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The UAE has banned the sale of small magnetic balls – popularly known as rare-earth magnets – because of safety concerns.
The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology issued a recall of magnetic balls called nanodots because they pose “a hazard to health and safety when ingested by children”.
The ministry also instructed all retail outlets to withdraw the Nandots magnetic balls product from their shelves.
The move, on April 28, came after health authorities reported dozens of hospital and ICU admissions of young children who have accidentally swallowed the magnets.
We started with four cases in 2016 and in 2019 we had 28 cases. More than 70 per cent required surgical intervention. At times a section of the bowel have to be removed
Dubai: A new collection of children’s stories,
My Little World, by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was officially launched during the 2021 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature at Dubai Festival City on Friday.
The book launch featured lively readings from the story collection while some lucky children in the audience got their own box sets. Isobel Abulhoul, CEO and Trustee of the Emirates Literature Foundation, read the stories in English while Ahlam Bolooki, director of the 2021 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, read out the stories in Arabic.
Dubai: The best way to combat fake news on the COVID-19 pandemic and to win over anti-vaxxers, or those who are opposed to vaccination, is to present stories, facts and information in a straightforward and easily digestible language. This was emphasised by Emirati doctor-writer Dr Nafea Alyasi and United Kingdom-based doctor-writers Dr Jay Jayamohan and Dr Rupy Aujla during a session titled ‘Fighting the Anti-Facts Movement at the 2021 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature on Friday. The session was sponsored by Gulf News.
Dr Nafea Alyasi
The trio noted fearmongering and disinformation are very serious problems and the medical world is plagued by conspiracy theories and pseudoscience that put public’s health at risk. Like the LitFest theme that says ‘Change the Story’, the experts noted that there is a critical need to “change the narrative” when disseminating information to the public.
Top authors, officials and creative talent to lead onsite, virtual sessions Acclaimed author Elif Shafak is among the big names at this year s Emirates Festival of Literature Image Credit: Supplied
Dubai: The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in Dubai is set for its big weekend (Thursday to Saturday) with a line-up that includes Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, acclaimed authors Elif Shafak and Amin Maalouf, and a day dedicated to Emirati talent (on Thursday), sponsored by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
The events at the annual festival at InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival City will see live sessions featuring home-grown writers, poets and experts combined with virtual appearances from international authors. Tickets for some events are already sold out, but the festival’s Dh100 digital ticket, giving access to at least 10 live streamed sessions, including Malala and Elif Shafak, means that fans can still catch the action virtuall
Mohammad Al Marzooqi
Sponsored by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the dedicated event will feature Emirati-led sessions in Arabic on publishing, translation, cinematography, and more. Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, will headline a panel discussion on the future of Arabic language. Key panellists include Hala Badri, Director-General, Dubai Culture, who will speak on developing Dubai as a creative hub, and Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Marri, Director-General, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs. They will discuss immigration reform and the UAE’s ‘Cultural Visa’ for creatives, exploring the UAE’s plans to build a sustainable society of talented individuals and why this will be critical to the nation’s plans to build a prosperous future for generations to come.