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Emaar set to open new Fujairah beach resort in Q2

Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure business of Dubai developer Emaar Properties, is set to open Palace Beach Resort Fujairah in Q2. It is the third beach resort of the Address Hotels + Resorts collection under Emaar Hospitality Group.

The resort will feature 167 rooms and suites set by the beachfront, featuring contemporary architecture and Arabesque patterns, testament to a city embracing the future while staying true to its heritage, said the Emaar unit in a statement.

The hotel will be set on prime piece of coastline on the Gulf of Oman, known for its beautiful sands, vibrant sea - life and the serene mountainous environment, it stated.

It will also boast its own kids club and a spa. Food and beverage wise, there will be Ewaan for Arabic and international dining, along with Al Bayt Lounge, it added.

Emaar has already opened the Address Beach Resort Fujairah, which marked its debut in the emirate. The upcoming Palace Beach Resort Fujairah looks to continue this success, said its top official.

"We are now setting our sights on the leading destinations within the UAE and this resort will mark its second opening in Fujairah," remarked Mark Kirby, Emaar Hospitality Group head of hospitality.

"This is an important milestone in our journey, as we further expand our luxury portfolio with the country to cater to international visitors and residents of the UAE who have grown to know and love our brand," he noted.

http://www.tradearabia.com/news/CONS_395441.html


UAE schools to resume trips, all activities under updated Covid protocols

School trips in the UAE will be fully restored, with those involved required to wear facemasks while on school buses, authorities have announced.

Both vaccinated and unvaccinated staff and students will be allowed to go on such trips, provided they have a green status on their Al Hosn app, according to updates announced by the UAE's Ministry of Education and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA).

The new update allows the resumption of all activities and events in educational establishments. Parents are permitted to attend restored events and activities, in compliance with preventive measures, including wearing facemasks in closed spaces and the Green Pass Protocol on Al Hosn app.

Following the Green Pass Protocol will be mandatory for all visitors of educational establishments, along with students aged 16 and above, educational staff and personnel. Students under 16 years of age will have to conduct a monthly PCR test.

These directives will come into effect on Thursday, April 21.

The updates also requires all university students who wish to enter dorms to conduct a monthly PCR test, or to follow the Green Pass Protocol for vaccinated and unvaccinated students.

The procedures for the gradual closure of institutions in the case of confirmed Covid-19 cases will follow the guidelines issued by local emergency and crises committees and teams in each emirate. Educational institutions will be closed for three days if the Covid-19 infection rate exceeds 15 per cent of the total attendance.

Contacts of confirmed Covid-19 positive cases are no longer required to quarantine, while following the guidelines issued by the health authorities as per the National Protocol for Covid-19 Close-Contact.

Furthermore, those infected and those with respiratory diseases may opt for the option of distance education. The directive is in lockstep with the country's strategy to ensure community health and facilitate the safe return of students to educational establishments, official news agency WAM reported.

The Ministry of Education and NCEMA noted that all the updates are applicable nationwide, while implementation at the local level will be carried out in coordination with local emergency, crises and disasters committees in each emirate, a statement read.

https://gulfbusiness.com/uae-schools-to-resume-trips-all-activities-under-updated-covid-protocols/


KHDA introduces fees fact sheet for private schools across Dubai

Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has introduced a new resource to provide parents of private school students with comprehensive information about school fees.

The school fees fact sheet is a one-page reference that will includes all fees a school may charge during an academic year. In addition to mandatory tuition fees, the fact sheet will include details of other verified fees that parents could pay during an academic year, such as transportation, extra-curricular activities, school trips and books. It will also include information on discounts and scholarships offered by each school, if applicable.

Parents will be able to access a fact sheet for every private school in Dubai from each school's website and the KHDA online directory, Dubai Media Office reported.

During the first phase, the fact sheets will be implemented by schools starting their academic year in April this year, covering parents of more than 81,000 students across 35 schools in Dubai. Schools starting their academic year in September 2022 will get access to the service before the close of the current academic year.

Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, director general of Knowledge and Human Development Authority, said: "Through the School Fees Fact Sheet, parents can understand a school's complete fee structure at a glance. This will help them make better decisions about their children's schooling. When there's transparency on fees, both parents and schools can better focus on children's growth. We're grateful to private schools in Dubai for their support in making the fact sheets accessible to their parent communities."

https://gulfbusiness.com/dubais-khda-introduces-resource-to-apprise-parents-on-school-fees/


UAE announces new entry system for visit visa

A new system announced on Monday offers a variety of visa types for different visit purposes.

For the first time, the new scheme does not require a host or sponsor. Major improvements include facilitating the entry requirements for all visa types, and offering flexible visa durations that meet the needs of the visitors and the purpose of the visit.

https://www.gulf-insider.com/uae-announces-new-entry-system-for-visit-visa/


UAE announces new 5-year residency scheme

The UAE has announced new 5-years residence tracks to attract talents, skilled professionals, freelancers, investors and entrepreneurs.

The scheme offers longer flexible grace periods that reach up to six months to stay in the country after the residence permit is cancelled or expired.

https://www.gulf-insider.com/uae-announces-new-5-year-residency-scheme/


UAE to allow unvaccinated citizens for overseas-travel

The UAE will allow unvaccinated Emiratis to travel overseas from Saturday, April 16.

Citizens must present a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours of travel under the updated Covid-19 safety measures announced on Wednesday.

They must also complete travel forms in Al Hosn app to turn their application status green.

https://www.gulf-insider.com/uae-to-allow-unvaccinated-citizens-for-overseas-travel/


Saudi Arabia makes key amendments to Real Estate Finance Law

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has announced the amendment of some articles of the Implementing Regulations of the Finance Laws in the kingdom, reported SPA.

SAMA stated that the amendments included the decision of the Minister of Finance to revoke article (4) of the Implementing Regulation of Real Estate Finance Law, and accordingly, real estate finance companies are now allowed to practice financing activities without stipulating the prohibition of combining Real Estate financing and other forms of financing activities, stated the report.

However, SAMA retains the discretion to restrict licensing by certain conditions.

Further to the public consultation released earlier on the public consultation platform, SAMA approved amendment of article 16 of the Implementing Regulation of the Finance Companies Control Law.

From now on, finance companies are allowed to practice financing activities without stipulating the prohibition of combining any of the financing activities. Noting that SAMA retains the discretion to restrict its licensing by certain conditions, stated the SPA report.

http://www.tradearabia.com/news/CONS_395567.html


Louis Vuitton set to open first store at Qatar Duty Free

Louis Vuitton, a leading global French luxury fashion house, has announced the news of its first store at Qatar Duty Free in Hamad International Airport, Doha, scheduled to open soon.

This new space will have a complete offer of leather goods, ready-to-wear, textiles, watches, jewellery, accessories, fragrances and shoes, from the women's and men's universes and highlights the Maison's continued focus on travel.

Qatar Duty Free (QDF), a subsidiary of Qatar Airways, is a shopping emporium at the heart of Qatar's award-winning Hamad International Airport (HIA), with more than 40,000 sq m of duty-free and concession space and boasts more than 90 luxury and affordable retail outlets, restaurants and cafés.

http://www.tradearabia.com/news/TTN_395508.html


Jawazat to start e-service of passport renewal in Q3 2022

RIYADH - Assistant Minister of Interior for Technical Affairs Prince Bandar Bin Mashari said that the General Directorate of Passport (Jawazat) would start the electronic service of passport renewal of Saudi citizens in the third quarter of 2022.

He said that the passport could be renewed through the Absher platform without personally contacting the Jawazat office.

Attending "Al-Liwan Al-Modifer" program on Rotana Khalijia television channel, the minister spoke about the new services that will be launched on the Absher platform. He also recalled the most difficult moments that had been experienced since the launch of the Absher platform.

Prince Bandar said that the national ID renewal service would be transferred from the testing phase to the comprehensive application phase within a month. He also emphasized that all the basic services on Absher Individuals (Absher Afrad) will remain free of charge.

The minister also drew attention to developing the service of sending personal picture of the national ID from home without any need to personally attend the Jawazat office, so that the citizen is satisfied with his picture, provided that it conforms to the terms and conditions.

He pointed out that the most difficult moments that the Absher platform had gone through since its launch was the process of registering individuals' data as it was a procedure that entailed great effort.

He noted that the way to achieve this was through self-service via kiosks and the presence of the fingerprint system for all citizens and residents.

Prince Bandar said that artificial intelligence is an attempt to understand the way of thinking and transfer it from the human mind to the machine.

"The process of implanting a chip inside the human body is not the only option to enter into addressing the mind without passing through the eye and ear," he added.

https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/619608/SAUDI-ARABIA/Jawazat-to-start-e-service-of-passport-renewal-in-Q3-2022


SDAIA launches 'Tawakkalna services' app to benefit people

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) has announced the launch of 'Tawakkalna services' app through which it provides more than 140 services in one place to benefit people and to facilitate their access to services.

The Tawakkalna Services application includes several services that benefit people with all their needs, such as: passports, the digital wallet approved by government agencies that contains the identity and personal cards of the individual, reviewing driving licenses, insurance, deeds and agencies.

It also includes the donating service by Ehsan platform, information correction, Tawakkalna code, certify mobile number, and many more.

It noted that the well-known "Tawakkalna" app will be limited only to the services to COVID-19 pandemic, as it will include proving the health status of the individuals and the health passport, coronavirus PCR tests and vaccine services, health travel requirements, and management of necessary permits during transportation operations.

SDAIA called on citizens, residents and visitors to download the "Tawakkalna Services" from stores of: App Store, Google Store, AppGallery, Galaxy Store, to benefit from the services provided by the application.

https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/619981/SAUDI-ARABIA/SDAIA-launches-Tawakkalna-services-app-to-benefit-people


Kuwait lifts all corona-related measures; face masks 'optional'

KUWAIT: The Council of Ministers yesterday effectively lifted all measures that were imposed to contain the coronavirus disease - making wearing face masks anywhere optional and removing vaccination certificates and PCR tests as conditions to enter Kuwait, the government spokesman said. Tareq Al-Mazrem said in a statement that the Cabinet decided during an extraordinary meeting to allow all individuals to enter all closed public places without the need for vaccination or a PCR test.

The Cabinet decided to abolish all decisions and regulations that had been imposed since the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease. Wearing of masks is compulsory only for people who show symptoms of the disease, Mazrem said. People arriving from outside Kuwait are not required to show a PCR test or a vaccination certificate as unvaccinated people can freely enter the country, the Cabinet said.

Unvaccinated people are no longer required to carry out a PCR test as a condition to enter educational establishments and places of work, according to the cabinet decisions which become officially effective on Sunday. The Cabinet also abolished the need to undergo quarantine for people who had come in contact with infected cases regardless of whether they are vaccinated or not. Such people need only to wear masks for 14 days from the day of the contact. People who have come in contact with infected cases need to carry out a PCR test only if they show some symptoms within 14 days, Mazrem said.

Infected people are required to undergo house quarantine for five days only and then wear face masks for another five days, as per the new cabinet decisions. The Cabinet also decided to allow unvaccinated people to fully attend all types of games. The Cabinet urged people who go to mosques for prayers to observe health conditions like bringing their own mats but are no longer required to wear the face mask.

https://www.kuwaittimes.com/kuwait-lifts-all-corona-related-measures-face-masks-optional/


Kuwait launches online work visa service

New service was launched for issuing work visas online for the private sector by the Public Authority for Manpower and the Ministry of Interior which has become an alternative service of printing work visas.

Based on Cabinet instructions on governance procedures to use automated systems in a step towards e-government, Assel Al Mazeed the spokeswoman and director of the Public Relations and Media Department of Public Authority confirmed the new services.

https://www.gulf-insider.com/kuwait-launches-online-work-visa-service/
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