Middle East Experience

Dubai has ordered 19 shops to close and warned 165 more for failing to follow precautionary measures put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Dubai Economy on Twitter Thursday.Authorities also fined two more shops for breaking the rules, while 505 outlets were found to be compliant.The announcement is the fifth day in a row from Dubai Economy, as the department monitors whether businesses are following coronavirus rules.Dubai has imposed various measures aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus, including the closure of bars, gyms, and other facilities. The emirate has eased its COVID-19 coronavirus lockdown restrictions as the holy month of Ramadan begins. Dubai reopened malls, cafes, and restaurants on Friday, but restrictions remain in place governing how businesses can operate.The shops shut down were located in Dubai Marina, Satwa, Al Rafaa, Souq Al Kabeer, Karama, Hor Al Anz, Abu Hail, Al Ras, Sabkha, Al Dhagaya, Warqaa, Bani Yas Square, Qusais, Ras Al Khor, Naif, Khaled bin Al waleed, Um Suqeim, Bastakiya, International City, Awir, Al Fahidi, and Port Saeed.“They were engaged in various activities relating to laundry, opticals, tyres, electronics, building materials, studio, advertising and marketing, printing and copy services, tailoring, travel and tourism,” Dubai Economy said.Dubai eases lockdownThe UAE emirate of Dubai announced that it would ease restrictions last week.The 24-hour National Sterilisation Program has been shortened, with individuals across Dubai allowed to leave their homes between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. without a permit. The public will be required to strictly follow precautionary measures, which include maintaining social distancing from others while wearing a face mask. Those who do not wear a mask will be fined 1,000 dirhams.Individuals are also allowed to go outside to exercise for one to two hours each time, with a maximuim of three people in one group.Visiting of relatives is allowed, but restricted to no more than five people per gathering, while high-risk individuals above the age of 60, and those with underlying medical conditions, should continue to be isolated.Restaurants and shops in malls will open with a 30 percent capacity between 12 p.m. and 10 p.m. Malls will only operate with 25 percent of parking spaces available to limit the possibility of overcrowding.Read more:Coronavirus: 12-year-old swims 7,700 laps in Dubai pool to raise money for MSFDubai Police change timings for speed camera radars during coronavirus curfewCoronavirus: Dubai closes 9 shops, fines 18 more for breaking COVID-19 opening rules
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Dubai closes 19 shops, warns 165, fines 2 for breaking opening rules

Saudi Arabian artist Zaman Jassim has received renewed attention for his artistic work after one of his paintings was seen in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s office in a photograph taken during a recent virtual meeting of the Kingdom’s Council of Ministers chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz late on Tuesday.Jassim’s painting, which could be seen in the background of the photograph, gained considerable attention on social media from many users who praised the Crown Prince’s initiative to showcase local works from Saudi Arabian artists.“The matter that is more important is not that my work only appeared in such an important place, but it shows how much importance and significance this will add to the local artists and industry as a whole,” Jassim told Al Arabiya’s Tafa3olcom show via video from his hometown in Qatif.Read more: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabian women perform in all-female music festival online“I’ve been practicing fine art for a number of years, especially painting. The painting which went viral in recent days, I painted three years ago exactly and it contains traditional motifs and calligraphy,” Jassim said.Jassim has become known in the region as a local artist who uses unusual forms and mixed media in his works. According to a profile of Jassim on the Riyadh-based L’Art Pur Gallery’s website, the artist was born in 1971 in al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. He received his diploma from the Art Institute in Riyadh in 1989, and has since participated in group exhibitions in the Arab world, Europe, India and Taiwan.“He evokes earthy colors into a unique expression through mixed media. His style is heavily textured with unusual forms; rectangles, cones and some that look like appliqué works on the wall. His work is enriched with symbols, tattoos, patterns and calligraphy and narrates a simultaneously stark and rich visual story,” L’Art Pur Gallery said, describing Jassim’s portfolio.Read more: Saudi Arabian schools to now teach music, theater, artSocial media reactsThe portrait seen in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s office received widespread reactions on social media, with many praising the focus on local arts.“Celebrating art may take the form of a thousand images, but celebrating your children has one image. The one picture on a wall the world can see; and see that your trust in your people is matched only by their confidence in you,” twitter user Khalid Alyahya wrote.Jassim said he was surprised at first when his friends began sending him messages that they saw his painting in the background of the Crown Prince’s office.“I was surprised at the beginning obviously. I received a lot of messages from friends and relatives that they saw my painting in His Highness’ office. At first, I didn’t want to confirm that it was my painting because the painting in the photograph appeared very far in the background and I wanted to make sure that it was actually one of my works,” Jassim said.Saudi Arabian art’s “Golden Age”Jassim told Al Arabiya that the latest viral incident points toward a golden age for artists living and working in the Kingdom.“We’re living a period of growth as artists in the Kingdom as we’re seeing an increasing importance placed on our industry. One of the main priorities of His Highness the Crown Prince through the [Saudi Vision 2030] is the arts and culture,” Jassim added.Another Saudi Arabian artist to share the spotlight in recent days is Lulwah AlHomoud, whose painting appeared in one of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s offices.“After I showed my works at international museums and institutions, I knew that nothing compares to your success within your own country and the country's appreciation for your art. How proud I am of my painting in the office of His Highness the Crown Prince,” AlHomoud tweeted on Wednesday.Reacting to all the praise for local artists overnight, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan said it should come as no surprise of the Kingdom’s support for artists hailing from the Kingdom.“For your information, His Highness the Crown Prince since 2013 requested that all his official offices and workplaces hold artistic works made by Saudi Arabian hands,” Prince Badr tweeted.Read more: MBC Ramadan series ‘Umm Haroun’ explores Jewish roots in the Gulf regionWealthy snap up art, antiques as coronavirus hits traditional investments
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi artist Zaman Jassim in the spotlight after work seen in Crown Prince’s office

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has inaugurated a series of major development projects in the Sinai Peninsula, long a hotbed for terrorism.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Egypt kicks off more Sinai development projects

The Residences at Secret Bay is the only government-approved real estate project in Dominica offering purchase options to both vacation home buyers and citizenship investors
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Investment in second citizenship holds strong at The Residences at Secret Bay - initial investors already receiving returns

Saudi Arabia detected 1,351 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, raising the total to 22,753, the health ministry spokesman said on Thursday. Meanwhile, the death toll reached 162 after five fatalities were recorded.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.The spokesman said 83 percent of the newly detected cases are of non-Saudis and 17 percent are Saudi nationals.Medical teams have been actively performing field tests throughout the Kingdom to screen as many people as possible, with a focus on crowded residential areas.As the number of confirmed cases continues to rise, an increasing number of patients are also recovering, and the death toll remains relatively low.Less than one percent of the those who contracted the virus in Saudi Arabia have passed away, while 14 percent of the Kingdom’s coronavirus patients have recovered so far.Earlier this month, Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq al-Rabiah said the Kingdom's coronavirus cases could reach between 10,000 to 200,000 based on four different studies conducted by Saudi and foreign experts.However, Saudi Arabia implemented several precautionary measures to try and slow the spread of the virus. Some of these measures were recently relaxed with the start of the Muslim holy month Ramadan.Curfew timings were revised allowing people to go out during the day but mosques remain closed to all communal prayers across the country, including two of the holiest sites in Mecca and Medina.All public and private large gatherings are still banned.Read more: Coronavirus herd immunity better for Saudi Arabia than lockdown: Ex-health ministerCoronavirus: UAE reports nine deaths, 549 new cases, bringing total to 11,929Saudi Arabia eases coronavirus lockdown on Qatif city, allows entry and exit
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia confirms 1,351 new cases, total now 22,753

The only-way special flights are only for residents and visitors wishing to return home to a number of countries
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Emirates announces 'limited' flights in May

Move aimed at extend Al Masaood Automobiles' service offerings and provide personalised leasing solutions designed to meet customer's needs
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Al Masaood Automobiles introduces new auto leasing solutions

Customers to be treated to a full interactive live showroom experience from the comfort of your home
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Al Masaood Automobiles provides a virtual sales experience to address customer needs

The group's revenues have remained broadly flat in Q1, despite partner merchants being hit hard
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Covid-19 'a tipping point' for digital payments, says Network International MD

Now that we have become accustomed or even dependent on it, the shift to the digital world is certain to outlive the threat of the virus.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Digital literacy, resilience to be key in the post-coronavirus world