UAE fog: Multiple crashes as weather causes major disruption

A thick blanket of fog caused huge disruption in the UAE with flights diverted and a series of crashes reported as drivers were caught up in lengthy tailbacks.

Forecasters warned visibility had dipped to 200m as the fog swept in during the early hours.

A map on the National Centre for Meteorology’s website warned of the chance of hazardous weather affecting a large swathe of the country, from Ras Al Khaimah on the north coast, all the way down to Abu Al Abyad, an island in the Abu Dhabi emirate, south of the capital.

The NCM issued a blanket fog warning for most of the UAE today.

The hazardous weather conditions caused flights to be diverted to Fujairah International Airport.

Four incoming flights to Sharjah International Airport were forced to land in Fujairah between 5:30am and 6:20am on Thursday.

The flights, coming from Tbilisi, Faisalabad, Prague and Cairo, were operated by Air Arabia, according to the flightradar24 website.

In a post on Instagram, Fujairah International airport said that a number of flights were diverted to the airport from some of the country’s airports due to the poor visibility caused by the fog.

While three flights coming from Kiev, Riyadh and London to Dubai International airport were also diverted to Muscat International airport in Oman, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Al Maktoum International Airport, in Dubai.

Flightradar24 website estimated that 92 per cent of inbound flights to Dubai International Airport were facing delays of about 45 minutes on Thursday morning.

Abu Dhabi Police advised drivers to be cautious and refrain from taking videos of the adverse weather.

There were multiple accidents on the E11 Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road near Ghantoot, heading in the direction of Dubai. According to the Waze traffic app, there were at least three crashes, which caused long tailbacks and slowed traffic to less than 30kph. Police were on the scene.

One of the road accidents on the busy route, which took place at about 9am, involved 11 vehicles.

Drivers in Sharjah faced heavy congestion caused due to the low visibility.

One frustrated motorist said his daily 20 minute commute took more than times as long to complete as the foggy weather sparked huge delays.

"It was horrible, my daily 20-minute drive to drop off my son to school in Sharjah's Al Khan area, took 90 minutes today," said Egyptian Khalid Nofal.

Heavy traffic was also reported in the Muwaileh district of the emirate.

Commuters travelling to Dubai were caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road.

The fog will clear to leave partly cloudy skies, with highs of 30°C on the coast and islands and 32°C inland. Cloud will build over the sea, islands and western areas by the evening, bringing with it a chance of light rain.

Sea conditions will be slight to moderate, becoming rough at night in the Arabian Gulf and slight to moderate in the Sea of Oman.

Temperatures will dip on Friday, and there will be a chance of rain of “different intensities,” say forecasters.

Winds will be strong at times, reaching up to 55kph, resulting in dust and sandstorms, and the sea will be rough to very rough in the Arabian Gulf.

Conditions will be similar on Saturday, with further chance of dust and sandstorms, although it should remain dry. The sea will be rough to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and rough in the Sea of Oman.

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School counsellors on mental well-being

Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.

Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.

Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.

“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.

“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.

“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.

“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”

Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.

The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.

At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.

“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.

“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.

"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”

Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

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Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.	United States
2.	China
3.	UAE
4.	Japan
5	Norway
6.	Canada
7.	Singapore
8.	Australia
9.	Saudi Arabia
10.	South Korea

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Tips on buying property during a pandemic

Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.

While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.

While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.

Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.

Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.

Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.

Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.

Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association

FIXTURES

All games 6pm UAE on Sunday:
Arsenal v Watford
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v Man United
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Liverpool
Southampton v Sheffield United
West Ham v Aston Villa