Malls in UAE ready to open

Qatar shuts Eid

ABU DHABI, May 19, (KUNA): The UAE Ministry of Health on Tuesday reported three additional deaths due to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), bringing the death toll to 227.

The number of infections with the highly contagious bug in this Gulf country rose by 873 to 25,063, the ministry said in its daily briefing.

The latest cases were confirmed as more than 38,000 new Covid-19 tests for citizens and residents were conducted, using sophisticated testing devices, the ministry added.

A total of 1,214 more patients have recovered from the deadly virus, raising the country’s total count of recoveries to 10,791.

Dr Saif Al-Dhaheri, spokesman of the National Authority for Management of emergencies, crises and disasters, announced reopening of shopping centers and malls as of Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m..

He said in a statement people over 60 years old and children under 12 years old would be banned from entering the shopping centers, which should comply with health instructions. People will have two hours to shop, he added.

DOHA:

The Qatari government decided Monday to close all commercial activities starting tomorrow Tuesday until May 30.

The government excluded food sotres, pharmacies and restaurants doing home deliveries, Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Dr. Essa AlNuaimi said in a statement.

He said citizens and expatriates should download Ehtiraz application on their smart phones when they leave their homes starting Friday.

Al-Nuaimi said cars should not contain more than two persons.

The government allowed people to excercise outdoors but people should avoid gathering while practicing, wear masks and keep physical distancing.

Al-Nuaimi said people violating the regulations would be fine or jailed. (KUNA)

DOHA:

Qatar announced 1,365 new cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 33,969.

According to the Health Ministry, recoveries from the virus were at 529, putting the grand total at 4,899.

The ministry indicated that the new infections were sent to quarantine to receive proper medical treatment. (KUNA)

MUSCAT:

The Ministry of Health of Oman announced on Tuesday the death of a new novel coronavirus patient, increasing total fatalities to 26.

In a press statement, the ministry said 292 new coronavirus infections were reported in the past 24 hours, raising the tally up to 5,671. (KUNA)

MANAMA:

Bahraini Ministry of Health declared on Monday recording 200 new infection cases with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), amid 19 newly registered recoveries.

The ministry said in a statement that the new cases included 121 for incoming workers and 79 others for persons who mingled with infected persons. Whole number of the recoveries reached 2,929 after 19 patients were relieved of quarantine isolation.

Existing cases are in the range of 4,215 including 4,207 stable ones and eight in intensive care units. (KUNA)

RIYADH:

Eight persons infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) died raising fatalities’ toll due to the virus to 320, spokesperson of the Saudi Ministry of Health said on Monday.

Dr. Mohammad Alabduali, in his daily briefing about status of the virus in the kingdom, said 2,593 people contracted the germ in past hours, increasing tally of contaminations with the bug to 57,345. (KUNA)

DUBAI, UAE, May 19: Following its success in Egypt, Hawaya, a Cairo-based mobile application that approaches matchmaking with respect for Muslim traditions and cultures, has announced the expansion of their platform across the GCC. Now accessible in UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the platform is set to take the region by storm, offering a carefully curated solution for young, modern, and confident Muslim adults who want to take the search for a life partner into their own hands.

Hawaya was founded in 2017 by an Egyptian entrepreneur, Sameh Saleh, who crafted the app to help his sister go through a pleasant, comfortable and safe journey towards marriage. Shortly after, Saleh joined forces with co-founders Shaymaa Ali, Tamer Saleh and Aly Khaled, to amplify the platform. Ever since, Hawaya has grown in popularity and facilitated hundreds of marriages in Egypt.

Currently operating across the GCC, Turkey and Indonesia, the name Hawaya was inspired by the word “Hawa” which means “love” in Arabic. The program was specifically developed to connect single Muslims who are looking for a secure exchange with one another right up to a serious relationship. Hawaya uses a scientific, safe, and culturally accepted approach, and was founded keeping in mind sisters, cousins, and friends, as well as the founders’ collective personal experiences with matchmaking.

“Finding a life partner is hard, and in our community, we often face the pressure to settle down sooner rather than later. The use of regular dating apps often fails to offer the right prospects, experiences, or results. It could be because of a mismatch in values, beliefs, or just not knowing how to move the conversation forward. In the end, many people hit a dead-end and never get a chance to see what is beyond that first match. However, at Hawaya, we are here for you throughout your entire journey, from the moment you match to when forever begins. We ensure that the journey to discovering your soulmate begins and remains respectful of your values, culture, and intentions. This is a great milestone for Hawaya, and we are humbled that Muslim community have warmly welcomed this unorthodox and modern approach to matchmaking. We look forward to celebrating many more success stories”, said Sameh Saleh, CEO, Hawaya.

Recently, Hawaya witnessed a 40% surge in app-internal communication and a general increase of almost 25%. Saleh believes this was a result of current circumstances and social distancing directives enforced by authorities. “Undoubtedly, individuals

Hawaya in Appscreenshot

are feeling an increased need for connection as face-to-face time with friends and even strangers is limited. Nonetheless, this is a good time for people to discover new ways of engaging with others, and the app offers a platform to do just that. We want to create an ecosystem of support and provide people with a sense of companionship and the possibility of finding lifelong true love.”

Hawaya’s matchmaking algorithm has been built with the help of a team of psychologists, where the users’ preferences are analyzed to bring them the appropriate matches to choose from. Hawaya also attaches great importance to the privacy and security of its members. When signing up, Hawaya authenticates all new members using a ‘selfie verification’ system that works with a highly developed technological infrastructure to prevent the creation of fake profiles. The app also offers female users the option of initially displaying profile pictures out of focus. In addition, Hawaya has a security function “Guardian”, which offers users the opportunity to involve a trusted person, such as a friend or family member, in the communication while getting to know their match.

Hawaya also has helpful tools to facilitate a more fruitful conversation – engaging icebreakers, and personalised conversation starters. Another unique feature of the app is the “Exclusive Mode”, for when users have decided that they would like to be exclusive. This disables any other ongoing conversations for both users.

Hawaya is available on the AppStore on Apple devices and Google Play Store on Android devices. For more information, visit www.hawaya.com.