Emergency teams in Russia are battling a huge fire that broke out early on Friday at a shopping centre in Moscow.
The state-run Tass news agency said the fire was apparently started by a short circuit, which triggered an explosion at the Mega Khimki shopping centre in a northern district of the capital.
One death has been confirmed so far, said Sergey Poletykin, Moscow head in the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
However, authorities are looking into whether it could be a case of arson, Interfax news agency reported.
The blaze, which broke out around 6am, has spread over 1.8 hectares, Tass said.
Sixty people died, most of them children, in a 2018 fire at a shopping centre in Kemerovo, sparking protests in Siberia. The blaze was caused by a short circuit in a children's play area.
Eight people, including fire safety and mall chiefs, were handed lengthy prison sentences over the incident.
Investigators said the public security system had been turned off and illegal exits blocked at the Winter Cherry shopping centre, trapping shoppers inside.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
