Muslim pilgrims wear masks in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. AP
Muslim pilgrims wear masks in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. AP
Muslim pilgrims wear masks in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. AP
Muslim pilgrims wear masks in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. AP

Saudi worshippers urged to wear masks in mosques to stop Omicron spread


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Saudi Arabia has reiterated the need for worshippers to wear masks inside mosques to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus and its variants after the emergence of the breakout Omicron mutation.

The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs said worshippers should take precautionary measures in mosques, such as wearing face masks and maintaining a safe distance from other worshippers during prayers.

The ministry called on imams and preachers to educate society about the importance of maintaining public health and following regulations.

The guidance comes just days after the committee in charge of implementing Covid-19 safety measures in Saudi Arabia held its 283rd meeting, chaired by Minister of Health Fahd Al Jalajel.

Saudi Arabia last week detected its first case of the Omicron Coronavirus variant that was first detected in southern Africa this month but may have been circulating undetected much longer.

The World Health Organisation has warned that the new emerging strain is a cause for concern, although scientists are still trying to determine the possible impact.

Early reports indicate it may be highly transmissible, infecting both the vaccinated and those who have recovered from the virus previously, but also appears to be less lethal with many of those catching the new strain only presenting mild to moderate symptoms. It has quickly spread to be the dominant strain among new infections in South Africa and experts are alarmed at how quickly such a mutated strain of the Covid-19 virus has emerged.

Saudi Arabia last week halted flights from 14 African nations, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini.

Saudi Arabia has increased its vaccine push, announcing that everyone aged 18 or over would need to get a booster shot by February.

  • Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with second placed Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the background, on Sunday, December 5, 2021. AP
    Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with second placed Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the background, on Sunday, December 5, 2021. AP
  • Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton compete in the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday, December 5. AFP
    Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton compete in the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday, December 5. AFP
  • Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton tussle for the lead. Getty
    Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton tussle for the lead. Getty
  • Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton compete for the lead. AP
    Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton compete for the lead. AP
  • Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton during the race. Getty
    Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton during the race. Getty
  • Drivers take the start of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah on December 5, 2021. AFP
    Drivers take the start of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah on December 5, 2021. AFP
  • Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton leads at the start of the race. AFP
    Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton leads at the start of the race. AFP
  • Jets release smoke as they perform an air display over the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. AFP
    Jets release smoke as they perform an air display over the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. AFP
  • Jets release smoke as they perform an air display over the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. AFP
    Jets release smoke as they perform an air display over the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. AFP
  • A jets performs during an air display over the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. AFP
    A jets performs during an air display over the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. AFP
  • Jets perform an air display over the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah. AFP
    Jets perform an air display over the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah. AFP
  • Jets perform an air display over the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah. AFP
    Jets perform an air display over the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah. AFP
  • Drivers and team members pay tribute to the late founder and former team principal of Williams Racing, Frank Williams who died a week before the race. AFP
    Drivers and team members pay tribute to the late founder and former team principal of Williams Racing, Frank Williams who died a week before the race. AFP
  • Lewis Hamilton looks at the trophy prior to the start of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. AP
    Lewis Hamilton looks at the trophy prior to the start of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. AP
  • Red Bull's Max Verstappen before the race. Reuters
    Red Bull's Max Verstappen before the race. Reuters
  • Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr before the race. Reuters
    Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr before the race. Reuters
  • Drivers stand and take a knee on the starting grid prior to the race. AFP
    Drivers stand and take a knee on the starting grid prior to the race. AFP
  • Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. AFP
    Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. AFP
  • Drivers race during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Street Circuit. AP
    Drivers race during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Street Circuit. AP
  • Mechanics work on the car of McLaren driver Lando Norris in the pits. AFP
    Mechanics work on the car of McLaren driver Lando Norris in the pits. AFP
  • Alpha Tauri driver Pierre Gasly during the race. AFP
    Alpha Tauri driver Pierre Gasly during the race. AFP
  • Mick Schumacher's Haas after crashing. Getty
    Mick Schumacher's Haas after crashing. Getty
  • Haas driver Mick Schumacher after crashing. Getty
    Haas driver Mick Schumacher after crashing. Getty
  • Alpine driver Esteban Ocon competes in the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. AFP
    Alpine driver Esteban Ocon competes in the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. AFP
  • Race marshals remove the car of Williams driver George Russell after a crash. AFP
    Race marshals remove the car of Williams driver George Russell after a crash. AFP
  • A race marshal assists Haas driver Mick Schumacher after his crash. AFP
    A race marshal assists Haas driver Mick Schumacher after his crash. AFP
  • Red Bull driver Max Verstappen speaks with team members during a second stop in the race. AFP
    Red Bull driver Max Verstappen speaks with team members during a second stop in the race. AFP
  • Lewis Hamilton speaks with team members during a second stop in the race. AFP
    Lewis Hamilton speaks with team members during a second stop in the race. AFP
  • Red Bull driver Sergio Perez leaves his car after a collision. AFP
    Red Bull driver Sergio Perez leaves his car after a collision. AFP
  • Sergio Perez after crashing. AFP
    Sergio Perez after crashing. AFP

Life in the kingdom has largely returned to normal, albeit with mask-wearing, testing, social distancing and other health measures. The kingdom has brought back large events – including the kingdom's first F1 race this weekend and the return of the popular Riyadh Season of music and arts events.

Cases are at an all-time low with a seven day average of just 45 new cases. The Kingdom has had a total of 550,000 Covid-19 cases and 8,845 deaths. At least 70 per cent of the population has received one dose of a vaccine and 64 per cent have received two doses.

  • The Riyadh Season 2021 festival has received more than 4.5 million visitors in a month. All photos: Saudi Press Agency
    The Riyadh Season 2021 festival has received more than 4.5 million visitors in a month. All photos: Saudi Press Agency
  • They included citizens, residents and tourists from Saudi Arabia and abroad.
    They included citizens, residents and tourists from Saudi Arabia and abroad.
  • Riyadh Season created more than 122,000 jobs, said the Saudi Press Agency.
    Riyadh Season created more than 122,000 jobs, said the Saudi Press Agency.
  • The festival was launched on October 20.
    The festival was launched on October 20.
  • It includes 14 areas: Boulevard Riyadh City, Via Riyadh, Combat Field, Al-Athriyah, Riyadh Oasis, The Groves, Riyadh Winter Wonderland, Riyadh Front, Al-Murabba, Riyadh Pulse, Riyadh Safari, Al-Salam Tree, Khalouha and Zaman Village.
    It includes 14 areas: Boulevard Riyadh City, Via Riyadh, Combat Field, Al-Athriyah, Riyadh Oasis, The Groves, Riyadh Winter Wonderland, Riyadh Front, Al-Murabba, Riyadh Pulse, Riyadh Safari, Al-Salam Tree, Khalouha and Zaman Village.
  • The festival is "the most prominent entertainment destination in the kingdom," said the Saudi Press Agency.
    The festival is "the most prominent entertainment destination in the kingdom," said the Saudi Press Agency.
  • Art, theatre and food are on show in the Saudi capital.
    Art, theatre and food are on show in the Saudi capital.
The biog

Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives. 

The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast. 

As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau

He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker. 

If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah

 

Green ambitions
  • Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
  • Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
  • Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
  • Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water 
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Coffee: black death or elixir of life?

It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?

Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.

The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.

The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.

Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver. 

The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.

But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.

Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.

It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.

So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.

Rory Reynolds

Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.

Teachers' pay - what you need to know

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

Closing the loophole on sugary drinks

As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.

The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.

Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.

Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
 

Not taxed:

Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

THE SIXTH SENSE

Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Rating: 5/5

MOTHER%20OF%20STRANGERS
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Suad%20Amiry%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Pantheon%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20304%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE DRAFT

The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.

Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan

Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe

Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi

Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath

Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh

Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh

Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar

Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Gulf Under 19s final

Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B

Updated: December 07, 2021, 7:09 AM