Ajman is the latest emirate to tighten safety regulations amid a rise in coronavirus cases. Pawan Singh / The National
Ajman is the latest emirate to tighten safety regulations amid a rise in coronavirus cases. Pawan Singh / The National
Ajman is the latest emirate to tighten safety regulations amid a rise in coronavirus cases. Pawan Singh / The National
Ajman is the latest emirate to tighten safety regulations amid a rise in coronavirus cases. Pawan Singh / The National

Ajman tightens restrictions as police report rise in Covid-19 rule breaches


Salam Al Amir
  • English
  • Arabic

Hotels in Ajman were ordered to operate at 50 per cent capacity with immediate effect as authorities tightened Covid-19 safety measures.

Gyms, cinemas and parks must also halve their capacity under new directives issued on Thursday.

Only 20 people will be allowed to attend funeral services, with weddings and family gatherings limited to 10, the emirate's crisis authority stated.

Concerts and other entertainment activities have been halted until further notice.

Police said the number of people who refused to wear face masks and those gathering in large numbers had risen in the emirate.

“Breaches of physical distancing rule at malls, parks and other public place have increased recently,” said police spokeswoman Major Noura Sultan Al Shamsi,

“Due to the increase in infections, police and health authorities have intensified public awareness campaigns to urge people to follow all precautionary measures or face being fined.”

On Sunday, all schools and nurseries in Ajman switched to remote learning in response to the rising case numbers.

Ajman is the latest emirate to impose new restrictions this week.

Authorities in Ras Al Khaimah introduced new rules to stem the spread of Covid-19 on Wednesday.

The measures include capping mall capacity at 60 per cent, limiting public transport capacity to 50 per cent and cutting capacity at cinemas, entertainment events and venues to 50 per cent.

Coronavirus in the UAE:

  • A sign at a public beach in Dubai urging people to follow Covid-19 distancing rules. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A sign at a public beach in Dubai urging people to follow Covid-19 distancing rules. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Participants seated adhering to social-distancing rules during an event at Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Participants seated adhering to social-distancing rules during an event at Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • An employee brings drinks to customers at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    An employee brings drinks to customers at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • An employee disinfects a table before welcoming customers in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    An employee disinfects a table before welcoming customers in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • An employee checks a customer's temperature at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    An employee checks a customer's temperature at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Visitors to Reform Athletica yoga studio in Dubai perform their exercises with their masks on. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Visitors to Reform Athletica yoga studio in Dubai perform their exercises with their masks on. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • An employee waits to measure customers' temperatures at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    An employee waits to measure customers' temperatures at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A cordoned off swing along the Abu Dhabi corniche amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Victor Besa / The National
    A cordoned off swing along the Abu Dhabi corniche amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Victor Besa / The National
  • A signboard on Covid-19 precautionary measures at Umm Al Emarat Park, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A signboard on Covid-19 precautionary measures at Umm Al Emarat Park, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Sharjah rolled out similar restrictions the previous day, while Abu Dhabi capped capacity at venues such as malls, restaurants and gyms last week.

Earlier this month, Dubai’s government imposed a series of restrictions on public places and venues.

It cut seating capacity in various venues including cinemas, entertainment and sports complexes to 50 per cent.

It also reduced hotel occupancy and swimming pool use to 70 per cent of capacity. Shopping malls will be allowed to accept only 70 per cent of their total capacity.

Restaurants and cafes will be required to close by 1am. They will also not be allowed to organise any entertainment activities.

Countries recognising Palestine

France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra

 

MATCH INFO

Asian Champions League, last 16, first leg:

Al Ain 2 Al Duhail 4

Second leg:

Tuesday, Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha. Kick off 7.30pm

Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Picture of Joumblatt and Hariri breaking bread sets Twitter alight

Mr Joumblatt’s pessimism regarding the Lebanese political situation didn’t stop him from enjoying a cheerful dinner on Tuesday with several politicians including Mr Hariri.

Caretaker Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury tweeted a picture of the group sitting around a table at a discrete fish restaurant in Beirut’s upscale Sodeco area.

Mr Joumblatt told The National that the fish served at Kelly’s Fish lounge had been very good.

“They really enjoyed their time”, remembers the restaurant owner. “Mr Hariri was taking selfies with everybody”.

Mr Hariri and Mr Joumblatt often have dinner together to discuss recent political developments.

Mr Joumblatt was a close ally of Mr Hariri’s assassinated father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri. The pair were leading figures in the political grouping against the 15-year Syrian occupation of Lebanon that ended after mass protests in 2005 in the wake of Rafik Hariri’s murder. After the younger Hariri took over his father’s mantle in 2004, the relationship with Mr Joumblatt endured.

However, the pair have not always been so close. In the run-up to the election last year, Messrs Hariri and Joumblatt went months without speaking over an argument regarding the new proportional electoral law to be used for the first time. Mr Joumblatt worried that a proportional system, which Mr Hariri backed, would see the influence of his small sect diminished.

With so much of Lebanese politics agreed in late-night meetings behind closed doors, the media and pundits put significant weight on how regularly, where and with who senior politicians meet.

In the picture, alongside Messrs Khoury and Hariri were Mr Joumbatt and his wife Nora, PSP politician Wael Abou Faour and Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon Nazih el Nagari.

The picture of the dinner led to a flurry of excitement on Twitter that it signified an imminent government formation. “God willing, white smoke will rise soon and Walid Beik [a nickname for Walid Joumblatt] will accept to give up the minister of industry”, one user replied to the tweet. “Blessings to you…We would like you to form a cabinet”, wrote another.  

The next few days will be crucial in determining whether these wishes come true.

The Book of Collateral Damage

Sinan Antoon

(Yale University Press)

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E640hp%20at%206%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E850Nm%20from%202%2C300-4%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E11.9L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh749%2C800%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
INDIA SQUAD

Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Tabby%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%20August%202019%3B%20platform%20went%20live%20in%20February%202020%3Cbr%3EFounder%2FCEO%3A%20Hosam%20Arab%2C%20co-founder%3A%20Daniil%20Barkalov%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Payments%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2040-50%20employees%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Series%20A%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Arbor%20Ventures%2C%20Mubadala%20Capital%2C%20Wamda%20Capital%2C%20STV%2C%20Raed%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Founders%20Capital%2C%20JIMCO%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Outliers%20VC%2C%20MSA%20Capital%2C%20HOF%20and%20AB%20Accelerator.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900