Non-residents Indians who are contemplating going back home or are a bit obsessed and sneaky about what their friends might be earning in the jobs they’d left behind, this can give you a rough idea as you work your math.

Employees in India are likely to see their salary rise by an average 11.3 per cent this year with FMCG and chemical industry expected to lead the market, according to global management consultancy Hay Group.

The study has predicted the pay raise to be in double digits in 2015 and the general market can expect the median salary increase and salary hike figure to stay between 10-11 per cent.

“Clerical and operations professionals are expected to beat the average across job levels, standing at 11.9 per cent, while middle management professionals can expect an increase of about 11.1 per cent. Across all four employee levels, the increments range between 10.6 per cent and 11.9 per cent,” as per the study.

The outlook for the Indian job market is positive and organisations are putting hiring plans in place.

A previous survey by recruitment platform MyHiringClub.com predicted the current year to hold potential for job seekers by creating about 9.5 lakh new jobs in different sectors, with IT & ITeS and FMCG sectors leading the chart.

Towers Watson 2014-15 Asia-Pacific salary budget planning report also shows that most employees in India are set to have higher pay raises than last year.

The Towers Watson findings predict that Indians will see a 10.8 per cent salary hike in 2015, which is only marginally lower than the Hay figure.
Consulting firm Mercer in its All Industries Total Remuneration Survey says salary hikes in 2015 will not be much higher than what companies saw in 2014.

The survey has predicted an increase of 11 per cent for 2015 across industries and career levels.

Among the industries surveyed, the projected salary increase for the medical life sciences sector is the highest at 12 per cent for 2015, while salaries for technology, information technology and IT enabled services (IT and ITes) is expected to see the lowest hikes at 10 per cent.
 

[Image: Shutterstock]

Officials say a Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis made an emergency landing in Las Vegas on Thursday with the co-pilot at the controls after the pilot was locked out of the cockpit.

McCarran International Airport spokeswoman Christine Crews says none of the 168 people aboard Delta flight 1651 was injured, and the MD-90 aircraft wasn't damaged.

The plane had been headed for Las Vegas, and it pulled into its regular gate at McCarran on time about 12:30 p.m.

Delta spokeswoman Lindsay McDuff says commercial aircraft can be landed with one pilot, and Delta crews are trained for such situations.

Crews says the door malfunctioned, and McDuff says it'll be evaluated by maintenance technicians.

Crews says the emergency was declared 13 minutes before the plane touched down at 12:23 p.m.

(Image via Shutterstock)

Ras Al Khaimah police arrested a man just hours after he murdered an Emirati by stabbing him many times in the northern emirate.

Police had mounted a massive manhunt for the killer after the body of the Emirati was discovered under a bridge near Gulfar Towers in RAK.

Police did not identify the killer but said they would release details later.

Over the last couple of weeks residents in Dubai have been handed out their Makani number.

If you are living in a standalone structure, you were most likely given your own Makani number. Residents of multi-storey buildings can probably find the unique code of their building in the lobby.

What is this number, and how can it be used?

Residents of multi-storey buildings can probably find the unique code of their building in the lobby [Supplied]

The Makani number is a unique 10 digit code locating a building. Be it a villa, highrise, hospital, tower or office, every structure in Dubai has been numbered, and every number is unique.

With this number, a person can locate himself or others with a squared-meter precision.

Makani is an application developed by Dubai Municipality, aimed at improving location finding in the emirate. Emergency vehicles, delivery people, or individuals should never get lost in their attempt to finding a certain address.

As Dubai does not have a traditional addressing system, location finding can be problematic. Although streets are currently named in an effort to make locations more recognisable, the unique number will leave no doubt about the place to be found.

“A ten digit number has been given to each building and every location, including government organisations, hospitals, parks, commercial buildings, houses, factories, warehouses, etc,” explained Abdul Hakim, Director of  GIS Department at Dubai Municipality earlier.

“When a location has several entrances, each entrance is given a different coordinate. For example, when you search for Dubai Mall, the application will give you the boundaries of the mall and all the entrances. Each entrance has a different coordinate.”

How and when to use it?

The Makani system is part of the official addressing system in Dubai and will be used by all government organisations, police, ambulance and companies. This means that an ambulance on its way might ask for your Makani coordinates.

In order to be found, a person only needs to provide the ten-digit code. Therefore, it is important to have the code at hand. If you have a sticker with the code, place it somewhere easy to be seen. When the code is for a building you live in, take a picture of the code, or write it down on a piece of paper.

The code of your location can also be found through the Makani application. “To find out the coordinates of a destination, the user can type the name of the building or location in the search bar, and click on the desired result. A second option is to zoom in on the map, clicking on the building or location once visible. With the satellite option, it is easy to recognise the location,” explained Abdul Hakim.

For someone on the road, the application is available in the form of a GPS navigator, launched in partnership with Garmin. But directions are also provided by the smart application, offering routes by car, public transport and on foot.

The app can be found in the Appstore  and GooglePlay under the name Makani Dubai. The application is also available as a website at www.makani.ae.

 
 

Dubai-based banking major Emirates NBD has announced that its customers can now directly remit money to India and the Philippines from its ATM machines thanks to its partnership with consumer transaction technology firm NCR Corporation.

The ATMs, equipped by NCR’s Aptra Activate multi-channel platform, empower customers to perform transactions beyond cash withdrawals and deliver more sophisticated functions, such as giving them full access to all banking portfolios, remittances to India and Philippines or through Western Union, IPO subscriptions, statement printing, foreign currency exchange and many more.

The bank said it is the first financial institution in the Middle East to deploy this solution, which also enables an improved customer experience, similar to a mobile phone or tablet.

The solution, which went live this month, runs on Windows 7 and helps Emirates NBD’s ATM network offer consumers in the UAE an innovative ATM experience, as well as safe, secure, and integrated transactions.

“We have included free AED local bank transfers and our remittance service ‘DirectRemit’ to India through which our customers can send money in 60 seconds,” said Suvo Sarkar, General Manager, Retail Banking and Wealth Management, Emirates NBD.

“NCR has proven to be a strategic partner for Emirates NBD. Our association with NCR has helped us implement sophisticated technology, which has been adopted for the first time in the Middle East, and will drive customer engagement to new levels,” said Ali Sajwani, Group Chief Information Officer, Emirates NBD.

“Today’s consumers have high expectations when it comes to interacting with financial institutions. Not only do they demand intuitive and striking interfaces, but they also expect to be able to access the entire range of financial transactions and services they need, when and where they want,” said George Flouros, Vice-President for NCR Financial Services in the Middle East/Africa region.

“Through these new software platforms, Emirates NBD will be able to deliver exceptional customer experience as well as optimise costs by integrating and sharing common resources across channels.”
 

 

Nearly 500 Chinese workers in Saudi Arabia converted to Islam at the same time after they were touched by the “simplicity” of the funeral of late King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, a newspaper in the Gulf Kingdom reported on Friday.

A YouTube film published by Ajel Arabic language daily showed the 500 men gathering near their company offices in the eastern town of Jubail and receiving instructions from Saudi religious authorities on how to embrace the new religion.

“They all became Muslims after chanted through loudspeakers ‘there is no God but Allah, Mohammed (PBUH) is the messenger of Allah,” it said.

Taylor hits his first boundary pouncing on a short ball from Adil and pulling to midwicket. NZ 88-2, 15 overs.

Afridi strikes in his first over with Latham walking after nicking one behind after pulling him for a glorious boundary to square leg earlier. NZ 75-2, 12 overs.

Tom Latham c Sarfraz Ahmed b Shahid Afridi 23 (28b 5x4 0x6)

Guptill lofts Adil back over his head for a boundary while Latham gets a streaky boundary off an inside edge. NZ 71-1, 11 overs.

New Zealand seem to be on course as Latham cuts Bhatti to third man for another boundary. NZ 61-1, 10 overs.

Guptill smashes Adil to midwicket for a boundary. NZ 55-1, 9 overs.

Latham gets into the act slamming two consecutive boundaries off Bhatti. NZ 51-1, 8 overs.

Guptill slams two consecutive boundaries off Irfan. NZ 43-1, 7 overs.

Irfan bowls maiden to new batsman Latham as Pakistan hit back. NZ 33-1, 5 overs.

Bhatti strikes as McCullum perishes with Shehzad holding a skier. NZ 31-0, 3.1 overs.

Brendon McCullum c Ahmed Shehzad b Bilawal Bhatti 17 (12b 4x4 0x6)

Guptill also gets into the act cracking three boundaries off Irfan on either side of the wicket. NZ 31-0, 3 overs.

Brendon smashes Bhatti for the three boundaries, going over the top on the off, whips past point and then pulling to midwicket. NZ 18-0, 2 overs.

Guptill survives a leg before appeal first ball off Irfan while Brendon McCullum flicks him away to fine leg for a boundary. NZ 6-0, 1 over.

Pakistan innings

Half centuries by skipper Misbah ul Haq (58) and Shahid Afridi (67) helped Pakistan make 210 after being put into bat.

67 off 29 13 off 9 49 off 25 55 off 26 27 off 14 61 off 51 Shahid Afridi's last 6 ODIs Can he go #BoomBoom at #cwc15? pic.twitter.com/9YLkvZAvbN

— ICC (@ICC) January 31, 2015

Elliott finished with three for 26 while Mills, Boult and Anderson claimed two apiece.

Pakistan are all out for 210 in 45.3 overs.

Ehsan Adil c Brendon McCullum b Elliott 6 (8b 1x4 0x6)

Afridi's brilliant knock comes to an end as he fails to clear the long on fielder going for another big one. Pak 203-9, 43.1 overs.

Shahid Afridi c Guptill b Milne 67 (29b 9x4 3x6)

Boult strikes as Bhatti cuts straight to backward point. Pak 203-8, 42.4 overs.

Bilawal Bhatti c Guptill b Boult 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

There is no respite for New Zealand as Afridi continues to blaze away hammering another boundary off Boult to bring up the 200 of the innings.

Elliott strikes as Misbah perishes with Afridi blasting away at the other end. Pak 198-7, 41.5 overs.

Misbah-ul-Haq c Latham b Elliott 58 (87b 4x4 2x6) 

Afridi smacks two consecutive sixes off Nathan McCullum to race to his half century off 21 balls. Pak 189-6, 41 overs.

.@SAfridiOfficial is going BOOM BOOM against @BLACKCAPS. 55 off 22 balls & still going. Can he repeat this at #cwc15? pic.twitter.com/v4kO3jpjqG

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) January 31, 2015

Afridi blasts another couple of boundaries off Anderson as Pakistan get 49-1 in the Batting Powerplay. Pak 174-6, 40 overs.

Another good over for Pakistan as Afridi is turning it on smashing a couple of boundaries off Milne. Pak 163-6, 39 overs.

Afridi survives as Brendon McCullum running back fails to latch onto a skier and whacks the next one from Anderson over square leg for a six.

Afridi cracks a couple of boundaries off Milne slamming over mid-on and then jabbing past the keeper. Pak 142-6, 37 overs.

Afridi bangs the first ball from Anderson clearing the infield on the off for a boundary. Pak 133-6, 36 overs.

New Zealand have struck in the first over of Batting Powerplay as Sarfraz perishes holing out in the deep. Pak 127-6, 35.3 overs.

Sarfraz Ahmed c Latham b Anderson 5 (12b 0x4 0x6) 

Misbah steers Elliott past Ronchi for a boundary to make his 38th ODI half century off 68 balls. Pak 124-5, 34 overs.

Elliott strikes in the first over after the drinks interval yorking Akmal with a beauty. Pak 113-5, 31.4 overs.

Umar Akmal b Elliott 13 (25b 2x4 0x6)

Akmal survives swinging Milne and getting a boundary to fine leg via an inside edge which missed the leg stump. Pak 111-4, 31 overs.

Misbah cracks a loose ball from Anderson square on the off for a boundary and then lofts him back over his head for another. Pak 100-4, 28 overs.

Akmal gets going crunching Anderson for a boundary through the onside. Pak 87-4, 26 overs.

Pakistan are on the back foot at the halfway stage with Sohail throwing his wicket away after rebuilding the innings with a 49-run stand with his skipper. Pak 82-4, 25 overs.

Another Pakistan batsman gets sucked in by a wide delivery with Guptill taking a superb catch as Anderson strikes with his second delivery. Pak 81-4, 23.2 overs.

Haris Sohail c Guptill b Anderson 23 (38b 3x4 0x6)

Mills completes an excellent spell of bowling finishing with figures of 10-2-29-2. Pak 79-3, 22 overs.

Misbah is turning it on slog sweeping McCullum for his second six over midwicket and then survives a confident appeal of LBW after getting into a tangle attempting a reverse sweep. Pak 77-3, 21 overs.

Misbah hits the first six of the match opening his shoulders and hoisting Nathan McCullum over midwicket. Pak 64-3, 19 overs.

Sohail edges Mills through the gap in the slip for a boundary to third man. Pak 51-3, 16 overs.

Misbah gets his first boundary getting down on his knees and pushing Milne through the offside. Pak 40-3, 13 overs.

Sohail opens his account with a sweetly timed cover drive to the fence off Mills. Pak 36-3, 12 overs.

Mills returns and has struck again trapping Younis Khan leg before with Pakistan being unsuccessful with the decision review. Pak 32-3, 11.2 overs.

Younis Khan lbw b Mills 9 (26b 1x4 0x6)

Shehzad has committed hara kiri chasing a widish delivery from Boult and getting the faintest of nicks to be caught behind. Pak 29-2, 9.3 overs.

Ahmed Shehzad c Ronchi b Boult 15 (34b 2x4 0x6)

Shehzad gets going cracking two consecutive boundaries through point off Boult. Pak 25-1, 8 overs.

Mills strikes early rattling Hafeez's stumps with a beauty for a duck. Pak 0-1 in 0.5 overs.

Mohammad Hafeez b Mills 0 (5b 0x4 0x6)

New Zealand have won the toss the toss and opted to bowl first in the first one-day international against Pakistan at Wellington.

Teams

New Zealand - B McCullum, Anderson, Boult, Elliott, Guptill, Latham, N McCullum, Mills, Milne, Ronchi, Taylor.

Pakistan - M Hafeez, A Shehzad, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, U Akmal, H Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed, S Afridi, B Bhatti, M Irfan, Ehsan Adil. 

A wedding ceremony in Al Ain ended in tragedy with a family member being killed in a freak accident, reported Arabic dailies.

The UAE national family was celebrating the weddings of their three sons on Tuesday when the bridegrooms’ sister died in an accident.

She was heading towards the wedding venue with her husband when she fell off the car at a roundabout as the car door was not properly closed.

She was rushed to hospital but succumbed to injuries.

[Image: Shutterstock]

A 62-year-old Emirati, his 52-year-old wife and two children aged 19 and 22 years were killed in a road crash in Oman on Friday, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

The 19-year-old son was driving the car when he lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road and overturned many times.

His father, mother and 22-year-old sister were killed in the mishap in Buraimi across the border near the eastern UAE oasis town of Al Ain, the Abu Dhabi-based Arabic daily ‘Al Ittihad’ said, quoting police.

Five other members of the family aged between 11 and 21 years suffered from serious and medium injuries in the accident and were taken to Buraimi hospital.

“I am sorry about this tragic accident and I convey my condolences to the stricken family…I also wish those injured a speedy recovery,” the paper said, quoting Colonel Hamad Al Baloushi, Director of external areas in Abu Dhabi’s Traffic Police.
 

After tasting epic success thanks to the big-screened iPhone 6, fresh leaks suggest that Apple Inc. is now gearing up to launch a giant-sized iPad.

French blog Nowhereelse.fr has posted a new image of a case that’s supposedly custom designed for Apple’s forthcoming 12.2-inch iPad Air Plus.

Even as rumours about a giant iPad are fast gaining traction, there have been conflicting reports about whether its display will be 12.2 inches or even bigger at 12.9 inches.

After launching the biggest iPhone ever – the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus – Apple realised that in contrast to the belief of its founder Steve Jobs, size does matter for today’s users who like to do more than just casual browsing on their handheld devices, and don't mind the obvious inconvenience of holding on to a bigger device.

Read: Steve Jobs wrong: iPhone 6 helps Apple set record

Apple sold a record 74.5 million iPhone units in the final quarter of 2014 – or about 810,000 iPhones every day, a whopping 90 per cent more compared with just a little over 39 million units in the previous quarter.

It will be no surprise, then, if Apple takes the same learning to iPad as well and the next iPad would be significantly larger than the current iPad Air 2.

The image posted by the French blog was reportedly taken at Apple manufacturer Foxconn’s factory in China and is said to measure 12.2 inches high by 8.7 inches wide.

Known among Apple’s fanboys as the iPad Pro or iPad Air Plus or the megapad, the device is expected to be unveiled sometime between April and June this year.

The Cupertino-based technology giant used to hold its annual iPad events in March before moving them to October. The company recently confirmed that its much-awaited Apple Watch will begin shipping in April, and there is every chance that it will hold an even earlier than that – perhaps in March – to give more details about its wearable.

Fans will be hoping to hear about the megapad at the same event. The latest leak, however, follows a leaked sketch from last week that claimed to show one corner of the so-called megapad.

That image was posted on Chinese social network Weibo.

According to a previous report by Daily Mail, which quotes the Japanese magazine Mac Fan, the new iPad will also include the new A9 processor, will boast four speakers so as to offer stereo sound in any orientation, and will have a 5K display.

Here’s a YouTube video:


Bloomberg News had, last year, reported that Apple might release a 12.9-inch iPad in 2015 but that was not substantiated by Apple.

By any measure, nevertheless, the forthcoming iPad is expected to be substantially bigger than the current 9.4-inch iPad Air 2, and that may not be a bad thing.

According to experts, as phones become larger, more people are using them for watching videos or reading – making their tablets almost redundant.

Apple’s own recent results that made it the world’s most profitable company ever show that iPad sales actually declined by 18 per cent year-on-year, leading to a 22 per cent decline in iPad revenues.

So, is bigger better? Steve Jobs may not have agreed, but that does seem to be the case now.

Some real estate companies are putting exaggerated rent values on lease contracts in Sharjah, reports 'Emarat Al Youm' newspaper.

Current tenants in Sharjah confirmed that some real estate companies are asking them to cooperate with them in this fraudulent endeavour. Rental agencies pad up the annual rent values, however, the tenants are not expected to pay the extra amount added in the contract, at least not immediately.

The official document with the exaggerated numbers helps the agents ask for higher rents from new tenants only.

A Sharjah tenant, however, claimed that due to these increased values he has to pay higher annual fee to Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sewa).

“My rent is Dh27,000 but the amount mentioned in the tenancy contract is Dh3,000 more, which means I have to pay a higher Sewa fee. My rent has been increased for two consecutive years in 2013 and 2014 and now I fear the same for the next year also,” said the Sharjah resident, Abu Eman.

The tenants claimed that real estate companies are engaging in such fraudulent practices in order to increase the value of the rents the following year.

Some real estate experts have confirmed that certain firms are resorting to such practices in order to raise the value of the buildings in the hope the high rental yield would fetch them a better price when they sell the building eventually.

However, an official at Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it is just a few odd cases in the market and asked tenants to refuse to sign any contracts containing exaggerated rental numbers.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Hussein, a tenant in Sharjah said the real estate company that manages the building where he stays, raised the rent of his two bedroom flat to Dh75,000 from Dh42,000 during third lease renewal.

However, he was told that he would only have to pay Dh70,000 after he protested and threatened to make a formal complaint to the authorities about the steep hike.

He added that the firm agreed to reduce the rent to Dh70,00 provided he agreed to get the original contract papers attested by the municipality, which mentioned the exaggerated sum of Dh75,000.

In another case, a tenant named Mohammed Ali said he faced a similar situation when the real estate company official told him that he would have to pay Dh40,000 in rent for the first year, and Dh45,000 the subsequent years, as long as he signed on the official document with the exaggerated amount of Dh45,000.

One of the affected tenants, Ibrahim, called on the authorities to intervene and protect tenants and make new regulations to safeguard the tenants' interests.

Ali Haji Yousef Al Hamady, Director of Al Qudra Real Estate, says that such real estate companies that exaggerate amounts on leases, do not reflect the general situation in the market.

He added that certain companies operate in this manner only to raise the value of the buildings.

Saeed Ghanim Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the representative committee for the real estate sector in the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry,  said such are a few individual cases on the market. He said real estate companies resort to such manner in order to use these contracts to force other tenants to pay more rent.

The Abu Dhabi Police warned against scam bank reports received by email, claiming suspicious money transfers to users’ bank accounts, and the need to refer to the nearest police station.

According to the police, such scams are designed to steal victims’ savings, should they respond to those international gangs operating from abroad. Some of these reports contain malware or phishing scams to trick people in order to get information like their bank account numbers, and passwords, which they will then use to steal their money.

Colonel Dr. Rashid Borshid, Head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), warned against the increasing number of cyber-crimes, because cyber criminals can commit crime from anywhere in the world, especially online fraud and internet scams.   

Elaborating on the details of the instance, Colonel Dr. Borshid said: “The Criminal Investigation Department had recently received complaints from people who were led to believe that they are wanted for questioning in connection with suspicious money transfers to their bank accounts.

“They claimed that they received a bank report including the name and address of a local bank in the letterhead, asking them to refer to the nearest police station.”

Colonel Dr. Borshid said that preliminary investigations have shown that the e-mails sent to victims are phony and from an unknown source; they are not sent by a local entity but from an overseas address, and include words and phrases in English such as “investigation” and “police”.

Furthermore, Colonel Dr. Borshid warned the public against falling prey to such frauds and responding to any kind of threats that are aimed at making financial profit. “Such email scams are designed to undermine the security and safety of Internet users, and are a blatant attempt at extortion and annoying actions,” he continued.

Adding further, Head of the ADP Criminal Investigation Department (CID) called upon members of the public to be cautious and avoid responding to such misleading e-mails; so as to avoid falling prey to international gangs, which seek to steal victims’ savings and destroy their social life.

He also emphasised that awareness is the first line of defense against these negative scourges and phenomena and stressed the need to check the origin of the received messages, and to quickly notify the relevant police authorities to allow them to track culprits promptly.

He noted that enhancing awareness against such frauds contributes to better prevention and to maintaining the national gains and human resources against their risks. In conclusion, he highlighted the need to be wary of scam emails and to avoid downloading files or opening attachments in emails from unknown senders to avoid falling prey to cyber fraud and extortion.

A taxi in Dubai can have various-coloured roofs, but until recently, purple was not part of the palette.

However, now, purple-roof taxis can be spotted in the emirate. Where did these taxis come from?

The colour of the taxi roof indicates the taxi franchise, and recently, a franchise agreement was signed with another taxi company, City Taxi. The colour purple was selected to flag the new addition to the fleet.

“City Taxi is a new company franchised by Dubai Taxi. Currently, there are 35 taxis on the road deployed by the company,” explained Adel Shakri, Director of Transportation Systems at the Road and Transport Authority (RTA).

The cooperation with the taxi company is not entirely new, he explained. “Earlier, they provided taxis for the shared taxi scheme, a project which we experimented with a while ago. However, this project was cancelled, and City Taxi is now part of the regular fleet of taxis.”

The 35 taxis of City Taxi form an addition to the overall fleet, which sees regular expansions. Asked whether there will be more purple-roof taxis on the road in 2015, Shakri answered that this would depend on the taxi company itself.

“We are expanding our fleet this year and it is up to the companies to bid for this expansion. If City Arabia would like to expand, it can bid on the tender when it is announced.”

Currently, there are six companies making up the Dubai taxi fleet. Most taxis are operated under Dubai Taxi Operation (DTC), riding under the red roof.

There is Arabia Taxi (green roof), Metro Taxi (orange roof), National Taxi (yellow roof) and Cars Taxi (blue roof).

In addition, Dubai Taxi operates the Ladies and Families Taxi under the pink roof, and the Hatta Taxi, which can be recognised by its logo of two stones, depicting the defence fortresses used against invaders.

Airport taxis, which only operate from Dubai International Airport and recently, also from Al Maktoum International Airport, are distinguished by the airport logo on the front, left and right side of the vehicle.

Special Need Taxi, equipped and designed with travel comfort in mind can be spotted through the blue special-needs logo on the passenger doors and black window, but this taxi can only be booked through the Dispatch Centre.

The largest dedicated taxi fleet, however, is Hala Taxi, a service launched at the end of 2013 to respond to bookings made through the Dispatch Centre only. The black-and-white cabs now count 450 and cannot be flagged down on the street.

The total number of taxis has now come to 9,087, said the RTA.

Top blue chip names in the public and private sector in the country will be participating in a recruitment fair that opens tomorrow in Abu Dhabi and are likely to offer spot interviews and job offers to candidates.

Recruiters from different sectors like the government, defence, safety & security, energy, oil & gas, industrial, manufacturing, maintenance, banks, financial services, tourism, hospitality, telecoms, IT, media and many more are expected to participate in the fair.

Companies like Abu Dhabi Airports, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Dolphin Energy, Dubai Police, Etihad Rail, Etisalat, HSBC Bank Middle East, Mubadala Development Company, National Bank of Fujairah, and Daman among many others will be scouting for the right candidates.

If you are on the lookout for a job then head to the recruitment fair – Tawdheef 2015 – an annual event, scheduled to run from February 2 to 4, and held at Adnec pavilion in Abu Dhabi.

Candidates will get a chance to interact with the participating companies and gather information on their current and future recruitment needs. They can also apply for immediate vacancies and get advice on job-searching and putting together the perfect CV.

Organisers maintain that the event aims to offer opportunities to qualified UAE nationals and supports the UAE government’s Emiratisation efforts.

Tawdheef has successfully attracted thousands of jobseekers in its past editions and the participating companies have offered many job opportunities in a variety of sectors.

The fair is open to UAE nationals only. Last year more than 6,000 job vacancies were offered to UAE nationals.

The young Emirati candidates are urged to fully prepare themselves before attending career fairs in order to make the most of the opportunities available to them.
 

Villa owners in Dubai’s two of the most popular villa communities - the Meadows and the Springs – will have to shell out more in service charges this year.

Property owners in Meadows will have to pay Dh2.19 per square feet of plot area as community service charge, an increase of 16.5 per cent over Dh1.88 in 2014, while in the Springs, the charge has been set at 2.37 per square feet of plot area, an increase of 9.22 per cent over Dh2.17 in 2014.

A call centre executive for Emaar Properties, the developer of these communities, told ‘Emirates24|7’ that the service charges had been approved by the homeowners association and Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera), the legal arm of Dubai Land Department.

JS, who owns a villa in the Meadows, says: “Though we do see that the services offered to residents are of high quality and the community is quite well maintained, we fail to understand why Emaar as a developer has not been able to keep the costs down. When they (Emaar) can go all out to recover service charge dues from defaulters by ‘naming and shaming’ them, which I fully approve, I believe they can negotiate tough with companies on their rates.”

Suresh K, a villa owner in the Springs, adds: “Our service charges went up by 9 per cent this year. It’s quite an increase and am not sure why a better fiscal management and collective bargaining power has not helped Emaar in bringing down or keeping the charges same.”

In order to get unit owners pay their service fee arrears, Emaar has previously adopted “name and shame” policy with defaulters’ villa number being put at the entrance of various villa communities such as the Springs, the Meadows, the Lakes and Arabian Ranches.

In order to keep tenants aware of their landlord’s tardiness, it ‘door-delivers’ service charge arrear notices.

“The outstanding amount is clearly stated in each notice letter issued to the owners who have failed to pay their service fees. The letters have been door-delivered so that current tenants are aware of the outstanding amount,” a company spokesperson had told this website earlier.

In June 2014, Rera told this website that building management parties, whether developers or corporate services administrative supervisors of the owners associations, should visit the agency to submit their proposed service charge fees for the buildings managed by them.

“This is a mandatory requirement so that Rera can review, approve or modify the charges as necessary. Building management must pay the service charges approved by Rera under Law 27 of 2007. They are not permitted to set service charge fees without first undertaking this procedure and receiving Rera approval,” it said.

Besides, developers will not be allowed to manage a project if complaints of negligence or mismanagement have been received against them in the first year of management itself, according to a circular issued by Rera in March 2014. In such cases, the developer’s power to manage the project will be withdrawn and an interim owners association will have to be set up.

The Meadows, a residential community, is home to over 1,800 villas in 20 different architectural styles, while the Springs has over 4,800 villas.
 

Pakistan paceman Mohammad Irfan aims to make an impression both on the field at the World Cup as well as off it, which isn't hard for a man who stands at seven feet one inch.

"I know people notice me because of my height and I always try to oblige them by posing for a photograph," Irfan told AFP.

"I will be ready to pose with fans in Australia and New Zealand but will remain focused on my job -- to bowl my team to victories until we win the World Cup."

When Irfan toured South Africa with the Pakistan team early in 2013, fans were desperate to have a photo with the tallest-ever international cricketer.

"It was big fun," remembers 32-year-old Irfan. "I had no qualms as I am very down to earth and when people request a photo, wanting to compare their height against mine it becomes more fun for me."

On the field, however, Irfan's top priority remains to unsettle batsman.

"It (the World Cup) is a big event and every player has a desire to play," said Irfan.

"I want to do what Wasim Akram did for Pakistan in the 1992 World Cup."

Wasim anchored Pakistan's only World Cup title in Australia and New Zealand 23 years ago, finishing as the player of the tournament with 18 wickets.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq is confident that Irfan can provide the X-factor on the fast, bouncy tracks of Australia.

"Saeed Ajmal's absence has weakened our bowling," said Misbah of the ace off-spinner who had to withdraw from the event because of an illegal bowling action.

"But I am confident that with his height Irfan can be the X-factor for us."

Irfan knows his strengths which come as a result of his imposing size.

"It feels good that I perform for Pakistan. It's my greatest  desire to do well for Pakistan so that people remember me with good words when I finish my career."

Big beds and shoes

His giant stature makes him a dangerous bowler as each ball is released from a height rarely experienced by batsmen.

If pitched short, the batsman needs to tackle it with a jump and if pitched full, it requires guile to dig it out.

But it hasn't always been an easy ride for Irfan.

He used to find it difficult to get a pair of shoes to fit while finding a bed to cater for him was just as frustrating.

In his younger days, people on the streets would make fun of this gentle giant.

Unable to make a breakthrough in the sport, Irfan once made ends meet by working in a pipe factory, earning just 300 rupees (30 dollars) a week.

"I had quite a few problems because of my height," recalls Irfan.

"It was problematic sleeping at home, whatever kit I used to bring was not fit and I didn't get proper sized shoes. But since playing for Pakistan these problems have been sorted out."

Team managers on tour, however, still have to make sure hotels supply special beds.

When Irfan was selected for the tour of England in 2010, it was a dream come true, but things didn't go his way.

He was instantly discarded as someone "not ready for international cricket" after failing to get a single wicket in his first two one-day internationals.

But his career was revived two years later and on the tour of India in December 2012 and South Africa he became an instant hit.

Irfan took 11 wickets in Pakistan's 3-2 defeat in South Africa and cemented his place in the team as spearhead of the attack.

But medical experts warn his unique body requires proper handling.

He played in most of the matches in Pakistan's series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates late in 2013 and was left seriously injured.

He missed both the Asia Cup and World Twenty20 in early 2014.

But extra work in the gym and close attention by medical staff helped him stage a comeback in the New Zealand series and he was Pakistan's best bowler with nine wickets in the 3-2 defeat.

Top blue chip names in the public and private sector in the country will be participating in a recruitment fair that opens today in Abu Dhabi and are likely to offer spot interviews and job offers to candidates.

Recruiters from different sectors like the government, defence, safety & security, energy, oil & gas, industrial, manufacturing, maintenance, banks, financial services, tourism, hospitality, telecoms, IT, media and many more are expected to participate in the fair.

Companies like Abu Dhabi Airports, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Dolphin Energy, Dubai Police, Etihad Rail, Etisalat, HSBC Bank Middle East, Mubadala Development Company, National Bank of Fujairah, and Daman among many others will be scouting for the right candidates.

If you are on the lookout for a job then head to the recruitment fair – Tawdheef 2015 – an annual event, scheduled to run from February 2 to 4, and held at Adnec pavilion in Abu Dhabi.

Candidates will get a chance to interact with the participating companies and gather information on their current and future recruitment needs. They can also apply for immediate vacancies and get advice on job-searching and putting together the perfect CV.

Organisers maintain that the event aims to offer opportunities to qualified UAE nationals and supports the UAE government’s Emiratisation efforts.

Tawdheef has successfully attracted thousands of jobseekers in its past editions and the participating companies have offered many job opportunities in a variety of sectors.

The fair is open to UAE nationals only. Last year more than 6,000 job vacancies were offered to UAE nationals.

The young Emirati candidates are urged to fully prepare themselves before attending career fairs in order to make the most of the opportunities available to them.
 

An Indian manager of a Saudi-based company sacked a local employee after she refused to marry him, prompting a Saudi court to freeze the firm’s assets.

The girl told court that she received an email from her manager sacking her just after she turned down his request to marry him.

‘Okaz’ newspaper said the court asked the company in the Western Red Sea port of Yanbu to immediately reinstate the girl and pay her all arrear wages.

“The court later decided to freeze the company’s assets after it failed to implement that sentence.

“The judge also ordered police to bring the manager to court by force to investigate him about failure to abide by the court’s order,” the paper said.

It did not name that company, but said it has a large contract with the Gulf Kingdom’s state oil operator, Saudi Aramco.

Organisations in the region that do not protect their end-of-service liabilities risk facing legal consequences in the future, according to finance experts.

“All employers have gratuity liability for their staff based on the number of employees they have hired, their salaries, and the time they have spent at the company,” says Duncan Crerar, Head of Employee Benefits at Nexus Group, a financial advisory firm.

“A company has this ever-growing liability in its books where they know that on a future date they will owe a certain amount to their employees. However, if for some reason a company is unable to provide a leaving employee with his or her legal right to gratuity, that company then becomes legally indebted.”

Gratuity funding, in which a company invests money to match its gratuity liabilities, can protect businesses in the event they are unable to fund their employees’ end-of-service benefits.

“Companies are not mandated to make this investment, but it is deemed best practice because it protects them from future liabilities,” Crerar said.

“Not doing so presents a considerable risk, because the company is assuming that it will have the cash flow to make this payment down the line. If for some reason it does not, then the company is strapped with this debt and this can become a serious legal issue.”

In a 2014 end-of-service benefits survey by a global professional services firm, 84 per cent of the surveyed organisations in the Middle East indicated that they do not fund end-of-service benefits, but settle employees’ benefits as they become due from company assets.

GCC employers collectively face a total end-of-service benefits liability of about $15-16 billion, according 2010 figures from the global firm.

Regional businesses are also advised to consider offering pension or corporate savings plans to their employers. Although such plans cannot replace gratuity, they not only protect an employee’s financial security in the long-term, but can also be an important retention tool for employers.

Companies are beginning to recognise the benefits of offering such plans to their employees, says Crerar.

“Pension plans and corporate savings plans are important because they help ensure that employees have the money they need to survive post-retirement,” he said.

“From an employer perspective, such tools enhance a company’s brand and reputation as an employer of choice, and are also proven to increase employee satisfaction because of the financial security such plans provide.”

The GCC’s tax-free economy offers a favourable environment for setting up a pension plan, which in the region can be likened to a long-term corporate savings plan, Crerar added.

“Unlike the UK or the West, where tax regulations influence pension plan pay-outs, there is a certain degree of flexibility here,” he said.

“Traditionally, pension planning is all about taxation. For example, in the UK you get tax relief on contributions going into a pension, but the trade-off is that you don’t get the money until you reach retirement age.

“Because there is no tax relief or benefit here, there are no restrictions on how you get the money either. That is why most companies offering pension plans in the UAE will allow employees immediate access to those funds should they decide to leave the company. This flexibility can work to the benefit of both employers and employees.”

A three-year-old boy shot and wounded his father and pregnant mother with a 9mm handgun that he pulled out of the woman's purse while searching for an iPad.

The boy was in a motel room in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with his mother, Monique Villescas, father, Justin Reynolds, and two-year-old sister, when he discovered the firearm.

Both parents needed hospital treatment for non-life threatening injuries after the bullet went through his father's buttocks and into his mother's shoulder, Albuquerque Police Department Officer Simon Drobik said.

Ms Villescas, who is eight-months-pregnant, is being kept at the hospital for observation. Mr Reynolds has been released, said Drobik, who was first to arrive at the scene of the incident at an Albuquerque motel on Saturday afternoon.

"On the kid's side, it's a horrible accident that happened, but the parents are still culpable," Drobik said. "They should have secured the gun."

The couple could face felony negligence charges. The child does not face criminal charges, Drobik said.

Ms Villescas told police she purchased the gun the day before the incident, Drobik said. Mr Reynolds is not legally allowed to have a firearm because he has previously been convicted of a felony crime.

The family, including a two-year-old girl and the children's grandmother, had been living in an America's Best Value Inn for about a week with their two pit bulls when the incident occurred.

Following the shooting, the children were placed with child protective services for at least 48 hours. The dogs were taken by animal control staff.