Omar Obaid Al Shamsi, UAE's ambassador in Rome, pictured centre in a black suit, is shown the medical equipment shipment before it is sent on to hospitals. Protective equipment is crucial to ensuring frontline medical workers do not become casualties. Courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Omar Obaid Al Shamsi, UAE's ambassador in Rome, pictured centre in a black suit, is shown the medical equipment shipment before it is sent on to hospitals. Protective equipment is crucial to ensuring frontline medical workers do not become casualties. Courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Omar Obaid Al Shamsi, UAE's ambassador in Rome, pictured centre in a black suit, is shown the medical equipment shipment before it is sent on to hospitals. Protective equipment is crucial to ensuring frontline medical workers do not become casualties. Courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Omar Obaid Al Shamsi, UAE's ambassador in Rome, pictured centre in a black suit, is shown the medical equipment shipment before it is sent on to hospitals. Protective equipment is crucial to ensuring

Coronavirus: UAE sends 10 tonnes of medical supplies to Italy


  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE sent 10 tonnes of medical supplies to Italy to help medics tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

The shipment will help to support more than 10,000 doctors and nurses, the UAE government said.

Italy is one of the worst affected countries worldwide.

It had recorded 128,000 confirmed cases and more than 15,000 deaths as of Monday, April 6. About 21,000 people have recovered from the virus.

Thanks to my colleague Abdullah bin Zayed for the friendship and solidarity shown. A gesture that we will not forget

Medical aid such as masks, gloves and protective suits are crucial to ensure medics on the front line do not become casualties.

"Thanks to my colleague Abdullah bin Zayed for the friendship and solidarity shown," Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio wrote on Twitter in a message to the UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.

"A gesture that we will not forget."

Omar Al Shamsi, UAE ambassador to Italy, said Italy was thankful for the shipment, which arrived in the early hours of Monday morning.

Speaking to The National from Rome, the ambassador said the operation was arranged in less than 24 hours. Demand for new protective medical gear is high and there are shortages in many countries.

"They are in so much need for masks, sanitisers, and gloves... hundreds of thousands per month," Mr Al Shamsi said.

The ambassador and his diplomatic staff sent their families home to the Emirates when the outbreak began.

Omar Obaid Al Shamsi is briefed on the shipment after it arrived in Italy from UAE. Courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Omar Obaid Al Shamsi is briefed on the shipment after it arrived in Italy from UAE. Courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

"My children wanted to stay but I told them 'you should leave because the situation is escalating'."

The embassy then tracked down the 27 Emiratis studying in Italy, and found 10 families who were on holiday.

"We reached them and asked them to leave the country before the virus spread and they immediately left," he said.

Since then, embassy staff have mostly worked from home.

Mr Al Shamsi said the situation remained serious, but deaths have begun to fall as social distancing and the lockdown in cities takes effect.

“The numbers are going down so, if God wills it, within a month officials said it will become stable."

Mr Al Shamsi said Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, was the first leader from outside the European Union to speak to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in early March, as the scale of the crisis became clear.

“Italian officials were very appreciative that he was the first to call," he said.

And he said images of Burj Khalifa lit up in the colours of the Italian flag with the message 'siamo con voi' - we are with you - were warmly welcomed by the Italian press and widely spread on social media.

On Sunday, the UAE sent an aid flight to Pakistan carrying 11 tonnes of protective equipment for medical staff.

It included 20,000 Covid-19 test kits, 500,000 gloves, 30,000 protective gowns and face masks and 10,000 sanitisers.

Pakistan recorded 2,899 cases of Covid-19, with the death toll at 45 and with 208 recovered patients, as of Sunday.

Dubai's streets empty as permit to leave home introduced

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
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

AIR
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBen%20Affleck%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMatt%20Damon%2C%20Jason%20Bateman%2C%20Ben%20Affleck%2C%20Viola%20Davis%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

STAR%20WARS%20JEDI%3A%20SURVIVOR
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Respawn%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electronic%20Arts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20Playstation%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%20and%20S%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry

Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm

Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

Our legal advisor

Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation. 

Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Poacher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERichie%20Mehta%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nimisha%20Sajayan%2C%20Roshan%20Mathew%2C%20Dibyendu%20Bhattacharya%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
HOW TO WATCH

Facebook: TheNationalNews 

Twitter: @thenationalnews 

Instagram: @thenationalnews.com 

TikTok: @thenationalnews   

Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces

 

  • Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
  • Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
  • Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
  • Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
  • Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
The Buckingham Murders

Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu

Director: Hansal Mehta

Rating: 4 / 5

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

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions