Emirati citizens have flown to Lebanon for the first time in four years after the UAE ended a travel ban.
Flights operated by Emirates and Air Arabia landed in Beirut on Wednesday, the day the ban expired after four years. Flowers and chocolates were given to arriving Emirati citizens at Rafic Hariri International Airport.
“I’m so happy. It’s like a nightmare has been lifted. It’s a dream,” said Khaled Khaled, an Emirati influencer. “Lebanon is beautiful, from its east to its west.
“We consider ourselves Lebanese as much you. I’m planning to go everywhere in Lebanon. Everyone I know is coming.”
Arriving passengers were greeted by Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos, who was there on behalf of President Joseph Aoun.
The removal of the ban is “very important for our national tourism and our mutual relations with Arab and Gulf countries”, Mr Morcos told The National. “We look forward to further lifting of the embargo on flights to Lebanon.
“It’s a new era. We now have a new president of the republic and a new government and an enhanced policy in terms of security and guarantees for safe travels,” he added.
Improving ties
In 2021, the UAE and several other Gulf states banned their citizens from travelling to Lebanon as relations with Beirut soured.
The move to end the ban was seen as a step towards strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, shortly after Mr Aoun’s visit to Abu Dhabi in April, where he met President Sheikh Mohamed.
Lebanon is seeking to revive ties with Gulf states after Israel’s war on Lebanon last year.
Pressure is growing on the Lebanese government, both abroad and internally, to disarm and the diminish the influence of Hezbollah – a highly sensitive and complicated matter that until recently was a taboo point of discussion in Lebanon.
Gulf countries were once important donors to Lebanon, but that financial support had waned in recent years.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Gulf ambassadors on Tuesday that security services “are ready to ensure the safety and security of our Arab brothers during the summer.”
“We listened to their concerns and assured them that we would work to address them,” Mr Salam said. “I also briefed them on the security changes taking place at and around Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport.”
The heads of Beirut airport and civil aviation were recently replaced by Lebanon’s transport minister. Publicly, these were described as moves to enhance the aviation sector, but they were also seen as part of a wider effort to remove figures seen as sympathetic to Hezbollah from key positions.
The UAE is home to 90,000 Lebanese citizens – the number is closer to 200,000 if dual citizens are counted.
Lebanese have faced strict checks when applying for visit and work visas in the Emirates in recent years, and Mr Aoun said he hopes to find a way to ease the situation.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
Price, base / as tested: Dh76,900 / Dh110,900
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: Torque: 352Nm @ 2,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.5L / 100km
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
Alita: Battle Angel
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Stars: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Keean Johnson
Four stars
