Signs outside businesses give instructions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Signs outside businesses give instructions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Signs outside businesses give instructions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Signs outside businesses give instructions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Three businesses shut down and 110 others fined in Umm Al Quwain for breaking Covid-19 rules


Salam Al Amir
  • English
  • Arabic

Three businesses were shut down in Umm Al Quwain for breaking the rules put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Another 110 businesses were fined by the emirate's Department of Economic Development for breaching the safety measures.

Inspections carried out by the department's Consumer Protection Section from February 1 to February 15, also led to warnings against 68 establishments.

The department made the announcement on Thursday.

All establishments were urged to adhere to safety measures and the public was asked to report any breaches through official channels.

Last Tuesday, the emirate revised its safety rules, reducing the capacity of shopping centres to 60 per cent, and to 50 per cent in cinemas, gyms, private swimming pools and beaches.

Public beaches can operate at 70 per cent capacity under updated rules.

Musical shows were suspended and the number of people at weddings and other family gatherings was limited to 10, with 20 people allowed at funerals.

Authorities in the emirate said they would intensify inspections to ensure safety measures were being observed.

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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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Company name: Nybl 

Date started: November 2018

Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence

Initial investment: $500,000

Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)

Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
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Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world

New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.

The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.

Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.

“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.

"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."

if you go

The flights

Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes. 

The hotels

Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes. 

When to visit

March-May and September-November

Visas

Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.