Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the "historic bond" between the UAE and India in a speech on Tuesday.
Mr Modi addressed 40,000 Indian citizens at the Ahlan Modi event at Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday evening.
It comes as part of his two-day visit to the UAE, where he will also speak at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Wednesday, before inaugurating Abu Dhabi's flagship Hindu temple later in the day.
Mr Modi arrived at the stadium shortly after 7pm on Tuesday to cheers from a crowd of tens of thousands of Indian expats living in the UAE, and some who travelled overseas to see him.
The national anthems of the UAE and India were played as Mr Modi greeted the crowed by saying "Namaskar".
During his speech, Mr Modi said India was proud of the expats who have created history in Abu Dhabi.
"You have come here from different parts of the UAE and from different corners of India but we are all united," he said.
"I have come here to meet my family crossing the seas.
"I have come bearing a message from your countrymen in India, that people in India are proud of you. Bharat is proud of you," he said.
Mr Modi also used his speech to recall fond memories of meeting President Sheikh Mohamed during a visit to the UAE in 2015.
He said he could not forget how Sheikh Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the time, came to receive him at the airport with his brothers.
"I felt like it was meeting family," Mr Modi said. "This was not a greeting for me alone but for each and every Indian."
He then spoke of the President greeting him at the airport for his current visit.
"I have visited the UAE seven times and today Sheikh Mohamed came to meet me at the airport. I'm touched and honoured," he said.
Mr Modi said Sheikh Mohamed praised the contributions of Indian citizens to the UAE.
"Sheikh Mohamed has come to India four times and he was welcomed by people who came on to the roads," he said.
"When I meet my brother Sheikh Mohamed, he always praises you. He praises your contribution in the progress of the UAE."
Mr Modi also said that when a proposal was made to build a temple in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed "agreed immediately".
"The time has come to inaugurate the temple," Mr Modi said.
The Indian Prime Minister ended his speech by affirming India's wish to continue its strong bond with the UAE.
"The connection between our nations is historic and it is our wish that this continues in the future.
"Keep making the bonds between the UAE and India strong. And I thank you for coming here."
The event began with families across the Emirates chanting "Modi, Modi" hours before his arrival.
Some told The National they had arrived at the venue as early as 10.30am.
Families and people from all over India danced and sang along with popular Bollywood songs at the Ahlan Modi community event.
A colourful parade and performances by dancers kept crowds entertained and some of those attending wore the colours of the Indian flag, or had it painted on their faces.
Earlier in the day, Mr Modi was received by Sheikh Mohamed at the Presidential Airport in Abu Dhabi, where an official ceremony was held for his arrival.
Mr Modi will join Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the World Governments Summit on Wednesday, before inaugurating the Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi.
President Sheikh Mohamed receives Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi – in pictures
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
The biog
Age: 19
Profession: medical student at UAE university
Favourite book: The Ocean at The End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman
Role model: Parents, followed by Fazza (Shiekh Hamdan bin Mohammed)
Favourite poet: Edger Allen Poe
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Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
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The Transfiguration
Director: Michael O’Shea
Starring: Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine
Three stars
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
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Pad Man
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Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
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