A staff member at 360 Mall sprays visitors arriving after Kuwait allowed shopping centres to reopen on July 1, 2020, after 110 days of shutdown. AFP
A staff member at 360 Mall sprays visitors arriving after Kuwait allowed shopping centres to reopen on July 1, 2020, after 110 days of shutdown. AFP
A staff member at 360 Mall sprays visitors arriving after Kuwait allowed shopping centres to reopen on July 1, 2020, after 110 days of shutdown. AFP
A staff member at 360 Mall sprays visitors arriving after Kuwait allowed shopping centres to reopen on July 1, 2020, after 110 days of shutdown. AFP

Coronavirus: Kuwait prepares for next phase of reopening


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  • Arabic

Kuwait on Sunday lifted coronavirus restrictions in the only area still under a strict lockdown as the country prepares for the third stage of its reopening plan.

The lockdown imposed on Farwaniya, one of Kuwait's six governorates, ended at 5am, the centre for government communication said on Twitter.

Kuwait has had 63,309 cases of Covid-19 and 429 deaths, including 684 new infections and four fatalities reported by the health ministry on Saturday.

The country will enter the third phase of easing coronavirus restrictions on Monday with a reduction in curfew hours, the resumption of taxi services – but with only one passenger per vehicle – and the reopening of hotels and resorts. Shopping centres were allowed to reopen at the beginning of July.

In addition, all mosques will open for prayers during Eid Al Adha, which falls at the end of the week. Only some mosques have been allowed to open to worshippers so far.

The curfew put in place to limit the spread of the virus will begin an hour later at 9pm and end two hours earlier at 3am.

Health Minister Basil Al Sabah told a cabinet meeting on Friday that plans to lift the curfew entirely in the third stage had been postponed in the interest of public health.

The decision is expected to be reviewed by the cabinet after the Eid Al Adha holiday.

Dr Al Sabah said the third stage of reopening would also see up to 50 per cent of staff returning to government offices and care homes being allowed to receive visitors.

With commercial passenger flights scheduled to resume in August, Kuwait's civil aviation authority on Saturday launched an app for travellers entering and leaving the country.

The Kuwaitmosafer app will help travellers to comply with health screening requirements and regulations, book a time slot at check-in counters and arrange protective equipment needed for their flight.

The official Kuwait News Agency said all passengers would have to download the app, available in Arabic and English from kuwaitmosafer.com, and enter their flight details to book an appointment for coronavirus test.

The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X

Price, as tested: Dh84,000

Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: Six-speed auto

Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm

Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

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.
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EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

You Were Never Really Here

Director: Lynne Ramsay

Starring: Joaquim Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov

Four stars

Global Fungi Facts

• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil

Company%20profile
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PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani