In the same week that Etihad Airways launched its inaugural non-stop flight from Abu Dhabi to Boston, flydubai announced two new routes to Saudi Arabia. The airline will begin flights to two of the kingdom's most popular tourist destinations this month.
Emirates is celebrating recognition of its autism-friendly facilities in Dubai, while in Morocco, Richard Branson's luxury retreat is set to reopen this year, after being closed due to damage caused by the earthquake that hit the country last year.
Here's a round-up of recent travel and tourism news – in case you missed it.
Flydubai launches flights to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea region
Travellers hoping to explore Saudi Arabia’s newest Red Sea destination can now get there with flydubai. The airline has announced twice weekly flights to the coastal resort, on the kingdom’s west coast.
“Flydubai becomes the first carrier to operate to Red Sea International from the UAE, offering passengers direct access to Saudi Arabia’s resorts at the Red Sea destination,” said Sudhir Sreedharan, senior vice president of commercial operations at flydubai.
Flights will commence on April 18 and operate on Thursdays and Sundays. Fares start from Dh3,100 ($844).
Six Senses Southern Dunes and St Regis Red Resort have opened at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea destination, with three more luxury resorts are to open there this year. When it is fully completed in 2030, the region will have 50 resorts and about 8,000 hotel rooms across 22 islands and six inland sites.
Flydubai is also launching flights to Al Jouf, in the north-west of the kingdom. A popular tourist destination, the region is known for its date palm groves and scenic landscapes. The new route will commence on April 18, operating on Mondays and Thursdays, with fares from Dh1,400.
The two routes are the latest additions to flydubai’s network. The airline has also added flights to Langkawi, Mombasa and Penang this year, with five more destinations to follow, including Tallinn and Basel.
Untamed Borders launches trekking trip in Yemen
Outdoor travel fanatics might want to take note of a new trekking trip from adventure company Untamed Borders. Known for offering excursions to off-the-beaten-path destinations, the company’s latest exploration takes place in the Hadhramaut region.
Winding through palm-lined wadis and across desert landscapes, the first trip is scheduled for January 2025.
Taking place in the east of Yemen, far from the flash points in western areas controlled by the Iran-back Houthi rebels, the trail follows in the footsteps of renowned British-Italian explorer called Freya Stark. She travelled across the region in the 1930s and documented her adventure in a book called A Winter in Arabia: A Journey Through Yemen.
All trekking paths and routes have been checked thoroughly by an international guide at Untamed Borders, working alongside the company’s Yemeni guides.
It’s the latest new addition to the company’s growing offering of Middle East trips. Excursions to the Zagros Mountains, in the Iraqi Kurdish region, and to the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt have also been added to the list this year.
Branson’s luxury Moroccan resort to reopen after earthquake
One of Morocco’s most luxurious resorts is set to reopen in October. Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot, in the Atlas Mountains, is on track to welcome guests again, after closing when Morocco was hit be a devastating earthquake in September last year.
The restoration of the resort’s main kasbah is well under way, after the quake affected the hotel and many of the surrounding communities. The reopening of the hotel, staffed by a 100 per cent Moroccan team, will be a boost to the area, as well as offering guests new luxury accommodation.
As well as rebuilding the original spaces, six new riads have been added to the retreat which will welcome guests again on October 15.
With views of Jebel Toubkal, the new accommodation can sleep up to 10 guests. Each riad includes a rooftop tented suite, complete with a hot tub on the terrace. They also offer private pools and are furnished with materials and handicrafts by artisans from the local Berber community.
In July, Asayss – a new restaurant and lounge - will also open, led up by Moroccan chef Yassine Khalal. The menu is designed to celebrate local ingredients, with the majority sourced from the hotel's kitchen garden.
Emirates' accessible check-ins make flying easier
Emirates has been lauded for making travel more accessible, with its check-in desks in the UAE designated as Certified Autism Centres by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards.
The airline's check-in facilities at Dubai International Airport's Terminal 3, its city check-in areas in DIFC and Ajman, and its cruise check-in points at Port Rashid and Dubai Harbour were also certified. Emirates employees have undergone special training on autism and sensory awareness.
Sound and light levels and other sensory points at the facilities were also assessed to ensure they matched the needs of autistic travellers, or those with sensory sensitivities.
“Emirates is known worldwide for its exceptional guest service. Checking in for a flight is one of the most stressful segments of the whole travel experience. With the completion of the facilities, audit and the addition of the new sensory guides, the check-in procedure at the check-in facilities will be more accommodating for people of determination, and especially those with sensory challenges,” said Myron Pincomb, chairman of the board at the IBCCES.
Last year, Emirates and Dubai International Airport introduced an autism friendly guide to the airport that allows passengers to plan their travel with step-by-step explanations and images of every part of the journey, from check-in to boarding.
It is the first international airport in the world to be designated as a Certified Autism Centre and Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism says it aims to make the emirate the first Certified Autism Destination in the Middle East.
Match info
Australia 580
Pakistan 240 and 335
Result: Australia win by an innings and five runs
Read more about the coronavirus
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Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
The specs: 2019 Cadillac XT4
Price, base: Dh145,000
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 237hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
TEAMS
US Team
Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth
Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger
Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler
Kevin Kisner, Patrick Reed
Matt Kuchar, Kevin Chappell
Charley Hoffman*, Phil Mickelson*
International Team
Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day
Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen
Marc Leishman, Charl Schwartzel
Branden Grace, Si Woo Kim
Jhonattan Vegas, Adam Hadwin
Emiliano Grillo*, Anirban Lahiri*
* denotes captain's picks
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
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Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Brackets denote aggregate score
Tuesday:
Roma (1) v Shakhtar Donetsk (2), 11.45pm
Manchester United (0) v Sevilla (0), 11.45pm
Wednesday:
Besiktas (0) v Bayern Munich (5), 9pm
Barcelona (1) v Chelsea (1), 11.45pm
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
