Live updates: follow the latest news on Covid-19 variant Omicron
Countries around the world have rushed to close their borders to African countries after the World Health Organisation declared Omicron a coronavirus variant of concern on Friday.
The new strain – initially known as B.1.1.529 – has triggered a surge in cases in South Africa, with infections also detected in countries such as Australia, the UK, Germany, Israel, Italy and the Czech Republic.
The WHO has said the variant must still be thoroughly studied to assess its danger to the public.
Many nations around the world – including in the Gulf region – have taken swift action to safeguard public health and stem the spread of the variant by imposing travel restrictions.
Here, The National summarises the new travel rules in the region.
UAE
The UAE has suspended the entry of travellers from seven southern Africa countries due to concerns over the new Covid-19 variant.
The decision, which comes into effect on Monday, will apply to passengers who have travelled through South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Botswana or Mozambique over the past 14 days.
The General Civil Aviation Authority and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority made the announcement on Friday.
Flights will continue to transport passengers from the UAE to these seven countries for now.
Citizens of the UAE, members of diplomatic missions, official delegations and those with golden residence visas are excluded from the new rules.
Bahrain
Bahrain banned the entry of travellers from South Africa and several other African nations in recent days.
South Africa was initially joined on the ban list by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini, the state news agency BNA reported on Friday.
On Sunday, passengers from Malawi, Mozambique, Angola and Zambia were also prohibited from entering Bahrain.
Bahraini citizens and residency visa holders are excluded from the ban, which was announced by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Israel
Israel will bar entry to the country of all foreign citizens for 14 days, effective from midnight on Sunday, under tough new directives announced by the Prime Minister's Office.
Israel has seven suspected cases of the Omicron variant, the country's Health Ministry reported.
Three involve people who did not travel abroad recently, while four had returned from abroad, including one who travelled from Malawi. Three of the seven were classified as vaccinated.
Late on Saturday the country's coronavirus cabinet approved measures to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant.
Ministers also expanded mandatory quarantine for vaccinated Israelis arriving from abroad and gave the country’s security agency clearance to resume tracking infected people.
Jordan
Jordan's Interior Ministry has announced a ban for non-Jordanian travellers coming from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini.
Kuwait
Kuwait is to suspend direct flights from nine African countries from Sunday, the government communication centre tweeted on Saturday, citing a Cabinet decision.
Those countries are South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zambia and Malawi.
Morocco
Morocco has banned travellers from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini.
Oman
Oman has suspended entry to travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini starting from Sunday, the country's state news agency said in a tweet on Saturday.
Qatar
Qatar Airways said on Saturday it has banned entry to travellers from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Qatar's Ministry of Public Health updated its list of exceptional red list countries, under which entry to unvaccinated passengers is barred, on Friday in response to the new variant.
South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Lesotho are also on the list.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia on Friday suspended flights to and from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini.
It said, however, that foreign citizens from the seven countries could enter the kingdom if they had spent the previous 14 days in another country and comply with Saudi Arabia's health protocols.
On Saturday, the kingdom updated its rules and said it will allow entry to travellers "from all countries", as long as they have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine inside Saudi Arabia.
Authorities said people would be allowed in from December 3 and would need to quarantine for three days. It did not mention the flight suspensions.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Interior confirmed the suspension of flights to and from another seven countries; Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, Angola, Seychelles, Mauritius and Comoros.
The%20specs
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Dubai World Cup nominations
UAE: Thunder Snow/Saeed bin Suroor (trainer), North America/Satish Seemar, Drafted/Doug Watson, New Trails/Ahmad bin Harmash, Capezzano, Gronkowski, Axelrod, all trained by Salem bin Ghadayer
USA: Seeking The Soul/Dallas Stewart, Imperial Hunt/Luis Carvajal Jr, Audible/Todd Pletcher, Roy H/Peter Miller, Yoshida/William Mott, Promises Fulfilled/Dale Romans, Gunnevera/Antonio Sano, XY Jet/Jorge Navarro, Pavel/Doug O’Neill, Switzerland/Steve Asmussen.
Japan: Matera Sky/Hideyuki Mori, KT Brace/Haruki Sugiyama. Bahrain: Nine Below Zero/Fawzi Nass. Ireland: Tato Key/David Marnane. Hong Kong: Fight Hero/Me Tsui. South Korea: Dolkong/Simon Foster.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Profile of Hala Insurance
Date Started: September 2018
Founders: Walid and Karim Dib
Based: Abu Dhabi
Employees: Nine
Amount raised: $1.2 million
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, AB Accelerator, 500 Startups, private backers
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203S%20Money%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20London%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Zhiznevsky%2C%20Eugene%20Dugaev%20and%20Andrei%20Dikouchine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%245.6%20million%20raised%20in%20total%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
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