There is little clarity over when Emirates airline will resume its Dubai-Tunis route.
On Sunday an intelligence warning about a possible terror attack prompted Emirates airline to step up security screening of Tunisian female passengers, this in turn prompted Tunisia to ban Emirates from landing in Tunis.
"There was a security warning," the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash told The National on Monday, after the Dubai carrier announced it would cease operations to Tunisia. Dr Gargash declined to comment further, instead reiterating his previous statement on Twitter.
On Sunday evening he said "security information" had caused delays to the passengers’ flights and that both countries were in contact about the measures.
"We have met with our brothers in Tunisia about security information that has imposed specific and circumstantial measures," he said.
"In the UAE, we are proud of empowering women, we appreciate Tunisian women, and respect them. We should avoid misleading attempts at misinterpretation and misrepresentation," Dr Gargash said.
Emirates said it would stop operating its Dubai-Tunis route following instructions from the North African country.
Two days before, Tunisian government officials said the UAE banned Tunisian women from flying to or transiting through its territory.
The Tunisian transport ministry issued a statement saying Emirates flights would be suspended “until the company finds an appropriate solution to operate its flights that follows international laws and treaties.”
Emirates advised affected passengers to contact their travel agent or booking office for assistance re-booking flights following the ban on December 25.
Meanwhile, Tunisian presidency spokesperson Saeeda Qureshi told Shems FM radio, "The UAE authorities have serious security information about the possibility of terrorist attacks."
The information indicates that with jihadists returning from Syria and Iraq, there is "a possibility of a terrorist attack involving either Tunisian women or women carrying a Tunisian passport," she said, suggesting that they could be using false identities, AFP reported.
Ms Qureshi said US authorities confirmed the legitimacy of the security warning issued to the UAE.
More than 8000 Tunisians are suspected to have fought with ISIL, hundreds of women among them. Tunisians constitute the largest number of foreign fighters in ISIL’s ranks in Syria, Iraq and Libya, according to a report from the Washington Post.
“The measures that the UAE took regarding travel of Tunisian women, are considered part of their sovereignty procedures, and not a sign of a trust crisis between the two countries,” Ms Qureshi said.
Similarly, Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, chairman of the Department of Education and Knowledge in the Government of Abu Dhabi and chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, said the travel ban that was imposed on the Tunisian women “was based on security intelligence warnings, which were lifted afterwards, and this occurs in all countries and it is part of the battle that Tunis is taking against terrorism…” he posted on his Twitter account.
“I hope that the brothers in Tunis would face the truth and realise that radicalism and terrorism are the biggest danger that is facing the stability and security of Tunis, and the battle against terrorism is the battle of us all, and we should unify our fronts to combat it,” he added.
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
England squad
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Ben White
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse
Forwards: Tammy Abraham, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Raheem Sterling
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.7L/100km
On sale: now
Price: Dh149,000
The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
MATCH INFO
League Cup, last 16
Manchester City v Southampton, Tuesday, 11.45pm (UAE)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets