UAE decision to close private maid-hiring agencies will stamp out rogue companies
Domestic workers will have to be employed via government-run Tadbeer centres but residents seek clarity on hiring options
Earlier in March, the country s labour ministry said it would close all of the privately-run recruitment agencies that hire and supply domestic workers to tackle abuse in the industry. Instead, government-run centres will handle all applications and hiring for families. Pawan Singh / The National
Officials said there would be an exception for agencies based in the country s economic freezones, which have their own rules and regulators. It was not clear if there are many maid agencies based there, nor whether those facing closure could move to a freezone. Pawan Singh / The National
A vast solar panel canopy, towering carbon fibre entry portals and the world’s largest 360-degree projection dome are among the eye-catching sights visitors will glimpse at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The spectacular show will officially open on October 1, but visitors can get their first glimpse at the rich array of dazzling attractions this week.
The Sustainability pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai will open for public viewing on Friday, helping to whet the appetite for what is still to come.
In this guide, we help visitors identify some of the towering structures they will witness at the sprawling site.
The Expo campus is twice the size of Monaco, the world’s second smallest country, and packed with offerings from more than 190 countries.
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Hundreds of craftsmen in India are chiselling marble and stone slabs for Abu Dhabi’s new Hindu temple.
The Baps Swaminarayan Sanstha, the organisation building the temple, released video footage on Friday showing the artisans carefully sculpting figures of Hindu deities on to sandstone pillars.
About 2,000 sculptors are working in Rajasthan, north-west India, using picks and hammers to deftly carve blocks of stone.
The men meticulously draw elaborate scenes from ancient Hindu scriptures on sections of white marble and pink sandstone.
They then sculpt small models of trees, peacocks, camels and horses to depict the stories.
The Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi is scheduled to be ready by 2022 and will welcome people of all faiths from all over the world.
Mass at the weekend.
About 7,000 people received the Sinopharm vaccine over two days at St Joseph’s Church as part of a major drive to inoculate residents.
The initial plan was to only vaccinate people who frequent the church but, once word got out about the initiative, the drive was extended to everyone.
Queues stretched outside the church gates, with officials saying most of those eventually vaccinated were non-churchgoers.
John E John, Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia
St Paul’s Church in Mussaffah is the next and health workers are preparing to vaccinate people this weekend.
“It started up as a drive for members of our church community as we had been talking to Seha about having a drive for the faithful and staff, John E John, director of communication at the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, told