Heavy rain has been forecast across the UAE on Thursday, with temperatures set to drop as low as 13°C.
The National Centre of Meteorology said Thursday would be cloudy over eastern, northern and coastal areas, with a chance of rain.
It comes after the mercury dropped as low as 6.6°C at Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah at 6.30am on Saturday, rising slightly to 7.9°C the following day, indicative of a general decline in temperatures in recent days.
According to the NCM's weekly weather bulletin, heavy rainfall will hit all emirates, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah and Sharjah, on Thursday.
It also issued a yellow weather warning to residents to be wary of strong wind speeds of up to 40 kph, which could kick up dust and sand, as well as rough conditions at sea in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah.
However, showers are expected to have cleared by 6pm, giving way to clearer weather.
The weather bureau said the weekend would be fairly cloudy with a probability of mist over some coastal and internal areas, while north-easterly and south-easterly winds will have a speed of up to 30 kph.
Conditions in the Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea are expected to settle on Friday and continue throughout the weekend.
Temperatures will remain between the mid to late 20s at the weekend, increasingly slightly on Monday to 27°C in Abu Dhabi and 28°C in Dubai during the day, with lows of 15°C and 17°C after dusk.
Watch: Rainy day driving tips – are you a risky driver?
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
