Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the virus has disrupted lives, severely affected the economy and changed our relationship with the workplace. Private companies and public institutions all over the world have had to adapt the way they do business in order to protect their staff. This has meant re-arranging office spaces to allow for as little contact as possible, or limiting the number of employees who come into the workplace so as to maintain physical distancing measures.
In May, major technology firms announced that flexible work would become the norm for their employees. Google and Facebook said that their staff will work from home until next year, while Amazon and Microsoft decided it was best for most of their employees to work remotely until at least October. Twitter and Square, a business services company, took it a step further, giving their employees the option of working remotely for an indefinite period of time.
New technologies and means of communication have played a big role in facilitating this transition, even amid a pandemic. The UAE has invested in those fields for years and it was the first country in the world to designate a Minister of Artificial Intelligence. Investing in those key sectors has prepared the Emirates to cope with the impact of Covid-19 on the workplace. Last month, Omar Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Digital Economy, AI and Remote Working System, told a reduced audience at the Dubai World Trade Centre that “because of our connectivity and the right investments, the government could operate 100 per cent virtually” when Covid-19 restrictions had to be put in place.
Mr Al Olama said that “remote working was seen as a luxury and a gimmick, in the past”. Yet the pandemic has pushed private and public sector employers to become more flexible and innovative. Remote learning and school closures have also added pressure on companies and government entities to allow parents more leeway to take care of their children.
Dubai has spearheaded innovation in the workplace, taking steps to allow for flexible work in the public sector. Beginning next week, Dubai government staff will be free to commence their shifts at any time between 6.30am and 8.30am, as long as they complete their contracted hours. The measure aims to improve productivity and maintain employee satisfaction. Transport experts have also said the decision could help to alleviate rush hour traffic.
Dubai has spearheaded innovation in the workplace, taking steps to allow for flexible work in the public sector
For some employees, being given the option of flexible work hours or remote working has allowed for a better work-life balance. For others, it is not as easy but they have adjusted as Covid-19 developments forced them too. Flexible working arrangements can also be beneficial for employers, as studies have shown that remote working boosts productivity. A survey by Prodocscore, a US-based company, indicated a 47 per cent increase in productivity for those working from home. Of course, there are sectors like those for emergency services, that cannot provide the same flexibility but they too have adapted.
Some employees have enjoyed flexible working for years. Due to Covid-19, it is now also becoming a trend in the region. The UAE is at the vanguard of workplace innovation in the Middle East, and will certainly pave the way for others to follow suit.
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Barcelona v Real Madrid, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final, second leg (first-leg score)
Porto (0) v Liverpool (2), Wednesday, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
EXPATS
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