DUBAI // Emirates Airline has suspended all flights to Libya for 28 days because of ongoing political turmoil there.
However, the airline has resumed its service to Christchurch, New Zealand, allowing residents to return to that country following the earthquake. Flights to the disaster-hit city will be limited to people going home or transferring to other areas outside the city area.
The carrier said on its website that passengers will only be accepted for travel there if they have confirmed residential accommodation in Christchurch, or have arranged for transport out of the city after they land.
Flights to the Libyan capital of Tripoli have been cancelled until March 26 due to the continued unrest in the North African country.
Additionally, the Emirates website notice said, "The three times weekly flight to Tunisia will now operate a direct non-stop until further notice."
Passengers are urged to monitor www.emirates.com for updates. Etihad Airways, the UAE's second-largest carrier, does not provide service to New Zealand or Libya.
nhanif@thenational.ae
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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Fast facts on Neil Armstrong’s personal life:
- Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio
- He earned his private pilot’s license when he was 16 – he could fly before he could drive
- There was tragedy in his married life: Neil and Janet Armstrong’s daughter Karen died at the age of two in 1962 after suffering a brain tumour. She was the couple’s only daughter. Their two sons, Rick and Mark, consulted on the film
- After Armstrong departed Nasa, he bought a farm in the town of Lebanon, Ohio, in 1971 – its airstrip allowed him to tap back into his love of flying
- In 1994, Janet divorced Neil after 38 years of marriage. Two years earlier, Neil met Carol Knight, who became his second wife in 1994
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Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
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