UAE to Saudi Arabia flight deadline looms

The last flights before a ban on travel between Saudi Arabia and the UAE comes into effect were set to take off on Sunday night.

Tourists and workers who are in the Emirates were expected to make up the bulk of passengers on Emirates and flydubai services to Riyadh, Jeddah and Damman from Dubai International Airport.

Saudi Arabia will prohibit passengers from Ethiopia, UAE, Vietnam and Afghanistan from 11pm on Sunday. Saudia told state-owned broadcaster Al Ekhbariya it had scheduled 23 flights between UAE and Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

I might have to go back to the UK and quarantine in a hotel for 10 days and then travel to Saudi Arabia

Donna Anthony

In addition, Emirates’ website lists the final three flights it will be running before the ban: Dubai‑Jeddah‑Dubai – EK2805 / EK2806, Dubai‑Riyadh‑Dubai – EK2817/ EK 2818 and Dubai‑Dammam‑Dubai – EK2821/ EK2822

Seats were still being advertised on some booking sites on Sunday - but many passengers found planes were full when they phoned up to book.

“Customers with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as their final destination, arriving on/after 05 July 2021, will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin,” the Emirates website said .

Saudi Arabia had previously lifted travel restrictions on 11 countries, including the UAE, in May.

Etihad said it was "working closely with impacted guests to notify them of the changes to their itineraries,” the airline said.

“This is an evolving situation and we will update guests as more information becomes available.”

Flydubai's website states the last flight to Dammam takes off from Dubai from 9pm on Sunday, with “no flights available” for the rest of the week.

Grounded a day before move to Saudi Arabia

Donna Anthony, 39, was due to move to Riyadh on Monday, July 5, and was spending her last night in Dubai in a hotel after moving out of her home last week.

When her company tried to bring her flight forward by a day, they were told all seats were full.

“I have nowhere to live at the minute because I packed up my belongings and moved out of my villa in Jumeirah One last week,” Ms Anthony told The National.

“I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen now as it could be months again before the Saudi border opens up again.”

Ms Anthony, from Wales, has worked remotely as a commercial manager for her new employer, a development firm in Riyadh, since March and was eagerly looking forward to finally meeting her new colleagues in person.

Her husband also began working remotely last week with a company based in Saudi Arabia.

“I might have to go back to the UK and quarantine in a hotel for 10 days and then travel to Saudi Arabia,” said Ms Anthony.

“My employers have been flexible about it as they have been hiring people from all over the world and accept it’s a difficult time for everyone.”

On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

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?

While you're here

Damien McElroy: It's too early to say who will win the vaccine hurdle race

Mustafa Alrawi: To get the 'jab' done, governments must show patience and empathy

Editorial: The fight against Covid-19 should be guided by science

German intelligence warnings

2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

Asia Cup 2018 Qualifier

Sunday's results:

UAE beat Malaysia by eight wickets
Nepal beat Singapore by four wickets
Oman v Hong Kong, no result

Tuesday fixtures:

Malaysia v Singapore
UAE v Oman
Nepal v Hong Kong

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Cryopreservation: A timeline

Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
Ovarian tissue surgically removed
Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months

In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff

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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.