Al Rashidiya area of Ajman pictured from the emirate's fish market. Reem Mohammed / The National
Al Rashidiya area of Ajman pictured from the emirate's fish market. Reem Mohammed / The National
Al Rashidiya area of Ajman pictured from the emirate's fish market. Reem Mohammed / The National
Al Rashidiya area of Ajman pictured from the emirate's fish market. Reem Mohammed / The National

Ajman eases restrictions on malls, restaurants and other businesses for Ramadan


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Ajman will lift restrictions on malls, restaurants cafes and other businesses for the duration of Ramadan.

The emirate had measures in place to stop public gatherings and prevent the spread of Covid-19 but these will be lifted – with conditions – to allow people to "secure essentials".

The Department of Economic Development on Saturday issued a list of guidelines for "reopening economic activities" while still protecting public safety.

The conditions include the mandatory use of face masks and optional use of gloves by anyone who leaves their home. Those who do go out, are also limited to four hours outside their home and must maintain a distance of two metres from others.

Gatherings of more than 10 people in homes are prohibited.

SHARJAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. 26 MARCH 2020. Sharjah Municipal staff spray and disinfect the sidewalk along the Al Muntazah Str area of Sharjah near the Ajman border. . (Photo: Antonie Robertson/The National) Journalist: None. Section: National.
SHARJAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. 26 MARCH 2020. Sharjah Municipal staff spray and disinfect the sidewalk along the Al Muntazah Str area of Sharjah near the Ajman border. . (Photo: Antonie Robertson/The National) Journalist: None. Section: National.

Shopping centres can open as of April 28 from 12pm to 10pm daily but only 30 per cent of the shops in the malls can be open at one time. Similarly, those shops, restaurants and cafes cannot exceed 30 per cent customer capacity.

Buffets and shisha cafes are still banned from opening and all restaurants and cafes must provide only disposable tableware to their customers. Cinemas, other attractions and changing rooms must remain closed.

Gathering for religious reasons including for prayer is still prohibited and prayer rooms cannot reopen in public areas.

No food should be directly donated to provided to anyone outside the family, unless organised through a licensed authority.

People are allowed to exercise outdoors either individually or with one other family member but this must be near their home and for only one hour per day. Group exercises are not allowed.

Salons can reopen but only offer hairdressing and nail clipping, according to the department, which said salons would also be expected to sanitise all equipment after each use and appropriately protect their staff.

Companies can reopen their offices but cannot exceed more than 30 per cent of their staff in the workplace. The rest should continue to work remotely. Priority to resume work in offices is given to employees who live in Ajman. Meetings or gatherings of more than five people are prohibited and offices cannot be open for longer than eight hours per day.

The disinfection drive will continue every evening from 10pm to 6am, when no one is allowed to leave their home – except in case of absolute necessity.

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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history

4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon

- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.

50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater

1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.  

1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.

1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.

-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.

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Four reasons global stock markets are falling right now

There are many factors worrying investors right now and triggering a rush out of stock markets. Here are four of the biggest:

1. Rising US interest rates

The US Federal Reserve has increased interest rates three times this year in a bid to prevent its buoyant economy from overheating. They now stand at between 2 and 2.25 per cent and markets are pencilling in three more rises next year.

Kim Catechis, manager of the Legg Mason Martin Currie Global Emerging Markets Fund, says US inflation is rising and the Fed will continue to raise rates in 2019. “With inflationary pressures growing, an increasing number of corporates are guiding profitability expectations downwards for 2018 and 2019, citing the negative impact of rising costs.”

At the same time as rates are rising, central bankers in the US and Europe have been ending quantitative easing, bringing the era of cheap money to an end.

2. Stronger dollar

High US rates have driven up the value of the dollar and bond yields, and this is putting pressure on emerging market countries that took advantage of low interest rates to run up trillions in dollar-denominated debt. They have also suffered capital outflows as international investors have switched to the US, driving markets lower. Omar Negyal, portfolio manager of the JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Income Trust, says this looks like a buying opportunity. “Despite short-term volatility we remain positive about long-term prospects and profitability for emerging markets.” 

3. Global trade war

Ritu Vohora, investment director at fund manager M&G, says markets fear that US President Donald Trump’s spat with China will escalate into a full-blown global trade war, with both sides suffering. “The US economy is robust enough to absorb higher input costs now, but this may not be the case as tariffs escalate. However, with a host of factors hitting investor sentiment, this is becoming a stock picker’s market.”

4. Eurozone uncertainty

Europe faces two challenges right now in the shape of Brexit and the new populist government in eurozone member Italy.

Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, which has offices in Dubai, says the stand-off between between Rome and Brussels threatens to become much more serious. "As with Brexit, neither side appears willing to step back from the edge, threatening more trouble down the line.”

The European economy may also be slowing, Mr Beauchamp warns. “A four-year low in eurozone manufacturing confidence highlights the fact that producers see a bumpy road ahead, with US-EU trade talks remaining a major question-mark for exporters.”