Dubai recorded almost 23.7 million traveller arrivals in 2022, up 89 per cent from 2021, as the tourism and business hub continues to benefit from the easing of pandemic restrictions that has unleashed pent-up travel demand.

Of the total arrivals, 21.8 million arrived at airports, 1.6 million came through the Hatta Border Crossing between the UAE and Oman and 242,700 used seaports, the Dubai Media Office said in a statement.

The city, famous for its ultra-luxury hotels and fine-dining, attracted more than 107,082 passengers on New Year’s Eve alone, the data showed.

These included 95,445 travellers arriving through its airports, 6,527 by Hatta Border Crossing and 5,010 by ship.

Dubai International Airport retained its position as the world’s busiest for international passengers in December — ahead of other major hubs such as London Heathrow — spurred by the rebound of Emirates airline.

It recorded 4.6 million seats in December, up 8% on November, and just over one million seats more than the next busiest airport, London Heathrow, OAG said in its monthly World’s Busiest Airports report.

Dubai government safety measures, cooler weather, a growing list of tourist attractions and people’s desire to travel after two years of lockdowns are among factors making the emirate an attractive destination for visitors, Dubai Airports’ chief executive Paul Griffiths said in November.

This followed strong travel demand during the peak summer season, as international borders reopened following the easing of so-called coronavirus restrictions.

The Gulf hub benefitted from running smooth operations, compared with some major European airports that were left reeling from delays that caused widespread disruption as demand roared back.

Dubai Airports said it estimates 64.3 million passengers travelled through Dubai International Airport in 2022, about 3 per cent more than its last annual forecast in August of 62.4 million passengers.

A strong third quarter and expectations of surging volumes in the last three months of last year led to the revised estimate.

Dubai’s tourism industry is taking a more “nimble” approach to its pricing and providing cheaper hotel options in response to the challenging global economic conditions that are tightening the budgets of travellers, the emirate’s tourism chief said last month.

The appetite for travel to Dubai “is still there”, with the emirate tapping into new and diversified source markets, Issam Kazim, chief executive of the Dubai Department for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said the recently held Skift Global Forum East.

However, the emirate is taking a strategic approach by offering the “right price and the right product” to capitalise on that demand, he said.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu has announced the delivery of another train sets for the Blue Line Rail.

The train has been cleared at the ports and have been moved to the National Theatre station where they were lifted onto the elevated rail tracks.

The governor disclosed this on his Instagram page while posting videos and pictures of the new trains on Monday.

He added that the new trains received was a proof that Lagos was heading in the right direction.

He wrote, “Dear Lagos, we have taken delivery of two new train sets for the Blue Line Rail. These passenger trains have been cleared at the port of entry, and were moved to the National Theatre station where they have been lifted onto the elevated rail tracks.

“I am indeed glad to inform the good people of Lagos that with the arrival of these train sets, we’re on course with our plans to change the face of the rail transport system in Lagos State. A greater Lagos is indeed rising.”

LASG announced in December that the infrastructure for the first phase Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line was ready for operation and would convey about 200,000 passengers daily.

The LRMT Blue Line is a 27-kilometer rail system that will run from Marina to Okokomaiko.

The Consultant, Corporate Communications of LAMATA, Mr Kolawole Ojelabi, had said in a statement that the completion of the infrastructure was in fulfillment of the promise made by the Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu.

He said Sanwo-Olu had promised that the project would be completed in the last quarter of 2022, ahead of the commencement of passenger operations in the first quarter of 2023.

He explained that the LRMT Blue Line was one of the six rail lines and monorail prescribed for Lagos in the state’s Strategic Transport Master Plan.

The rail system would be powered by electricity from an independent power plant to be purposely built for its operations.

California is bracing for more severe weather this week, with forecasters warning of an incoming “relentless parade of cyclones”.

The US state has already suffered a week of torrential downpours and damaging winds that killed 12 people in 10 days, Governor Gavin Newsom said.

More than 120,000 people are still without power as of Monday morning.

The governor warned Sunday that the most brutal weather is due in the next 48 hours.

“We expect to see the worst of it still ahead of us,” Governor Newsom said at a news conference. “Don’t test fate.”

This new round of severe weather will bring heavy rain on already flooded rivers, damaging winds that are expected to topple trees and power lines, and heavy snow in northeast California.

The US National Weather Service (NWS) said the heaviest and most widespread rain will likely occur around Tuesday morning and afternoon, and have issued a flood warning in areas around Los Angeles, including Orange County and the San Bernardino County Mountains.

The Sacramento Valley is also under a flood advisory. Schools in and around Sacramento have cancelled classes on Monday in anticipation of the storm and amidst widespread power outages.

In the last week, California has experienced two overlapping weather phenomena – an atmospheric river, where an airborne stream of dense moisture flows in from the ocean, and a bomb cyclone, a storm with a rapid drop in pressure that creates a cyclone effect.

Last week’s storms inflicted widespread damage in northern California and dumped record-breaking rain.

The storm damaged homes and businesses, and killed at least 12 people. Among the victims was a toddler who died after a redwood tree fell onto a mobile home in northern California.

A woman who lived in a homeless encampment along the Sacramento River also died on Saturday when a tree branch fell on her tent.

Much of the area hit by heavy rainfall has been under extreme drought conditions. Last year, California issued caps on how much water residents can use in an effort to conserve its depleting supply.

Despite the rain, much of the state remains under moderate to extreme drought warnings, according to the US Drought Monitor.

Experts have said that it would take many years of rain to reverse the two-decade-long drought that has hit the western US.

The Marrakesh Menara Airport is the main international airport that serves the city of Marrakesh in the central part of the Kingdom of Morocco.

What makes this airport interesting is the building which is a unique modernist creation that welcomes guests to the new century, so that later when they leave it, they would be transported into the history of the classical traditions of the city.

As the runway was used for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel by the US Army Forces Air Transport Command during the Second World War, the purpose for the airport did not diminish even after the end of the war.

As a matter in fact, Marrakesh Menara Airport became the main gateway for visitors to the mysterious nation and very beautiful city.

The two combined terminals are accommodating passengers every day, while the third one is separated.

The building itself is considered to be an unique creation of modern and traditional architecture, where there are patterns which incorporate traditional Moroccan details.

The entire façade is constructed by steel and glass, while it follows the rhombus shape which is copied throughout the entire building. There are rhombi at the center, while to the top and bottom part of the rhombuses are triangles.

From the inside it is clearly visible that the rhombi transcends from the exterior façade to the roof, and the windows are detailed with interesting mosaic-like patterns.

The roof that covers the entrance to the airport building is too featured with these intriguing pattern designs which are quite common around Morocco.

Ultimately representing the Moroccan nation, the Marrakesh Menara Airport is certainly one of the few unique ones around the world that shall welcome you to the new century and later like a time machine will transfer you to the long lasting traditions of arts, crafts, music, food, and architecture.