A lab worker holds up saliva vials at the Biogenix lab at G42 in Masdar City. Victor Besa / The National
A lab worker holds up saliva vials at the Biogenix lab at G42 in Masdar City. Victor Besa / The National
A lab worker holds up saliva vials at the Biogenix lab at G42 in Masdar City. Victor Besa / The National
A lab worker holds up saliva vials at the Biogenix lab at G42 in Masdar City. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi’s Biogenix Labs to support Iata Travel Pass app trials


Alkesh Sharma
  • English
  • Arabic

Abu Dhabi-based Biogenix Labs will provide Covid-19 testing services for trials of the International Air Transport Association’s Travel Pass covering flights between the emirate and a number of cities in the US and Canada.

Biogenix Labs, which is operated by G42 Healthcare in Masdar City, will provide testing services for Etihad Airways passengers travelling between Abu Dhabi and Chicago, New York, Washington and Toronto until May 31.

“We are proud to be part of this pioneering project. Biogenix Labs is contributing to the lifting of travel restrictions using digital solutions and working with leaders in the travel industry to process verified information in a safe and secure manner,” Ashish Koshy, chief executive of G42 Healthcare, said.

Biogenix Labs was founded in March last year to rapidly scale Covid-19 testing requirements. The company was chosen as it uses the latest technology to provide the most accurate results in the shortest timespan, it said in a statement.

Iata's Travel Pass app acts as a digital health passport that allows travellers to share Covid-19 test and vaccine certificates with airport authorities, airlines and governments.

The app is one of several digital initiatives currently in trial phases. More than 25 airlines, including Etihad, the national airline of the UAE, and Dubai’s Emirates have partnered with Iata to test the mobile app with travellers on select flights.

Aviation industry stakeholders are increasingly advocating the use of such apps to revive passenger travel demand. International passenger revenue is only likely to be at 34 per cent of 2019 levels in the second half of this year and airlines continue to sustain heavy losses.

The industry is likely to burn through a further $81 billion of cash this year, on top of about $149bn last year and is not likely to break even until next year, Iata said last month.

The story in numbers

18

This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens

450,000

More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps

1.5 million

There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m

73

The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association

18,000

The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme

77,400

The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study

4,926

This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee

What went into the film

25 visual effects (VFX) studios

2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots

1,000 VFX artists

3,000 technicians

10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers

New sound technology, named 4D SRL

 

THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS

England

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur

Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus

Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid

Company%20profile
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What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Brief scores:

Toss: Australia, chose to bat

Australia: 272-9 (50 ov)

Khawaja 100, Handscomb 52; Bhuvneshwar 3-48

India: 237 (50 ov)

Rohit 56, Bhuvneshwar 46; Zampa 3-46

Player of the Match: Usman Khawaja (Australia)

Player of the Series: Usman Khawaja (Australia)

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence