The Netherlands is entering a strict lockdown over Christmas and New Year as it tries to slow the spread of the highly-contagious Omicron variant.
All non-essential shops and services, including restaurants, hairdressers, museums and gyms will be closed from Sunday until January 14. All schools will be shut until at least January 9.
“The Netherlands is going into lockdown again from tomorrow,” caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said. The move was “unavoidable because of the fifth wave caused by the Omicron variant that is bearing down on us” and spreading faster than feared, he said.
Other European countries have also announced new restrictions, including France, Germany and Ireland.
A failure to act would likely lead to “an unmanageable situation in hospitals”, Rutte said.
Other measures in the lockdown rules include a recommendation that households receive no more than two visitors and that gatherings outside are also limited to a maximum of two people.
“We all know someone who needs some extra attention these days. Keep looking out for each other,” Rutte said.
“Christmas is the festival of hope and of light in the dark. And we have previously proven together that we as a society can handle a lot. Together we will overcome this period again.”
France has imposed “drastically tighter” travel restrictions on passengers from the UK. The country has also cancelled all official New Year's Eve celebrations and firework displays.
The French government said travellers from Britain must have a compelling reason for their trip which could not be tourism or business, a move that came into effect at midnight on Saturday. French nationals and their families are exempt.
Travellers who are permitted to enter will need to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test and people returning to France from the UK will need to self-isolate for a week.
All UK arrivals will need to present a negative PCR or antigen test taken within 24 hours, extended from 48 hours, and will have to quarantine in France for seven days, which can be reduced to 48 hours if they have a new negative test.
On Friday, additional Covid-19 restrictions were also announced in Germany and the Republic of Ireland.
Germany designated France, Norway and Denmark as “new high-risk areas”, alongside Lebanon and Andorra. Those who are unvaccinated or who have not recovered from the virus will be subject to quarantine with the possibility of testing on day five.
Earlier this week, Italy, Greece and Portugal said both vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors from the EU will need to have a negative test result on arrival, a rule similar to Ireland.
Greece's rules come into effect from Sunday and will only apply during Christmas.
In Ireland, various measures have been taken, including a mandate that pubs, restaurants, theatres and cinemas must close by 8pm.
In Switzerland, where 9,941 new infections were recorded on Friday, travellers, whether vaccinated or not, must present a negative PCR result on arrival and be tested on days four and seven of their stay, although this is set to ease from Monday, with visitors now able to choose between a quick test within 24 hours of arrival or a PCR test within 72 hours, local media reports.
As of Monday, the popular skiing destination will also put into force new Covid restrictions on public gatherings. This includes everyone having to provide negative tests in areas where masks cannot be worn and seating is not provided, for example.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex on Friday said the Omicron variant is “spreading at lightning speed”, with France's Health minister Olivier Veran saying on Saturday that between 7 and 10 per cent of new cases in the country are thought to be Omicron.
Since the pandemic started, Europe has reported more than 89 million cases and 1.5 million Covid-related deaths, according to the latest figures from the EU.
Covid-19 cases are surging in the UK, with Britain reporting 90,418 new cases on Saturday, slightly down on the record high of 93,045 infections on Friday.
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
Disposing of non-recycleable masks
Use your ‘black bag’ bin at home
Do not put them in a recycling bin
Take them home with you if there is no litter bin
- No need to bag the mask
Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Third Test
Day 3, stumps
India 443-7 (d) & 54-5 (27 ov)
Australia 151
India lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Gender equality in the workplace still 200 years away
It will take centuries to achieve gender parity in workplaces around the globe, according to a December report from the World Economic Forum.
The WEF study said there had been some improvements in wage equality in 2018 compared to 2017, when the global gender gap widened for the first time in a decade.
But it warned that these were offset by declining representation of women in politics, coupled with greater inequality in their access to health and education.
At current rates, the global gender gap across a range of areas will not close for another 108 years, while it is expected to take 202 years to close the workplace gap, WEF found.
The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracked disparities between the sexes in 149 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
After years of advances in education, health and political representation, women registered setbacks in all three areas this year, WEF said.
Only in the area of economic opportunity did the gender gap narrow somewhat, although there is not much to celebrate, with the global wage gap narrowing to nearly 51 per cent.
And the number of women in leadership roles has risen to 34 per cent globally, WEF said.
At the same time, the report showed there are now proportionately fewer women than men participating in the workforce, suggesting that automation is having a disproportionate impact on jobs traditionally performed by women.
And women are significantly under-represented in growing areas of employment that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, WEF said.
* Agence France Presse
