Abu dhabi

Saudi Arabia announced Friday it was lifting restrictions on "all carriers" using its airspace, an apparent gesture of openness towards Israel ahead of US President Joe Biden's arrival. Saudi Arabia will soon permit direct charter flights from Israel for Muslims participating in the annual haj pilgrimage in Mecca. PHOTO: EPA-EFE It was the latest conciliatory move by Riyadh concerning the Jewish state, which it has refused to recognise despite intensive efforts by the Israelis to establish ties with Arab countries. The Saudi civil aviation authority "announces the decision to open the Kingdom's airspace for all air carriers that meet the requirements of the authority for overflying", it said in a statement on Twitter. The decision was made "to complement the Kingdom's efforts aimed at consolidating the Kingdom's position as a global hub connecting three continents". Prior to Biden's arrival in Israel Wednesday, Washington had hinted that more Arab … [Read more...] about Saudi opens airspace to ‘all carriers’ in gesture to Israel

Roman Abramovich is not an unfamiliar name to football lovers. He is known as a Russian-Jewish oil billionaire and currently owns the famous Chelsea Football Club playing in the English Premier League. From its founding in March 1905 until June 2003, Chelsea Football Club was never a powerhouse. Before their first (and only, before 2003) league title in 1955, they were known as well-supported underachievers, as illustrated when comedian Norman Long wrote the following verse for his 1933 song “The Day Chelsea Won the Cup:” [1] Now a little while ago I dreamed the most amazing dream. It tickled me to death when I woke up. Now you know just how impossible the things we dream of are. But I dreamed that Chelsea went and won the Cup. Abramovich, right, holds Chelsea’s first Champions League trophy in 2012. Photo from Ian MacNicol / Contributor [8] Even after 1955, financial crises involving their stadium, Stamford Bridge, meant that the club … [Read more...] about Roman Abramovich and Chelsea Football Club: a Sportswasher’s Guide