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Time Out Abu Dhabi
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out Abu Dhabi
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is hosting a free yoga session for International Yoga Day
To mark the 11th International Day of Yoga, Louvre Abu Dhabi is teaming up with the Indian Embassy to offer a serene, sunset yoga session under the museum's spectacular dome – and yes, it's absolutely free. On Friday June 21, the cultural landmark will transform into a tranquil open-air yoga studio, where participants can stretch, breathe and find their zen surrounded by architectural beauty and artistic inspiration. This one-of-a-kind event runs from 6.45pm to 7.45pm, with doors opening at 6pm. Yoga mats will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. The session is open to all, but spots are limited and advance registration is a must via the Louvre Abu Dhabi's official website. That's not the only yoga happening in the capital though. Over at ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre), the Indian Embassy is also hosting a grand indoor yoga celebration earlier in the day. Themed 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health', the event will take place from 11am to 12pm, with entry beginning at 9am. Expect a high-energy atmosphere led by global yoga experts and a special appearance by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence. Come, be part of the #IDY2025 celebrations in Abu Dhabi! Mark your calendars for June 21st and join the world in embracing Yoga. ⏰: 11 AM – 12 PM 📍: Atrium, ADNEC Scan or register at: — India in UAE (@IndembAbuDhabi) June 9, 2025 All attendees will receive free yoga mats, IDY T-shirts, water and refreshments, on a first-come, first-served basis. As with the Louvre event, pre-registration is required. Whether you're a seasoned yogi or just curious to try it out, June 21 is your chance to roll out your mat and join in the global celebration right here in Abu Dhabi. Namaste. Free. June 21, various timings and locations. Summer in Abu Dhabi Psst: This is when summer officially starts in Abu Dhabi No complaints here Yas Waterworld's epic new expansion is opening this summer – including 12 new slides Weeeeee! 25 brilliant beach and pool day passes in Abu Dhabi Grab your SPF – a lush day by the water awaits


Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
No restrictions on Indian travellers to Saudi Arabia; temporary visa curbs only for Hajj season
New Delhi : Reports about any bar on Indians travelling to Saudi Arabia are incorrect. The Saudi Government has not issued any notification on this matter, sources confirmed. As clarified by official sources, during the Hajj season, temporary restrictions on short-term visas are implemented to regulate the flow of pilgrims and avoid overcrowding- a standard measure that ends with the conclusion of Hajj. Meanwhile, reflecting on the success of the Hajj pilgrimage arrangements, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan extended his congratulations to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for the smooth and safe conduct of this year's pilgrimage, acknowledging the efforts that enabled millions to perform their rituals peacefully. He acknowledged the gracious care of the Saudi leadership and its institutions, attributing the success of the Hajj season to their commitment to providing a spiritually fulfilling and secure experience for all worshippers. Extending similar greetings, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, also conveyed their congratulations to the Saudi monarch. In this context of international goodwill and regional cooperation, Indian pilgrims also participated in the sacred rituals, joining millions in performing Wuquf-e-Arafat, the spiritual climax of the Hajj, the Embassy of India in Riyadh shared on Thursday. Reinforcing this, the Indian Embassy wrote on X, "Indian pilgrims join millions of other pilgrims today at Arafat to perform Wuquf-e-Arafat, the core ritual of Haj." Sharing updates from the ground, Consul General Fahad Suri extended greetings in a video message and confirmed that all Indian pilgrims had arrived safely in Arafat, highlighting the coordinated efforts between the Indian Hajj Mission and Saudi authorities to ensure safe and smooth travel, stay, and onward movements of pilgrims. He appreciated the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and associated service providers for their tireless support and extended wishes for a blessed Eid-ul-Adha and a successful Hajj for all pilgrims. These developments reflect the strong India-Saudi Arabia bilateral relations, grounded in centuries-old economic and cultural ties. The annual Hajj pilgrimage serves as a key aspect of this deep-rooted connection. Earlier this year, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Saudi Arabia, the Indian side had expressed gratitude for the Kingdom's care towards the 2.7 million Indian nationals residing there, underlining the people-to-people bonds shared between the two nations. The Indian government also commended Saudi Arabia for the successful organisation of the 2024 Hajj and acknowledged the excellent bilateral coordination in facilitating Indian Hajj and Umrah pilgrims


Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Indian delegation in Germany engages with lawmakers, think-tanks to highlight India's zero-tolerance stand on terrorism
Berlin: The all-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad to Germany met senior representatives from German Government, Parliament (Bundestag) and Think-Tanks to convey India's principled position of 'Zero-Tolerance against Terrorism' and its strategy to tackle cross-border terrorism, especially in light of the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam, the Indian Embassy in Germany said in a statement on Friday. "During its first day of engagements in Berlin, the All-Party Parliamentary Delegation, led by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon'ble Member of Parliament & former Union Minister, met with senior representatives from German Government, Parliament (Bundestag) and Think-Tanks to convey India's principled position of 'Zero-Tolerance against Terrorism' and its strategy to tackle cross-border terrorism, especially in light of the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam. The delegation also briefed the German counterparts and interlocutors about Operation Sindoor - India's firm, precise, targeted and non-escalatory response to the terror attack", the statement said. As per the statement, the delegation called on Johann Wadephul, Foreign Minister of Federal Republic of Germany. Recalling his recent interaction with Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, Wadephul reiterated Germany's strong support for India's fight against terrorism and the right of every nation to defend itself from such terror attacks. The statement observed that the delegation deeply appreciated Germany's strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and expression of solidarity with India. The delegation also emphasized the need to hold the perpetrators of terrorist acts accountable and called for multi-lateral cooperation in this regard. The delegation called on Omid Nouripour, Vice President of the German Parliament (Bundestag) and outlined the three salient features of India's policy in dealing with terrorism- Zero tolerance, not giving in to nuclear blackmail and resolving the issues with Pakistan bilaterally. The delegation emphasised that terrorism is a global threat and must be met with a unified international response. The delegation also met with Armin Laschet, Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of Bundestag, Ralph Brinkhaus, Member of Bundestag (MdB) and Hubertus Heil, MdB. The delegation conveyed their appreciation for prompt expression of condolences for victims of the terror attack by Germany's top political leadership. They highlighted that the attack was designed to disrupt the booming tourism economy of Jammu & Kashmir and to sow seeds of communal tension in India, as per the official statement. It further observed that during their interaction, the delegation emphasised that Operation Sindoor received support from across the spectrum in India and conveyed India's united stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The delegation interacted with senior members of German Parliament (Bundestag) active in the fields of foreign policy and international affairs and a leading think-tank in Germany, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS). Ending the day's engagements, the delegation also had an interaction with representatives from leading German think-tanks and eminent personalities at a reception hosted by Ambassador of India to Germany, Ajit Gupte, the statement read. Notably, during the interactions, the delegation highlighted the measured, precise, responsible and non-escalatory nature of the steps taken by India in response to the terrorist attack. They emphasised that nuclear blackmail should not be allowed as a cover for terrorism and discussed India's strategy against cross-border terrorism in future. German interlocutors expressed support for India's stance, with a shared recognition of the urgent need for the international community to come together in the fight against terrorism. Both sides also discussed India-Germany cooperation in the field of Defence, Security and Counter-Terrorism as part of the deepening Strategic Partnership between the two countries.


India Gazette
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Indian Embassy successfully organizes inaugural edition of Indian Ambassador's Cricket Tournament
Kathmandu [Nepal], June 9 (ANI): The Embassy of India in Kathmandu successfully organised the inaugural edition of the Indian Ambassador's Cricket Tournament from May 31 to June 8 at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground. According to a release by the Indian Embassy, the tournament saw enthusiastic participation from six teams representing the Indian Embassy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, British Embassy, Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Corporates, and the Indian Diaspora (ICAN) in Nepal. The opening ceremony was held on May 31 and was graced by the Ambassador of India to Nepal, the British Ambassador, and the Joint Secretary (South Asia Division), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal. 'After a week of spirited and friendly competition, the tournament culminated in a thrilling final match on June 8, where the Indian Embassy team had a face-off with the ICAN team. The final was followed by a trophy distribution ceremony attended by the Ambassador of India to Nepal Naveen Srivastava, President of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) Chatur Bahadur Chand and Joint Secretary (South Asia Division), MoFA, Nepal, Gahendra Rajbhandari, where top performers were recognized and felicitated,' the release stated. Later in the evening, a reception ceremony was organised to celebrate the tournament's success. The event was graced by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Government of Nepal, Teju Lal Chaudhary, the Ambassador, President of CAN, and esteemed members of Nepal's Women's National Cricket Team. Members of all the six participating teams also attended the event, reinforcing the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship. 'In a significant step to deepen India-Nepal cooperation in the field of sports, the Ambassador handed over cricket kits to three promising U-19 Nepali cricketers. On the same occasion, Embassy of India, Kathmandu also announced the launch of the 'Ambassador's Cricket Fellowship for Nepali Youth', under which two young cricketers from Nepal will be provided with opportunity to receive short term coaching at reputed coaching academies in India,' the release added. The initiative is part of India's continued commitment to fostering strong people-to-people ties and supporting youth development in Nepal through the shared love for cricket. India remains committed to the growth of cricket in Nepal. (ANI)


Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Some Indian expats 'lost over Dh1,400' as Nepal enforces strict travel rule
Some UAE residents have unexpectedly faced extra expenses — up to Dh1,400 — or spent precious holiday time in Nepal dealing with paperwork, due to newly enforced travel regulations. Recent travellers to Nepal are advising Indian residents in the UAE to be aware of the new, stricter travel rules. One such traveller, Dubai resident Manu Palerichal, faced a stressful situation during his recent Eid break trip to Nepal with his family. What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation quickly turned into a logistical headache. 'As soon as we landed in Nepal on Thursday, an immigration officer informed us that we need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Indian embassy when returning to the UAE,' he said. 'It caught us off guard because no one had informed us about this beforehand. We asked our fellow travellers if they had been told the same but no one else knew about it. They asked us to ignore the advice," he added. Manu, who works as the CEO of auditing firm CLA Emirates in Dubai, then decided to double-check with his travel agent. He learned that the NOC requirement had been strictly enforced recently due to concerns over system misuse, such as "human trafficking and tax evasion". However, by the time he received this information, Manu and his family had already traveled to Pokhara, nearly 200km from Kathmandu, where the Indian embassy is located. 'So, it was impossible for us to secure (the) NOC," he said. "We spent two days in Pokhara, anxiously wondering what to do if the embassy was closed on Saturday and Sunday. We even came up with alternate plans to return to Dubai in case we couldn't get the document," he added. According to Safeer Mohammed, general manager of Smart Travels, the NOC requirement has been in effect for a long time, but it has been very strictly enforced recently. "Authorities found people misusing the system, and that may have prompted this change," he explained. 'Instances of human trafficking and tax evasion were discovered and that may have been one of the reasons why the rule is now being enforced strictly." "We are aware that an existing rule has been very strictly enforced for the last few months," he noted. "We're advising all travellers to Nepal to have the NOC sorted to ensure a smooth journey.' 'Lost over Dh,1400' Dubai resident Thabseer Ahmed lost over Dh1,400 after being informed about the No Objection Certificate (NOC) requirement at the airport when he travelled to Nepal last month. "We found out about the NOC only at the airport (in Nepal) while heading back from our holiday," he said. All his friends traveling back to India had no issues while others travelling to the GCC countries were prevented from boarding their flights. 'We tried to get to the Indian embassy, but the flight was at 3am on a Sunday and no one was available to help us,' he recalled. 'A lot of documentation was also needed, none of which we could manage at that last minute. I tried booking my flight transiting through New Delhi but even that didn't work. You have to check out at India, collect your luggage and then check back in. So once I arrived in New Delhi, I had to book a new flight back to the UAE.' He said he lost over Dh1,400 in ticket prices due to this issue. 'My friend from Kuwait also lost the equivalent of almost Dh2,000 when he rebooked his tickets,' he said. 'My other friend from Qatar also lost money on rebooking.' Documents needed Manu said he returned to Kathmandu on Saturday with his family and then drove for 30 minutes to the embassy to get the NOC. 'Thankfully the embassy works through the weekend,' he said. 'I did not have to wait much but staff told me that there was a huge rush on Thursday and Friday with people having to wait hours for their documents.' To get the NOC, Manu said that he had to submit a passport-size photo, copies of passport and UAE residence visas, immigration stamp, air ticket, Emirates ID, and application form. He also had to pay 3,100 Nepali rupees for each family member, which amounted to over Dh300 for his four-member family. He said he was lucky enough to get to know the requirement ahead of time and warned other UAE residents to be careful when planning their trips. 'Since Nepal is just a short distance away, a lot of Indians from GCC countries plan short trips here,' he said. 'Travel agents must give clear directives about these new requirements to avoid complications.' Manu emphasised that while he was lucky to find out about the requirement ahead of time, many others might not be as fortunate. "Since Nepal is just a short distance away, many Indians from GCC plan short trips here," he said. 'Travel agents must give clear directives about these new requirements to avoid (unnecessary) complications.' Safeer also warned that UAE residents planning to visit India this summer should be aware of the updated regulations. 'Those traveling to Nepal and then going to India will not have any issue,' he said. 'However, those planning to return to the UAE via Nepal must have the NOC before travelling.'