Live updates: follow the latest news on Covid-19 variant Omicron
UAE residents are cancelling winter travel plans amid concerns over the spread of the new Covid-19 variant, Omicron.
The new strain, which was first detected in South Africa, has spread around the world, with cases in countries such as Germany, Australia, the UK, Israel and Italy.
Several nations have moved to impose travel restrictions and have stepped up their own domestic safety measures in efforts to contain the spread.
The World Health Organisation, which classified Omicron a 'variant of concern', said on Monday the strain posed a high global risk due to its "unprecedented number of spike mutations".
Residents said they were worried about becoming infected by the new strain and wary of potential travel restrictions that may leave them stranded abroad.
'A risk we are not willing to take'
Javairia Hassan, 30, a Pakistani doctor in Dubai, has cancelled a trip to the UK her with her family. They were planning a month-long trip for December.
“I have a newborn baby and that is not a risk we are willing to take. We are worried about becoming infected and then not having access to proper medical care," she said.
“Then, there’s also the worry of not being able to come back. What if there are new travel restrictions? How will this affect our jobs? We just can’t risk it right now.”
Fernanda Troy, 37 a Brazilian Pilates studio manager in Dubai, said she cancelled their family trip to Brazil for the winter holidays.
Ms Troy said she missed her relatives back home and was hoping to visit, but is not going to risk it.
“We won’t be travelling this winter, as UAE is the only place we feel safe and secure that our government will do everything necessary to keep its population safe.
“We miss our family a lot but we won’t take the risk of possibly transmitting anything to them."
Someone close died recently and the family is devastated, she said.
“The ‘what if’ question comes to our mind all the time. What if we travel and get sick where there aren’t enough hospitals? What if countries close their borders? What if we lose someone just because we cannot be a bit more patient and wait until the world is safe again?” Ms Troy said.
Simon Bach, a Dubai resident from New Zealand, has scrapped a family skiing trip to Georgia.
He said he had the entire holiday planned, but decided not to travel after news emerged of how fast the new variant was spreading.
“It has a similar map to Delta. People ignored it and then it spread very quickly. I do have faith in the vaccines, but I am not going to travel around the world and risk myself and other people,” said Mr Bach, who runs a sports construction business.
Mother weighing up options
Zaibab Roker, an Indian teacher at Dubai’s Pristine Private School, has already paid about Dh10,000 for a 10-day trip to Georgia with her husband and daughter, 5, but is considering a cancellation.
The 35-year-old said she is feeling anxious over the increasing number of countries placing travel restrictions and does not want to get stranded abroad.
“We’re probably going to cancel the trip, depending on what news comes in the days ahead,” she said.
“We have never been infected with the virus, but we’ve seen our extended family go through it. So, to travel when there’s a new variant is such a big risk.
“We also don’t want to get stuck in another country. We don’t know what the situation could turn into and if there’ll be more travel restrictions placed. There could be problems at work.”
Wedding worries for couple
One Dubai resident is worried she will have to postpone her wedding for the fifth time, as a result of the latest developments with the Omicron variant.
“I’ve already planned and cancelled our wedding four times,” said Gemma Sinclair, an HR director from the UK.
“We were due to give notice of marriage in the UK at Christmas and see my mum for the first time in two years.
“Our wedding is in February 2022. So now it’s looking unlikely again.”
Ms Sinclair, 38, said she was still determined to travel but would follow the advice laid out by authorities.
“We are worried the decision won’t be in our hands,” she said.
“We’ve cancelled every other time because of government imposed lockdowns, or travel restrictions, or mandatory quarantine.
“This just feels like déjà vu.”
Another Dubai resident said she is due to fly to Manchester in the coming days and is worried she will not be able to travel if restrictions are expanded to tackle the new variant.
“I am getting nervous I won't get back,” said Fiona Deeb, 64, who owns a desert safari company in the UAE.
“I am not being foolish about travelling, I am going to see my terminally ill mother.”
A teacher in Dubai said his family was left wondering if they would have to cancel their holiday over Christmas.
“We are due to go to West Africa for three weeks,” said Matt Edwards, 45.
“We are not sure whether to cancel or not.
“We will decide day before I fly as the current situation is in its infancy and things could improve by then.”
A UAE travel agency said travellers were keeping a close eye on developments, but it was too early to give a clear picture of the impact Omicron would have on travel plans.
“Currently we have not seen major changes yet except to the countries recently closed,” Muzzammil Ahussain, executive vice president of travel agency Almosafer, said.
“Customers are inquiring about upcoming changes, as are we, but domestic and regional travel remains very strong.”
The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
Results
5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
RESULTS
6.30pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Final Song, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m
Winner Almanaara, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Grand Argentier, Brett Doyle, Doug Watson.
8.15pm Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Major Partnership, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner Universal Order, Richard Mullen, David Simcock.
If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
Company%C2%A0profile
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How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars
Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.
Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.
After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.
Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.
It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
RESULT
West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' )
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72')
Newcastle United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
Tottenham (Alli 61'), Davies (70')
Red card Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle)
'Midnights'
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The biog
Date of birth: 27 May, 1995
Place of birth: Dubai, UAE
Status: Single
School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar
University: University of Sharjah
Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.
