Assalamu alaikum - Quick roundup: UAE passport climbs the ranks, shisha imports to be tracked, and a reminder about global hunger work
Assalamu alaikum everyone,
Quick share of a few news bits I found interesting - pardon the casual mix, just putting them together like I read them.
UAE passport makes big moves
Alhamdulillah, the UAE passport is now tied for the eighth most powerful in the world with visa-free access to 184 places, according to the latest Henley Passport Index. That puts it ahead of the US and Canada in terms of travel freedom. The US has dropped out of the top 10 for the first time in 20 years and now sits 12th, tied with Malaysia, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 180 countries.
The Henley chair, Christian H Kaelin, said this shift isn’t just about switching places on a chart - it shows changing global mobility and influence. Asian passports are at the top: Singapore leads (193), followed by South Korea (190) and Japan (189). Several European countries share the next spots. In the region, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar rank much lower, and Afghanistan remains the weakest, with visa-free access to only 24 destinations. The index looks at 199 passports and 227 territories using IATA data.
FTA to track shisha imports
The Federal Tax Authority announced it will track imported shisha tobacco with electronic markers to make sure taxes are paid and to protect consumers. The move is meant to stop tax evasion and support collection efforts. The first phase, which started in January 2019, covered cigarettes, and from May 1 it became illegal to import cigarettes without the digital marks. The authority says shisha will be tracked by the final quarter of this year, and they’re working with companies to help them comply. Note: shisha and cigarettes were hit with a big tax increase in 2017.
World Food Programme - a quick reminder
A little reminder about the World Food Programme (WFP): created in 1961, it’s the UN agency focused on fighting hunger and giving emergency food aid. One of its goals is the Zero Hunger pledge (part of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals) to end hunger by 2030. The WFP depends on voluntary donations and does most of its work in conflict zones, where malnutrition is far more common. Around one in nine people worldwide don’t have enough to eat. On a typical day they have thousands of trucks, ships and planes moving aid, and they provide school meals to millions of children while trying to buy locally when possible to support local economies.
Final thoughts
That’s it for now - felt worth sharing these updates. If anyone wants more detail on any of the items, I can try to dig up the sources. May Allaah make travel easy for those who need it and bless efforts to help those who go hungry. Salam.
https://www.thenationalnews.co