Heavy rain has continued to lash parts of the UAE on Monday evening after it caused heavy disruption across the Emirates on Sunday.
Thunder rumbled and lightning streaked across the skies in Dubai on Monday afternoon in areas including Jumeirah Village Circle, Business Bay, Barsha Heights and The Greens.
Dubai's RTA on Monday evening called on motorists to "refrain from overtaking and maintain a safe distance with other vehicles" to ensure safety of all drivers.
The Emirates Education Foundation announced distance learning would continue in all government schools on Tuesday due to the continued unsettled weather.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai on Monday evening urged all Dubai private schools, nurseries and universities to apply distance learning on Tuesday.
Tuesday will also be a remote working day for government workers in Dubai, the emirate's media office said.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation on Monday evening called for private sector companies to apply "flexible working patterns" for employees.
"Necessary measures need to be taken by companies to ensure outdoor work, if necessary to resume, complies with the occupational health and safety requirements," the ministry said in a statement.
"Companies also need to ensure the health and safety of workers commuting to and from outdoor work locations."
It comes after safety alerts were issued and speed limits cut across Abu Dhabi and Dubai on Sunday night through to Monday morning.
Authorities in Dubai sent an alert to mobile phones shortly after 6am to warn of “weather fluctuations” across the emirate.
The notice – delivered in English and Arabic – called for the public to stay away from beaches, “avoid valleys” and be careful while driving.
The torrential rain caused flooding in some areas on Monday morning, including in Mira 1, Dubailand, where authorities were already on site in an effort to clear excess water.
Several roads and roundabouts were flooded in Ajman after intense morning rainfall.
The emirate's municipality team sent patrols to affected areas to help clear waterlogged roads.
Ajman Police urged drivers to avoid flooded areas and drive carefully in the wet conditions.
Weather disruption
People were asked to abide by safety advice issued by Dubai Police.
Abu Dhabi Police reduced speed limits to 80kph on Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road and Abu Dhabi-Sweihan Road shortly before 6am.
The force typically cuts speed limits temporarily on key routes during periods of bad weather, such as fog and torrential rain, which could hamper driver visibility.
Sharjah Police said the ring road in Kalba City – the Mohamed bin Zayed City Intersection – had been closed due to flooding caused by heavy rain.
The force advised drivers to take alternative routes and to avoid wadis due to the risk of further flooding.
Sharjah International Airport officials urged passengers to arrive at least three hours before their departure and to check the status of their flights before setting off.
The National Centre of Meteorology has weather warnings in place for much of the country until noon on Tuesday.
It issued its most severe red alert – urging people to be extremely vigilant of hazardous weather – for some areas of Abu Dhabi.
The weather bureau shared a series of videos of the bad weather on its social media channels, featuring thunder, lightning and flurries of hail in the Northern Emirates.
It made for a winter wonderland in Al Ain, with videos circulating online of residents enjoying the icy hail covering the ground.
The NCM warned of more hail, thunder, lightning, rain and high winds throughout Monday.
The stormy weather is due to clear by noon on Tuesday, though the NCM has forecast more rain in the Northern Emirates during the day.
Temperatures are set to rise on Wednesday, the weather centre said in its latest five-day bulletin.
Safety plan
Authorities took proactive steps to safeguard public safety ahead of the expected stormy weather.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation on Sunday urged employers to take action to ensure the safety of workers.
“The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation calls on private-sector companies across the UAE to apply flexible working patterns tomorrow, Monday, February 12, given the expected weather,” the authority said on Sunday.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority – Dubai's private education regulator – called on schools and universities to provide distance learning on Monday in light of the unstable weather.
Sharjah Private Education Authority said remote learning would be adopted across “all educational institutions” in the emirate on Monday as a safety precaution.
Remote working and distance learning will also be in place in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, has told the emirate's government employees to work remotely on Monday because of the forecast wet weather.
His announcement, made on Saturday, excludes government jobs that require on-site attendance.
Damage
Vehicle owners whose cars sustain damage due to unstable weather in Abu Dhabi and Dubai can now apply for a certificate issued by both of the emirate's forces.
Abu Dhabi Police said motorists in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra can apply for the certificate by visiting the force's website.
Residents in Dubai can apply via the Dubai Police website.
Brig Mansour Al Qargaoui, director of the administrative affairs department at Dubai Police, said these certificates are specifically designated for vehicles affected by natural disasters.
Watch: Cars submerged in Al Ain as storm hits Abu Dhabi
“Due to the weather condition, car owners can apply for a certificate automatically through Dubai Police website without the need to physically visit the police station,” Brig Al Qargaoui said.
This updated service streamlines the process compared to the previous method, which necessitated a visit to the nearest police station with the damaged vehicle to obtain the certificate for insurance purposes.
Car owners simply need to access the Dubai Police website, navigate to the certificates service, and select the To Whom It May Concern certificate option.
They can then choose the Natural Disasters category and upload images of their damaged vehicles.
Upon completing these steps and paying the fee of Dh95 ($25), the certificate will be issued within one to two days.
Mumbai Indians 213/6 (20 ov)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 167/8 (20 ov)
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
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Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
Results
6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Major Cinnamon, Fernando Jara, Mujeeb Rahman
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,900m; Winner: Al Mureib, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Remorse, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Meshakel, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Desert Peace, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m; Winner: Sharamm, Ryan Curatlo, Satish Seemar
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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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.
The Saudi Cup race card
1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000
2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000
3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000
4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000
5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000
6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000
7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000
8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000
Copa del Rey final
Sevilla v Barcelona, Saturday, 11.30pm (UAE), match on Bein Sports
