A leading airline safety site has unveiled its list of the world's safest airlines for 2025, with many from the UAE and Gulf making it to the top. Meanwhile, Dubai's Emirates is set to become the world's first Autism-Certified Airline.
Here's a round-up of recent travel and tourism news – in case you missed it.
Emirates and Etihad among world's safest airlines
Airline safety and product rating review site airlineratings.com has released its latest ranking of the world's safest airlines.
UAE airlines Emirates and Etihad made it into the top 10, ranking third and fifth respectively. Qatar Airways also made the top 10, sharing third place with Emirates and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific.
The safest airline in the world, according to the review, is Air New Zealand, followed by Qantas from Australia.
Among low-cost airlines, the UAE's flydubai and Air Arabia ranked 11th and 18th respectively.
The ranking was achieved by grading airlines on a number of criteria, including serious incidents over the past two years, fleet age, fleet size, rate of incidents, fatalities and pilot skill and training.
Developed in 2012 as a one-stop-shop for everything related to airlines, Airline Ratings says it is made up of a team of aviation editors “who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world”.
Turkish Airlines unveils Unesco-themed amenity kits
Turkish Airlines has unveiled an amenity kits collection for its business class passengers. Called the Unesco Turkiye Series, the collection is inspired by the country's six Unesco World Heritage sites – Nemrut, Gobeklitepe, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Ani and Troy. Kits featuring four different ebru or Turkish marbling patterns, as well as three traditional carpet-rug motifs, are also included in the collection.
Developed in collaboration with the Turkish National Commission for Unesco, each set is designed to be a memorable travel keepsake combining Anatolian history and artist heritage with contemporary design elements.
Different versions of the new kits will also be introduced by the end of the month for economy class flights lasting more than eight hours.
Pakistan International Airlines resumes flights to Europe
Pakistan's state-run airline has resumed direct flights to Europe following a four-year ban over safety standards.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Islamabad to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Friday was fully booked with more than 300 passengers, the airline said.
Defence minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who inaugurated the twice-a-week flight, said the airline will expand its operations to other European countries soon.
The curb on the airline was imposed in 2020 after 97 people died when a PIA plane crashed in Karachi in southern Pakistan. Then-aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said an investigation into the crash found that nearly a third of Pakistani pilots had cheated on their exams. A government probe later concluded that the crash was caused by pilot error.
Emirates set to become world's first Autism-Certified Airline
Emirates is hoping to make air travel less daunting for people with autism and sensory sensitivities by becoming the world's first Autism-Certified Airline. The certification is awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards.
It is expected to be made official in the coming months, now that 30,000 Emirates cabin crew and ground staff have completed initial training. The airline also plans to roll out new services that will improve the on-ground and in-flight travel experience for both customers on the autism spectrum and their families and companions.
In 2023, Emirates trained more than 24,000 of its cabin crew and ground staff to help passengers with autism enjoy a stress-free journey. It also announced it had implemented additional measures to help passengers during the flight.
In April last year, the airline achieved a certified autism centre designation for all four of its Dubai check-in facilities, including its dedicated hub at Terminal 3.
Services are set to be introduced this year, including the introduction of “sensory guides” or digital aids, to help travellers measure sensory inputs in public areas such as sound levels, lighting and potential sights and smells.
Neurodiverse sensory products are also set to be introduced, including sensory fidget toys or aids that can encourage focus, help to de-stress and reduce self stimulatory behaviour.
UAE ranks 10th on world's most powerful passports list
The UAE has retained its position as one of the world's most powerful passports. The annual Henley Passport Index places the Emirati passport on the 10th position, with visa-free access to 185 countries. For the second year in a row, it is the only Arab country in the Top 10.
Last year, the UAE ranked at No 9 along with Estonia and Lithuania.
The Henley Passport Index has been tracking global freedoms in 227 countries and territories around the world for the past 19 years, using data from the International Air Transport Association, known as IATA. It is compiled by Henley & Partners, a British investment migration consultancy headquartered in London.
"The UAE is one of the biggest climbers on the index over the past decade, having secured access to an additional 72 destinations since 2015, enabling it to climb 32 places to 10th spot with visa-free access to 185 destinations worldwide," a spokesperson for Henley & Partners said.
Singapore reclaims its crown as the most powerful passport in the world with visa-free access to 195 out of 227 destinations worldwide. Japan is in second place with a score of 193.
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Finland and South Korea share third place with 192 destinations. Fourth place is shared by a seven-nation EU cohort – Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden – with free visa access to 191 countries. Five countries – Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland and the UK – share the fifth place with 190 visa-free destinations.
Australia and Greece come in sixth, with 189 destinations, while Canada, Malta and Poland rank seventh with 188 destinations. On eighth place are Czechia and Hungary with 187 destinations, while the US and Estonia share ninth place with 185 visa-free destinations.
The UAE shares the tenth place with Lithuania, Latvia and Slovenia.
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
- And then copy into this box
- It can be as long as you link
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- That's about it
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
The past Palme d'Or winners
2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard
2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
Results
Light Flyweight (49kg): Mirzakhmedov Nodirjon (UZB) beat Daniyal Sabit (KAZ) by points 5-0.
Flyweight (52kg): Zoirov Shakhobidin (UZB) beat Amit Panghol (IND) 3-2.
Bantamweight (56kg): Kharkhuu Enkh-Amar (MGL) beat Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov (UZB) 3-2.
Lightweight (60kg): Erdenebat Tsendbaatar (MGL) beat Daniyal Shahbakhsh (IRI) 5-0.
Light Welterweight (64kg): Baatarsukh Chinzorig (MGL) beat Shiva Thapa (IND) 3-2.
Welterweight (69kg): Bobo-Usmon Baturov (UZB) beat Ablaikhan Zhussupov (KAZ) RSC round-1.
Middleweight (75kg): Jafarov Saidjamshid (UZB) beat Abilkhan Amankul (KAZ) 4-1.
Light Heavyweight (81kg): Ruzmetov Dilshodbek (UZB) beat Meysam Gheshlaghi (IRI) 3-2.
Heavyweight (91kg): Sanjeet (IND) beat Vassiliy Levit (KAZ) 4-1.
Super Heavyweight ( 91kg): Jalolov Bakhodir (UZB) beat Kamshibek Kunkabayev (KAZ) 5-0.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
UAE squad
Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
RESULTS
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
The Ashes
Results
First Test, Brisbane: Australia won by 10 wickets
Second Test, Adelaide: Australia won by 120 runs
Third Test, Perth: Australia won by an innings and 41 runs
Fourth Test: Melbourne: Drawn
Fifth Test: Australia won by an innings and 123 runs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
