With villas rising out of the reef above crystal blue waters, the Maldives are synonymous with luxury.

Most of the 1.8 million tourists who visited the South Asian island state last year are on the deep-pocketed side. But the super-rich will soon have an even more exclusive option: a private island they can bid to stay on.

The new concept is being piloted by Mohamed Ali Janah, group chairman of Hotels and Resorts Investment Maldives Group (HARIM Group) and a special advisor to UN Tourism.

“I am building the most exclusive private island in the world,” he told attendees of the UN’s World Tourism Day event in Tbilisi, Georgia last week.

Would-be guests will have to auction to stay on Kudahithi Sands island, a 30-minute boat ride from the international airport in the capital of Malé.

How much will it cost to stay at the Maldives private island?

Janah, an advisor to the Maldivian president and described by Forbes as the Maldives’ leading construction magnate, has built numerous resorts across the island state and further afield.

While developing Kudahithi, it occurred to him that this jewel of a 14,000 square metre island presented a new opportunity. Plans currently include six villas and a yacht, making it a covetable location for private meetings or secluded family and friend time.

Discussions are underway with global real estate agents to figure out the finer details of how the auction concept could work. The idea is that a limited number of nights per year will be released, which people can then bid to purchase in blocks.

Janah believes it will drive prices past record levels. “In the Maldives, there are islands that are selling for $120,000 (€109,000) a night, for a private island, so I believe that we will be able to beat that kind of price,” he told Euronews Travel.

Described by Janah as the ‘Necker Island of the Maldives’ – a reference to Richard Branson’s exclusive private island in the British Virgin Islands – Kudahithi Sands is set to open in 2025, with dates to be announced soon.

What is the appeal of the private island in the Maldives?

Another unique selling point of Kudahithi Sands island is that it will not be attached to an international brand or linked to other hotel properties in the Maldives.

“It will be sold as a single, isolated private island. In other words, you will not see anyone other than you,” Janah explains. “There won’t be any paparazzi or any news coming out,” he adds. “So it’s like a world exclusive, really high-end.”

The appeal for those who can afford it is to experience a holiday that feels like being at home. Wealthy travellers can bring their own butlers and staff to cook out of the island restaurant, Janah suggests.

The reef affords brilliant snorkelling opportunities, with a private yacht parked up to explore the surrounding seas at your leisure.

Kudahithi has already proved a hit with celebrities in its previous chapter as a private island. Actor Sophie Turner and then-boyfriend musician Joe Jonas reportedly rented the entire island back in 2018, when it was marketed at $45,000 (€53,000) a night.

Flights over the Middle East had to abandon their journeys yesterday after Iran launched a missile attack against Israel.

The airspace above Iran, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and other countries in the region was closed, causing airlines to change their flight paths to keep passengers and crew safe.

European leaders have condemned Iran’s attack and tensions are high as the world waits to see how Israel will respond.

Which airlines diverted flights to avoid Middle East airspace?

In total, 81 flights were diverted by 16 airlines on Tuesday.

As you would expect Middle Eastern airlines diverted the most flights, with Qatar Airways and Emirates leading the pack. Istanbul airport was the worst affected airport, with 19 flights diverted.

According to FlightRadar24, at least three flights operated by German carrier Lufthansa on the way India and Dubai turned around before reaching Iranian airspace. Their journeys back to Europe extended flight times by up to eight hours.

Another flight operated by Swiss from Zurich to Dubai diverted to Antalya, Turkey, shortly before it would have crossed into Iran, FlightRadar24 shows.

The flight-tracking website also showed several Emirates flights bound for Dubai were impacted. The airline told AirlineGeeks that it was diverting some flights and cancelling others.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and are making all efforts to ensure minimal disruption to customers while assisting those impacted,” a spokesperson said.

A British Airways flight from London to Dubai, a Royal Jordanian Airlines flight from Paris to Amman, and an Israeli airline El Al flight from Rhodes, Greece, to Tel Aviv were all diverted to Larnaca, Cyprus, FlightRadar data shows.

British Airways told Business Insider, “Safety and security are always our highest priorities, and we continuously assess and adjust our operations accordingly.”

Where in the Middle East is airspace currently closed?

Throughout the day, some restrictions were lifted, FlightRadar24 said.

Jordan and Iraq reopened to flights late on Tuesday local time, though few were passing through the region.

Iran’s has extended the closure of their airspace in anticipation of Israeli’s retaliation for their attack. Follow Euronews’ live coverage of unfolding events here.

How are travellers affected by Middle East airspace closures?

Many European and Asian airlines fly over the Middle East on their way between a number of popular destinations and have expressed concerns that the necessary rerouting will prolong flight times and add to fuel costs.

Airspaces throughout the region are often plagued by risks and complexities due to ongoing conflicts.

Iran’s airspace is one of the most frequently used by airlines travelling between Europe and India or Southeast Asia.

At the start of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza in 7 October 2023, airlines were forced to cancel or change the routes of flights through and around Tel Aviv. That situation has been monitored closely since.

Ongoing airspace closures could see airlines add hours of flight time to circumvent Iran and Israel to reach places in Europe, the Middle East, India, and beyond – similar to what happened after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Airlines like Japan Airlines, British Airways, and Finnair added up to four hours of flight time to avoid the Kremlin’s airspace on flights between Asia and Europe amid Russian airspace closures and sanctions.

Although it is impossible to find out what route your flight will take ahead of time, you can monitor the flight paths of the same flight on previous days. This may give you some clues as to whether your flight is likely to be diverted or take longer than usual.

As always, check the status of your flight via your airline’s website or app before heading to the airport.

Train commuters in Italy are facing a nightmare day after Rome’s two largest train stations came to a standstill.

No trains were able to depart from Rome’s Termini and Tiburtina stations, the two biggest railway hubs of the Italian capital, causing huge delays and cancellations across much of the country’s network.

The chaos began at around 6.30am local time when an unspecified “failure” hit the section between the two stations.

To make matters worse, departure boards at the stations went completely black, leaving hundreds of passengers clueless and raising fears of a cyberattack.

“Simply put, you don’t know from which platform your train is leaving,” one traveller posted on X. “But you can always board a random one, you might be lucky.”

Another said he had been stuck on a platform for an hour and a half.

“The staff doesn’t know anymore what to tell us,” he wrote. “They’ve cancelled dozens of trains. It will take hours, if not days to go back to normal. It’s a collapse!”

National operator Trenitalia said train traffic remains “heavily disrupted” and is advising travellers to reschedule their trips.

At least 22 high-speed and intercity routes have been shut down, and 14 have been partially cancelled. The disruption is affecting major corridors including Naples-Milan, Rome-Naples, Rome-Milan, Milan-Salerno, Florence-Rome and Rome-Turin.

Other trains are facing delays of between 60 and 180 minutes.

Trenitalia has published the list of cancelled or partially cancelled trains here.

Since June, Rome has already been hit with at least five days of severe travel chaos.

Although the incidents are unrelated, it is the second consecutive day of disruption for travellers in Italy. On Tuesday, all flights in and out of Milan Bergamo airport were cancelled after a Ryanair plane got stuck on a runway after a tyre exploded upon landing.