• People will no longer have to wear face masks outside. The rule applies across the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National
    People will no longer have to wear face masks outside. The rule applies across the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Masks must still be worn in all public indoor areas, such as shopping centres and schools. Pawan Singh / The National
    Masks must still be worn in all public indoor areas, such as shopping centres and schools. Pawan Singh / The National
  • The UAE has scrapped PCR testing requirements for fully vaccinated travellers. AFP
    The UAE has scrapped PCR testing requirements for fully vaccinated travellers. AFP
  • Tracking wristbands that were in use in Abu Dhabi to monitor the movement of people with Covid-19 will no longer be used during home isolation. Photo: Abu Dhabi Government Media Office
    Tracking wristbands that were in use in Abu Dhabi to monitor the movement of people with Covid-19 will no longer be used during home isolation. Photo: Abu Dhabi Government Media Office
  • Ncema has approved the return of the pre-pandemic time intervals between the first and second prayer calls. AFP
    Ncema has approved the return of the pre-pandemic time intervals between the first and second prayer calls. AFP

UAE public urged to stick to mask wearing amid no change in rules


Shuchita Gautam
  • English
  • Arabic

Health authorities in the UAE are urging people to continue wearing face masks and follow other preventive measures to stay safe and reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19.

Dr Taher Al Ameri, the spokesman of the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority, said at Wednesday's Covid-19 media briefing that the public should adopt a culture of self-protection to preserve the gains made in fighting the pandemic.

"We are keen to limit the spread of the virus and, thankfully, we have seen a decrease in the number of new infections and no deaths have been recorded since March 7," he said.

"We are proud that we have returned to a new normal life and people should continue to follow all safety measures."

Per current Covid rules in the country, people no longer have to wear face masks outside. The rule applies throughout the UAE. But face masks must still be worn in all public indoor areas, such as shopping malls. No new changes were announced.

Dr Al Ameri reminded people to check procedures and restrictions in other countries when travelling during the summer holidays.

"We ask citizens and residents wishing to travel to check the rules and procedures of the countries they wish to visit for their own safety and to avoid fines," he said.

"People should follow all preventive measures adopted in foreign countries, especially as cases continue to rise in many parts of the world."

The UAE has recorded a significant fall in new case numbers in recent months.

After topping 3,000 in January after the emergence of the Omicron variant, daily case numbers have hovered around the 200-mark in the first 10 days of May. It rose slightly on Wednesday to top 300.

More than 157 million tests have been conducted to date under a robust mass-screening programme, which has been central to the country's recovery strategy, while 97.82 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated.

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What drives subscription retailing?

Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.

The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.

The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.

The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.

UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.

That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.

Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.

TRAP

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

Company%20profile
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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.

A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
  • 2018: Formal work begins
  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
  • October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal 

Rating: 2/5

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

Sweet%20Tooth
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJim%20Mickle%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChristian%20Convery%2C%20Nonso%20Anozie%2C%20Adeel%20Akhtar%2C%20Stefania%20LaVie%20Owen%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
About Okadoc

Date started: Okadoc, 2018

Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Healthcare

Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth

Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February

Investors: Undisclosed

UAE v Ireland

1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets

2nd ODI, January 12

3rd ODI, January 14

4th ODI, January 16

BULKWHIZ PROFILE

Date started: February 2017

Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce 

Size: 50 employees

Funding: approximately $6m

Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm

Transmission: eight-speed auto

Price: from Dh122,745

On sale: now

How it works

Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.

Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.

As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.

A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.

Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.

Cry Macho

Director: Clint Eastwood

Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam

Rating:**

England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29

Updated: May 12, 2022, 6:47 AM