UAE residents are looking forward to the next public holiday in the country, with dates for a three-day weekend being revealed.
Meanwhile, Dubai has announced a new entry permit system for GCC residents coming into the country and the provision of free digital parking permits for some residents.
It has been a busy week in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia hitting the headlines as reports emerged about changes to labour laws that will see companies fined for violations in a wide range of categories.
The Kingdom also announced a new service for non-Arabic speakers and gave advice to Umrah pilgrims about wearing face masks amid a global rise in a new Covid-19 variant.
Back in Dubai, stunning photos emerged of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai’s holiday in Scotland, a major hotel announced its closure and Police shared details of a major drugs bust in the UAE.
Catch up with 10 of the biggest stories you may have missed this week.
UAE public holiday: 3-day weekend expected dates revealed
However, the public holiday to commemorate the occasion is expected to fall on Friday, September 29, depending on the Moon sightings.
When the holiday falls on Friday, residents can expect to enjoy a three-day weekend, combining Saturday and Sunday.
Dubai announces new entry permit system
“This service has been activated to issue a prior online entry permit for travellers residing in GCC countries, in order to ensure a smooth entry process into the UAE, and streamline procedures,” GDRFA said via an Instagram post.
Required documents for the new entry permit:
- The original passport
- Upon arrival, presenting the original residence permit issued by a GCC country
- A civil or labour card
Major Dubai hotel announces closure
Guests attempting to secure accommodations at the hotel received a message explaining the unfortunate situation.
“We regret to inform you that the entire hotel has temporarily closed during this period from Sunday, August 06, 2023, to Tuesday, August 2023. Unfortunately, an unexpected weather event last August 05 has led to an unprecedented power cut to the entire hotel. Our team is actively working to resolve this situation as soon as possible, however, we are unable to indicate when our systems will be fully operational again. As a result, all hotel facilities including accommodations, restaurants and activities will be closed during this period,” the message said.
Saudi Arabia announces major labour law changes
Citing Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) sources, the reports said fines will be introduced for labour violations across a variety of employment categories.
Among the infringements, employers could be fined for employing foreign workers without a permit, on-site accidents, hiring minors, insufficient childcare support, withholding passports and failure to pay wages. The fines follow the announcement of a ministerial decision governing violations and penalties of the labour law in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia tells Umrah pilgrims to wear face masks amid global rise of new Covid-19 variant
The advice comes amid global reports of a new variant of the deadly coronavirus spreading worldwide. Saudi security authorities have advised Umrah pilgrims to wear face masks to protect the health of themselves and others while in Saudi Arabia.
Last week the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is tracking a new strain of the coronavirus as new global cases reached around 1.5m from July 10 to August 6, an 80 percent increase compared to the previous 28 days.
Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed holiday photos show stunning scenery, boat ride and fishing trip in Scotland
Dubai’s ruler has been exploring the stunning Scottish scenery while on holiday in the UK.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai is taking a vacation in Scotland and social media posts show him enjoying the remarkable views, taking a boat ride and walking in the hills.
Instagram photos and videos published by Khalifa Suleiman, Head of Protocol for Sheikh Mohammed, give a glimpse of the wilds of Scotland as well as wildlife and breath-taking scenery.
Saudi Arabia announces new service for non-Arabic speakers
The Ministry has introduced a “Request for an Interpreter” service through the Unified Translation Centre’s online platform, Najiz.sa.
This initiative aims to support individuals who do not speak Arabic as their primary language. According to the ministry, this electronic service allows beneficiaries to request an interpreter who can assist them in effectively communicating with the judicial department and other relevant individuals during court proceedings.
Emirates cancels Dubai flight due to storm
Emirates cancelled a flight into Dubai due to extreme weather activity in the departure airport.
Heavy rain in Germany caused flooding at Frankfurt Airport and parts of the major transport hub were closed as water gathered on runways.
With ground handling suspended for several hours more than 70 flights out of the airport were cancelled on Wednesday evening. Among the cancelled flights was a Dubai-bound flight. The airline said the brief closure of the airport meant it had to cancel a flight on August 16.
Dubai announces free digital parking permits
The RTA is complementing its smart service offering by digitising the parking permits service for senior Emiratis and people of determination.
The new digital permits will be available from August 20. The digital permits eliminate the need to print and display parking information.
Dubai Police seize 491kg of drugs and over 3.3m narcotic pills
Dubai Police arrested almost half of all UAE drug suspects in between April and June.
Illegal drugs, including khat, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin were seized by authorities and intelligence shared with countries around the world as police continue to crack down on narcotics traders.
The General Department of Anti-Narcotics at Dubai Police successfully apprehended 49.6 per cent of all the suspects arrested in drug-related cases and promoting psychotropic substances across the UAE.
During the same period, their efforts also resulted in substantial seizures, including confiscating 491kg of drugs and 3,333,916 narcotic pills.
The seized drugs included:
- Cocaine
- Heroin
- Crystal meth
- Opium
- Marijuana
- Hashish
- Various types of narcotic pills
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