Etihad rates as one of the world’s safest airlines for hygiene standards

Etihad Airways has been recognised for its health and safety measures implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The national airline of the UAE has been awarded Diamond status in the first Airline Passenger Experience Association (Apex) Health Safety ratings.

The Abu Dhabi airline is considered one of the world’s safest when it comes to hygiene standards, having achieved the highest standard available in the independently verified 58-point assessment.

Etihad has been recognised as having hospital-grade cleanliness standards by Apex.

Etihad is one of only nine airlines in the world to achieve Diamond status in the safety rating by one of the world's largest international airline associations.

Other recipients include Saudia, Qatar Airways, United, Alaska, Singapore Airlines, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic and Turkish Airlines.

The 20 most Covid-19 safety compliant airlines in the world: Emirates and Etihad make the cut

A first look inside Emirates' new Premium Economy cabin

To achieve the highest status, airlines must prove to Apex that they fulfil several critical points during a traveller’s journey. These are divided into categories and assess check-in procedures, testing and tracing, airport facilities, security, lounge facilities, boarding procedures, in-flight and arrival measures and sanitisation partnerships.

"Etihad Airways has raised the bar for health safety standards in the industry by initiatives such as Wellness Ambassadors, free PCR Covid-19 tests and using AI to identify high-risk passengers at its hub in Abu Dhabi. Taking such hospital-grade measures in ensuring health safety goes a long way in bolstering trust among travellers," said Shashank Nigam, chief executive of SimpliFlying, which audits the airlines' standards.

The rating aims to be a new global health standard for airlines that can self-register for their assessment. The Apex Health Safety provides a rating, rather than a ranking, as the airline association does not want health and safety to be a way for airlines to compete with one another.

100 per cent negative testing policy

Etihad provides travellers with complimentary hygiene kits and face masks are compulsory on all flights.

"2020 brought tremendous challenges to the aviation industry, and the Diamond status is testament to the strength of Etihad's health and safety credentials and response to the pandemic," said Terry Daly, executive director of guest experience, brand and marketing at Etihad Aviation Group.

"Etihad has demonstrated its resilience and designed industry-leading measures to combat Covid-19, including the Etihad Wellness programme. As part of its efforts, Etihad is the only airline in the world to make Covid-19 testing mandatory before every flight, and since August 2020, 100 per cent of our guests have tested negative before they fly," said Daly.

Etihad's Diamond status follows the airline's Five Star Apex rating. The Abu Dhabi airline was given this rating in December. Based on passenger feedback from nearly one million flights across more than 600 airlines, the Apex Official Airline Ratings are independently certified by a professional external auditing company.

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AirlineRatings.com world's safest airlines for 2021

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The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

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Anti-semitic attacks

The annual report by the Community Security Trust, which advises the Jewish community on security , warned on Thursday that anti-Semitic incidents in Britain had reached a record high.

It found there had been 2,255 anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2021, a rise of 34 per cent from the previous year.

The report detailed the convictions of a number of people for anti-Semitic crimes, including one man who was jailed for setting up a neo-Nazi group which had encouraged “the eradication of Jewish people” and another who had posted anti-Semitic homemade videos on social media.

Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

While you're here

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COMPANY%20PROFILE

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COMPANY PROFILE

Name: HyperSpace

Started: 2020

Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Entertainment

Number of staff: 210

Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners

How to increase your savings

Have a plan for your savings.
Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.

- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Innotech Profile

Date started: 2013

Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari

Based: Muscat, Oman

Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies

Size: 15 full-time employees

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing

Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.

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

On Women's Day

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Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

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Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

McLaren GT specs

Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: seven-speed

Power: 620bhp

Torque: 630Nm

Price: Dh875,000

On sale: now

Sole survivors

Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.

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The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet

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Joe Root's Test record

Tests: 53; Innings: 98; Not outs: 11; Runs: 4,594; Best score: 254; Average: 52.80; 100s: 11; 50s: 27

Killing of Qassem Suleimani

National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate

Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead

Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble

Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks

Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence

Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Scores

Oman 109-3 in 18.4 overs (Aqib Ilyas 45 not out, Aamir Kaleem 27) beat UAE 108-9 in 20 overs (Usman 27, Mustafa 24, Fayyaz 3-16, Bilal 3-23)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

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Raghida Dergham: We have to bounce back

THE%20JERSEYS

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Racecard

6.35pm: The Madjani Stakes – Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m

7.10pm: Evidenza – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m

7.45pm: The Longines Conquest – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,000m

8.20: The Longines Elegant – Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (D)

8.35pm: The Dubai Creek Mile – Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m

9.30pm: Mirdif Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,400m

10.05pm: The Longines Record – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,900m

On Women's Day

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality

The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?

Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'

KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY

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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
Travel distance: Limited
Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
Duration: Can linger for days
Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
Source: Can be carried from distant regions

Kandahar%20

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57%20Seconds

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Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million