Travel 'harder and riskier for Arabs', says survey



Most UAE residents believe the recent failed Yemeni cargo bomb attacks have made international travel more difficult and dangerous for Arabs, a new survey has found.

The YouGovSiraj survey, conducted for Al Aan TV, found that more than two-thirds (71 per cent) of respondents agreed that the October attacks had made international travel harder for Arabs.

On October 28, after a tip from Saudi security services, two explosive devices were found hidden in printer cartridges that had been sent from Sana'a, the Yemeni capital, to synagogues in Chicago. One was uncovered in Dubai, while the other was found in East Midlands Airport in England.

Security services blamed the Yemen-based group, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, for the attacks, saying the PETN plastic explosives found were a weapon of choice for that group.

Almost two-thirds of respondents in the UAE (64 per cent) told the Al Aan researchers that the attacks had made air travel less safe, with two in five (38 per cent) saying they personally felt less safe travelling on passenger aircraft.

According to experts on terrorism, that fear has little foundation. "We have got very, very little risk here," said Malcolm Nance, a UAE-base terrorism consultant. "The packages that were sent to the UK were … not designed to explode here."

People in the UAE, he said, "should feel relatively safe. The risks [from terrorism] out there are miniscule compared to getting in your car and getting on Sheikh Zayed Road".

Scott Booth, the research manager at YouGovSiraj in Dubai, agreed that people in the UAE had little cause for concern.

"These bombs were not intended to take out the aircraft," he said. "The biggest concern is every time there is an attack, it makes it more difficult for Arabs to move internationally."

Mr Booth said the additional security measures at airports since the attacks were "more than annoying". "It's embarrassing and a violation."

The survey found widespread concern (69 per cent) that the attacks had harmed Yemen's international image, and therefore the well-being of ordinary Yemenis, although half the UAE respondents (49 per cent) thought they would encourage Yemen's Arab and western allies to provide it with greater assistance.

"[Yemenis] are already getting a pretty bad reputation. Since [the attacks] the government has been taking more serious steps - so they say," said Mr Booth.

"But yes, it has harmed the image of Yemenis in general. In the Arabian Peninsula region there is plenty of differentiation, but internationally there isn't," he added.

A visa agent at Omeir Travel Agency in Abu Dhabi said she could not recall a time when getting visas had been easy for Yemenis. "Mostly it is harder, some are rejected - it of course depends on the embassy," she said.

"Our image was never good," said Arwa al Iryani, a 24-year-old Yemeni living in Dubai, "and now it's worse. This affected us with visas, and flights to Germany stopped for a couple of days." Flights between Yemen and Germany were suspended immediately after the attacks, but have since resumed.

A substantial number of UAE residents (42 per cent) said poor security had allowed the bombs to get so far undetected, with a significant number (29 per cent) saying the terrorists must have had inside help from Yemeni security controls.

Mr Nance said governments could do - and were doing - a lot to stop attacks. "Counter-terrorism is based on intelligence and proactive intelligence collections, which is the way they broke the Yemen plot."

Airports in the US, Europe, Yemen and elsewhere have stepped up security. Ten new X-ray machines able to detect explosives were installed at the Sana'a International Airport last month.

But people still need to travel, and many Arabs seem resigned to more airport hassles and suspicious stares.

Zahra al Dahmani, a 30-year-old from Dubai, said that happened every time there was an attack. "Everyone blames us - how come it is easy for other people to come into our country, but hard for us to go to theirs? Something needs to be changed," she said.

Thieab al Dossary, a 27-year-old Saudi, said stereotyping was a particular problem in the US. "It isn't just now, it happens every time, but probably more now. In this region we are always named Ahmed and Mohammed, really similar names, and if one bad person has one of these names, they associate everyone else with that.

"We shouldn't be questioned or interrogated just because of our names."

* With additional reporting by Sean McLain

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlmouneer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dr%20Noha%20Khater%20and%20Rania%20Kadry%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEgypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E120%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBootstrapped%2C%20with%20support%20from%20Insead%20and%20Egyptian%20government%2C%20seed%20round%20of%20%3Cbr%3E%243.6%20million%20led%20by%20Global%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia

Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.

A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.

Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.

A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.

On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.

The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.

Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.

The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later. 

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

Ain Issa camp:
  • Established in 2016
  • Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
  • Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
  • Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
  • 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
  • NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
  • One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

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

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

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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
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to vote

Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.

They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi

Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday) 

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

The specs

Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder

Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT 

On sale: now

Plan to boost public schools

A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.

It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.

Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.

Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.

THE DETAILS

Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5

The Bio

Name: Lynn Davison

Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi

Children: She has one son, Casey, 28

Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite Author: CJ Sansom

Favourite holiday destination: Bali

Favourite food: A Sunday roast

ESSENTIALS

The flights 

Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes. 

Where to stay 

The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

THE BIO

Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13 

Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier

Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife 

What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents. 

Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.

Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes

ARGYLLE
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MANDOOB
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Ali%20Kalthami%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Mohammed%20Dokhei%2C%20Sarah%20Taibah%2C%20Hajar%20Alshammari%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)

Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)