A post-coronavirus public health law focused on healthy school meals and better mental health facilities was approved by the Federal National Council on Wednesday.
The advisory council met remotely overnight to discuss the draft bill, which covers a series of health-related issues including services for the elderly and disabled, mental health facilities, standards for baby food and school cafeterias, and credibility criteria for health advertisements.
Under the new law, which must be approved by the Cabinet, a public health committee will be formed to deal with any issues related to the law.
"The draft law aims to set a comprehensive system of rules and scientific procedures to protect public health, whether from a precautionary perspective or scientific evidence," said Dr Hawaa Al Mansoori, head of a health committee that was charged with studied the draft law at the FNC.
One of the main aspects of the law is to place fines on schools that provide unhealthy meals to pupils.
Previously, the Ministry of Health and Prevention had set fines between Dh200,000 and Dh1 million for companies that supply school cafeterias with food that does not meet specific health standards. The manager of the school canteen would also be fined between Dh10,000 to Dh100,000 for serving unhealthy food to children.
On Tuesday, the FNC lowered the fine for suppliers to Dh50,000 – Dh300,000 and reduced the cap for the fine against the canteen supervisor to Dh50,000.
Abdulrahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, argued that the original fines were too severe and that canteen supervisors typically have a low income.
Members of the council argued both positions with some saying the health of children was at stake while others argued that the food may be “unhealthy but it is not spoiled or poisonous”.
“The article says ‘food that does not meet the health standards’. It does not have to be damaging, it could be fattening food that has a high percentage of oil or fat and therefore does not meet health standards,” said Mr Al Owais, adding that the goal of the law is to ensure that pupils eat healthy food at school.
Figures from the ministry estimate that 40 per cent of children in the UAE are either obese or overweight, which increases the risk of these children developing Type 2 diabetes.
As a result, the UAE government introduced a lunch box ban on junk foods and fizzy drinks in schools last year.
Parents were prohibited from packing unhealthy food items including processed meats, chocolate bars and spreads for pupils studying at government schools.
Food served at cafeterias is also closely monitored to ensure healthy meals are available for pupils
On Tuesday, the FNC voted to keep the reduced fines but agreed the health of children was paramount.
The draft law also includes fines of between Dh50,000 and Dh150,000 for publishing a health-related advert that does not meet the specific standards.
Other health issues covered by the new regulation include those related to the environmental and noise pollution, which could affect people’s health but no further details were disclosed.
The draft law also requires the ministry to set standards to protect the health of people with disabilities, to co-ordinate between their treatment centres and to provide mental health cover.
FNC member Naema Al Mansoori recommended a mental health facility be set up in every emirate “not just in Abu Dhabi and Dubai” to ensure everyone in need could have access.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Results
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah – Group 2 (PA) $36,000 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: RB Money To Burn, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Turf) 2,410m, Winner: Star Safari, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
7.40pm: Meydan Trophy – Conditions (TB) $50,000 (T) 1,900m, Winner: Secret Protector, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
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9.25pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (T) 1,000m, Winner: Motafaawit, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
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Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans
Jasmin Mujanović, Hurst Publishers
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Leganes v Getafe (12am)
Levante v Alaves (4pm)
Real Madrid v Sevilla (7pm)
Osasuna v Valladolid (9.30pm)
Sunday
Eibar v Atletico Madrid (12am)
Mallorca v Valencia (3pm)
Real Betis v Real Sociedad (5pm)
Villarreal v Espanyol (7pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)
Monday
Barcelona v Granada (12am)
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.
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Engine: 3.7-litre V6
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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