UAE extends visit visas for British tourists affected by travel ban


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The UAE extended visit visas without charge for British travellers affected by the UK's decision to suspend flights from the Emirates.

On Thursday, the UK added the UAE, Rwanda and Burundi to a "red list" of 30 countries subject to a travel ban.

Direct passenger flights between the UK and the UAE will be suspended from Friday and non-citizens will be barred from entering Britain from the Emirates.

The UK government said the decision was prompted by evidence of the spread of a coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa.

But the UAE would "maintain its role as an important travel and logistics hub while adhering to the highest standards of health and safety", state news agency Wam reported.

Hend Al Otaiba, director of strategic communications at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, said the cornerstone to the UAE's fight against the pandemic was PCR testing.

"In light of new variants in other parts of the world, the UAE intensified efforts to mitigate these risks," Ms Al Otaiba said.

"New measures include requiring PCR tests for incoming travellers, imposing restrictions on entertainment venues, further limiting gatherings, and implementing awareness campaigns for the general public in a transparent and open manner.

"We are confident of our ambitious vaccination programme, which is ranked second globally in doses administered per capita, and have every confidence in our medical infrastructure and front-line workers."

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LA LIGA FIXTURES

Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)

Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)

Friday

Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)

Valencia v Levante (midnight)

Saturday

Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)

Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)

Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)

Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)

Sunday

Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)

Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)

Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)

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1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari

3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull

5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas

6 Romain Grosjean, Haas

7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault

*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull

9 Carlos Sainz, Renault

10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes

11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren

12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren

13 Sergio Perez, Force India

14 Lance Stroll, Williams

15 Esteban Ocon, Force India

16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso

17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber

18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber

19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams

20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso

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What is an FTO Designation?

FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes. 

It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.

Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.

Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.

Source: US Department of State

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