Expo 2020 Dubai has suspended its daily parades and some other activities that carry the risk of potential close contact as a precaution to curb Covid-19.
Entertainment in which performers interact with visitors has been put on hold, organisers said on Monday.
Coronavirus screening centres on site have been expanded with an additional fourth PCR centre to ensure regular testing of frontline staff and entertainers.
On Sunday, the UAE reported 285 new Covid-19 cases, the highest figure in 12 weeks, though numbers remain low compared to earlier in the year.
Officials stressed that most events at the world's fair will continue over the Christmas holidays, and said the number of visits had just crossed the seven million mark.
Some of our close-contact events, such as parades and roving entertainers, have been temporarily suspended as a short-term precautionary measure. This is a dynamic and fluid situation and we are reviewing this daily
Sconaid McGeachin,
senior vice president, Expo 2020 Dubai
“One of the key things we are focused on is maintaining our robust Covid-19 measures, ensuring a safe and exceptional event for all attending,” Sconaid McGeachin, senior vice president of communications, said on Monday.
“Some of our close-contact events, such as parades and roving entertainers, have been temporarily suspended as a short-term precautionary measure.
“This is a dynamic and fluid situation and we are reviewing this daily. We just want to ensure the safety of all visitors and the safety of all staff on site.”
Festive celebrations still on track
The decision to stop the parades was taken because the performers interact with visitors and children during the shows. All frontline workers and entertainers will continue to be tested on a regular basis and there will be free Covid-19 tests for all pavilion staff.
“We are also ensuring all the staff, whether Expo staff, volunteers or country pavilions are having the booster vaccination as soon as they can,” Ms McGeachin said.
Extra vigilance will be practised across the site, with visitors reminded to wear masks. Broadcast staff and reporters in the media centre are being asked to wear masks at all times.
“As you walk around the site, you will notice we are being scrupulous about people wearing masks,” Ms McGeachin said.
“We would ask all media to observe that, within the media centre particularly, in the lifts we have noticed a lot of people are not wearing masks.
“We will be asking that everybody plays their part to ensure the safety of everybody.”
Expo organisers are working with the Dubai and the UAE health authorities, and are following international guidelines set by the World Health Organisation.
The festive season is set to increase visitor numbers to the site with musical and cultural performances planned in the days leading up to Christmas and in to the New Year.
Christmas shows are on every evening at Al Wasl Plaza with stunning visuals beamed across the dome and dry snowflakes blowing across the area on to spectators gathered below.
Proof of vaccine or recent test
Expo 2020 Dubai has made vaccinations and boosters mandatory for all Expo and international staff, volunteers, contractors and service providers.
Visitors to the site aged 18 and above must present a copy of a vaccination report or, if they are unvaccinated, a negative PCR test taken within the previous 72 hours to enter.
More than 90 per cent of the UAE population has received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. According to official data, 100 per cent of the eligible population has received one vaccine dose, while 91.35 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
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
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Have you been targeted?
Tuan Phan of SimplyFI.org lists five signs you have been mis-sold to:
1. Your pension fund has been placed inside an offshore insurance wrapper with a hefty upfront commission.
2. The money has been transferred into a structured note. These products have high upfront, recurring commission and should never be in a pension account.
3. You have also been sold investment funds with an upfront initial charge of around 5 per cent. ETFs, for example, have no upfront charges.
4. The adviser charges a 1 per cent charge for managing your assets. They are being paid for doing nothing. They have already claimed massive amounts in hidden upfront commission.
5. Total annual management cost for your pension account is 2 per cent or more, including platform, underlying fund and advice charges.
