Dubai faces 500,000 construction workers' shortage

Dubai:With the real estate sector in the Gulf Arab emirate Dubai showing no let-up in expanding, the construction sector here is all set to witness a shortage of 500,000 workers by 2015, a media report said here Saturday.

According to a survey initiated by the Dubai international academic city (DIAC) and conducted by consultancy Deloitte, construction firms and developers face a shortfall of 500,000 workers across all career levels and divisions as massive public and private projects fuel an unprecedented real estate boom in the sheikhdom, reported Xinhua citing the Gulf News daily.

The study showed that building and construction project management skills are most lacking among senior levels, according to 43 percent of the companies surveyed.

Likewise, 54 percent of the companies believe that design engineering skills are lacking among mid-level professionals, followed by civil engineering skills, said the report.

Dubai's winning bid to host the World Expo in 2020 also boosted the construction sector, with average rents having risen by 23 percent during the first quarter of 2014, according to real estate consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle.

The report quoted estimates by HSBC bank saying that about 45,000 new hotel rooms will be needed for the event.

The total infrastructure works for Expo 2020 is estimated at 12.54 billion Dirham or about $3.40 billion, producing a large demand for talent and skilled workers to decent on the UAE for job opportunities.

The Dubai government launched last year several new projects, including a new city within the city named by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid and a free zone for the design industry, which shall play a key central role during the expo event.IANS

Dubai faces 500,000 construction workers' shortage

Dubai:With the real estate sector in the Gulf Arab emirate Dubai showing no let-up in expanding, the construction sector here is all set to witness a shortage of 500,000 workers by 2015, a media report said here Saturday.

According to a survey initiated by the Dubai international academic city (DIAC) and conducted by consultancy Deloitte, construction firms and developers face a shortfall of 500,000 workers across all career levels and divisions as massive public and private projects fuel an unprecedented real estate boom in the sheikhdom, reported Xinhua citing the Gulf News daily.

The study showed that building and construction project management skills are most lacking among senior levels, according to 43 percent of the companies surveyed.

Likewise, 54 percent of the companies believe that design engineering skills are lacking among mid-level professionals, followed by civil engineering skills, said the report.

Dubai's winning bid to host the World Expo in 2020 also boosted the construction sector, with average rents having risen by 23 percent during the first quarter of 2014, according to real estate consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle.

The report quoted estimates by HSBC bank saying that about 45,000 new hotel rooms will be needed for the event.

The total infrastructure works for Expo 2020 is estimated at 12.54 billion Dirham or about $3.40 billion, producing a large demand for talent and skilled workers to decent on the UAE for job opportunities.

The Dubai government launched last year several new projects, including a new city within the city named by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid and a free zone for the design industry, which shall play a key central role during the expo event.IANS

Christians celebrate Easter in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Christians in Kerala today celebrated Easter, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ after crucifixion.

Thousands congregated for prayers in churches of various denominations across the state, where senior prelates and
priests gave out the message of hope and revival as symbolised by the occasion.

The day also marked the end of the Holy Week of prayers and penitence recalling the final phase of Christ's life from his arrest and crucifixion, followed by resurrection.

In Thiruvanathapuram, Archbishop M Soosai Packiam presided over the mass at St Joseph's cathedral of Latin Catholic rite.

Breaking the 40-day season of Lent when believers shun worldly pleasures, sumptuous traditional feasts were arranged
in most Christian homes.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and leaders of various political parties also greeted Keralites on the occasion.
Christians constitute about 23 per cent of Kerala's population. PTI

Christians celebrate Easter in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Christians in Kerala today celebrated Easter, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ after crucifixion.

Thousands congregated for prayers in churches of various denominations across the state, where senior prelates and
priests gave out the message of hope and revival as symbolised by the occasion.

The day also marked the end of the Holy Week of prayers and penitence recalling the final phase of Christ's life from his arrest and crucifixion, followed by resurrection.

In Thiruvanathapuram, Archbishop M Soosai Packiam presided over the mass at St Joseph's cathedral of Latin Catholic rite.

Breaking the 40-day season of Lent when believers shun worldly pleasures, sumptuous traditional feasts were arranged
in most Christian homes.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and leaders of various political parties also greeted Keralites on the occasion.
Christians constitute about 23 per cent of Kerala's population. PTI

27 killed in Pakistan accident

Islamabad : At least 27 people, including five women and two children, were killed and 20 others injured when a passenger van hit a trailer in Pakistan's south Sukkur district Sunday, media reports said.

The accident took place near Pano Akil town of the Sukkur, a district in the country's south Sindh province, when the van ran head-on into the trailer, reported Xinhua.

The van was completely destroyed and compressed in the attack, trapping the injured people inside.

Rescue workers broke windows and had to cut the van to bring the injured people out.

Faisal Abdullah of Superintendent Motorway Police said that the accident happened due to negligence of the bus driver who hit into the trailer while trying to overtake it from the wrong side.

Pakistan is among the countries having worst record of fatal traffic accidents, mainly due to poor roads, lack of driving skills, badly maintained vehicles and violation of road safety rules.

27 killed in Pakistan accident

Islamabad : At least 27 people, including five women and two children, were killed and 20 others injured when a passenger van hit a trailer in Pakistan's south Sukkur district Sunday, media reports said.

The accident took place near Pano Akil town of the Sukkur, a district in the country's south Sindh province, when the van ran head-on into the trailer, reported Xinhua.

The van was completely destroyed and compressed in the attack, trapping the injured people inside.

Rescue workers broke windows and had to cut the van to bring the injured people out.

Faisal Abdullah of Superintendent Motorway Police said that the accident happened due to negligence of the bus driver who hit into the trailer while trying to overtake it from the wrong side.

Pakistan is among the countries having worst record of fatal traffic accidents, mainly due to poor roads, lack of driving skills, badly maintained vehicles and violation of road safety rules.

Bodies retrieved from South Korean ferry, toll reaches 49

Jindo (South Korea):Three bodies were retrieved for the first time late on Saturday night from the sunken South Korean ferry, the emergency management headquarters said Sunday.

The bodies were retrieved from inside the hull of the submerged ship at 11.48 p.m. local time Saturday, the first such recovery nearly four days after the ferry carrying 476 passengers and crew capsized and sank off Jindo Island Wednesday morning en route to island of Jeju from western port of Incheon, Xinhua reported.

Divers broke a window glass to enter the passenger compartment, pulling the male passengers' bodies out of the submerged ship.

The recovery of the three more bodies raised the toll to 36, with 266 still missing. The number of the rescued remained unchanged at 174.

Four bodies were discovered Saturday evening in waters near the accident site.

Coast guard, navy and private divers strived against rapid currents to get into the hull of the ship, and found three bodies on the fourth floor of the five-storey vessel for the first time Saturday morning.

The third and fourth floors are comprised of passenger cabins, where most of possible survivors may be trapped. Divers succeeded in getting inside the hull Friday.IANS

Bodies retrieved from South Korean ferry, toll reaches 49

Jindo (South Korea):Three bodies were retrieved for the first time late on Saturday night from the sunken South Korean ferry, the emergency management headquarters said Sunday.

The bodies were retrieved from inside the hull of the submerged ship at 11.48 p.m. local time Saturday, the first such recovery nearly four days after the ferry carrying 476 passengers and crew capsized and sank off Jindo Island Wednesday morning en route to island of Jeju from western port of Incheon, Xinhua reported.

Divers broke a window glass to enter the passenger compartment, pulling the male passengers' bodies out of the submerged ship.

The recovery of the three more bodies raised the toll to 36, with 266 still missing. The number of the rescued remained unchanged at 174.

Four bodies were discovered Saturday evening in waters near the accident site.

Coast guard, navy and private divers strived against rapid currents to get into the hull of the ship, and found three bodies on the fourth floor of the five-storey vessel for the first time Saturday morning.

The third and fourth floors are comprised of passenger cabins, where most of possible survivors may be trapped. Divers succeeded in getting inside the hull Friday.IANS

Obama signs law to block Iranian envoy to U.N.

Washington: President Barack Obama has signed a law Friday that allows Washington to deny visas to anyone — including United Nations envoys — who has engaged in terrorist acts against the United States.

Under the law, which passed Congress on April 10, the US already notified the UN that it would not issue a visa to Iran’s designated ambassador to the New York-based world body.

Hamid Abutalebi was a member of an Iranian student group that seized the US embassy in 1979 in Tehran and held 52 US citizens hostage for 444 days. He is effectively prevented from becoming Iran’s ambassador to the UN.

Tehran has already said it will not name a substitute.

As UN host country, the US is normally obligated to issue visas to foreign diplomats and heads of state attending the annual General Assembly, no matter how antagonistic their government’s relations with Washington.

There was no immediate reaction Friday from the United Nations.

The new US law adds language to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act giving the president specific authority to reject UN-connected visas.

In signing the measure, Obama said Friday that he would treat it “as advisory in circumstances in which it would interfere” with his exercise of presidential discretion in diplomacy and foreign affairs, in which the US Constitution gives the executive branch wide powers, according to a White House statement.

Obama signs law to block Iranian envoy to U.N.

Washington: President Barack Obama has signed a law Friday that allows Washington to deny visas to anyone — including United Nations envoys — who has engaged in terrorist acts against the United States.

Under the law, which passed Congress on April 10, the US already notified the UN that it would not issue a visa to Iran’s designated ambassador to the New York-based world body.

Hamid Abutalebi was a member of an Iranian student group that seized the US embassy in 1979 in Tehran and held 52 US citizens hostage for 444 days. He is effectively prevented from becoming Iran’s ambassador to the UN.

Tehran has already said it will not name a substitute.

As UN host country, the US is normally obligated to issue visas to foreign diplomats and heads of state attending the annual General Assembly, no matter how antagonistic their government’s relations with Washington.

There was no immediate reaction Friday from the United Nations.

The new US law adds language to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act giving the president specific authority to reject UN-connected visas.

In signing the measure, Obama said Friday that he would treat it “as advisory in circumstances in which it would interfere” with his exercise of presidential discretion in diplomacy and foreign affairs, in which the US Constitution gives the executive branch wide powers, according to a White House statement.