Emirates will resume flights to Moscow this week, which will bring the airline's global network to 85 cities in September.
The Dubai airline will recommence flights to the Russian capital on Friday, September 11, which means it will soon service a total of 26 European cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona and Glasgow.
Emirates will operate the five-and-a-half-hour flights to Moscow twice a week, on Fridays and Saturdays, on a Boeing 777-300ER. On Fridays, Emirates flight EK133 will depart Dubai at 10.10am, and arrive in Moscow at 2.25pm, local time. The return flight, EK134, will depart Moscow at 5.35pm and arrive in Dubai at 11.35pm.
On Saturdays, flight EK131 will depart Dubai at 4.15pm, arriving at 8.30pm. The return flight, EK132 will depart at 11.20pm and arrive in Dubai at 5.30am the following day.
Emirates gradually resumes operations
The airline most recently announced it was resuming flights to Amman, Jordan, and Thailand, as well as five cities in Africa – Conakry in Guinea, Dakar in Senegal, Accra in Ghana, Abidjan on the Ivory Coast and Lusaka, Zambia's capital.
Travellers must show a negative Covid-19 PCR test certificate before being accepted on any Emirates flight arriving or transiting in Dubai. These tests results cannot be substituted for laser test results or any other type of test.
Last month, Emirates's chief operating officer, Adel Al Redha, said the airline hopes to have its full network of 143 destinations operational by summer next year.
Free Covid-19 travel protection
Emirates is offering free cover for Covid-19 related costs to all travellers on any flight departing between now and October 31, 2020.
Valid for 31 days from the first sector of each journey, it covers travellers for medical costs, quarantine expenses and repatriation costs if they are diagnosed with the virus when travelling.
The cover does not extend to Covid-19 tests and all travellers flying to the UAE must be tested for the virus before flying, from approved clinics where available. Some visitors will undergo secondary tests for the virus at Dubai International Airport.
Passengers leaving Dubai for Europe, or to any destination where it is mandatory, will also need to take another Covid-19 test before they can board a flight.
All travellers are advised to check the latest requirements for their country of origin and their intended destination regularly before travelling because rules and restrictions can change with very little notice.
Scroll through the gallery below to discover more destinations on Emirates' current network:
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Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
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