No one has remained unaffected by the coronavirus – not even the North Pole’s most famous resident.
And with social distancing measures in place, it looks like Santa Claus has his work cut out for him this year.
In light of these developments, one Dubai Santa is going to extra lengths to meet as many boys and girls around the world as he can – even if it's via a screen.
Santa Claus now has Zoom sessions
“The idea to move meetings with the children to Zoom came over the summer,” he explains. “There has just been so much uncertainty this year and, with everything moving online, getting Santa on Zoom just seemed like a natural progression.”
Zoom sessions with children start with a little research, as Santa makes sure to know a little about them before their chat begins – such as their ages, names and hobbies.
“I always tell them they’ve grown a lot since I last saw them – after all, Santa does visit every year!” he says. “I ask them to be more attentive to their parents, not to pick on their siblings. Sometimes I even remind them to keep washing those hands and using hand sanitisers.”
“The idea is to get them engaged and being proactive.”
According to this Santa, requests for Zoom sessions are growing by the day. In the first week of December he got six to 10 requests, whereas there were between 15 and 20 last week. In the week to come, he expects to hold more than 25 Zoom sessions – mostly with children from the UAE but also with those in other parts of the world.
“I try doing them in the mornings so I can leave afternoons free for home calls,” he says.
Changing Santa's gloves after every home visit
That’s right – social-distancing Santa makes home calls as well, though strict guidelines have to be followed.
“For many households, it's doorstep calls only,” he says. “I simply turn up, meet the children while keeping a two-metre distance and leave the gifts by the front door.”
If he is entering the house, more precautions are taken. “The face mask never comes off, there’s two metres of social distancing, and it’s a lucky thing Santa already wears gloves. I change them after every visit to be on the safe side.”
Being Santa is not just about saying 'ho ho ho' and climbing down a chimney. It's about the spirit of Christmas that needs to be upheld
Even visits to Santa’s grotto have changed this year. With close contact to Santa ruled out, and face masks an absolute must, he says one has to go out of their way to “remove the strangeness of the situation” when interacting with the little ones.
“I’m making an appearance at an event next week and one of the suggestions I gave was to put a desk and chair in front of Santa. Children can come, sit down and discuss what toys they want, with the desk providing an adequate barrier.”
According to him, it’s all the more important to keep up traditions this year, which has been fraught with uncertainty.
“Festivals bring people together and this year it’s more poignant because we can’t really be together. So, the question has been trying to find ways to be connected with other people, even if we are physically apart,” he explains.
But what makes all the effort worth it is the look on children’s faces, he says.
“It makes me realise what a huge responsibility this is. Being Santa is not just about saying ‘ho ho ho’ and climbing down a chimney. It’s about the magic and spirit of Christmas that needs to be upheld.”
To book a Zoom session with Santa, visit santaclaus-kd.com
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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.
Netherlands v UAE, Twenty20 International series
Saturday, August 3 - First T20i, Amstelveen
Monday, August 5 – Second T20i, Amstelveen
Tuesday, August 6 – Third T20i, Voorburg
Thursday, August 8 – Fourth T20i, Vooryburg
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
