Travel news: Malaysia Airlines sale from Dubai to around Asia

Malaysia Airlines launch seat sale

Malaysia Airlines is currently offering discounted air fares between the UAE and Malaysia and beyond, following the reinstatement of its direct route between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur. The airline, which flies to about 60 destinations across four continents, is currently offering up to 30 per cent off current ticket prices for trips booked between now and December 2, for travel between January 1 and March 31, 2014.

A return economy-class flight from Dubai to Kuala Lumpur currently costs from Dh1,865, including taxes. Business-class fares are also currently discounted up to 25 per cent. The airline is also offering seats from Dubai to Jakarta from Dh2,145 return, including taxes, economy-class fares from Dubai to Yangon, Myanmar, from Dh2,185, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from Dh2,225, including taxes, Beijing from Dh2,405, Osaka, Japan, from Dh2,765, Seoul, South Korea, from Dh2,445 and Taipei, Taiwan, from Dh2,685, all return including taxes. To book, visit www.malaysiaairlines.com.

Between now and January 5, 2014, Tourism Malaysia is running a "1Malaysia year-end sale", which sees widespread discounts at shopping malls across the country. For more information, visit www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my.

New trip to North Korea

The UK-based Tailor-Made Adventures has launched a new 12-day trip to North Korea that starts and ends in Beijing. It takes in Pyongyang (the capital and heart of socialist North Korea), Ulim Waterfall, the coastal city of Hamhung (only recently opened up to foreigners), a visit to the Dongbong Co-operative Farm for an insight into how the country’s social policies work, the port city of Wonsan, Mount Kumgang (and a hike to Samil Lagoon and the Kuryong Waterfall), before heading to Kaesong, the most heavily fortified border on Earth, the DMZ.

Jim O’Brien, the company’s managing director, said: “North Korea offers the more adventurous traveller a completely unique experience. From bizarre monuments dedicated to the ‘Kims’, travellers will be among the first to discover what is at once a beautiful country, with waterfalls, mountains and coastal scenery, but also one of contrasts, visiting as we do what is perhaps the strangest tourist attraction in the world, the border between North and South Korea. It’s guaranteed that a tour to North Korea will be different to anything travellers have experienced before.”

The trip costs from £2,700 (Dh16,079) per person, based on two people travelling together and sharing a room, excluding flights. For bookings, visit www.tailor-madeadventures.com.

rbehan@thenational.ae

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

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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)

Salah in numbers

€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.

13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.

57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.

7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.

3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.

40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.

30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.

8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.