Smaller shops will be allowed to open first as Germany starts its return to normalcy. Bloomberg
Smaller shops will be allowed to open first as Germany starts its return to normalcy. Bloomberg
Smaller shops will be allowed to open first as Germany starts its return to normalcy. Bloomberg
Smaller shops will be allowed to open first as Germany starts its return to normalcy. Bloomberg

Germany to lift its coronavirus lockdown at schools


Simon Rushton
  • English
  • Arabic

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that she will ease the lockdown on schools from May 4.

Mrs Merkel said some smaller German shops will be also allowed to open on Monday, with conditions.

But public gatherings such as religious services, festivals and football matches will remain banned.

Mrs Merkel set out her plan for the first steps of a cautious restart of public life after talks with Germany’s 16 state governors.

She said that for the first stage, social distancing measures will stay in place.

“We have made some progress but I do have to stress that this progress is fragile," Mrs Merkel said.

"This is a situation in which caution is the order of the day, and not foolhardiness."

Germans are also "strongly recommended" to wear face masks while out.

"We need to understand that we will need to live with the virus as long as there is no medication or vaccine," Mrs Merkel said.

Some state premiers and industrial groups have urged the government to move more quickly to prevent further economic damage, but they have been met with resistance from public health officials.

One expert has pushed for venues to stay shut for 18 months.

Germany has had more than 130,000 cases but only 3,592 deaths, far fewer than countries with similar caseloads.

Mrs Merkel said it also meant that the country’s health system had not been overwhelmed.

The EU announced that the resumption of travel to Europe from outside its borders will not be phased in until after internal restrictions are lifted.

  • Health staff wear protective equipment to help stop the spread of the coronavirus outside the Menara City One condominium under a lockdown in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. AP Photo
    Health staff wear protective equipment to help stop the spread of the coronavirus outside the Menara City One condominium under a lockdown in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. AP Photo
  • People wearing masks walk past a mural depicting the coronavirus in Los Angeles. AP Photo
    People wearing masks walk past a mural depicting the coronavirus in Los Angeles. AP Photo
  • A Russian serviceman wearing a protective mask looks out of a military vehicle during a rehearsal for the Victory Day parade in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Reuters
    A Russian serviceman wearing a protective mask looks out of a military vehicle during a rehearsal for the Victory Day parade in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Reuters
  • Brazilian 99-year-old former WWII combatant Ermando Armelino Piveta gestures as he leaves the Armed Forces Hospital, after being treated for the coronavirus disease in Brasilia, Brazil. Reuters
    Brazilian 99-year-old former WWII combatant Ermando Armelino Piveta gestures as he leaves the Armed Forces Hospital, after being treated for the coronavirus disease in Brasilia, Brazil. Reuters
  • US President Donald Trump answers questions during the daily coronavirus task force briefing in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC. REUTERS
    US President Donald Trump answers questions during the daily coronavirus task force briefing in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC. REUTERS
  • Newborn babies are seen in a hospital wearing protective face shields amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters
    Newborn babies are seen in a hospital wearing protective face shields amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters
  • A health worker walks inside the Chennai trade centre, which is being converted into an isolation ward. AFP
    A health worker walks inside the Chennai trade centre, which is being converted into an isolation ward. AFP
  • A medical technician gestures at a testing and sample collection centre in Chennai. AFP
    A medical technician gestures at a testing and sample collection centre in Chennai. AFP
  • Healthcare workers hold a tablet in front of a patient during a video call with relatives at the Intensive Unit Care (ICU) of the Ramon y Cajal Hospital in Madrid. AFP
    Healthcare workers hold a tablet in front of a patient during a video call with relatives at the Intensive Unit Care (ICU) of the Ramon y Cajal Hospital in Madrid. AFP
  • A person walks past a poster thanking the healthcare personnel, shopkeepers, the French national security, the post office staff members and farmers, in Paris. AFP
    A person walks past a poster thanking the healthcare personnel, shopkeepers, the French national security, the post office staff members and farmers, in Paris. AFP
  • A banner thanking frontline health workers hangs on a high-rise building construction site in St Julian's, Malta. REUTERS
    A banner thanking frontline health workers hangs on a high-rise building construction site in St Julian's, Malta. REUTERS
  • Members of the armed forces disinfect at Brasilia International Airport, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brasilia, Brazil. REUTERS
    Members of the armed forces disinfect at Brasilia International Airport, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brasilia, Brazil. REUTERS
  • Workers are seen at a production line within the Shona Textiles Export Processing Zone in Athi River near Nairobi, Kenya. REUTERS
    Workers are seen at a production line within the Shona Textiles Export Processing Zone in Athi River near Nairobi, Kenya. REUTERS
  • A woman receives free rice in Hanoi, Vietnam. EPA
    A woman receives free rice in Hanoi, Vietnam. EPA
  • Colombian soldiers disinfect a zone at neighborhood next to a military base as part of the campaign against the spread of coronavirus in Bogota, Colombia. EPA
    Colombian soldiers disinfect a zone at neighborhood next to a military base as part of the campaign against the spread of coronavirus in Bogota, Colombia. EPA
  • A worker from the railway cleaning services disinfects a grip bar in a train wagon in Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. EPA
    A worker from the railway cleaning services disinfects a grip bar in a train wagon in Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. EPA
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

HEADLINE HERE
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  • It can be as long as you link
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  • Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into 
  • That's about it
About Takalam

Date started: early 2020

Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: HealthTech and wellness

Number of staff: 4

Funding to date: Bootstrapped

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter

1. Dubai silk road

2.  A geo-economic map for Dubai

3. First virtual commercial city

4. A central education file for every citizen

5. A doctor to every citizen

6. Free economic and creative zones in universities

7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes

8. Co-operative companies in various sectors

­9: Annual growth in philanthropy

The past Palme d'Or winners

2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda

2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund

2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach

2015 DheepanJacques Audiard

2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan

2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux

2012 Amour, Michael Haneke

2011 The Tree of LifeTerrence Malick

2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul

2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke

2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet

Washmen Profile

Date Started: May 2015

Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Laundry

Employees: 170

Funding: about $8m

Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures

The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Dhadak

Director: Shashank Khaitan

Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana

Stars: 3

Results

Light Flyweight (49kg): Mirzakhmedov Nodirjon (UZB) beat Daniyal Sabit (KAZ) by points 5-0.

Flyweight (52kg): Zoirov Shakhobidin (UZB) beat Amit Panghol (IND) 3-2.

Bantamweight (56kg): Kharkhuu Enkh-Amar (MGL) beat Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov (UZB) 3-2.

Lightweight (60kg): Erdenebat Tsendbaatar (MGL) beat Daniyal Shahbakhsh (IRI) 5-0.

Light Welterweight (64kg): Baatarsukh Chinzorig (MGL) beat Shiva Thapa (IND) 3-2.

Welterweight (69kg): Bobo-Usmon Baturov (UZB) beat Ablaikhan Zhussupov (KAZ) RSC round-1.

Middleweight (75kg): Jafarov Saidjamshid (UZB) beat Abilkhan Amankul (KAZ) 4-1.

Light Heavyweight (81kg): Ruzmetov Dilshodbek (UZB) beat Meysam Gheshlaghi (IRI) 3-2.

Heavyweight (91kg): Sanjeet (IND) beat Vassiliy Levit (KAZ) 4-1.

Super Heavyweight ( 91kg): Jalolov Bakhodir (UZB) beat Kamshibek Kunkabayev (KAZ) 5-0.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

UAE tour of the Netherlands

UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match

UAE squad

Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)

RESULTS
%3Cp%3E3.30pm%3A%20Al%20Maktoum%20Challenge%20Round%203%20%E2%80%93%20Group%201%20(PA)%20%2475%2C000%20(Dirt)%202%2C000m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Jugurtha%20De%20Monlau%2C%20Pat%20Dobbs%20(jockey)%2C%20Jean-Claude%20Pecout%20(trainer)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E4.05pm%3A%20Dubai%20City%20Of%20Gold%20%E2%80%93%20Group%202%20(TB)%20%24250%2C000%20(Turf)%202%2C410m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Global%20Storm%2C%20William%20Buick%2C%20Charlie%20Appleby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E4.40pm%3A%20Burj%20Nahaar%20%E2%80%93%20Group%203%20(TB)%20%24250%2C000%20(D)%201%2C600m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Discovery%20Island%2C%20James%20Doyle%2C%20Bhupat%20Seemar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E5.15pm%3A%20Nad%20Al%20Sheba%20Turf%20Sprint%20%E2%80%93%20Group%203%20(TB)%20%24250%2C000%20(T)%201%2C200m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Al%20Dasim%2C%20Mickael%20Barzalona%2C%20George%20Boughey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E5.50pm%3A%20Al%20Bastakiya%20%E2%80%93%20Listed%20(TB)%20%24170%2C000%20(D)%201%2C900m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Go%20Soldier%20Go%2C%20Adrie%20de%20Vries%2C%20Fawzi%20Nass%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E6.25pm%3A%20Al%20Maktoum%20Challenge%20Round%203%20%E2%80%93%20Group%201%20(TB)%20%24450%2C000%20(D)%202%2C000m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Salute%20The%20Soldier%2C%20Adrie%20de%20Vries%2C%20Fawzi%20Nass%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E7.10pm%3A%20Ras%20Al%20Khor%20%E2%80%93%20Conditions%20(TB)%20%24300%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Al%20Suhail%2C%20William%20Buick%2C%20Charlie%20Appleby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E7.45pm%3A%20Jebel%20Hatta%20%E2%80%93%20Group%201%20(TB)%20%24350%2C000%20(T)%201%2C800m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Alfareeq%2C%20Dane%20O%E2%80%99Neill%2C%20Charlie%20Appleby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E8.20pm%3A%20Mahab%20Al%20Shimaal%20%E2%80%93%20Group%203%20(TB)%20%24250%2C000%20(D)%201%2C200m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Sound%20Money%2C%20Mickael%20Barzalona%2C%20Bhupat%20Seemar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets