A hazy day over Dubai Marina.The weather will be partly cloudy on Thursday. Antonie Robertson / The National
A hazy day over Dubai Marina.The weather will be partly cloudy on Thursday. Antonie Robertson / The National

UAE weather: sunny and a moderate breeze



The weather will be hazy and partly cloudy over some areas.

It will turn cloudy at times over the islands and the sea by night.

Winds will be moderate during the daytime, freshening westward especially over the sea, which will cause dust to blow over exposed areas.

Conditions will be slight to moderate, becoming rough westward by Friday morning in the Arabian Gulf and slight in the Oman sea.

Company name: Play:Date

Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day

Founder: Shamim Kassibawi

Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US

Sector: Tech 

Size: 20 employees

Stage of funding: Seed

Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund

Changing visa rules

For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.

Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.

It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.

The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.

The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.