Author: Mariangela Pinto

The first passengers traveling to Barcelona trialed the service to verify and share their pre-travel Covid-19 test status. Dubai’s flagship airline Emirates on Thursday commenced trials of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass — a mobile app to help passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with any government requirements for Covid-19 testing or vaccine information. The first passengers traveling from Dubai to Barcelona on EK185 today trialed the ‘digital passport’…

Staff who are eligible but choose not to be vaccinated against Covid-19 must take PCR test every seven days. From Sunday, all staff members including teachers at Dubai schools, universities, early learning centers, and training institutes in Dubai will have to take PCR test every seven days, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) said on Wednesday. The only exceptions are those currently not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine; those who have taken their first…

Globally launched in 2015, YouTube Kids has more than 35 million active weekly users YouTube has announced the launch of YouTube Kids in Arabic, which will cover 15 countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The free app will be available on smartphones and tablets for children under the age of 13. The YouTube Kids app will keep “families across MENA in mind” and consider “language and culture” to produce a more…

Jordanian authorities detained the kingdom’s former crown prince and arrested nearly 20 other people Saturday after what officials called a “threat to the country’s stability.” Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, the oldest son of the late King Hussein and his American-born fourth wife Queen Noor, was placed under restriction at his Amman palace, amid an ongoing investigation into an alleged plot to unseat his older half brother, King Abdullah II, according to a senior Middle East…

Trailer of upcoming TV series ‘Moussa’ starring Mohamed Ramadan Famous Egyptian actor and rapper Mohamed Ramadan released on Monday a trailer of his upcoming television series Moussa on his Instagram account and YouTube channel. With music by Tamer Karawan and script by Nasser Abdel-Rahman, the series will be released during the upcoming month of Ramadan. Moussa is directed by Mohamed Salam, who has also worked on last year’s The Thief television series. The series stars…

The ‘Bigg Boss’ star who was in the city recently talked to us about his latest music video and why he’s grateful to his fans for their support. Model, actor, and reality television star Asim Riaz is winning hearts once again after starring in new music video Saiyyonee, Bollywood composer Gourov Dasgupta’s first solo single that portrays love, romance, and heartbreak. The Bigg Boss 13 runner-up, who amassed a huge fan following during and after…

Sheikh Mohammed has announced one- and five-year visas. The UAE cabinet has approved a new Remote Work Visa that will enable employees from all over the world to live and work remotely from the UAE, even if their companies are based in another country. The decision was reached on Sunday during a cabinet meeting chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. In…

Dubai’s low-orbit environmental satellite was to launch today The launch of DMSat-1, Dubai’s low-orbit environmental satellite, has been postponed, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre announced on Saturday morning. The satellite was to have launched later on Saturday. The launch is part of a high-technology project undertaken to develop solutions to environmental challenges and address climate change. The satellite was to be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Using state-of-the-art space technologies, DMSat-1 will…

New Snapchat report reveals local users’ values, ambitions, and need to stay connected Social media company Snap Inc. Snap Inc. has released a new study exploring how Snapchatters in the region are adopting new behaviors and values that are changing the world today. With a monthly addressable reach of 67 million unique Snapchatters in the MENA region, the report sheds light on what truly matters to the “Snapchat Generation”, and how their thinking has evolved…

Officials will monitor the situation and consider easing rules in the last 10 days With the holy month of Ramadan less than one month away, authorities in the UAE have specified multiple Covid safety measures. The aim is to avoid any gatherings that may lead to the spread of the virus. Dr. Seif Al Dhaheri, spokesperson for the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), announced the guidelines. Officials also announced nationwide restrictions for…

Arab artists Ghada Amer and Zahrah Alghamdi exhibit work at Desert X in California Desert X is an annual art biennial that displays the works of international artists in California’s Coachella Valley, and this year, it is bringing the works of two Arab artists for its 13th edition, which kicked off on March 12. Saudi artist Zahrah Al-Ghamdi is showcasing her installation “What Lies Behind the Walls,” a larger-than-life sculptural wall made out of 6,000…

Areas include Deira, Bur Dubai, Downtown, Business Bay, Dubai Marina, JBR, Expo 2020, DSO His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Saturday, launched the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan that maps out a comprehensive future map for sustainable urban development in the city. Aligned with the UAE’s vision for the next 50 years, the Plan is focused on enhancing people’s happiness and…

Women’s leadership paramount in Covid recovery This International Women’s Day is unlike any other. It is being observed against the devastating health, social, and economic impacts of Covid-19, a pandemic that disproportionately affected women. Hend Al Otaiba, director of strategic communication at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sat down with Khaleej Times to reflect on the year of the pandemic, and share why she believes women need to lead in the recovery effort. In her personal journey,…

Abu Dhabi announces updated Green List. The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has issued the updated list of ‘Green List’ destinations. Passengers arriving from these destinations will be exempt from mandatory quarantine measures after landing in Abu Dhabi and will only be required to undergo PCR testing upon arrival at Abu Dhabi Airport. The three countries that have been added include Kazakhstan, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. Countries, regions,…

Authorities say practice is against local customs and also contributes to spread of Covid. Authorities in Dubai have directed coffee shops to stop serving beverages in baby bottles. The Dubai Economy said the practice is against “local customs”. It also violates the precautionary measures in place against the spread of Covid-19. The directive came after the authority found visitors bringing baby bottles to cafes for a quick fill of coffee and other beverages. Dubai Economy…

Coronavirus: UAE reports 2,959 Covid-19 cases, 1,901 recoveries, 14 deaths The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Saturday reported 2,959 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 1,901 recoveries and 14 deaths. The new cases were detected through 242,159 additional tests. The total number of cases in UAE as of March 6 is 408,236 while total recoveries stand at 391,205. The death toll rises to 1,310. The UAE has conducted over 32 million…

The agreement will result in Anghami becoming the first Arab technology company to list on Nasdaq New York MENA music streaming platform Anghami announced that it is merging with US-based Vistas Media Acquisition Company, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company. The agreement will result in Anghami becoming the first Arab technology company to list on Nasdaq in New York, a statement said. The transaction implies an initial pro-forma enterprise valuation of approximately $220m,…

Hajj 2021: Pilgrims must be vaccinated against Covid-19 Saudi Arabia- The Saudi Ministry of Health has announced that the faithful who want to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage this year will need to prove that they’ve been vaccinated against Covid-19. The statement did not specify whether the Hajj, which traditionally draws some 2 million pilgrims from across the world, would again exclude pilgrims from outside the Kingdom to prevent the contagion. Last year, Saudi officials…

Full list of eligible residents; how to book appointments: All you need to know. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has included new categories of people who can book an appointment for vaccination. Under the directives of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the DHA announced that all valid Dubai resident visa holders aged 40 and above can now register to receive COVID-19 vaccination…

Aid from Dubai to help Sudan deal with Covid crisis The UAE Vice-President has ordered aid flights to transport urgent humanitarian aid and medical supplies from the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Logistics Hub in Dubai to Sudan. Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the International Humanitarian City (IHC) chartered two aircraft to deliver the aid. The IHC…

Dubai launches smart device for home patient monitoring Dubai’s healthcare regulator is exploring the use of an artificial intelligence-powered device for remote patient monitoring. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced that it would collaborate with Enpy, a local start-up, for the non-invasive medical device. “Enpy’s all-in-one non-invasive medical device is paired with a smartphone/tablet application. It … measures vital signs,” the DHA explained. The machine is an all-in-one “healthcare companion” at home that combines…

UAE jobs alert: Nearly 200% increase in hiring digital freelancers The UAE saw a 197 percent increase in recruiting freelancers in the digital sector in 2020, the World Economic Forum has said. In a report on future jobs’ created due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the body said freelancers contributed to preparing and boosting digital content. These included blogs, podcasts, and videos. The report credited the UAE’s “thriving technical environment that encourages innovation”, and digitalization…

Bahrain approves Johnson and Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine Bahrain’s National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) has authorized the use of Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine for coronavirus the Bahrain News Agency reported on Friday. The Janssen Covid-19 Vaccine will be the fifth vaccine authorized in Bahrain in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 and will be given to those most at risk, suchas the elderly, people with chronic diseases and other groups identified by the Health Ministry.…

Dubai bus crash: 7-year jail term for Omani driver reduced to 1 year A Dubai court on Thursday reduced the seven-year sentence of an Omani bus driver who crashed the vehicle into a low-clearance sign after entering a restricted lane, killing 17 people, including 12 Indians, in 2019. The Dubai Court of Appeal reduced the sentence of the 55-year-old driver to one year in jail and also withdrew his deportation order, the Gulf News reported.…

Indian girl missing in Dubai found safe: Family Dubai: Indian girl Harini Karani, who went missing in Dubai on Thursday morning, was found safe around 11.30pm, according to Gulf News. “She has been found. She is safe,” said Harini Karani’s father Bharat. Her aunt Prerena said Dubai Police helped find her. “She was in the neighbouring area only. She is fine,” she added. Further details are yet to be known. Family and friends of the…