Tourists in the UAE will have their visas extended for one month free of charge.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced the move, which applies to all nationalities, to help tourists who may not be able to fly back to their country because of the closure of some airports abroad.
The UAE has been cautiously reopening to tourists after its successful efforts to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dubai was among the first global destinations to reopen in July, with stringent safety measures in place.
A negative PCR test result, received within 96 hours from the scheduled flight departure time, is required to enter Dubai for tourists from all but six countries.
Visitors from some countries will be tested again on arrival.
Last week, Abu Dhabi announced international tourists would be welcomed back to the capital from Thursday, December 24.
Travellers will need to present a negative PCR test result received within 96 hours of their scheduled departure, as previously stated.
They must undergo a second PCR test on landing in Abu Dhabi.
Travellers from green countries must self-isolate until they receive a negative result from the PCR test taken on landing.
The countries on the green list are Australia, Brunei, China, Greece, Greenland, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Hong Kong is also on the list.
This month, Sheikh Mohammed launched a UAE-wide tourism campaign to attract international visitors and boost staycations.
The "World’s Coolest Winter" campaign invites people to explore the hidden gems of the seven emirates.
During its 45-day run, overseen by the Ministry of Economy in collaboration with local tourism entities, the campaign will highlight the landmarks and attractions that distinguish every emirate and contribute to the UAE as a single destination.
It is part of a wider plan to double by 2030 the annual Dh41.2 billion ($11.2bn) spent on domestic tourism and encourage staycations.
Sheikh Mohammed said an Emirati winter was something to enjoy.
"The UAE has the most beautiful winter, it has the most beautiful people and it has the most beautiful services that any tourist can enjoy," he said.
"I invite everyone to travel in the Emirates and explore the spirit of the Emirates."
The emergence of a new Covid-19 strain has prompted some countries to suspend international flights.
Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have each halted inbound flights to prevent the spread of the virus.
As the new, more infectious strain is believed to have emerged in the UK, many countries have temporarily halted flights to Britain.
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Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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