickets issued on/before 09th March can opt to; rebook to alternate date of travel till 30th June, travel voucher for ticketed value, or get a refund.

“Customers should contact their travel agent or Emirates office for further support with their rebookings. Customers across the Emirates network holding tickets for final destination Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not be accepted for boarding at their point of origin until further notice.”

Fly Dubai said, “Following a directive from the Authorities in Saudi Arabia flydubai flights to and from Saudi Arabia have been cancelled until 12 March.

“Passengers who have booked to travel to Saudi Arabia and would like to talk to us about their journey, can telephone our Call Centre on (+971) 600 54 44 45, send an email to letstalk@flydubai.com or send us a private message on Facebook.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused to our passengers’ travel plans.”

Gulf News awaits response from Air Arabia.

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Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia suspends travel to 9 countries, including UAE

head dubai March 9, 2020 No Comments

Saudi Arabia early Monday suspended travel to and from nine countries including the UAE due to coronavirus concerns.

Travel is also suspended to and from Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Italy, South Korea and Syria.

The decision is designed to stop the spread of coronavirus in the kingdom, the official Saudi Press Agency reports.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia announced the suspension of schools and higher education institutions as of Monday until further notice, the Saudi Press Agency said.

Business Fashion

5 ARAB WOMEN ROCKING THE WORLD

head dubai March 9, 2020 No Comments

Not all heroes wear capes, some of them wear nail polish, skirts and stilettos. Today, 8th of March we want to praise the role of 10 amazing arab women that are breaking the rules and changing stereotypes.

As women we don´t get enough recognition for the amazing things we are doing, challenging the world, beating huge obstacles while taking care of the family and loved ones.

Being a woman is hard. There is a long list of ladies changing the world and making history that deserves recognition and applause. We have created a list of 10 we very much admire and follow from DFN. They are all well known in the region, and we think it is about time, we pay a little tribute to these amazons

5 AMAZING ARAB WOMEN

1. DIALA MAKKI

Speaking of fashion and class is talking about Diala. She has become the voice and bridge between fashion designers and the Arab audience and consumers. Diala has been a strong advocate for realistic beauty and ethics when it comes to social media. She raise her voice every time is necessary. Diala is the perfect example when I say that beauty comes from inside

2. SHAHAD SALMAN

Being a model is hard enough, but being a model with a skin condition makes it a million times harder. The modeling industry can be really hash; on top of that social media can be a monster hard to deal with. Shadah has proven her strength and the importance of the message she is trying to give to the world.

3. HUDA KATTAN

Being a woman entrepreneur is something relatively new in the world. Not often we hear the “boss lady” speech. Executive women, owner business women, you name it. It is a kind of new world for us. Huda has created not only a brand, but has lead and open a path for the generations behind us. What she did is much more than running a business, she changed the business game.

4. GHIZLAN GUENEZ

Representation matters, and is not just a phrase. We all need to be fit in, somewhere, somehow. Ghizlan creating the first online destination for women who want to dress modest in luxury is helping two different groups of women that until now felt there wasnt a place for them to shop and feel they are important.

5. ASEEL ALHAMAD

Pioneers are called crazy until the rest understand the importance of standing up. Oh boy, how much I know about it! Aseel is a woman ahead of her time and she leading the change for many women in Saudi Arabia. There is many ways to do history, she choose to do it from behind the wheels. At DFN you have a fan club!

Sports

Coronavirus: Fans banned from all UAE football matches

head dubai March 5, 2020 No Comments

First of the matches to be played in stadiums without fans will be today.

All UAE football matches will be played behind closed doors until further notice as a precautionary measure against coronavirus.

The UAE Football Association said that it’s constantly following up with the concerned authorities for the latest updates on coronavirus and precautionary measures to be taken.

“The UAE FA prioritises the safety of all the players, technical staff, administrators and the loyal fans of football over any other matter. Therefore, it was decided that all the football competitions in the UAE will be played without the presence of spectators as follows: President’s Cup, First Division League, Second Division League, youth competitions, futsal competitions, beach soccer, women’s competitions, effective immediately and until further notice, in coordination with the concerned authorities,” the UAE Football Association said. “We highly request all the clubs, private academies and football entities to abide by this decision in order to ensure a safe society.”

First of the matches to be played in the stadiums without fans will be today and tomorrow as the Round 18 of the Arabian Gulf League resumes. These matches will be in stadiums of Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain, Kalba, Abu Dhabi and Khor Fakkan.

Mohammed Abdullah Hazam Al Dhaheri, Secretary General, UAEFA, said workshops have been held to brief clubs about the precautionary measures to be taken at stadiums.

The UAE Pro League, the nation’s professional football league, said it is coordinating with all the relevant authorities with regards to the health situation.

“It was decided to suspend fan attendance in all its competitions until further notice, for the safety of the public,” the UAE Pro League said in a statement.

The next tournament to be played in empty stadiums will be the President’s Cup to be held on Tuesday with three teams from Abu Dhabi and one from Sharjah in action.

Decision on UAE’s World Cup qualifiers

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) officials will meet with the FIFA to discuss the status of the FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Asian qualifiers scheduled for this month and June. Later this month is the UAE national side’s clash with Malaysia for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The match is scheduled to be played at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai, on March 26.

Separately, the AFC Champions League group stage matches involving the UAE clubs to be held this week were postponed. Decision on new dates will be taken at the AFC’s emergency meetings to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday and Sunday. The matches to be played this month and April are likely to be moved to May and June.

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Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia suspends Umrah pilgrimage over Covid-19 fears

head dubai March 5, 2020 No Comments

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday suspended the year-round umrah pilgrimage to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah over coronavirus fears, the interior ministry said.

The Gulf state has decided “to suspend umrah temporarily for citizens and residents in the kingdom”, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

The decision comes after Saudi Arabia last week suspended visas for the pilgrimage and barred citizens from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council from entering two of Islam’s holiest cities.

Business

How hotels in the Middle East are coping with coronavirus impact

head dubai March 5, 2020 No Comments

Dubai: Hotels in the UAE are following airlines in asking their staff to go on unpaid leave, as the hospitality sector battles the full impact of the coronavirus on demand.

The move to sanction unpaid leave will impact mostly on middle-level managers rather than the daily operations staff for now, hotel sources say. Several properties in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are already pressing ahead with the move, which would, they believe, help them to drastically cut down on costs. Employees have been told to utilise all outstanding leave-in-lieu days and proceed on unpaid leave. (There are some who do get paid as well.)

That’s not all – other steps being taken by hotels to reduce costs include closing full floors to save on utilities, a temporary freeze on new hires and replacements, and postponing non-essential purchases. The UAE hotel industry had responded with similar steps back in 2001, after the World Trade Center attacks in New York put the brakes on global travel, and during 2009-10, when the economy was hobbled by the financial crisis.

A senior hotel industry executive said that hotels in the mid-tier space are even changing their food and beverage suppliers to minimise costs. For instance, “They are buying Brazilian meat at half the price instead of from the US or Australian meat,” he added.

Lower rung employees such as waiters and contract workers (who are there for banqueting and catering services, gardening and pest control) are not affected by this move. Employees are forced to take up the proposed option of going on leave or face redundancy.

Slash and then some more

At entry level 5-star hotels, rate have been slashed to Dh300 a night to try and convince travellers to book with them. At the luxury end of the hospitality market, properties are finding even rates as low at Dh1,200 a night is not winning them guests. (Some hotels have countered this demand dip by offering “staycation” packages for UAE residents.)

“I recommend hoteliers in regions affected by the coronavirus to offer special discounts to attract bookings and check all options to reduce fixed costs at the earliest,” said Dr. Tassilo Keilmann, CEO of Wellness Heaven Hotel Guide. “Some affected hoteliers have reduced their staff temporarily – if permitted by contracts. Other hoteliers have shut down parts of their hotels to save energy and reduce workload on their service personnel.”

While luxury hotels have not been hugely affected by cancellations caused by the virus outbreak, mid-tier ones that target corporate travellers have been affected. With firms like McKinsey and Ernst & Young have put strictures on corporate travel for their staff, business-related trips have nosedived. This is keenly felt by hotels.

Event cancellations have further compounded the hotel industry’s woes. With travellers from China, Italy and from within the GCC all but disappearing, hotels are among the worst hit. The general sense of caution related to travel and being in public places is weighing on occupancy and average daily rates.

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Coronavirus: UAE residents who travel abroad may face preventive measures when they return

head dubai March 5, 2020 No Comments

They may have to be kept in isolation if the competent authorities decide so.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has urged citizens and residents to avoid traveling abroad due to the spread of COVID-19 in multiple countries.

A statement issued by MoHAP today said that those who travel may face preventative measures upon their return to the UAE – at the discretion of competent authorities – including undergoing medical checks at the airport, and a 14-day home quarantine.

Those who test positive will be transferred to a designated health facility for treatment and quarantine to ensure their safety and to avoid contact with others, the statement added.

The UAE is prepared to tackle the Covid-19 coronavirus, and has all checks in place to ensure that the disease doesn’t spread.

Medical guides have been distributed to all health facilities in the public and private sector, as well as land, air and sea ports. Rapid laboratory testing and control procedures have been activated at border crossings, where more than 30,000 tests have been conducted since the virus appeared.

The Ministry of Education has announced a four-week spring break, as well as ensured that students are up to date thanks to e-learning systems that have been put in place.

It also indicated that students and workers at educational facilities who arrive after travelling overseas will undergo necessary medical exam and quarantined for a period of 14 days if found necessary, to ensure that they are free of the disease.

 

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Monica Gabetta Tosetti

head dubai March 5, 2020 No Comments

Doctor and marketing manager we are talking about the charming Monica Gabetta Tosetti who last Wednesday was the protagonist of a new photo shoot for a luxury brand in an exclusive location in Como. In addition to this curiosity, today we asked her to reveal all her upcoming initiatives and tell us about her upcoming commitments.

Hi Monica, thanks in the meantime for releasing this short exclusive interview. You were the protagonist of a photo shoot on Wednesday. Can you give us some information about the brand and some details about the photo shoot?

With pleasure. Meanwhile, these are sandals and shoes made with precious stones such as diamonds, pink sapphires and we also find gold and amethyst. The product is intended for a market also abroad and the brand is called: Kori Sandals Italy. I wore products from the Luxury line of the Kori Sandals Italy Collection, shoes created exclusively in Italy with hand-treated leathers and in this case with a decoration of precious stones
As for the photo shoot, it took place in Como – my hometown – in a truly exclusive location: the only 5-star Superior Hotel in the center of Como, the LAKE VIEW OF COMO (vistalagodicomo.com).

How important are shoes for a woman? Can it be said that it is among the first things that are noticed together with elegance and bearing?
Shoes are one of the most loved accessories by women and in every season there are must-haves to which no one renounces! Those with heels manage to give each woman a very feminine bearing because they force the body to walk slower and more sinuous. On the other hand, sneakers and combat are in trend this season as they can sometimes play down a look that would otherwise be too aggressive.
Saturday 7 we find you as a speaker in beautiful Florence in a meeting where you will be a guest. What topic will we talk about?

It will be a meeting related to digital marketing: three days of study and research on digital marketing, a topic I will speak of as speaker but for now I cannot reveal further details about the specific topics that will be treated.
Speaking of departures, next weekend we know you will be traveling again. What is the destination?

Yes, on December 15th I will be at Europa-Park. The last “attraction” to experience the world of indoor water is Rulantica, a real theme park completely covered in fact and with numerous water attractions. The costume is ready! My task will be to lead my followers to discover this wonder. Fun is guaranteed.

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Coronavirus in UAE: Schools to go ahead with CBSE board exams as planned

head dubai March 4, 2020 No Comments

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Grade 10 and 12 examinations will go ahead as planned, several schools told Khaleej Times. Stringent safety and hygiene protocols will also be adopted by the schools to ensure the safety of students attempting the exams.

The Indian High School, a centre for the exams said the exams will go ahead as scheduled. “Unless and until the board advises otherwise, we will be organizing the exams for students,” said an Indian High School official.

Mick Gernon, Chief Education Innovation Officer at GEMS Education said, “Our Grade 10 and 12 CBSE students still have a small number of public exams to complete between now and March 20. We have everything in place to ensure that those examinations continue as planned.”

Commenting on the school’s internal exam policies, he added, “Our focus on examination groups, intervention and revision sessions, completion of coursework, and internal assessments will continue as planned and facilitated through live online sessions between students and their teachers.”

Zubair Ahmed, the head of HR and administration at the Springdale School Dubai, said, “All board exams will go ahead as scheduled. This directive has come from the board in India.”

EP Johnson, the president of Indian Association in Sharjah, the not-for-profit body that manages Sharjah Indian School, confirmed all board exams will go ahead as planned until March 26.

Johnson said Sharjah Indian School is one among the biggest centre for the board exams in the UAE as a total of 1,500 students from other schools attempt the exams in the SIS school campus and 1,072 students from Sharjah Indian schools are attempting the exam this year.

“These numbers include Grade 10 and 12 students. Meanwhile, in the classrooms, as per CBSE directive, 24 students are allowed per class. We will maintain that number and the students will be seated further two meters apart to maintain safety and hygiene,” said Johnson.

Internal examinations at the Sharjah Indian School will be held until March 11. “After both set of exams are over, the school will be closed as per directives from the Ministry of Education,” he said. The school has installed multiple hand sanitizers in campus and doubled the strength of its cleaning teams. “The school will be thoroughly cleaned several times a day. If students and staff need masks, the school will provide them as well,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) advised Indian and Pakistani curriculum schools to go ahead with the final examination dates as scheduled.

SPEA took to Instagram to make the announcement and said examinations for Indian and Pakistani curriculums final examination dates will remain as it is, on condition that students will perform their examinations and return home once they are done.

In India’s capital, despite the communal clashes, a total of 97.8 per cent class 10 students appeared for board examination in violence-affected Northeast Delhi.