• Employees at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    Employees at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • Cleaners disinfect rubbish bins and handrails at Yas Mall. Victor Besa / The National
    Cleaners disinfect rubbish bins and handrails at Yas Mall. Victor Besa / The National
  • Signs reminding visitors to keep a distance from others are displayed at the vast mall
    Signs reminding visitors to keep a distance from others are displayed at the vast mall
  • Capacity limits are to be lifted at shopping centres in the UAE
    Capacity limits are to be lifted at shopping centres in the UAE
  • The step comes amid a steady decline in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks
    The step comes amid a steady decline in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks
  • Authorities will continue to monitor infection rates as they gradually ease restrictions
    Authorities will continue to monitor infection rates as they gradually ease restrictions
  • A cleaner at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi
    A cleaner at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi

UAE to ease Covid restrictions by lifting capacity limits in many venues by mid-February


  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE will gradually lift Covid-19 capacity limits at shopping centres and other public places within days, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.

Dr Saif Al Dhaheri, official spokesman for the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, said venues would be allowed to operate at full occupancy by the middle of February.

During the country’s weekly coronavirus briefing, he said the directives related to “various economic, tourist and recreational facilities, shopping centres and means of transportation”.

Dr Al Dhaheri said individual emirates would to allowed to set capacity limits for weddings and funerals.

He called on members of the public to abide by green pass rules in place in the emirates in which they live.

The minimum social distancing required at mosques will be reduced to one metre. Dr Al Dhaheri said this measure could be removed if cases continue to drop.

Authorities will continue to monitor Covid-19 infections throughout the country and safety measures could be tightened if necessary.

Dr Al Dhaheri praised the public for their support of safety measures and said such rules had played a pivotal role in curbing the spread of the virus.

“The remarkable commitment of community members and their effective contributions to the implementation of precautionary and preventive measures helped decrease the number of cases recorded, with a clear decrease in the admission rate of patients with Covid-19 in hospitals,” he said.

Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis & Disaster Management said all activities, events and social gatherings in the emirate can gradually return to full capacity by February 15.

It urged the public to continue all preventive measures, including the wearing of face masks.

A total of 1,538 Covid-19 cases was reported in the UAE on Wednesday, the lowest daily figure recorded this year. Infections have fallen for three days in a row.

Daily figures have halved in the past three weeks. Authorities reported 3,116 cases on January 15.

Four patients died during during the 24-hour reporting period and 2,457 people were declared free of the virus.

Authorities have recorded 862,514 cases, 791,318 recoveries and 2,273 deaths to date.

The number of active cases dropped to 68,923.

On Tuesday, Abu Dhabi paved the way for members of the public to receive a fourth dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Sinopharm vaccine, the shots most commonly administered in the UAE.

Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre said people who had taken up to three doses of either vaccine, or a combination of the two, could receive an additional dose after six months had passed.

More than 23.7 million vaccine doses have been administered to the public since the start of inoculation in December 2020.

About 95 per cent of the UAE public is now fully immunised against Covid-19.

During the briefing, Dr Farida Al Hosani, a government health spokeswoman, urged the public to be immunised for their own protection.

She said the expansion of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine programme to include children aged 5 to 11 was a step towards the country’s recovery, but commitment to safety rules remained crucial.

“We urge community members to adhere to the precautionary measures, by wearing face masks, avoiding overcrowded places and constantly sanitising,” she said.

“The health of our community is a priority and is everyone’s responsibility.

“The vaccine is not a substitute for adhering to relevant precautionary measures, such as wearing face masks, respecting social distancing and sanitising, among other protocols.”

SPECS

Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR

Engine: 5.7-litre V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 362hp

Torque: 530Nm

Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)

Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5
Naga
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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.
Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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How to donate

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Company%20profile
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In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

About Krews

Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi

Based: Abu Dhabi

Founded: January 2019

Number of employees: 10

Sector: Technology/Social media 

Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support

 

'The Ice Road'

Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne

2/5

Bawaal%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nitesh%20Tiwari%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Varun%20Dhawan%2C%20Janhvi%20Kapoor%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

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

The%20specs
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How it works

Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

if you go

The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.

The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.

 

 

'Cheb%20Khaled'
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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 

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

Updated: February 10, 2022, 9:35 AM