Emirates has announced that it started operating scheduled flight services from 21 May to nine destinations: London Heathrow Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne. The airline will also offer connections in Dubai for customers traveling between the UK and Australia.
Travelers will only be accepted on these flights if they comply with the eligibility and entry criteria requirements of their destination countries. This includes an approval from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) for UAE residents who wish to return to Dubai.
Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer said: “We are pleased to resume scheduled passenger services to these destinations, providing more options for customers to travel from the UAE to these cities, and also between the UK and Australia. We are working closely with the authorities to plan the resumption of operations to additional destinations. We have implemented additional measures at the airport in coordination with the relevant authorities in respect to social distancing and sanitization. The safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers and communities, remain our top priority.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced concrete measures to boost global fight against COVID-19 including providing international aid and making the country’s COVID-19 vaccine a global public good when available.
Xi made the announcement as he addressed the opening of the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) via video link.
“China will provide 2 billion U.S. dollars over two years to help with COVID-19 response and with economic and social development in affected countries, especially developing countries,” Xi said.
China will work with the United Nations to set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China, ensure the operation of anti-epidemic supply chains and foster “green corridors” for fast-track transportation and customs clearance, he said.
Besides, China will establish a cooperation mechanism for its hospitals to pair up with 30 African hospitals and accelerate the building of the Africa CDC headquarters to help the continent ramp up its disease preparedness and control capacity, said Xi.
“COVID-19 vaccine development and deployment in China, when available, will be made a global public good,” said the president.
“This will be China’s contribution to ensuring vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries,” he added.
Moreover, China will work with other G20 members to implement the Debt Service Suspension Initiative for the poorest countries, Xi said, adding that China is also ready to work with the international community to bolster support for the hardest-hit countries under the greatest strain of debt service so that they could tide over the current difficulties.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and leaders from other countries addressed the opening via video link, expressing their support to the WHO and multilateralism, as well as enhanced joint efforts in the global fight against COVID-19.

The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, has condemned the murder of television reporter Said Yusuf Ali in Mogadiscio, Somalia, on 4 May.
“I condemn the killing of Said Yusuf Ali,” said the Director-General. “I call on the authorities to undertake a thorough investigation to determine if the journalist’s death is connected to his profession. This killing comes as a sad reminder of the threats facing the press,” Azoulay added, stressing that the murder took place on the day following World Press Freedom Day.
A reporter with private television broadcaster Kalsan TV, Said Yusuf Ali was stabbed to death on his way home while trying to separate a man and a woman who appeared to be fighting. Investigators are reported to suspect that the fight was staged as a trap for the journalist who had reported on the reverses of the rebellion against the government of Somalia.
UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity building and a range of actions, notably in the framework of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.