Day: February 27, 2023

ROME, At least 59 people died, including 12 children, when a wooden sailing boat carrying migrants to Europe crashed against rocks near the southern Italian coast early on Sunday, Reuters reported.

The vessel sank in rough seas before dawn near Steccato di Cutro, a seaside resort on the eastern coast of Calabria.

Manuela Curra, a provincial government official, told Reuters that 81 people had survived the shipwreck. Twenty of them were hospitalised, including one person in intensive care.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who travelled to the scene, said 20-30 people might still be missing, amid reports from survivors that the boat had been carrying between 150 and 200 migrants.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, Nasser Al Attiyah was crowned T1 stage winner of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (ADDC), which is being held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region.

Al Attiyah won the day’s special stage, increasing his lead at the end by more than six minutes ahead of Yazeed Al Rajhi, who took the second place. It was a 100% Toyota podium, and now Nasser is ahead of his main rivals, Loeb and Chicherit, in the World Championship.

Al Attiyah commented, “We pushed from the beginning without any problems, but I don’t really like my setup, so I will work on it for tomorrow. But okay, we’re doing OK, but there’s still a long way. We shave tarted well, and we’ll try to keep going like this. I’m happy to come to the ADDC, a lot of dunes and really good skills from everybody.”

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge most usually lives up to its reputation as one of the world’s most challenging and visually spectacular rallies, and on an opening day starting in Ghiyathi City with the finish line in Liwa, near Tal Mor’eb, competitors tackled a total distance of 404 kilometres including a Special Stage of 242 kilometres.

Nasser Mohammed Al Mansouri, Under-Secretary of the Ruler’s Representative Court in Al Dhafra Region, said, “We are very pleased to be hosting the 2023 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in Al Dhafrah Region, and for the first time starting from Ghiyathi City to finish in Liwa, near Tal Mor’eb. It’s a spectacular part of the world, and today it plays host to some of the world’s best drivers and riders as they take on the ultimate challenge of traversing some of the most extreme desert landscape in the world. My humble thanks to all involved for creating a sporting spectacle that will thrill sports lovers around the world.”

Emirates Motor Sports Organisation (EMSO) President and board member, Khalid Ben Sulayem, commented, “The Ghiyathi City to Liwa stage, provided some dramatic moments. We were sad to see championship leader Sebastian Loeb having technical problems, but this is the nature of extreme challenges. The towering dunes and shifting sands of the region are truly spectacular to look at, but as difficult as they are beautiful.”

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) announced that entities who impose disciplinary measures on their Emirati employees for reporting non-registration or non-contribution to the GPSSA are considered a breach of the law and a violation to the inspection process conducted by the Authority.

As part of the inspection campaign “Your Commitment Protects You”, launched by the GPSSA since the beginning of the year, an Emirati employee has the right to ask the entity in which he/she is employed about the exact registration and monthly payment of contribution status. This process should not result in any harm to the insured individual’s career or future with the entity.

Emiratis who are entitled to contribute with the GPSSA have the right to complain in the event of finding out that their entity has not registered them within the first month of their employment period, given that official documents to prove non-registration and contribution of monthly payments are submitted.

During that time, inspection officers from the GPSSA are allowed to monitor and even support the employee in charge of implementing the needed procedures for UAE nationals employed in the entity, such as registration, monthly contributions and termination of service.

The delegated employee representing the insured employees at the entity can also request to attend an awareness raising workshop via accessing that service in GPSSA’s website. Additionally, the GPSSA welcomes any inquiries and observations from entities and insured individuals through its social networking channels.

An entity’s lack of knowledge regarding registration, contribution and end-of-service regulations does not exempt it from legal repercussions, which is why employers are required to familiarise themselves with the UAE Pension Law and commit to registering their employees with the GPSSA on time.

If proven during an inspection process that a particular entity has not registered on behalf of the insured person nor has paid the due contributions, the GPSSA has the right to request the employer to register the insured employee retroactivity and bear the value of fines as a result of the delayed payment, reaffirming the fact that entities must register their Emirati employees within a month from the date of their joining the entity, and to provide the GPSSA with an end-of-service file within a month from the employees end-of-service.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), today received Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, Queen of Malaysia.

During the meeting, Sheikha Fatima welcomed the visit of Queen Azizah to the UAE, and they exchanged friendly talks.

They also discussed ways of strengthening the cooperation between women’s and children’s associations in the two countries.

Queen Azizah lauded the role of Sheikha Fatima in women’s empowerment and in supporting families.

She then thanked Sheikha Fatima for the warm welcome and hospitality.

Sheikha Fatima held a luncheon in honour of Queen Azizah and her delegation.

Source: Emirates News Agency