Sanitisation workers from Abu Dhabi's waste management company Tadweer assemble at night before a citywide disinfection. Victor Besa / The National
Sanitation workers at Haddins Fitness, Zayed Sports City. Victor Besa / The National
The new Seha National Screening Project in Mussaffah Industrial Area in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
A sign at Al Qudra cycle path warns people about cycling in groups in light of the corona virus.. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abu Dhabi Police bicycle patrol do night operations around the Mussaffah area to warn or catch curfew violators in the residential areas. Victor Besa / The National
Corona. A very quiet Umm Suqeim Street. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Corona. A car scooter drives off Sheikh Zayed Road during the 24hr lockdown due to Covid-19. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Coronavirus. Sheikh Zayed road is still very quite on the first morning where the government has eased restrictions on personal travel due to Covid-19. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A lady exercises in the marina on the first morning where the government has eased restrictions on personal travel due to Covid-19. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Coronavirus/Covid-19. A man walks passed a huge sign on Sheikh Zayed Road that says 'Stay Home'. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Coronavirus/Covid-19. Sharjah police officer Mohammed-Hassan Alshehhi goes through the self sanitization walk at Sharjah Industrial Area Police Station. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Covid-19/Coronavirus. Maria, Fraz and Nuno (L) work out. Crank an Indoor Cycling & Boutique Fitness Studio have brought in partitions between bikes to protect their customers from Covid 19. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Coronavirus/Covid-19. Abi Cooke (pictured) and Rebecca Wright run a fashion company called Alana Bree. They make and sell dresses in the UAE. They have started making masks which match dresses. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Coronavirus/Covid-19. Safety measures Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh temple has put into place as places of worship hope to open soon. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A piece of gym equipment goes unused with a sign saying do not sit here due to Covid-19/Coronavisus. Sharjah. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A big sign on Al Khalil road advises people to stay informed due to Covid-19/Coronavisus. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Covid-19/Coronavirus. Khalaf Al Habtoor, chairman of Al Habtoor Group comes to inspect the social distancing measures at Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Covid-19/Coronavirus. Midday prayers are performed at Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Visitors wearing the protective face mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. Authorities ease the restriction for the residents in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
Shoppers wearing protective face mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. Authorities ease the restriction for the residents in Dubai. At present mall opening timing is 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Pawan Singh / The National
Fruit vendor wearing protective face mask at the Al Awir fruit & vegetable market in Dubai. UAE government ease the coronavirus restriction for the residents around the country. Pawan Singh / The National
A salesman wearing protective face mask at his traditional shoes shop in Bur Dubai area in Dubai. UAE government ease the coronavirus restriction for the residents around the country. Pawan Singh / The National
A person wearing protective face mask at the Grand souq which is closed as a preventive measure against coronavirus in Bur Dubai area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
People wearing protective face mask as a preventive measure against the spread of coronavirus and maintaining safe distance when sitting on the benches at the Umm Suqeim park near Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
Safety stickers at the Redtag store in Al Naeem City Centre in Ras Al Khaimah. Pawan Singh / The National
Human sanitizing tunnel installed for the visitors as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus at the Gurunanak Darbar in Jebel Ali in Dubai. Places of worship opening up in the UAE. Pawan Singh / The National
A commuter enters a disinfection tunnel at Abu Dhabi's central bus terminal. Victor Besa / The National
Barbers at Möto Barber in Al Quoz were back to 100% capacity for cutting hair and beards today after a slow return to business. During the Lockdown they were fully closed but have seen a massive demand in their services as people have been allowed to leave their homes again. Antonie Robertson/The National
Busy Dubai beaches after the beach restrictions were lifted in Dubai. Residents and visitors visit the beach near Kite Beach in Dubai even though the temperatures are in the high 30’s with high humidity. With social distancing in place the wearing of masks compulsory. Antonie Robertson/The National
Staff at Nightjar Coffee in Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz follow strict sanitary procedures due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic to ensure health and safety measures put in place by Dubai Municipality is adhered to. Antonie Robertson/The National
Shoppers in Souk Khabeer in Bur Dubai. The National
Christina Yakubel, a teacher at Chubby Cheeks Nursery prepares to teach children at home how to make edible playdough during the shutdown of educational institutions in the country to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Antonie Robertson / The National
Sharjah municipal staff prepare to disinfect the sidewalks as part of weekend drive across the UAE to sterilise public spaces to curb the coronavirus outbreak. Antonie Robertson / The National
General COVID-19 Coverage. View of Ras Al Khaimah during the Stay At Home campaign in effect during the Corona / Covid-19 pandemic. Antonie Robertson/The National
The Reif Japanese Kushiyaki restaurant in Dar Wasl Mall. preparedness and resilience are necessary for any business to survive the coronavirus pandemic. Antonie Robertson / The National
Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced increased restrictions on movement in Al Ras area of Dubai for two weeks effective from today to facilitate intensified sterilisation procedures. Reem Mohammed/The National
People line up in Bur Dubai to receive an iftar pack from volunteers of the Kerala NGO Markaz. Reem Mohammed/The National
SEHA’s Ras Al Khaimah Covid-19 drive-through testing centre. Reem Mohammed/The National
A nurse checks on a covid 19 patient at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City. Reem Mohammed/The National
The drive-in cinema is making a comeback at Mall Of The Emirates, as the property and VOX Cinemas take the movie-going experience outdoors. Photo: Reem Mohammed/The National
Volunteers at the iftar distribution in Dubai Investment Park, inside a small mosque, pick up their iftars. Reem Mohammed/The National
Beauty specialists in Abeer Salon in Baniyas neighborhood. They’ve been closed for the duration of 2 months, and opened only Tuesday. Reem Mohammed/The National
An employee takes your temperature at Pastels Salon in Mercato. Reem Mohammed/The National
Feby Cachero Baguisa Dela Peña sits with her family by the Patchi Building in Al Muraqabat Street in Deira, Dubai, with boxes of food she’s cooked at home, free for anyone who needs it. Reem Mohammed / The National
Men exercising in a park by Dubai Creek in Baniyas, Deira. Reem Mohammed/The National
Men sit by Dubai Creek on Baniyas road in Deira. Reem Mohammed/The National
A man sits by Dubai Creek on Baniyas road in Deira. Reem Mohammed/The National :
People line outside a shop with a clearance sale in Al Sabkha. Reem Mohammed/The National
Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed/The National
Dubai Mounted Police officers, in Al Aweer, patrol residential and commercial areas to insure residents are staying safe indoors during COVID-19 lockdown. They patrol the streets from 6PM to 6AM. Reem Mohammed/The National
A group of homeless men has taken residence in the shade in Karama. Reem Mohammed/The National
A patient gets an anti-body test at King's College Hospital. Reem Mohammed/The National
Shiva temple in Dubai. Hindu temples and a Sikh gurdwara in Dubai are also ready to open without ritual ceremonies and offerings to the gods. Regular deep cleaning, thermal scanners at the entrance and individual temperature checks are among safety measures. Reem Mohammed/The National
Shiva temple in Dubai. Hindu temples and a Sikh gurdwara in Dubai are also ready to open without ritual ceremonies and offerings to the gods. Reem Mohammed/The National
The National Screening Center, Mina Rashed, Dubai. A passenger in a Dubai Taxi about to get tested at the center. Victor Besa / The National
The door-to-door testing team are playing a vital role in Abu Dhabi's efforts to limit the spread of Covid-19. Victor Besa/The National
The once again busy streets at downtown Abu Dhabi during afternoon rush hour after Covid-19 restrictions have been eased following the completion of a three-month national sterilisation programme. Victor Besa / The National
The new Ambulatory Healthcare Services, a SEHA Health System Facility, National Screening Project in Mussafah Industrial Area in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Residents enjoy the sunset at the Corniche before the 6 p.m. curfew by the UAE government on the first day of the nationwide cleaning campaign to help deter the Coronavirus from spreading. Victor Besa / The National
The silent streets of downtown Abu Dhabi during the Coronavirus epidemic. King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street. Victor Besa / The National
Empty streets at Khalifa City during the Coronavirus epidemic. at Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Abu Dhabi First Responder teams used a fleet of futuristic-looking equipment, which was originally rolled out to tackle fires, has now been redeployed as virus-fighting tech in the National Disinfection Programme. Victor Besa/The National
The streets of Mussaffah are sprayed with disinfection during a national campaign to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Victor Besa / The National
Half a year has passed since the World Health Organisation’s China office reported cases of “viral pneumonia” in the central city of Wuhan. The disease turned out to be a novel strain of the highly infectious coronavirus. Today, the ensuing pandemic has claimed more than half a million lives and infected 10.6 million people worldwide.
Covid-19 has weighed on health care infrastructure and changed the lives of billions. Restrictions on travel and freedom of movement, as well as physical distancing measures, are important initiatives meant to protect us all. But at the same time, they have sent the global economy into recession.
Governments everywhere have been forced to take action, some more quickly than others, and the private sector has had to find ways to operate profitably while protecting customers and workers. Flexible work is set to become a growing trend, even after the pandemic.
Technology has also proven to be an invaluable tool. Educators are resorting to online classes and tests, health authorities are using contact-tracing applications to identify potential Covid-19 clusters and businesses are relying more than ever on online delivery services and social media.
Countries would be wise to learn from past mistakes in order to protect lives and livelihoods in the next phase, as more nations reopen their economies. Putting in place strategies not only to deal with the immediate health crisis but also to prepare nations for its long-term impact on livelihoods is vital. Social safety nets and initiatives to boost the economy and aid struggling businesses are pivotal for societies to heal. So is ensuring that people are well informed of the ways they can protect themselves from disease. Individual responsibility complements the work of health authorities to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The world can also learn from many of the communication issues that have affected the global response. For instance, false information and conspiracy theories about the virus continue to linger. These have misled some people into believing Covid-19 was either a complete fabrication or a relatively benign disease akin to the flu. Scientists and doctors have led the fight against disinformation, and governments have raised awareness about the risks associated with coronavirus.
As the Northern Hemisphere enters the height of summer, there is a widespread, though as yet unconfirmed, theory that the heat will slow the spread of the virus. In reality, Covid-19 cases are not on the decline. "Although many countries have made some progress, globally the pandemic is actually speeding up," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this week.
Countries would be wise to learn from past mistakes to protect lives and livelihoods in the next phase, as more nations reopen their economies
Some countries are slowly beginning to open up their economies while applying new hygiene and physical distancing rules, but others are witnessing a surge in infections. The new centres of the virus are now in the Americas, Russia and India. The US alone accounts for more than one in four of all confirmed Covid-19 cases and has registered more than 130,000 deaths.
The world has made it through six months of a global health crisis. By learning from past mistakes, world leaders and ordinary people alike can make the fight against Covid-19 a success in the six months to come.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine 2.4L four-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.4L/100km
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah 5.10pm: Continous 5.45pm: Raging Torrent 6.20pm: West Acre 7pm: Flood Zone 7.40pm: Straight No Chaser 8.15pm: Romantic Warrior 8.50pm: Calandogan 9.30pm: Forever Young
PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
Dh145 is the price of a ticket
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
Smart words at Make Smart Cool
Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night. Prince Ea
With his social media videos accumulating more half a billion views, the American motivational speaker is hot on the college circuit in the US, with talks that focus on the many ways to generate passion and motivation when it comes to learning. Khalid Al Ameri
The Emirati columnist and presenter is much loved by local youth, with writings and presentations about education, entrepreneurship and family balance. His lectures on career and personal development are sought after by the education and business sector. Ben Ouattara
Born to an Ivorian father and German mother, the Dubai-based fitness instructor and motivational speaker is all about conquering fears and insecurities. His talk focuses on the need to gain emotional and physical fitness when facing life’s challenges. As well managing his film production company, Ouattara is one of the official ambassadors of Dubai Expo2020.
Carly Lewis (captain), Emily Fensome, Kelly Loy, Isabel Affley, Jessica Cronin, Jemma Eley, Jenna Guy, Kate Lewis, Megan Polley, Charlie Preston, Becki Quigley and Sophie Siffre. Deb Jones and Lucia Sdao – coach and assistant coach.
