No entry signs at Corniche Beach in Abu Dhabi in April. Public beaches and parks were closed in March to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Victor Besa / The National
No entry signs at Corniche Beach in Abu Dhabi in April. Public beaches and parks were closed in March to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Victor Besa / The National
No entry signs at Corniche Beach in Abu Dhabi in April. Public beaches and parks were closed in March to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Victor Besa / The National
No entry signs at Corniche Beach in Abu Dhabi in April. Public beaches and parks were closed in March to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Victor Besa / The National

Coronavirus: more Abu Dhabi public parks reopen at 40 per cent capacity


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More public parks will reopen in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

This will be the third stage of reopening parks and beaches across the emirate after they were closed in March to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The facilities are being opened after extensive sterilisation of the premises.

Thermal cameras will be placed at entrances to check the temperature of the visitors.

A maximum of five people are allowed per group and all must wear face masks.

The reopened parks will operate at 40 per cent capacity.

Food and beverage outlets will operate at 30 per cent capacity, with a maximum of four people per table. The tables should be placed at a minimum distance of 2.5m.

Play areas will be closed and parking will be at 50 per cent capacity.

All beachgoers must wear masks, and showers will be closed. Loungers for individuals should be placed at a minimum distance of 2.5m.

Facilities will be frequently sanitised by municipality workers to ensure the safety of visitors.

The parks set to reopen in Abu Dhabi are: Bani Yas Ladies Park, Shahama Park 2 and 3, Al Bahia Park, Al Rahba Park and New Airport Garden.

Nahil Park will reopen in Al Ain.

In Al Dhafra, Dalma and Sila Park will be open to public.

Earlier this month, the Department of Municipalities and Transport announced the reopening of Umm Al Emarat Park and Khalifa Park in Abu Dhabi, Al Sulaimi Park in Al Ain and Madinat Zayed in Al Dhafra.

Hudayriat Beach and Corniche Beach in Abu Dhabi, and Al Mirfa Beach in Al Dhafra are also open.

Other reopened public parks and beaches include, Al Bateen Beach, Delma Park, Rabdan Park and Sharea Park, Wathba Park, Shahama Park 1 and Kathem Park, Green Mubazzarah Park, Al Mirfa Park and Zayed Al Khair Park.

Authorities have also announced the reopening of Warner Bros World, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Clymb.

The popular indoor parks will reopen on July 29, just before Eid holidays.

Strict precautionary safety measures will be in place to ensure the safety of guests and employees.

This includes operating at 30 per cent capacity, which means that all customers (including annual passholders) must book online ahead of time.

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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

SPECS
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Know before you go
  • Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
  • If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
  • By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
  • Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
  • Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

 

Babumoshai Bandookbaaz

Director: Kushan Nandy

Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami

Three stars

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How to donate

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds  

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

While you're here
The biog

Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed

Age: 34

Emirate: Dubai

Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
 
  • Grade 9 = above an A*
  • Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
  • Grade 7 = grade A
  • Grade 6 = just above a grade B
  • Grade 5 = between grades B and C
  • Grade 4 = grade C
  • Grade 3 = between grades D and E
  • Grade 2 = between grades E and F
  • Grade 1 = between grades F and G
MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)

TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.