Egypt announced plans to vaccinate half of its population by the end of 2021 by raising the rate of inoculations to 500,000 a day, a government representative said on Monday.
After a four-week period of shorter working hours for Egypt's businesses instated before the Eid Al Fitr holiday, hours were re-extended on Tuesday after a marked improvement in the course of the pandemic, said Cabinet spokesman Nader Saad during a round of televised phone-in interviews on Egyptian television.
Mr Saad said new Covid-19 case numbers declined in recent weeks, which he attributed to the increase in nationwide vaccinations.
More than 2.1 million people have received their first jab since the launch of the vaccine programme, with about 325,000 receiving both doses, Mr Saad said.
"The recent surge in inoculations is due to a growing number of Egyptians changing their mind and being more open to the idea of being vaccinated. We have also seen a rise in online registrations for taking the vaccine," Mr Saad said.
Mobile vaccination units are stationed outside post offices all over Egypt to immunise elderly citizens who have to go there every month to cash their pension cheques.
The health ministry, however, is wary of the recent improvements in the epidemiological situation, saying that they have been recorded in the past only for things to deteriorate again when people get complacent and flout Covid-19 preventive measures.
"While we have decided to ease the restricted working hours that were put in place over the past month, we have also doubled the fines and reprimands we are taking against anyone who flouts preventive measures," Mr Saad said.
The harsher reprimands include a fine of 4,000 Egyptian pounds ($255) for any businesses that stay open past their state-mandated closing times, in addition to two weeks of closure for first-time offenders (previously one week), and one month for repeat offenders (previously two weeks).
Health Minister Hala Zayed announced on Sunday that 403 vaccination centres had been opened nationwide, as well as several mobile vaccination units that will immunise those with disabilities that prevent them from going to vaccination centres.
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She revealed that Egypt is currently vaccinating 110,000 people per day, a number which should rise to about half a million by the end of June as more vaccination centres open nationwide.
Mr Saad said that the government, which is currently manufacturing its own doses of the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine, expects to produce 3 million doses of the jab in June alone.
Mr Saad also announced that teachers and university professors, particularly those directly supervising student examinations, will be among the first to be vaccinated in the coming period because of their close contact with young people.
All hotel employees in the Red Sea resort cities of Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh, two of the country’s most important tourist hotspots, have been vaccinated, Ms Zayed said, with plans to vaccinate those working at other tourism establishments in both cities soon.
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
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RESULT
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
Arsenal: Aubameyang (13')
Chelsea: Jorginho (83'), Abraham (87')
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Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)
Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17
Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)
Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40
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