1030 HOTEL ROOMS ALLOCATED FOR FRONTLINE MEDICAL PERSONNEL THROUGH MA’AN’S “TOGETHER WE ARE GOOD” PROGRAMME

Abu Dhabi, 14 April 2020: Several hotels and one school across Abu Dhabi have contributed 1,030 rooms to Ma’an’s “Together We Are Good” programme to accommodate doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals and support staff working on the frontline.



The properties include Millennium Group, Royal Rose, City Seasons, Park Rotana, Ayla (Al Ain City), Millennium Capital Gate, who have all contributed hotel rooms and suites, in addition to International Academic School.



Ma’an is also funding part of the stays through the financial contributions people have made to the ‘Together We Are Good’ programme.



All properties are offering rooms as in-kind contributions for medical personnel and support staff who are on standby for urgent cases and need a place to isolate away from their families. More than 1,000 staff will benefit, including those from SEHA (Abu Dhabi Health Services Co.), as well as other external medical services staff.



The rooms have been co-ordinated by the Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an in collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.



The “Together We Are Good’ programme is the first project of Ma’an’s Social Fund that was launched to provide the community with a channel to support the national effort against the current health and economic challenges. The programme stimulates social responsibility through opening the door for financial and in-kind contributions from individuals and companies.



Bin Ham Group has offered hotel rooms as in-kind contributions with free meals and room service for medical staff. Sheikh Ahmed Musallam Bin Ham Al Amri, Vice President and Founder, City Seasons Hotels, said: “During this unprecedented time in our nation, it is a natural gesture to step in and offer our resources to the medical professionals who are working tirelessly and sacrificing their own needs for the greater good.



“The medical community is truly a heroic one, now and always. Their spirit will not go unnoticed and we are pleased to offer support by extending our hospitality to them during this trying time.”



Amal Yousif, Staff Nurse, said: “We are extremely grateful for the insurmountable support we have received from across the nation, who we are honoured to serve. Ma’an’s “Together We Are Good” campaign proves that resilience, solidarity and social responsibility are all aspects instilled in members of our society, and for that we feel safe knowing we can come together as one in even the most challenging of times.”



Ali Mohamed Saeed Al Badi, Owner of the International Academic School said: "We consider this contribution a national duty, urging us to participate in the tremendous national effort that we see from various sectors and groups of society in Abu Dhabi to address the current health challenges.”



Participants wishing to contribute financially can send SMS messages to 6670 (AED 1000), 6678 (500 AED), 6683 (100 AED) and 6658 (50 AED). They can also call 8005-MAAN for volunteering and in-kind and financial contributions above AED 1,000 or send messages on WhatsApp on 0543055366. Transfers can also be made via First Abu Dhabi Bank using the IBAN number: AE100351011003988349032. In-kind contributions include equipment, buildings, services, and time as well as expert volunteering efforts.

Number of leaked government records increases by 278% in Q1, 2020

According to Atlas VPN research compiled from various publicly available sources, the number of exposed government and individual politician records increased by 278% when comparing the first quarters of 2019 and 2020.

During the first quarter of 2019, there were over 4.5 million breached records of individual politicians or government bodies globally. Meanwhile, in 2020 Q1, the number of leaked records skyrocketed, reaching over 17 million and representing a growth of nearly three times

Rachel Welsh, COO of Atlas VPN, shares her thoughts on why the number of government data leaks surged in the first quarter of 2020:

“Hackers are always searching for networks that have not implemented the latest cybersecurity measures. This year, it happens to be the case that government websites and applications had many security vulnerabilities. It is unfortunate to see that governments do not invest in protecting their networks the best they can since they are responsible for their citizen’s data. “

Looking at the most significant government breach - in March 2020, The Dutch government disclosed losing two external hard drives. Both of the drives had personal information of over 6.9 million organ donors stored.

To this day, it is still unknown who the malicious actor was. There is also no evidence of anyone attempting to use the stolen information.

It has to be noted that it is often the case that data breaches come to light only after a few months. Hence, due to the coronavirus pandemic and increased hacker activity, the actual number of 2020 Q1 data breaches might be exponentially higher.

Last month, malware, phishing, command, and control were the most common types of cyberattacks. With 53%, the malware was the most popular way hackers used to intercept devices.

To read the full report, head over to: https://atlasvpn.com/blog/number-of-leaked-government-records-increases-by-278-percent-in-q1-2020/

COVID-19 Puts Over Half of 2020 Passenger Revenues at Risk

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4 April 2020 (Geneva) – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released updated analysis showing that the COVID-19 crisis will see airline passenger revenues drop by $314 billion in 2020, a 55% decline compared to 2019.

On 24 March IATA estimated $252 billion in lost revenues (-44% vs. 2019) in a scenario with severe travel restrictions lasting three months. 

The updated figures reflect a significant deepening of the crisis since then, and reflect the following parameters:

· Severe domestic restrictions lasting three months

· Some restrictions on international travel extending beyond the initial three months

· Worldwide severe impact, including Africa and Latin America (which had a small presence of the disease and were expected to be less impacted in the March analysis).

Full-year passenger demand (domestic and international) is expected to be down 48% compared to 2019.The two main elements driving this are:

Overall Economic Developments: The world is heading for recession. The economic shock of the COVID-19 crisis is expected to be at its most severe in Q2 when GDP is expected to shrink by 6% (by comparison, GDP shrank by 2% at the height of the Global Financial Crisis). Passenger demand closely follows GDP progression. The impact of reduced economic activity in Q2 alone would result in an 8% fall in passenger demand in the third quarter.

Travel Restrictions: Travel restrictions will deepen the impact of recession on demand for travel. The most severe impact is expected to be in Q2. As of early April, the number of flights globally was down 80% compared to 2019 in large part owing to severe travel restrictions imposed by governments to fight the spread of the virus. Domestic markets could still see the start of an upturn in demand beginning in the third quarter in a first stage of lifting travel restrictions. International markets, however, will be slower to resume as it appears likely that governments will retain these travel restrictions longer.

“The industry’s outlook grows darker by the day. The scale of the crisis makes a sharp V-shaped recovery unlikely. Realistically, it will be a U-shaped recovery with domestic travel coming back faster than the international market. We could see more than half of passenger revenues disappear. That would be a $314 billion hit. Several governments have stepped up with new or expanded financial relief measures but the situation remains critical. Airlines could burn through $61 billion of cash reserves in the second quarter alone. That puts at risk 25 million jobs dependent on aviation. And without urgent relief, many airlines will not survive to lead the economic recovery,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Financial Relief

Governments must include aviation in stabilization packages. Airlines are at the core of a value chain that supports some 65.5 million jobs worldwide. Each of the 2.7 million airline jobs supports 24 more jobs in the economy.

“Financial relief for airlines today should be a critical policy measure for governments. Supporting airlines will keep vital supply chains working through the crisis. Every airline job saved will keep 24 more people employed. And it will give airlines a fighting chance of being viable businesses that are ready to lead the recovery by connecting economies when the pandemic is contained. If airlines are not ready, the economic pain of COVID-19 will be unnecessarily prolonged,” said de Juniac.

IATA proposes a number of relief options for governments to consider, including:

Direct financial support to passenger and cargo carriers to compensate for reduced revenues and liquidity attributable to travel restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19;

Loans, loan guarantees and support for the corporate bond market by governments or central banks. The corporate bond market is a vital source of finance for airlines, but the eligibility of corporate bonds for central bank support needs to be extended and guaranteed by governments to provide access for a wider range of companies.

Tax relief: Rebates on payroll taxes paid to date in 2020 and/or an extension of payment terms for the rest of 2020, along with a temporary waiver of ticket taxes and other government-imposed levies.

Read remarks of Alexandre de Juniac

View the COVID-19 Updated Impact Assessment

Over 800 Teachers Continue To Be Trained as Part of National Capacity Building Program for Moral Education Curriculum Amid COVID-19

Online training to be offered from April to a pilot group of teachers



United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, 13 April 2020: The Education Affairs Office at the Crown Prince Court in Abu Dhabi has announced that despite the restrictions related to COVID-19 virus, including the physical closure of schools, there are currently over 800 teachers working through the National Capacity Building (NCB) Program.



While face to face workshops have been postponed, the online program has been extended to provide a fully virtual experience and ensure teachers can continue to engage in their learning and development, which started from April to a pilot group of teachers.



The program, launched in November last year, is an interactive training platform for teachers, designed to enhance educational performance across the UAE, in line with the objectives of the Moral Education Curriculum, which was launched in 2016, under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.



Her Excellency Jameela bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education, said: “The Moral Education Curriculum initiative reflects our wise leadership's vision to build Emirati identity on good values, ethics and behaviors, deepening the global and positive concept of citizenship. We are pleased with the continuity of the program despite the challenging environment facing us all. Moral Education is an essential component of children’s learning and it is imperative to pay particular attention to students’ wellbeing and health education in current times. One crucial way teachers can do this is through the Moral Education lessons conducted online as part of the NCB Program.”



The program aims to train 1,000 teachers nationwide with the help of a number of partners and experts in the field. In 2018-19, more than 1,200 public and private schools implemented Moral Education affecting the education ofnearly 1,000,000 students, and the working practices of almost 65,000 teachers.



AlAnood Al Kaabi, Project Manager at the Education Affairs Office at the Crown Prince Court, said: “In the current climate, teachers are under huge pressure to adapt to the changing circumstances – to balance planning, teach their online classes, support parents, while also often simultaneously supporting their own children at home. The values and principles of Moral Education have never been more relevant and, as part of our commitment, CPC, as well as everyone involved in the NCB Program, will continue to build capacity for future generations across the UAE.”



To ensure that teaching and learning in Moral Education promotes strong outcomes for students, as well as to build best practice across the UAE, a new innovative “Performance Assessment Tool” (PAT) will be incorporated into the NCB Program to provide reliable and valid assessments of teachers’ competency and support their journey to licencing in Moral Education.



“We are very pleased with how the NCB Program has been positively received - there is a very high level of support for the program. Early results indicate a pool of local talent is emerging, including a good number of teachers, trainers, and virtual mentors. All regulators, including the Ministry of Education, Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) as well as the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) have been supportive towards our shared vision of raising standards of teaching and learning in the UAE, and we look forward to continuing to do so in the months to come” Al Kaabi, added.



The UAE is the only country in the world to have a national curriculum, resources and assessment process for Moral Education from grade 1 to Grade 12. The program leads to a qualification, and includes discussion forums, as well as an online e-portfolio designed to support teachers, while helping them demonstrate the application of theirlearning in practice.

طيران الإمارات تشغل رحلات ركاب إلى مزيد من المدن

عودة جميع رحلات الناقلة للعمل من المبنى 3 بمطار دبي الدولي

رحلات إلى تونس والجزائر وجاكرتا ومانيلا وتايبيه وشيكاغو وكابول

دبي، 13 أبريل (نيسان) 2020: تخطط طيران الإمارات لتشغيل خدمات ركاب إلى كل من جاكرتا وتايبيه وشيكاغو وتونس والجزائر وكابول، بالإضافة إلى الرحلات التي بدأت تشغيلها مؤخراً إلى كل من لندن وفراكفورت. وسوف تسهل هذه الرحلات سفر الزوار والمقيمين الراغبين العودة إلى بلدانهم.

ويمكن الحجز على هذه الرحلات مباشرةً عبر emirates.com أو عن طريق وكلاء السفر. وسوف يسمح فقط لمواطني الوجهة واولئك الذين يستوفون شروط الدخول بالصعود إلى الطائرة، حيث يتعين عليهم تلبية متطلبات وشروط الدخول إلى الدولة التي يسافرون إليها

ومع استئناف العمل إلى مزيد من الوجهات، فقد أعادت طيران الإمارات تشغيل جميع رحلات الركاب من المبنى 3 بمطار دبي الدولي. ويتعيّن على جميع المسافرين اتباع جميع إجراءات الصحة والسلامة المعتمدة من قبل السلطات في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة ودولة الوجهة المقصودة.

ولن يتوفر للعملاء في الظروف الحالية بعض الخدمات المعتادة، مثل عمل إجراءات السفر واختيار المقعد عبر الإنترنت، وخدمة السيارة مع سائق وخدمة الصالات الخاصة في أي من الوجهات.

كما ستطبق طيران الإمارات برنامجاً معدلاً للخدمة على هذه الرحلات للالتزام بقواعد الصحة والسلامة، فلن يتوفر على الطائرات أي مطبوعات. وبينما سيستمر تقديم الأطعمة والمشروبات للركاب، فسوف تحرص طيران الإمارات على تجنب التلامس بين أفراد الأطقم والركاب أثناء الخدمة، وذلك من خلال إجراءات معدلة لتعبئة وتغليف الوجبات وتقديم المشروبات في عبواتها الأصلية. وسوف يتم مؤقتاً وقف خدمة السيارة مع سائق، وكذلك إغلاق الصالات الخاصة في المطار.

ولن يسمح للركاب باصطحاب أمتعة يدوية على الطائرات، باستثناء الكمبيوتر المحمول والحقيبة اليدوية الشخصية وحقيبة مستلزمات الأطفال. وسوف يضاف لكل راكب 7 كيلوغرامات على المعدل المسموح لوضع أمتعته اليدوية مع حقائبه في عنبر الشحن.

ويتعين على الركاب وضع أقنعتهم وقفازاتهم الخاصة طوال الرحلة، ابتداءً من مرحلة عمل إجراءات السفر على الكاونترات، كما ينبغي عليهم الوصول إلى المبنى 3 لإنهاء الإجراءات قبل ثلاث ساعات من مواعيد إقلاع رحلاتهم.

وسوف تخضع جميع طائرات الإمارات لعمليات تنظيف وتعقيم مكثفة عند عودتها إلى دبي بعد كل رحلة.