• The deserted streets of Dubai with the Burj Khalifa in the background during April. EPA
    The deserted streets of Dubai with the Burj Khalifa in the background during April. EPA
  • Authorities in Dubai announced intensified restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles during early April. Pictured, Downtown Dubai. EPA
    Authorities in Dubai announced intensified restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles during early April. Pictured, Downtown Dubai. EPA
  • A road in Dubai is devoid of movement on April 5. AFP
    A road in Dubai is devoid of movement on April 5. AFP
  • Stay Safe Stay Home message on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    Stay Safe Stay Home message on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • A man wearing a face mask gazes at the Dubai skyline from a window on April 5, 2020. AFP
    A man wearing a face mask gazes at the Dubai skyline from a window on April 5, 2020. AFP
  • Normally busy roads are left empty in Dubai on April 5. EPA
    Normally busy roads are left empty in Dubai on April 5. EPA
  • Dubai's streets fall silent. EPA
    Dubai's streets fall silent. EPA
  • A traffic restriction message on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    A traffic restriction message on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • The almost empty Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    The almost empty Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • The almost deserted Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. EPA
    The almost deserted Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. EPA
  • An empty car park in the Design District after Dubai imposed new restrictions on travel and shopping due to the coronavirus. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    An empty car park in the Design District after Dubai imposed new restrictions on travel and shopping due to the coronavirus. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • An empty car park in the Design District after Dubai imposed new restrictions on travel and shopping due to the coronavirus. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    An empty car park in the Design District after Dubai imposed new restrictions on travel and shopping due to the coronavirus. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A car park is shut outside Al Barsha Park. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A car park is shut outside Al Barsha Park. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A sign reading in Arabic 'stay at home' is seen on the almost empty streets of Dubai. EPA
    A sign reading in Arabic 'stay at home' is seen on the almost empty streets of Dubai. EPA
  • Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road is deserted. AFP
    Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road is deserted. AFP
  • Two people ride motorcycles on the almost empty streets of Dubai. EPA
    Two people ride motorcycles on the almost empty streets of Dubai. EPA
  • A deserted Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. EPA
    A deserted Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. EPA
  • A person wearing protective face mask during the evening in Al Furjan area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    A person wearing protective face mask during the evening in Al Furjan area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • The Burj Khalifa without any visitors in Downtown Dubai in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    The Burj Khalifa without any visitors in Downtown Dubai in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • An empty road in DIFC area in Dubai on April 6. Pawan Singh / The National
    An empty road in DIFC area in Dubai on April 6. Pawan Singh / The National

Dubai's streets sit still and silent after restrictions are ramped up - in pictures


Ian Oxborrow
  • English
  • Arabic

For residents living along Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road, the constant sound of cars rushing by was typically just white noise.

Commuters heading to and from work, tourists making their way to the city's hot spots and people on business making their way to Dubai International Airport in a taxi – the main thoroughfare was constantly in motion.

Now, it largely sits silent, with a stillness punctuated only by birdsong.

New travel restrictions were imposed in Dubai on Sunday to tackle the rising number of coronavirus cases. Residents now need a permit to leave their homes.

This has left streets deserted, except for essential workers such as medical staff and delivery drivers.

Gleaming SUVs and the bright yellow school buses have been replaced by teams of municipality workers disinfecting the city as part of a disinfection programme.

The Dubai Metro has also gone quiet. The Red and Green lines were suspended and 49 stations closed until further notice. The tram was shut too.

____________

Essential coronavirus information

• Retain receipts to get Dubai radar fines waived

• Dubai's expanded travel restrictions explained

• Public told to wear masks at all times

What is in the disinfection spray being used

hall of shame

SUNDERLAND 2002-03

No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.

SUNDERLAND 2005-06

Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.

HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19

Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.

ASTON VILLA 2015-16

Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.

FULHAM 2018-19

Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.

LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.

BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

While you're here

Company Profile 

Founder: Omar Onsi

Launched: 2018

Employees: 35

Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)

Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

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Notable Yas events in 2017/18

October 13-14 KartZone (complimentary trials)

December 14-16 The Gulf 12 Hours Endurance race

March 5 Yas Marina Circuit Karting Enduro event

March 8-9 UAE Rotax Max Challenge

57%20Seconds
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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

The Facility’s Versatility

Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
 
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
 
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
 
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
 
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
 
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket