An American Airlines (AA) passenger was deplaned after he refused to wear a face mask in compliance with the company’s COVID-19 safety policy.
Brandon Straka, who is an actor and hairstylist, was flying from New York to Dallas Texas when the incident occurred.
The airliner reportedly banned Straka until “face coverings are no longer required for customers”.
A video making the rounds on social media shows the actor arguing with flight attendants, minutes before he was asked to leave the plane.
Non-oil sector drives strong UAE GDP growth
The UAE's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5.1 per cent in the first nine months of 2025, reaching around AED 1.4 trillion.
India AI summit stumbles as Bill Gates pulls out, chaos mounts
Bill Gates pulled out of India's AI Impact Summit hours before his scheduled keynote address on Thursday, dealing another blow to a flagship event already marred by organisational lapses, a robot row and delegate complaints over traffic disruptions.
UAE President appoints new Federal Tax Authority chief
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a Federal Decree appointing Abdulaziz Mohammed Faraj Al Mulla as Director General of the Federal Tax Authority, with the rank of Ministry Undersecretary.
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince arrives in India for AI Impact Summit
Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has arrived in India to attend the AI Impact Summit, taking place in New Delhi.
Uber expands into 7 new European markets in food-delivery push, FT reports
Uber plans to roll out its delivery business into seven new European countries this year, as tech groups ramp up their efforts in the multibillion-euro food-delivery market, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
UAE's Minister of State, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, has stressed the need for a permanent ceasefire and an unconditional humanitarian truce in Sudan during the Quad meeting in New York.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has discussed strengthening cooperation between the UAE and the US with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Board of Peace meeting in Washington.
The UAE has pledged an additional $1.2 billion in support for Gaza during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington.
