DUBAI / WAM The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced its public bus services will be free of charge for individuals permitted to leave their homes during the extended disinfection period. Dubai Taxi vehicles and franchised taxis will in addition offer a 50 percent discount on normal fares. The decision follows an announcement made by Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis ...

Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business The world’s maritime sector is standing in solidarity with communities around the world battling the coronavirus pandemic by joining Abu Dhabi Ports’ initiative “Horns of Hope”. In a world-first campaign, all ships in harbours around the world will sound their horns in 15-second bursts each evening in recognition and support of the maritime, healthcare, and ...

Dubai / WAM The Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) released the second issue from a series of reports to tackle the challenges that organisations in Dubai and the world will face once the Covid-19 global outbreak subsides. The series comes during a crucial time, in which public and private sector organisations need to be well-prepared for future opportunities and challenges. Titled ...

ABU DHABI / WAM Etihad Guest, a loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, has launched a campaign to encourage members to donate their Etihad Guest Miles to support the prevention and response efforts in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak in refugee settings. Launched in collaboration with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) globally and with Emirates Red Crescent in the ...

ABU DHABI / WAM Shams, one of the world’s largest concentrated solar power plants, continues to significantly contribute to the UAE’s clean energy transition, and is helping the country prepare for the next 50 years In the following report, Emirates News Agency (WAM) will present the journey of Shams, which is celebrating its 7th anniversary. Operated by Shams Power Company ...

Bloomberg India put a total ban on exports of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that US President Donald Trump has touted as a “game changer” in the fight against Covid-19. Exports of the drug and its formulations have been prohibited “without any exceptions” and with immediate effect, India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in an order on its website. The ...

Bloomberg Singapore will unveil additional support for businesses and households on Monday, less than two weeks after announcing a S$48 billion ($33.4 billion) stimulus package to buffer the impact of the coronavirus. The government plans to waive foreign worker levies for April and boost an existing jobs support programme, deputy PM Heng Swee Keat said in a Facebook post. The measures ...

Bloomberg PM Narendra Modi’s call to Indians to switch off lights on Sunday evening for nine minutes and instead use candles to “challenge the darkness” of the coronavirus outbreak would mean blackouts for some citizens as utilities take steps to safeguard their equipment. Modi asked people to switch off lights at 9 pm. That may result in a sudden drop ...

Bloomberg Police in Australia’s New South Wales state will start a criminal investigation into a cruise ship that allowed people on board to disembark in Sydney last month after some passengers had reported flu-like symptoms, Commissioner Mick Fuller said. Detectives will be involved in the probe into the circumstances surrounding the docking of the vessel, Fuller said. Ten of the ...

Bloomberg Malaysia’s economy could contract this year as the country struggles with a month-long coronavirus lockdown and a steep fall in commodity prices. Gross domestic product could shrink as much as 2% this year or grow as much as 0.5%, Malaysia’s central bank said in its annual Economic and Monetary Review. The global pandemic has hit the country’s tourism sector ...