It's almost spooky season as we look ahead to Halloween, and the UK is going all out for the holiday with destinations hosting festivals, inflatable monsters and more.
Travellers planning ahead to next year might want to consider a trip to Italy, Estonia or Cambodia, all of which rank in Skyscanner's trending 2025 list.
And there are new flights in the air for Etihad and AJet. Here's a round-up of recent travel and tourism news – in case you missed it.
Italy, Philippines and India rank in Skyscanner's trending travel destinations for 2025
Travellers planning ahead for holidays next year might want to take note of Skyscanner's latest report.
The online flight search engine has unveiled its list of trending destinations for 2025, with Reggio Calabria in Italy taking the top spot.
Destinations in the Philippines and India also ranked as popular choices for the coming year.
Analysing flight searches for 2024 compared to the previous year, Skyscanner revealed that the Italian Mediterranean province, renowned for its culture, coastline and cultural diversity, saw a whopping 541 per cent increase in flight searches over the past 12 months.
Tartu in Estonia ranked second in the report, with flight searches up 294 per cent. Located in the east of the country, the second-largest city in Estonia, after capital Tallinn, is home to one of the oldest universities in the Baltic states and was named the European Capital of Culture for 2024.
Cambodia's Siem Reap rounds up the top three, with the temple-filled spot seeing flight searches increase by 241 per cent. Having recovered from a tough Covid-19 lockdown, the destination is famed for its sprawling Angkor Wat and also offers travellers wellness, culture and history.
Panglao Island, located in the province of Bohol, ranked eighth on the list, with the Filipino destination seeing a 77 per cent increase in flight searches.
And India's Thiruvananthapuram, round out the top nine list with the gateway to Kerala seeing an increase of 66 per cent.
Other top trending destinations include Baltimore, Portsmouth in Dominica, Cordoba, Tromso and Stuttgart.
AJet launches new routes to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt
Turkish airline AJet has added flights from Istanbul to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt.
The budget arm of Turkish Airlines is now flying from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Jeddah, Riyadh, Madinah and Dammam in Saudi Arabia.
It has also added five flights per week to the Egyptian resort cities of Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada, as well as daily flights to Bahrain.
The new routes are set to cater to tourists heading to Egypt's popular Red Sea resorts, to commercial and religious travellers flying to Saudi Arabia and to cater to growing Bahrain-Turkish relations.
Aimed at cost-conscious travellers, the airline launched in March this year and offers no-frills air travel to 95 destinations across 32 countries.
UK attractions light up for Halloween
Things are getting spooky in the UK this month as several destinations across the country light up for Halloween.
In Kew, the first-ever Halloween light trail will transform the Unesco World Heritage Site with twinkling lights, fire performers and laser shows. Running from Friday until November 3, the 1.5km trail has a possessed pumpkin farm, a spider web light tunnel, a laser garden and a monsters' lair. Live fire performances will take place each evening.
In Manchester, visitors can get in the spooky spirit with week-long Halloween in the City celebrations. The event runs from October 25 to 31, and visitors can expect giant balloon monsters on city centre rooftops, pumpkin lanterns and an eight-metre-long inflatable monster called The Leech.
And in Scotland, Glasgow's Botanic Gardens are also turning ghostly for the season. GlasGlow returns to the historic landmark and this year's theme is Trick or Treat. Visitors can explore 10 distinct spaces from the BoneYard to the Haunted House. Alongside more than 9,000 plants, visitors can also try their hand at pumpkin picking and smore making.
Etihad adds more flights to Jaipur
Travellers flying between Abu Dhabi and Jaipur will soon have more options for air travel.
Etihad Airlines is adding six new flights per week between the destinations starting from December 15.
Famously called the “pink city” for its standout architecture, Jaipur is the capital and biggest city of the north-western Indian state of Rajasthan. It offers a kaleidoscope of forts, palaces and bustling bazaars, all steeped in history and regal charm.
The walled city is also a Unesco World Heritage Site. Its architecture aside, Jaipur pulsates with vibrant cultural energy, best experienced by getting lost in its labyrinthine streets.
Etihad's network adjustment will mean that the national airline of the UAE is operating 10 times per week to the South Asian destination that is part of India's well-travelled golden triangle route.
The network expansion comes after the airline first launched flights to Jaipur from Abu Dhabi in June, proving the route's popularity.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
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)
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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
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham v Ajax, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
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UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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Brief scores:
Pakistan (1st innings) 181: Babar 71; Olivier 6-37
South Africa (1st innings) 223: Bavuma 53; Amir 4-62
Pakistan (2nd innings) 190: Masood 65, Imam 57; Olivier 5-59
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Company%20Profile
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Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Specs
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
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The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
