Chinese authorities moved residents away from coastal areas, shut down air, rail and sea traffic and ordered people to stay indoors as Typhoon In-Fa made landfall on Sunday.
In-Fa came ashore at around midday in Zhoushan, a major port in the eastern province of Zhejiang, south of commercial hub Shanghai, and was moving at a speed of about 15 kilometres an hour.
The storm hit as the central province of Henan was still cleaning up after torrential downpours dumped a year's worth of rain in just three days last week. Government officials on Sunday added another five dead to the toll from the freak flooding in Henan, raising the total to 63.
The weakening typhoon uprooted trees and drenched communities in knee-deep water in some parts of eastern China, but there were no reports of major damage.
In-Fa earlier dumped rain on Taiwan and knocked down tree branches, but no deaths or injuries were reported.
In Shanghai, China's largest city, the storm brought strong gusts of wind and steady but not heavy rainfall.
All inbound and outbound flights were cancelled on Sunday for the city's two international airports, as were dozens of scheduled trains, while activity at the ports of Shanghai and Ningbo – two of the world's largest – was also shut down.
The government announced that it would extend a suspension of railway services in and out of Shanghai until midday on Monday.
Some public attractions in Shanghai and other cities, including Shanghai Disneyland, also were closed and residents were warned to avoid outdoor activities.
The meteorological administration said In-Fa would weaken but continue to hover over a wide expanse of eastern China for days, bringing heavy rainfall – possibly to areas still recovering from last week's flooding.
"It is necessary to be highly vigilant and prevent disasters that may be caused by extreme heavy rainfall," the administration said on Sunday.
China has suffered an annual summer flooding and typhoon season for millennia, but the record rainfall in Henan has prompted questions about how cities could be better prepared for freak weather events, which experts say are happening with increased frequency and intensity because of climate change.
Millions were affected by the Henan floods, with some trapped without fresh food or water for days, and the economic losses have run into billions of dollars.
Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
