DUBAI

Bomb signal at Sofia airport. According to initial information, the authorities are checking one of the planes at the airport. A little later it became clear that the alarm was false.

"About 50,000 Russian citizens are expected to come to Bulgaria this year with flights via Istanbul, Dubai and Belgrade, some of them with properties in Bulgaria", predicts Assoc. Prof. Rumen Draganov, a longtime expert in the field of tourism and a teacher.

 As the world rushed to condemn the Russian invasion of its smaller neighbor, the wealthy Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have largely kept quiet. Middle East experts say their reticence is understandable given what's at play - energy, money and security.

Poland's Iga Swiatek swept aside Anett Kontaveit in the Qatar Open final on Feb. 26 and dedicated her victory to "the people who are suffering in Ukraine."

Former French Open champion Swiatek, seeded seven, needed just over an hour to see off the fourth-seeded Estonian.

Dubai – Slovenian cycling star Tadej Pogačar, who rides for UAE Team Emirates, won the 2022 UAE Tour on Saturday after winning the race’s final stage to defend his title from 2021 and start the new season with a bang.

This is Pogačar’s second UAE Tour win in addition to two white jerseys for the best young rider in 2020 and 2021.

Dubai opened its Museum of the Future on Feb. 22, a spectacular structure it is touting as the world's most beautiful building.

The museum, a seven-storey hollow silver ellipse decorated with Arabic calligraphy of quotes from Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, and thousands of meters of LED lights, takes pride of place on Sheikh Zayed Road, the city's main highway.

The incident happened on Friday, February 18, during the take-off of the "Fly Dubai" plane, most likely full of passengers, it is stated further in the text and it is pointed out that there could have been a more serious incident or accident.

Novak Djokovic made a successful return to the tour for the first time since his deportation from Australia, kicking off his 2022 campaign with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti in Dubai on Feb. 21. 

The Serbian ace missed the Australian Open for political reasons, thus losing the chance to defend the trophy, but also to write the history of breaking the record in the number of Grand Slams, now owned by Rafael Nadal (21:20).
Almost a month later, Djokovic will have a "premiere match" at the 500 series tournament in Dubai.

Far from Dubai's gleaming skyscrapers and renowned camel races, a bullfight is under way in the emirate of Fujairah, where the tradition continues unbeknown to most in the United Arab Emirates.

"Look at them fight!" a commentator shouts into a microphone as the first bovine battle of the day kicks off in the village of Al-Qurayyah.