Latest news with #Dh367
Gulf News
28-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf News
Dubai gold price drops - again - ahead of April 30's 'Akshaya Trithiya'
Dubai: The Dubai gold rate is dropping – and it couldn't be happening in a better week for shoppers out there. A gram of 22K is at Dh367 (and Dh396.25 for 24K) and showing signs that there could be more price dips in the next 24-48 hours. These are the lowest levels in the last 7 days, and there remains a good chance that the Dubai gold price could end up around Dh360. Will these be enough to turbo-charge a clear spike on April 30 and the Indian gold buying festival of 'Akshaya Trithiya'? Based on trends, gold retailers say that UAE resident-shoppers are back in the game. 'There have been early bookings to ensure price lock-ins ahead of the actual April 30 purchase,' said a jeweler. 'That's been clear during the last weekend, and there is hope of the price lowering further.' How has Dubai gold price fared? It's only in comparison over the last 7 days that the current Dubai gold rate is more buyer-friendly. The lowest since March 30 has been Dh331.5 for 22K (Dh356.25 for 24K) on April 7. 'But a lot has changed in April itself, first with the US announcement of tariffs, then the dollar weakening after some of President Trump's remarks, and other factors,' said a commodities analyst. (In between Dubai gold rate had even soared to Dh388 for 22K and over Dh400 for the 24K kind.) 'So, today's current price of Dh367 is still a good level for an investment.' Lower making charges – and gold coins Shoppers are checking out all the promotions that are there, whether it's retailers slashing making charges and offering gold coins on a minimum purchase. "Retailers are rushing out with up to 50% cuts in making charges, or even removing it altogether on some gold coin purchases," said a jeweller. "If shoppers are assured that they are getting more dirham savings on making charges, then the actual price of a buy looks even more reasonable." Bullion trades In the global metals market, bullion is trading is at $3,280 an ounce, well down on the $3,318 it closed at on Friday last. Another $30-$50 an ounce drop puts the ball in shoppers' favour- they haven't had a favourable run for weeks now.
Gulf Insider
28-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Dubai Gold Price Drops Ahead of April 30's Akshaya Trithiya
The Dubai gold rate is dropping – and it couldn't be happening in a better week for shoppers out there. A gram of 22K is at Dh367 (and Dh396.25 for 24K) and showing signs that there could be more price dips in the next 24-48 hours. These are the lowest levels in the last 7 days, and there remains a good chance that the Dubai gold price could end up around Dh360. Will these be enough to turbo-charge a clear spike on April 30 and the Indian gold buying festival of 'Akshaya Trithiya'? Based on trends, gold retailers say that UAE resident-shoppers are back in the game. 'There have been early bookings to ensure price lock-ins ahead of the actual April 30 purchase,' said a jeweler. 'That's been clear during the last weekend, and there is hope of the price lowering further.' It's only in comparison over the last 7 days that the current Dubai gold rate is more buyer-friendly. The lowest since March 30 has been Dh331.5 for 22K (Dh356.25 for 24K) on April 7. 'But a lot has changed in April itself, first with the US announcement of tariffs, then the dollar weakening after some of President Trump's remarks, and other factors,' said a commodities analyst. (In between Dubai gold rate had even soared to Dh388 for 22K and over Dh400 for the 24K kind.) 'So, today's current price of Dh367 is still a good level for an investment.' Shoppers are checking out all the promotions that are there, whether it's retailers slashing making charges and offering gold coins on a minimum purchase. 'Retailers are rushing out with up to 50% cuts in making charges, or even removing it altogether on some gold coin purchases,' said a jeweller. 'If shoppers are assured that they are getting more dirham savings on making charges, then the actual price of a buy looks even more reasonable.' In the global metals market, bullion is trading is at $3,280 an ounce, well down on the $3,318 it closed at on Friday last. Another $30-$50 an ounce drop puts the ball in shoppers' favour- they haven't had a favourable run for weeks now. Also read: Dubai Number Plate Fetches $2.27mn at Weekend Auction
The National
15-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Former UK foreign secretary William Hague takes key role at new flagship Dubai school
Former UK foreign secretary William Hague is to serve as honorary patron of the flagship Gems School of Research and Innovation, which is opening in Dubai in August. Mr Hague, who is also chancellor of Oxford University, will advise on the school's vision and technology, innovation and artificial intelligence. He plans to visit the campus this year. He said the new school in Dubai aims to prepare the next generation for a changing world and he hopes to assist in that. 'I've been advocating for years that education has to be attuned to rapid change in the world, to use new technologies,' Mr Hague told The National, in an exclusive interview. 'But at the same time, don't let children be dominated by technology. It's a world of values of arts and sports and music and so on. So when I heard about this school, I thought it has the potential to be a really powerful combination of all of these things. 'There are many worrying things in the future but we can't wish them away, so let's prepare.' Gems School of Research and Innovation in Dubai Sports City has been built with an investment of $100 million (Dh367 million) and will feature an elevated football field that doubles as a helipad, a 600-seat auditorium, an Olympic-size swimming pool and an NBA-spec basketball court. The campus also has disruption labs to develop entrepreneurial skills, specialist primary spaces for technology, design, sports and the arts, tech hubs and an immersive research centre. Fees range from Dh116,000 ($31,500) for pupils in foundation stage one to Dh206,000 ($56,000) in year 12, and enrolment is open. In a wide-ranging interview, Mr Hague reflected on why he is supporting the school, his own school days, lessons for pupils and the power and challenges of artificial intelligence. Discussing technology, Mr Hague, who is also a past leader of the UK Conservative Party, said he had written a series of papers over the past two years with former British Labour prime minister Tony Blair. 'Of course, he used to be my greatest political enemy,' he said with a chuckle, 'and now we are writing papers together on what we think is the biggest ever challenge for the modern state of using new technology but guarding against its dangers as well.' Mr Hague said artificial intelligence could be used to boost the productivity of teachers through lesson planning, monitoring progress and giving updated tuition. But it was crucial that schools struck a balance when using technology. 'It is really important that school education remains a very human experience and that young people are not forever scrolling through their smartphone instead of doing anything else,' he said. 'With all the plans for this school involving great sports facilities and an auditorium, there are clearly plans for strong cultural programmes, for arts and music, [and] tremendously good sporting facilities.' Mr Hague said AI in education was a difficult and evolving challenge but the technology could be used as a kind of 'co-intelligence'. 'Not a substitute for human intelligence, but something that you can work with to enhance creativity, to get new ideas.' He said it would be important to get pupils used to the concepts, boost Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills and make these key areas are strong. However, the whole process has 'got to be holistic'. 'It requires ethics, it requires an understanding of history [and] it requires good use of language. 'Nothing that happens in technology changes the need for that human interaction – to be inspired by human beings who love their subject and know how to communicate it. You could not do all of this remotely.' Mr Hague was born in Rotherham, a manufacturing town in Yorkshire. He attended a local state school before taking a place at Magdalen College, Oxford. He made headlines when he was only 16, addressing the Conservative Party at its 1977 annual conference. 'It's all right for some of you, half of you won't be here in 30 or 40 years' time,' the teenager told the conference. Talking about his own school days, he told The National 'nobody had dreamt of any computers or anything like that' in 1972 when he started secondary education, but sports was an area that could have been improved. 'I was one of those people who was no good at team sport, the rugby and the football, but later took up a great interest in martial arts and learnt to do judo. Most people will be good at one sport or another if they get the opportunity to do it,' he said. 'This looks like the sort of school which will bring out whatever is somebody's sporting aptitude, as well as prepare them for future world of work.' Mr Hague said there was a lot of anxiety and loneliness among young people around the world with the rise of social media among the many causes. Getting together in a classroom was crucial in tackling that. 'Education at all levels has a big role to play in combating that and in making sure that there's human interaction there.' Mr Hague served as the UK's foreign secretary from 2010 to 2014. He said this is a more dangerous time but also more exciting, with the world on the brink of important medical breakthroughs, new vaccines and treatments. 'It's important not to be too bleak about it,' he said. 'It's important to prepare people to play their part in that excitement while also being ready for the dangers, because clearly for young people, yes, the idea of a fixed career for their life is much less likely to come to fruition. 'There are more threats of pandemics, of conflict, more economic ups and downs … therefore, you have to build resilient young people. The key words for the future are resilience and reinvention.' Mr Hague advised young people to keep pushing ahead, adding that he went to Oxford from a school that had not sent a pupil there for many years. 'There are fewer ceilings than you'd think if you just keep smashing through, showing up and working hard,' he said. 'Don't assume there are barriers in your way. You really can achieve a lot in your life.'
The National
14-04-2025
- Business
- The National
UK's Harrow School to open second UAE branch in Dubai
The UK's renowned Harrow School has announced plans to launch a second UAE campus, which will be "fully operational" in Dubai next year. Harrow International School Dubai will be constructed on a 50,000 plot of land on Hessa Street and will eventually serve up to 2,000 pupils. The school will accept applications from September and will initially cater to pupils from Early Years to Year 6 as part of a gradual expansion plan. It will be operated by UAE education provider Taaleem, which will oversee the opening of Harrow International School Abu Dhabi, set to the capital's first boarding school. The upcoming school opening was announced on Monday following approval from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai's private education regulator. Taaleem acquired the rights to own and operate Harrow International Schools across the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait in a deal confirmed last year. It was announced in February that the Abu Dhabi branch would open in the middle of next year, with enrolment beginning in October. No details on tuition fees have been released for either school, but both are being labelled as 'super premium'. 'Harrow has a long-established reputation for excellence, and through our collaboration with Harrow International Schools Limited, we are proud to bring the same values-driven education to Dubai that has shaped generations of leaders," said Khalid Al Tayer, chairman of Taaleem. Harrow's famous alumni include royalty, world leaders such as Winston Churchill and Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as prominent figures from the arts and sport. The launch of a second Harrow school in the Emirates comes as the country seeks to keep pace with an evolving education landscape and meet the demands of a population boom. "The opening of a Harrow Dubai, the second Harrow in the UAE, under the Taaleem umbrella, marks a significant milestone in the expansion of both Harrow's and Taaleem's commitment to educational excellence," said Edward Hobart, British Ambassador to the UAE. "This new chapter highlights the growing educational ties between the UK and the UAE and reinforces our shared vision for nurturing the next generation of leaders." Gems, one of the UAE's leading education groups, is to open what is primed to be the emirate's most expensive school in time for the new academic year in August. Fees at Gems School of Research and Innovation will range from Dh116,000 ($31,500) for pupils in foundation stage one to Dh206,000 ($56,000) in year 12. Built with an investment of $100 million (Dh367 million), the campus in Dubai Sports City will feature an elevated football field that doubles as a helipad, a 600-seat auditorium, an Olympic-size swimming pool and an NBA-spec basketball court. The number of pupils enrolled in Dubai's private schools increased by 6 per cent this year, according to data from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority. There are 387,441 pupils enrolled at 227 private schools in the academic year 2024-25. Official statistics showed more than 365,000 pupils were enrolled in Dubai's classrooms in 2023, up from 326,000 in November 2022. Ten schools opened in the emirate for the current academic year. In line with Dubai's Education Strategy 2033, the KHDA aims to establish more than 100 private schools by 2033. Education chiefs say the high demand for pupil places and new schools emphasises the global draw Dubai has on the world. The emirate's population stands at 3.92 million, with growth projected at 3.6 per cent annually until 2030.
Khaleej Times
21-03-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Mental health is a critical business asset, so what happens when there are C-suite burnouts?
As CEO of a boutique mental health clinic working predominantly with business leaders and people of wealth, I have repeatedly witnessed how relentless decision-making, high-stakes responsibilities, and gruelling 70+ hour weeks push people to breaking point. At our clinic, Paracelsus Recovery, we have seen a 700 per cent rise in C-suite referrals over the past 12 months, with exhaustion and dangerously high stress levels as the primary concerns. Many of these leaders exhibit traits, such as perfectionism and relentless ambition, qualities that propel them to the top but also make them more vulnerable to mental health conditions. That constant stress depletes our brains of vital neurochemicals we need for a sense of happiness, confidence, and energy. As a result, it sows the seeds for mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression. Then, in an attempt to manage the symptoms countless C-suite executives find themselves – through no fault of their own – relying on unhealthy coping mechanisms that provide either dopamine 'spikes' that deplete reserves in the long run or 'downers', such as sleeping pills. These challenges, if left unchecked, can severely impact an executive's ability to make decisions, innovate, and lead effectively. I experienced this firsthand when I suffered burnout while steering my group of companies through the pandemic. It was a painful, frightening, and ultimately life-changing experience, which taught me a few crucial lessons. Firstly, the idea that leaders must be superhuman is a dangerous myth. For example, when a CEO takes a leave of absence due to mental health issues, it typically sends shockwaves through a company, affecting investor confidence and employee morale. This creates a vicious cycle: leaders feel they must power through exhaustion to maintain stability, yet by doing so, they risk making impaired decisions that can destabilise their organisations. However, it cannot be emphasised enough that the global landscape is more volatile than ever, and the demands on executives are intensifying. The ability to navigate uncertainty, manage crises, and maintain high performance requires a level of mental resilience that cannot be achieved through sheer willpower alone. Seeking help when you are in distress is not a weakness; it is a strategic decision that safeguards both personal well-being and business success. I've long made the point that executive mental health should be part of a corporation's risk management framework. Secondly, executive mental well-being is not just a personal concern but a business necessity. Unchecked stress at the top leads to poor decision-making, reduced productivity, and economic losses — potentially costing Middle Eastern businesses up to $100 billion (Dh367 billion) annually. A report by PwC Middle East highlights that untreated mental health issues in GCC countries result in at least 37.5 million lost productive days each year, amounting to $3.5 billion in economic losses. However, this likely understates the full impact, especially at the executive level, where the hidden costs of poor mental health — such as impaired decision-making, reduced innovation, and excessive risk-taking — can ripple throughout an organisation. In reality, the cumulative effect on leadership effectiveness, productivity, and overall organisational success could easily amount to many times that figure, making estimates closer to $100 billion far from unreasonable. While there is progress in mental health awareness across the GCC, executives must take the lead in dismantling the stigma and safeguarding their own health. Leaders who are open about their struggles set a precedent for their employees, creating a culture where mental health is not just acknowledged but actively supported. For instance, research shows that when businesses prioritise mental health — both at the leadership and employee levels — they create an environment of psychological safety, which has been linked to a 50 per cent increase in productivity. It is as much an economic, as it is an ethical, imperative that executive teams begin fostering cultures where mental health is prioritised rather than stigmatised. Ultimately, the most successful companies are those that recognise mental health as a critical business asset. I strongly believe that it is time to move beyond the outdated notion that CEOs must suffer in silence. Instead, organisations must champion a culture where mental well-being is as much a priority as financial performance. Because, if nothing else, a mentally healthy leader is not just a personal victory — it is a strategic advantage that drives business growth, innovation, and resilience.
