The Rixos Bab Al Bahr hotel in Ras Al Khaimah. Courtesy: Rixos
The Rixos Bab Al Bahr hotel in Ras Al Khaimah. Courtesy: Rixos
The Rixos Bab Al Bahr hotel in Ras Al Khaimah. Courtesy: Rixos
The Rixos Bab Al Bahr hotel in Ras Al Khaimah. Courtesy: Rixos

Coronavirus: Ras Al Khaimah certifies ‘stay safe’ hotels with daily spot checks


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Hotels in Ras Al Khaimah are being certified as ‘stay safe’ properties to put guests at ease who are looking to check into hotels in the city.

Staff members at all hotels are being tested for the symptoms with spot inspections in place.

As the UAE government eases Covid-19 restrictions, hotels across the country are heralding the return of domestic tourism as residents seek getaways amid the pandemic.

However, strict safety measures and preventive checks have been put in place to control the spread of the virus.

All staff members at hotels and their private beaches in the emirate are being tested for Covid-19.

Inspectors from Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority will also conduct daily spot checks to ensure preventive and hygiene measures are in place.

According to the authority, there are several regulations hotels must now adhere to.

Hotels have been asked to submit an application which details the safety measures in place to secure an official ‘stay safe’ hotel certification.

These applications are vetted by the emirate’s Public Service Department and the tourism authority.

The Hilton Al Hamra in Ras Al Khaimah. Courtesy Hilton
The Hilton Al Hamra in Ras Al Khaimah. Courtesy Hilton

If hoteliers meet the criteria, the authorities will certify them as safe hotels to check into.

“In Ras Al Khaimah, current hospitality standards and procedures include testing of all hotel staff for Covid-19, provision of masks and gloves for all guests, allocation of separate entrances and exits for guests and staff and mandatory thermal screening at all entrances on arrival,” said the authority in a statement.

Hoteliers have also been asked to follow guidelines on guest transportation, housekeeping, laundry and waste management.

In-room dining services have been extended to limit the number of diners in restaurants.

The big size of hotels in the city will help in following social distancing rules.

The ‘stay safe’ certificate assesses safety measures in different parts of the properties. These include reception and concierge areas, guest rooms, restrooms, restaurants and lounges, pools, beaches, spas fitness areas, kid clubs and retail spaces.

The official guidelines are based on advisories from the World Health Organisation, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the UAE federal authorities.

“We are working closely with our hospitality partners and government authorities to ensure the highest standards of hygiene are maintained and that all social distancing advisories are strictly adhered to across the emirate,” said Raki Phillips, chief executive of the authority.

“To help reassure our guests, colleagues and residents, we have also introduced the RAK ‘stay safe’ hotel certification that, once awarded, hotels can use to demonstrate their adoption of all the measures in place to protect everyone’s wellbeing.

“We know that many people are looking forward to what we’ve termed a ‘shortcation’ or longer holiday and our aim is to give them the confidence that they can comfortably enjoy their time in Ras Al Khaimah.”

On Wednesday, public parks and hotel beaches began reopening in Dubai, allowing groups of up to five people, under new rules governing the relaxation of movement restrictions.

Police officials earlier said that travel between the emirates is allowed as long as residents are off the roads and indoors between 10pm and 6am, which paves the way for personal, business travel and staycations.

UAE v Ireland

1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets

2nd ODI, January 12

3rd ODI, January 14

4th ODI, January 16

Leap of Faith

Michael J Mazarr

Public Affairs

Dh67
 

Bullet%20Train
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The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
What is safeguarding?

“Safeguarding, not just in sport, but in all walks of life, is making sure that policies are put in place that make sure your child is safe; when they attend a football club, a tennis club, that there are welfare officers at clubs who are qualified to a standard to make sure your child is safe in that environment,” Derek Bell explains.

THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

Dubai World Cup factbox

Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)

Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)

Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)

Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)

Tottenham's 10 biggest transfers (according to transfermarkt.com):

1). Moussa Sissokho - Newcastle United - £30 million (Dh143m): Flop

2). Roberto Soldado - Valencia -  £25m: Flop

3). Erik Lamela - Roma -  £25m: Jury still out

4). Son Heung-min - Bayer Leverkusen -  £25m: Success

5). Darren Bent - Charlton Athletic -  £21m: Flop

6). Vincent Janssen - AZ Alkmaar -  £18m: Flop

7). David Bentley - Blackburn Rovers -  £18m: Flop

8). Luka Modric - Dynamo Zagreb -  £17m: Success

9). Paulinho - Corinthians -  £16m: Flop

10). Mousa Dembele - Fulham -  £16m: Success

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In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff

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Day 2, Dubai Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Pakistan’s effort in the field had hints of shambles about it. The wheels were officially off when Wahab Riaz lost his run up and aborted the delivery four times in a row. He re-measured his run, jogged in for two practice goes. Then, when he was finally ready to go, he bailed out again. It was a total cringefest.

Stat of the day – 139.5 Yasir Shah has bowled 139.5 overs in three innings so far in this Test series. Judged by his returns, the workload has not withered him. He has 14 wickets so far, and became history’s first spinner to take five-wickets in an innings in five consecutive Tests. Not bad for someone whose fitness was in question before the series.

The verdict Stranger things have happened, but it is going to take something extraordinary for Pakistan to keep their undefeated record in Test series in the UAE in tact from this position. At least Shan Masood and Sami Aslam have made a positive start to the salvage effort.

8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21

  1. Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
  2. Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
  3. Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
  4. Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
  5. Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
  6. Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
  7. Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
  8. Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (Kick-off midnight UAE)

Saturday Levante v Getafe (5pm), Sevilla v Real Madrid (7.15pm), Atletico Madrid v Real Valladolid (9.30pm), Cadiz v Barcelona (midnight)

Sunday Granada v Huesca (5pm), Osasuna v Real Betis (7.15pm), Villarreal v Elche (9.30pm), Alaves v Real Sociedad (midnight)

Monday Eibar v Valencia (midnight)

ICC men's cricketer of the year

2004 - Rahul Dravid (IND) ; 2005 - Jacques Kallis (SA) and Andrew Flintoff (ENG); 2006 - Ricky Ponting (AUS); 2007 - Ricky Ponting; 2008 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI); 2009 - Mitchell Johnson (AUS); 2010 - Sachin Tendulkar (IND); 2011 - Jonathan Trott (ENG); 2012 - Kumar Sangakkara (SL); 2013 - Michael Clarke (AUS); 2014 - Mitchell Johnson; 2015 - Steve Smith (AUS); 2016 - Ravichandran Ashwin (IND); 2017 - Virat Kohli (IND); 2018 - Virat Kohli; 2019 - Ben Stokes (ENG); 2021 - Shaheen Afridi

RACECARD

6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (PA) $50,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
6.35pm: Festival City Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
7.10pm: Dubai Racing Club Classic – Listed (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.45pm: Jumeirah Classic Trial – Conditions (TB) $150,000 (T) 1,400m
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (D) 1,600m
8.55pm: Cape Verdi – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,600m
9.30pm: Dubai Dash – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,000m

Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

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Company Profile

Name: JustClean

Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries

Launch year: 2016

Number of employees: 130

Sector: online laundry service

Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding

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