New travel restrictions were imposed in Dubai this week as the country works to tackle a rising number of coronavirus cases.
They will significantly reduce the number of people leaving home at any one time.
Any Dubai resident leaving their home for any reason would first need a permit from Dubai Police. This includes for essential shopping in a supermarket or pharmacy.
Permits must be obtained whether shoppers are pedestrians, drivers or taking a taxi. The application can be made here.
“Extensive testing” of densely populated communities will also begin soon, the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management said.
As of Monday, there were 2,076 confirmed cases in UAE, almost four times the figure it was seven days ago.
Here’s what we know so far:
What has changed?
Only one member of a household can now leave home for essential shopping in supermarkets and pharmacies.
The only other journeys that are allowed are to hospital or a doctor’s appointment.
You must wear a mask and gloves at all times once outside, not only when you arrive at the shop.
That person must apply for a permit before leaving the home. Police will send a one-time-use text message with which you can log in.
You must fill out a form on the Dubai Police website stating where you are going, at what time and when you will return home.
If you are stopped by a police officer, they can check your journey was permitted.
Officials gave the sternest warning yet that anyone found outside without good reason would be fined or even prosecuted in court.
“Extensive testing” will be rolled out in densely populated areas to identify cases of Covid-19.
Can I walk or jog outside?
No, and nothing has changed in this regard. If you left the house in the past two weeks, it should have been for essential shopping at a supermarket, pharmacy or for a medical appointment.
But the authorities have clearly given residents leeway until now, given the number of joggers and walkers on the streets.
That seems likely to change.
Police also told local media they will use street security cameras to check on people who are out of their homes for no reason.
Can I still go shopping?
Yes, but only one member of your household can go, and with the permit.
That would mean children should not be taken to the supermarket and anyone in a group should expect to be stopped and penalised.
There should only be one person in each vehicle.
“These measures have been put in place to ensure people undertake trips outside the home in a planned and organised way,” Dubai Media Office said on Saturday.
Do I need a permit to leave the house?
Yes. Permits were originally in place for people who had to leave during the original 8pm-6am travel ban, during which streets and public places were cleaned.
That system was suspended last week but reintroduced on Sunday.
Cars used at night were flashed by speed cameras if on the roads after 8pm and that appears likely to continue.
The permit is for pedestrians, cyclists, people taking a taxi or those driving their own car.
How can I get around Dubai?
Private vehicles can be used for essential journeys but only one person should be in the car.
Dubai shut both Metro lines on Saturday along with the tram line in the Marina.
But public buses continue to run and are free, and the publicly owned taxi fleet cut fares by 50 per cent.
If you work in an essential industry – there is a list here – you can use the options above to get to work.
Many hospitals and supermarkets are already taking their own staff to and from work each day.
Where can I find a mask and gloves?
Some pharmacies and supermarkets still have supplies of masks, mostly thin surgical ones that are made to be used once.
A box of 50 masks is usually about Dh100 and a packet of gloves about Dh45.
Masks that block tiny particles and germs – such as N95 and the FFP2 “duckbill” – are more difficult to find locally and in many countries.
Masks are still available online but delivery times vary considerably. Here is a round-up of what we could find from local online retailers.
Officials said they were aware of shortages and urged residents to make homemade cotton masks if necessary.
Basic Japanese-style “pitta” dust masks and so-called fashion masks offer extremely limited protection, but could at least limit the distance of a sneeze.
Dr Farida Al Hosani, the government’s health spokeswoman, said something was better than nothing.
“Use home-made masks made of cotton or mixed cotton, making sure to rewash them,” Dr Al Hosani said.
“When I wear a mask I’m protecting you and when you wear it, you’re protecting me.”
Can I still order food online?
Yes. Food outlets and restaurants can still prepare food for home deliveries round the clock. Delivery drivers are on the list of essential workers who can move around the city.
Drivers for apps such as Careem and Deliveroo can leave food outside a customer’s door to minimise contact between the two.
Read our interview with delivery drivers, who have continued to work diligently throughout the crisis.
What happens next?
For most of the population work will continue from home where possible and schools will press ahead with e-learning.
For pupils leaving school this year, coursework is now more crucial given that it may be judged in university applications in place of cancelled exams.
Last week, Abu Dhabi began using drive-through labs to test people and this will be extended across the country.
Initially this was for elderly residents and people who were unwell but had not been tested.
Officials fully expect case numbers to rise before a decline, Dr Al Hosani said, as a result of “early, intensive tests on a big scale to identify cases and who they were in contact with”.
There has been no suggestion that isolation such as that in Al Ras in Deira, one of the most densely populated areas, would be introduced more widely.
What is the situation in Abu Dhabi?
Much the same. Residents should only leave home for essential shopping and you should be ready to be stopped and asked where you are going.
Police have patrolled the streets in recent weeks and will order anyone who is not travelling to or from a supermarket to return home immediately.
What is the situation in the Northern Emirates?
Residents cannot leave their homes from 8pm to 6am as street cleaning continues, but that could change at any time.
Federal authorities have already told residents they should leave home only for essentials.
Private hospital groups were brought in to test about 200,000 labourers last week.
Key ports remain open and crucial industries such as fishing continue operate to bring fresh food into local markets.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The five pillars of Islam
The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYodawy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarim%20Khashaba%2C%20Sherief%20El-Feky%20and%20Yasser%20AbdelGawad%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2424.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlgebra%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20MEVP%20and%20Delivery%20Hero%20Ventures%2C%20among%20others%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20500%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
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Band Aid
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With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”