• Kiss performed on New Year’s Eve 2020 at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National
    Kiss performed on New Year’s Eve 2020 at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National
  • The American rockers put on a record-breaking live stream show in Dubai
    The American rockers put on a record-breaking live stream show in Dubai
  • The show was streamed to a global audience of two million people
    The show was streamed to a global audience of two million people
  • It also broke two Guinness World Records – highest flame projection in a music concert and for most flame projections launched simultaneously in a music concert
    It also broke two Guinness World Records – highest flame projection in a music concert and for most flame projections launched simultaneously in a music concert
  • Kiss are currently on their final End of the Road world tour
    Kiss are currently on their final End of the Road world tour
  • The tour consists of 240 shows spanning locations in the US as well as across Europe and Asia
    The tour consists of 240 shows spanning locations in the US as well as across Europe and Asia
  • The tour, which began in Vancouver, Canada in 2019, is meant to celebrate the group's 40-plus years in the business
    The tour, which began in Vancouver, Canada in 2019, is meant to celebrate the group's 40-plus years in the business
  • The End of the Road tour is set to conclude in New York's Madison Square Garden in December
    The End of the Road tour is set to conclude in New York's Madison Square Garden in December
  • The band’s line-up includes two original members, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, along with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer
    The band’s line-up includes two original members, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, along with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer
  • Some of the band's biggest hits include I Was Made for Lovin’ You, Rock and Roll All Nite, Detroit Rock City and Heaven’s on Fire
    Some of the band's biggest hits include I Was Made for Lovin’ You, Rock and Roll All Nite, Detroit Rock City and Heaven’s on Fire
  • Kiss's greatest hits set in Dubai in 2020 featured more than $1 million worth of pyrotechnics
    Kiss's greatest hits set in Dubai in 2020 featured more than $1 million worth of pyrotechnics

Kiss forced to cancel US concerts as Gene Simmons tests positive for Covid-19


Saeed Saeed
  • English
  • Arabic

Kiss have postponed four North American concerts after bassist Gene Simmons tested positive for Covid-19.

The news comes a week after the band’s singer, Paul Stanley, was also diagnosed with the virus, forcing the group to pull out of two shows.

Kiss aim to resume the US run of their End of the Road world tour on Thursday, September 9, in Irvine, California.

The band and crew are currently isolating with new dates for the cancelled gigs to be announced soon.

“While Paul Stanley recently tweeted that he has recovered from Covid, Gene Simmons has now tested positive and is experiencing mild symptoms,” the band posted on their Instagram account.

“The band and crew will remain at home and isolate for the next 10 days and doctors have indicated the tour should be able to resume on September 9 at FivePoint Amphitheatre. All previously purchased tickets will be honoured for the new dates once announced.”

Tough safety measures for the tour

The cancelled shows underscore the insidious nature of the virus, occurring despite the band implementing rigorous safety measures for the large-scale tour.

Not only are the band and crew fully vaccinated, but the musicians and supporting staff operate in separate bubbles overseen by a full-time safety protocol officer who ensures all measures are in line with government regulations.

As for their popular meet and greet packages, the group found a novel way to take photos with fans by standing behind a Plexiglas screen.

It began in Dubai

Many of these stringent measures were first road-tested in Dubai, where the band played an explosive New Year’s Eve concert at Atlantis, The Palm.

Performing to a small audience on the ground and streamed to millions online, the concert was Kiss’s first show in more than six months and they took no chances when it came to preparing safely.

“We had ongoing Covid-19 tests and our rehearsal space is locked, sterilised and sanitised every day,” Stanley told The National at the time.

“Everybody is monitored constantly and will be until the time we arrive in Dubai. We basically want to celebrate without being a threat.”

Simmons also told The National the group flew to Dubai in virtual isolation as an additional safety measure.

“Each of us are going to be inside our own cubicle. Nobody can get into it,” he said.

"In fact, the food is going to be put in through a portal, so we won’t even see the hand. It's just going to kind of magically come through. So no one has to breathe the same air and all that.”

On the ground, the band and crew underwent a battery of regular health checks including PCR swabs and, in some cases, blood tests in the lead-up to the Dubai show.

However, Covid-19 still found a way to temporarily silence one of the world’s most spectacular music tours.

That said, demand is high with more than 70 shows remaining, encompassing the US, Australia, South America and Europe before winding down in Amsterdam, Netherlands, next July.

Speaking before the Dubai gig that kicked off the tour, Stanley said he was aware the entertainment industry was looking at the band as an example to conduct safe and high-quality mass performances during the pandemic.

“If everybody is willing to do this within the parameters of what is safe, not only for the entertainers but for the audience, then we can move forward,” he said.

“It’s about how much are you willing to do to provide safety for everyone?”

TOURNAMENT INFO

2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier

Thursday results
UAE beat Kuwait by 86 runs
Qatar beat Bahrain by five wickets
Saudi Arabia beat Maldives by 35 runs

Friday fixtures
10am, third-place playoff – Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
3pm, final – UAE v Qatar

Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Babumoshai Bandookbaaz

Director: Kushan Nandy

Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami

Three stars

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Klipit%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Venkat%20Reddy%2C%20Mohammed%20Al%20Bulooki%2C%20Bilal%20Merchant%2C%20Asif%20Ahmed%2C%20Ovais%20Merchant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Digital%20receipts%2C%20finance%2C%20blockchain%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%244%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Privately%2Fself-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Skoda Superb Specs

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Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

Profile of VoucherSkout

Date of launch: November 2016

Founder: David Tobias

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers

Sector: Technology

Size: 18 employees

Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake

Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars” 

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

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Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

How to apply for a drone permit
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Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand

UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

SUE%20GRAY'S%20FINDINGS
%3Cp%3E%22Whatever%20the%20initial%20intent%2C%20what%20took%20place%20at%20many%20of%20these%20gatherings%20and%20the%3Cbr%3Eway%20in%20which%20they%20developed%20was%20not%20in%20line%20with%20Covid%20guidance%20at%20the%20time.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22Many%20of%20these%20events%20should%20not%20have%20been%20allowed%20to%20happen.%20It%20is%20also%20the%20case%20that%20some%20of%20the%3Cbr%3Emore%20junior%20civil%20servants%20believed%20that%20their%20involvement%20in%20some%20of%20these%20events%20was%20permitted%20given%20the%20attendance%20of%20senior%20leaders.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22The%20senior%20leadership%20at%20the%20centre%2C%20both%20political%20and%20official%2C%20must%20bear%20responsibility%20for%20this%20culture.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22I%20found%20that%20some%20staff%20had%20witnessed%20or%20been%20subjected%20to%20behaviours%20at%20work%20which%20they%20had%20felt%20concerned%20about%20but%20at%20times%20felt%20unable%20to%20raise%20properly.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22I%20was%20made%20aware%20of%20multiple%20examples%20of%20a%20lack%20of%20respect%20and%20poor%20treatment%20of%20security%20and%20cleaning%20staff.%20This%20was%20unacceptable.%22%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E456hp%20at%205%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E691Nm%20at%203%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E14.6L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh349%2C545%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key products and UAE prices

iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229

iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649

iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179

Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.

MATCH INFO

Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')

Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')

Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)

Upcoming games

SUNDAY 

Brighton and Hove Albion v Southampton (5.30pm)
Leicester City v Everton (8pm)

 

MONDAY 
Burnley v Newcastle United (midnight)

MATCH INFO

Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD

* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10

Global Fungi Facts

• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil

MATCH INFO

Norwich City 0 Southampton 3 (Ings 49', Armstrong 54', Redmond 79')

APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits

Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

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Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps

Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID

Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight

In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

Price: From Dh2,099

Updated: September 02, 2021, 11:24 AM