The UAE now has the world's most powerful passport, achieving the top ranking on Saturday in an achievement hailed as a tribute to the legacy of the Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed, and the country's diplomacy.
The number 1 spot in the global Passport Index was achieved just as the UAE celebrates it 47th National Day and its achievements since 1971.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, welcomed the news, saying in a tweet that the world "opens its doors to the people of the UAE" and congratulating the foreign ministry headed by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.
Sheikh Abdullah said the achievement was "a true reflection of the legacy of Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father of the UAE".
"It also underscores what can be achieved through positive diplomacy, reflecting the UAE as a confident and engaged force at the global stage," Sheikh Abdullah said in remarks reported by Wam.
The ministry launched the UAE Passport Force initiative to place the Emirati passport on the list of the five most powerful passports in the world by 2021, but achieved this goal three years early.
The UAE passport was in 27th position on the index in December 2016 and had risen to 4th place at the end of October.
The index, compiled by Arton Capital, ranks national passports based on the number of countries a holder can enter without a visa or by obtaining one on arrival.
The UAE passport holder can now travel to 167 countries without the need for pre-visa requirements, which is 84 per cent of the number of countries listed in the index.
Singapore ranks second with 166 countries.
The Passport Index is an interactive platform that continuously monitors changes and developments in ranking passport strength, said Armand Arton, founder and president of Arton Capital.
The Emirati passport had witnessed unprecedented progress globally in the past few years, reflecting the international stature of the country, he said.
"We congratulate the UAE on this great achievement, and are pleased to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation since the launch of the UAE Passport Force initiative," Mr Arton said in remarks reported by Wam.
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Asuka won the SmackDown Women's title in a TLC triple threat with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
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- 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
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Schedule
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'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
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Engine 3.6L V6
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
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“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Celta Vigo v Villarreal (midnight kick-off UAE)
Saturday Sevilla v Real Sociedad (4pm), Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao (7.15pm), Granada v Barcelona (9.30pm), Osasuna v Real Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Levante v Eibar (4pm), Cadiz v Alaves (7.15pm), Elche v Getafe (9.30pm), Real Valladolid v Valencia (midnight)
Monday Huesca v Real Betis (midnight)
