New 5G networks in Bahrain are helping the island state take on the global pandemic, with technology at the heart of a multiple-choice vaccination drive.
The nation’s 1.7 million population are among the first to benefit from lightning-fast internet speeds – and it is being put to good use in the fight against Covid-19.
From booking vaccine appointments and collecting virus data to the latest innovations to safeguard communities, national 5G coverage is playing its part.
Health authorities are offering residents a choice of vaccine, and aim to inoculate 5,000 every day. So far, more than 100,000 people have received inoculations.
It is certainly a new medical revolution and we want to see how this benefits patients and staff
“Rapid access to information is essential to innovation, particularly for next-generation services,” said Kamal bin Ahmed Mohamed, Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications.
“Our potential to generate, use, and ultimately export innovation will be pivotal for the growth and diversification of our economy.”
Bahrain was one of the first countries to deliver PCR test results via WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, while a chatbot delivered the latest pandemic information and direct links to YouTube guidance videos.
Bahrain is third on a global list of vaccine roll-outs, behind Israel and the UAE.
Residents have a choice of either the US-made Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or the Chinese-made Sinopharm – the two vaccines available in the UAE.
Anecdotally, more people are taking Sinopharm because it is readily available at every clinic in the country. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is available only at the King Hamed University Hospital.
Users of Bahrain’s government health app must fill in personal details to access a free appointment within days, followed by a second dose three weeks later.
Arrangements for others can also be made via the BeAware app, such as the elderly or those without smart devices, while mobile vaccination units are used to reach those in remote areas.
The approach is different to many other countries where only high-risk individuals can currently book appointments, or citizens are contacted by officials with pre-arranged times.
Last year, the kingdom made available a rapid testing service capable of diagnosing Covid-19 in just 15 minutes, without the need for a special laboratory.
In a similar campaign to the UAE, mass population testing and the construction of field hospitals rapidly developed at the height of the pandemic.
Public buses were converted into mobile testing units and residents summoned for tests at random.
Other early interventions included screenings at entry points and restrictions on travel from high-risk areas.
Everyone was tested on arrival, with a second test required within 10 days to give authorities data on how the virus was progressing in the country.
All confirmed cases are quarantined and treated, with those unable to maintain social distancing at home accommodated in quarantine centres.
Of the kingdom’s 100,000 cases, 96,000 have recovered with just 369 deaths.
Daily cases peaked in mid-September with 841, and while numbers steadily declined, in a similar trend to elsewhere in the region, numbers recently began to climb.
On January 26, 459 cases were reported, compared with just 114 on November 22.
As well as a high-speed vaccine booking process, other benefits from 5G are likely to be seen in content development, artificial intelligence, the internet of things and machine-to-machine communications.
An autonomous robot emitting UV light was used in the summer to disinfect public spaces and offices in the country.
The machine used short-wavelength UV to kill traces of the Sars-CoV-2 virus by disrupting its DNA in a process known as ultraviolet germicidal irradiation.
Developed by innovation academy Fab Lab Bahrain, the robot was filmed moving between desks in offices, sterilising work stations as it went.
At the time of its launch, the Ministry of Health’s undersecretary Dr Waleed Al Manea, said the technology would revolutionise the nation’s medical response to Covid-19.
“We started using the robots in the isolation and treatment facilities as part of the experimental phase to use AI in the health sector,” he said.
“It is certainly a new medical revolution and we want to see how this benefits patients and staff.
“This new technology will help doctors and nurses because they can evaluate the effectiveness of the robots and help incorporate them in their daily work.”
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%209
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Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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
'Peninsula'
Stars: Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Ra
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Rating: 2/5
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
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PRISCILLA
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WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UFC%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi
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Specs%20
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
AL%20BOOM
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Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
RESULT
West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' )
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72')
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