All 7 Emirates of UAE announce new, stricter covid safety rules

Khaleej Times
February 20, 2021

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Dubai, Feb 20: Authorities in the UAE are leaving nothing to chance when it comes to Covid-19 safety.

Despite opening up almost all sectors gradually over the past year, authorities continued their safety inspection checks to ensure that all precautionary measures are followed.

However, daily inspection reports have shown an increase in the number of establishments breaking Covid safety rules. This has prompted authorities across the country to tighten rules and introduce new measures.

Six emirates have tightened Covid safety rules to curb the spread of the virus.

Here is a full list of all the Covid safety measures, including closures; reduced capacity at malls and offices; and compulsory PCR testing for unvaccinated employees. (List ordered according to dates of announcements)

>> Fujairah

- All concerts, music events and social gatherings.

- Reduced capacities:

Public beaches and parks to 70%

Shopping malls to 60%

Cinemas to 50%

Stricter Covid rules across UAE as 7th Emirate tightens measures https://t.co/WAb8lMGgzb

- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) February 18, 2021
Gyms to 50%

Swimming pools at hotels to 50%

Public transport services to 50%

>> Umm Al Quwain

- Malls to operate at 60% capacity.

- All music concerts have been cancelled.

- Maximum of four people per table at eateries.

- Gatherings, including weddings, must not have more than 10 guests.

#BREAKING: UAE Covid: All concerts cancelled, capacity reduced in UAQ@uaqpoliceghq https://t.co/N01MwKUY22

- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) February 16, 2021
- Capacity at beaches and parks reduced to 70%.

- Cinema halls capacity reduced to 50%.

>> Ras Al Khaimah

- Cinemas, events venues and gyms can take a maximum of 50% customers capacity.

- Capacity at malls and shopping centres reduced to 60%.

- Gatherings, including marriages, can have a maximum of 10 guests.
- Funerals to have a maximum of 20 mourners.

- Capacity at beaches and public parks reduced to 70%.

- Public transportation, pools and private beaches at hotels to limit their capacity to 50%.

>> Sharjah

- All government employees and some private sector staff to undergo PCR testing for Covid regularly.

- Shopping centres, malls to operate at 60% of capacity.

- Cinemas, entertainment centres to take in only 50% of visitors' capacity.

- Gyms and fitness centres to operate at 50% capacity.

- Parks and beaches to take in only 70% of capacity.

- All concerts postponed for an extendable four weeks.

- Maximum number of people allowed at wedding ceremonies and funeral services to be 10 and 20 people, respectively.

- At eateries, a maximum of 4 people allowed on the same table, if not from same family.

>> Ajman

- All eateries to close by 12 midnight.

- Eateries can take in only 50% capacity.

UAE: @Ajmanded closes cafe, fines Dh60,000 for repeat Covid violations @ajmanpoliceghq @NCEMAUAE https://t.co/yuSwDMXTjn

- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) February 9, 2021
- Capacity at both wedding and event halls capped at 50 people.

- Unvaccinated government employees take a PCR test for Covid-19 every 7 days.

>> Abu Dhabi

- Abu Dhabi has reduced attendance at government and semi-government offices to 30 per cent.

- Effective February 7, the number of guests has been capped to 10 for marriage ceremonies and family gatherings; and 20 for funerals and mourning services.

- Parties and gatherings have been banned.

Covid-19: New safety rules in Abu Dhabi rolled out https://t.co/C6YvfJVe6N

New remote working rule effective from today.@NCEMAUAE @admediaoffice @AbuDhabiDED @AbuDhabi_ADM pic.twitter.com/vKF0QiGuAl

- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) February 7, 2021
- Weekly PCR tests for all unvaccinated employees.

- Cinemas shut until further notice.

- Malls operate at 40 per cent capacity.

- Restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, public beaches and parks to operate at 60 per cent capacity.

- Sports halls can take in only 50 per cent of capacity at a time.

- Gyms, private beaches and swimming pools to operate at 50 per cent capacity

- Taxis and buses to operate at 45 per cent and 75 per cent capacity, respectively.

>> Dubai

- Pubs, bars closed.

- Shopping malls operate at a reduced capacity of 70 per cent.

- Audience capacity of seated indoor venues, including cinemas as well as entertainment and sports venues, reduced to 50 per cent.

Photos: #Dubai's new #Covid safety rules rolled outhttps://t.co/0LkBrkrWqx

- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) January 27, 2021
- Hotels operate at 70 per cent of total capacity.

- Guests allowed inside swimming pools and private beaches in hotels limited to 70 per cent of total capacity.

- Restaurants and cafes are required to close by 1am. They will also not be allowed to organise any entertainment activities in their premises.

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News Network
November 21,2025

Bantwal: A domestic dispute appears to have led to a violent confrontation in BC Road area, where the owner of a textile shop was allegedly attacked with a knife by his wife on Wednesday evening.

Krishna Kumar Somayaji, the owner of Somayaji Textiles, sustained serious injuries in the incident and was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment. He is currently receiving care in the intensive care unit and is reported to have survived the assault, according to police.

The Bantwal Town police have registered a case against Somayaji's wife, Jyothi KT, who has since been taken into custody.

Police stated that the complainant, Namita, an employee at the shop, reported the sequence of events. She stated that around 7 p.m. on Wednesday, the suspect entered the shop, wearing a burqa and disguised as a customer, before attacking Somayaji with a knife. The employee then transported the injured owner to a local hospital via an autorickshaw.

Superintendent of Police Arun K confirmed that an ongoing domestic dispute between Somayaji and his wife reportedly preceded the attack. Police noted that Jyothi KT had previously visited the shop and issued threats.

Based on the complaint, Bantwal Town police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Indian Arms Act-1959. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.

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News Network
November 30,2025

The United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT) has condemned the Israeli regime for enforcing a policy of “organized torture” against Palestinians.

In a report published on Friday, CAT stated that the occupying regime enforces a deliberate policy of “organized and widespread torture and ill-treatment” against Palestinian abductees, particularly since October 7, 2023, when Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza.

The committee expressed “deep concern over repeated severe beatings, dog attacks, electrocution, water-boarding, use of prolonged stress positions [and] sexual violence” inflicted on Palestinians.

Palestinian prisoners were degraded by “being made to act like animals or being urinated on,” systematically denied medical care, and subjected to excessive restraints, “in some cases resulting in amputation,” the report added.

CAT also condemned the routine application of “unlawful combatants law” to justify the prolonged detention without trial of thousands of Palestinian men, women, and children.

More than 10,000 Palestinians, including women and children, are currently held in Israeli prisons, according to Palestinian and international human rights groups, with 3,474 Palestinians in “administrative detention,” meaning they are imprisoned without trial for indefinite periods.

The report highlighted the “high proportion of children who are currently detained without charge or on remand,” noting that while Israel sets the age of criminal responsibility at 12, even younger children have been abducted.

Children designated as security prisoners face severe restrictions on family contact, may be subjected to solitary confinement, and are denied access to education, in clear violation of international law.

The committee further suggested that Israel’s policies across the Occupied Territories constitute collective torture against the Palestinian population.

“A range of policies adopted by Israel in the course of its continued unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory amounts to cruel, inhuman or degrading living conditions for the Palestinian population,” the report said.

On Thursday, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas condemned the systematic killing and torture of Palestinian abductees in Israeli prisons, urging international action to halt these abuses.

Citing human rights data, Hamas stated that 94 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli prisons since the start of Tel Aviv’s genocidal war on Gaza.

“This reflects an organized criminal approach that has turned these prisons into direct killing grounds to eliminate our people,” the resistance movement said.

Hamas called on the international community, the UN, and human rights organizations to immediately pressure Israel to end crimes against prisoners and uphold their rights as guaranteed by all international conventions and norms.

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News Network
December 2,2025

DKSsiddu.jpg

Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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