Top headlines: 3 UAE cities among world's safest; 13 international airlines resume flights to Dubai; Emirates to fly to six more cities

Top Stories

Dubai - Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the last 24 hours.

By Web Report

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Published: Thu 9 Jul 2020, 6:27 PM

Last updated: Thu 9 Jul 2020, 8:44 PM

3 UAE cities among world's top 10 safest

The UAE secured the rare distinction as the world's only country with three of its cities ranked among the planet's top ten safest cities, according to a newly released global crime index.

Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah figure among the top ten global cities with the lowest crime rate, claiming respectively the second, sixth and seventh prestigious positions among the nearly 400 cities surveyed across the globe, as per the crowd-sourced global data website Numbeo.

The UAE also secured the third rank among the safest nations on the planet, while claiming the 24th spot in the quality of life index.

13 international airlines resume flights as Dubai reopens for tourists

A total of 13 international airlines have resumed scheduled flights this week as Dubai opened its skies to tourists from July 7.

In addition to foreign carriers, Dubai-based Emirates and flydubai have boosted their schedules. Airlines resuming operations to Dubai Airports include Air Blue, Air France, Cebu Pacific, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, Gulf Air, KLM, Lufthansa, Mahan Air, Middle East Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Philippine Airlines and Royal Jordanian.

UAE residents stranded in India can return on Vande Bharat flights; chartered services get go-ahead

UAE residents currently stuck in India can fly back to the emirates on the Indian government's Vande Bharat Mission flights for a period of 15 days starting July 12, Indian civil aviation authorities have announced.

An agreement for the same has been signed between the civil aviation authorities of the two countries, putting an end to the long traumatic wait for hundreds of Indians. Many are currently stranded in India since March when both the UAE and India closed their airspaces to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

UAE among top 10 countries ready to adopt driverless cars

UAE has been placed among the top 10 countries ready to accommodate driverless vehicles for the third consecutive year, according to a report released by the KPMG.

The third edition of the Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index (AVRI), which evaluates the preparedness of 30 countries globally, places the UAE in the eighth position, up one place from last year's rankings despite the addition of five jurisdictions.

The UAE ranks ahead of the United Kingdom and Denmark and after Singapore, the Netherlands, Norway, the United States, Finland, Sweden and South Korea on the index.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed appoints board for Frontline Heroes Office

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Chairman of the Frontline Heroes Office, has appointed the Board for the Office, under the chairmanship of Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan.

The office, which will be headquartered in Abu Dhabi, aims to raise awareness of the key role played by the frontline workers during crises and emergencies by recognising their efforts and acknowledging their sacrifices, while also looking after their needs and addressing their priorities.

DSS 2020: Dubai Summer Surprises begins today - yoga at Burj Khalifa, fireworks at the Palm, mega sale and more

Brace for seven weeks of sales, deals and promotions at malls and leisure destinations across the city as Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) returns for its 23rd edition starting July 9.

From fireworks and mega raffle draws to pop-up shops and yoga sessions at the viewing deck of Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) handpicked a host of exciting events for its DSS line-up this year.

"Each year, Dubai Summer Surprises wows shoppers with its exciting and eclectic selection of deals, raffles, promotions, events and experiences. DSS has always had a special place in the hearts of Dubai residents and visitors and has established itself as one of the most eagerly awaited events on Dubai's calendar," said Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of DFRE.

Emirates resumes flights to 6 more cities

Dubai's Emirates has announced that it will resume flights to six more cities soon.

The airline will fly to Geneva (from July 15), Los Angeles (from July 22), Dar es Salaam (from August 1), Prague and Sao Paulo (from August 2), and Boston (from August 15).

This will take the airline's network to 58 cities by mid-August, including 20 points in Europe and 24 points in the Asia-Pacific.

104 more repatriation flights from UAE to India under Vande Bharat Mission

The Government of India has announced an additional 104 special repatriation flights from the UAE to India as part of the Vande Bharat Mission, Phase 4 from July 15 - 31.

According to a flight schedule listed on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) website, national carriers Air India and Air India Express flights have been scheduled to various cities in 10 Indian states. Each flight has a capacity of 177 passengers.

Vande Bharat Phase 4 officially began on July 3, and in an earlier press briefing Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson of India's Ministry of External Affairs had said 'Phase 4 will focus on repatriation of Gulf-based Indians.

All you need to know about the new Dubai Metro Route 2020

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated Route 2020, a 15-km extension to Metro Red Line, on Wednesday.

Extending from Jebel Ali Station to Expo 2020 Station, the Dh11 billion Route 2020 project, which links seven stations, will be open to the public in September this year.

The track extends 15km (11.8km elevated track and 3.2km underground track) and links seven stations (one Interchange station with the Red Line, one iconic station at EXPO 2020 site, three elevated stations and two underground stations). The project offers safe and smooth transport for Expo visitors and residents of Dubai communities. It is also viewed as a vital future link between several Dubai communities and Al Maktoum International Airport. The new project serves as a symbol of sustainability, progress and innovation for present and future generations.

UAE to announce unified protocol to receive tourists

A unified protocol to receive international tourists to the UAE is getting ready and will be announced in next two weeks, said a top official from the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) - Abu Dhabi.

"We are working with the federal authorities and other emirates to have a unified protocol across the UAE," Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing, DCT - Abu Dhabi, told Khaleej Times.

"This will be aligned with the federal authorities - the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority and the airlines that will also be looking into different networks and how we can do the plan together.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed to visit Korea on July 10

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will on Friday, July 10, embark on a state visit to the Republic of South Korea.

The visit will be on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UAE and East Asian nation.

During the visit, Sheikh Abdullah will hold talks with senior Korean officials about ways of further strengthening ties of friendship and strategic cooperation between the two friendly countries, in addition to the latest regional and global developments and issues of common interest.

Flydubai welcomes its first tourists arriving in Dubai

Dubai-based airline flydubai has begun welcoming tourists to Dubai following the lifting of flight restrictions that were put in place in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

On July 8, flydubai flight FZ 728 from Kiev's Boryspil International Airport (KBP) arrived at Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB) at 9:45pm. Onboard the flight were 7 Business Class passengers and 159 Economy Class passengers who were welcomed on arrival from representatives from the airline, Dubai Airports, Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) and other key stakeholders, a statement issued on Thursday said.

Global coronavirus cases rise to more than 12 million

Global coronavirus cases exceeded 12 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as evidence mounts of the airborne spread of the disease that has killed more than half a million people in seven months.

The number of cases is triple that of severe influenza illnesses recorded annually, according to the World Health Organization.

Many hard-hit countries are easing lockdowns put in place to slow the spread of the novel virus, while others, such as China and Australia, implement another round of shutdowns in response to a resurgence in infections. Experts say alterations to work and social life could last until a vaccine is available.

WHO sets up panel to review handling of Covid-19 pandemic

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday that it was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and the response by governments.

The announcement follows strong criticism by US President Donald Trump's administration, which accused the WHO of being "China-centric", and US formal notification on Tuesday that it was withdrawing from the UN agency in a year's time.

Airfares set to drop in last quarter of 2020, say experts

Airfares, which have seen an increase as airlines tackle the economic impact of Covid-19, will likely see a drop in the last quarter of the year, experts said.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Neeraj Goswami, associate director of Air Business at Cleartrip, explained that airlines have been carrying fewer passengers per plane than before in order to adhere to social distancing norms. This has resulted in them charging a higher ticket price per passenger.

Video: K9 police dogs may soon sniff out Covid-19 cases in UAE

Sniffer dogs are a common sight in sensitive places where they help authorities in detection work. But now, imagine waiting in a queue at a venue and being encountered by a canine who reaches out to you and takes a whiff of your armpits. This scenario may soon become a reality if specially trained K9 police dogs are employed to sniff out Covid-19 positive cases from the crowd.

The UAE Ministry of Interior has completed trials on K9 police dogs who may now be employed to help them curb the spread of Covid-19. The move to use canines to sniff out Covid-19 cases comes after the successful completion of practical experiments and scientific studies.

Welcome to Dubai: Burj Khalifa greets tourists with stunning show

Several holiday makers who made a beeline for Dubai as soon as it reopened to tourists on Tuesday are celebrating in the shadow of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. And tourists who made their way to the glitzy Dubai Downtown were wowed by an impressive 'welcome back' show on the skyscraper's famed LED screen, which is the world's largest as well.

The building lit up in an array of colours as it flashed 'Welcome to Dubai'. A video tweeted by the Government of Dubai Media Office on Wednesday shows socially-distancing tourists taking selfies and photos of the impressive show. A couple of tourists in masks are seen dancing, while a family gives the victory sign.

Indian passport renewal applications to resume in Abu Dhabi

The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi will remove "all restrictions" on passport renewal applications at BLS International Centres in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain from July 15.

However, senior citizens (above 60 years); minors (below 12 years); pregnant women and people of determination are exempted from appearing in person at the centres.

"All applicants are requested to maintain appropriate social distancing norms in accordance with local rules and regulations and wear face masks and gloves while visiting BLS centres," the embassy tweeted on Wednesday.


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