LATEST: UAE braces for three days of heavy rain and thunderstorms
At least 12 people have died and five others remain missing after flash floods hit large parts of Oman on Sunday.
Nine of the deceased were students, two were citizens and one was an expatriate resident, Oman's National Committee for Emergency Management confirmed.
The authority said on social media that at least nine of the deaths were as a result of vehicles being swept away by floodwaters following torrential rain.
Omani Police are conducting land and air operations to rescue people trapped in flooded areas, including valleys.
The force said it had conducted a series of helicopter rescues on Sunday to come to the aid of people trapped during the hazardous weather, transport the injured to hospital and carry out searches for those reported missing.
Oman's National Multi Hazard Early Warning Centre had earlier stated it had received dozens of reports of people being stranded in cars and of homes and shops being flooded.
It said field teams, including police and Ministry of Defence personnel, had been deployed to deliver crucial assistance.
Oman's Civil Aviation Authority warned severe thunderstorms and high winds and hail would persist until Monday evening in a number of regions of the country.
People were urged to exercise caution during the unstable weather.
In August, three members of an Emirati family died when they tried to cross a flooded wadi in Al Buraimi.
In July 2022, 19 people died during severe flooding as Oman marked the Eid Al Adha holidays, leaving the nation in mourning.
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Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
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4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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