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Police official seeks tighter control over antiques trade

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Dubai: A dubious complaint filed by a man about a rare artifact saw a senior police official calling for regulating the trade of antiques and instituting a mechanism to verify their ownership.

The Arab suspect was charged with filing a false report and inflating the value of artifacts that were reportedly snatched from him.

"There should be a mechanism making it compulsory to obtain a permit to sell antique pieces and investigating the ownership of undocumented pieces," said Brigadier Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, head of the Criminal Investigation Department of Dubai Police.

Pure gold

Earlier, the suspect had filed a complaint stating that a book made of pure gold and worth $500,000 (Dh1.83million) had been snatched from him as he was meeting a potential buyer.

The complainant, M.H.A., told police that the middleman and the buyer beat him up and took away the book, along with another book and a briefcase containing Dh100,000 when he went to Dubai's Muhaisna area to show them the books.

It later emerged that the alleged robber was a friend of the middleman. Investigations revealed that the books were only worth Dh100,000, and that there never was any cash in the briefcase.


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Honour Mandela with a good deed

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Abu Dhabi: Residents have been urged to do any one of 67 community works to celebrate Nelson Mandela International Day. A photograph or the video of the work can also be a part of a souvenir of 67 stories to be published in October to inspire the community.

Mandela's birthday has been declared the "Nelson Mandela International Day" conferred by a UN resolution adopted in November 2009.

Nahtham Social Responsibility, a charitable organisation in the capital, the South African Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the business community will be organising a series of events until July 18, the 93rd birthday of Mandela.

They have published a list of "67 ways to do the community work" including making friends with somebody from a different culture and several other activities in the areas of health, education, helping the poor, caring for the youth, elderly and the environment. "Select any one of the 67 activities or take up an activity of your own that will make a difference in the community," the organisers said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"You have to dedicate 67 minutes for social responsibility at your home, workplace... or with the people who need you most on 18th July 2011," Yacoob Abba Omar, the South African Ambassador, said.

"Sixty-seven minutes is a symbolic number, representing the number of years Mandela was actively involved in humanitarian activities.

Information

Details of the community work can be sent to Nahtam Social Responsibility, P O Box 34181, Abu Dhabi, UAE, or the public can call at 02 6420526 or email nahtam@nahtam.com.

To see the list of 67 activities visit: www.nahtam.com


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Abu Dhabi honours private sector

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Abu Dhabi: About 17 companies which won the Shaikh Khalifa Excellence Awards (SKEA) were honoured during a ceremony at the Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, on Monday night .

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, presented the awards.

The awards, held under the patronage of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, were launched in 1999.

Since then they have been recognising the achievements of organisations in the health, oil and gas, finance, tourism, education, manufacturing and services sector, providing them with "a road map to help them improve their performance".

While the awards have no monetary value, their value lies in what the organisations do in terms of self-assessment. The model put in place by the committee enables organisations to focus on priorities and actions for improvement.

Organisations adopting this model will find it a powerful means of motivating people while also helping them to focus efforts on continuous improvement. It is generally accepted that the benefits of this approach far outweigh any cost incurred.

Finalists

This year as many as 500 companies applied for the award, said Saeed Al Fahim, Chairman of the SKEA Higher Committee, which led up to 120 finalists. "Participants are increasing year on year because they have found that the criteria for the award are actually beneficial for their companies," he said.

"In the beginning, many of them were cautious about sharing the inner workings of their business with our assessment team," he explained. "But when they realised that the rules apply to all participants they became more accepting of the process."

"There is a genuine interest from the leadership in the country to support this initiative because it's encouraging the company to improve their standards," he added.

It was announced during the ceremony that two new categories would be added next year — one for innovation and creativity and the other for human development and customer service.

Al Mafraq Hospital and Abu Dhabi Industries (Gasco) won the two diamond awards this year. It was also the first time Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (Adma-Opco) was nominated.

Expectation

The gold winner has already got its eyes set for the diamond prize next year. "Yes, we were expecting to win," said Ali Rashid Al Jarwan, Chief Executive Officer of Adma-Opco, told Gulf News.

"It's a great honour for us," he said. "We've been working for this for about a year to organize our work and get it approved with the requirements of the award."

"The requirements are not alien to us, but they need articulation. It has a specific criteria when it comes to documentation, etc," he said. "We benefited a lot actually."

"You have to have a system. You have to be organised. You have to have a procedure. You have to be prepared to compete with a world class international company," said Mohammad Al Refaey of Excellent Pipes Company, which won a silver SKEA, its second award since 2005. "We should have won a gold," said Al Refaey, expressing his disappointment for winning a silver award twice so far.

"Most of the winners for the gold and diamond were a government or semi-government institute," he added.

Speaking of its added value, "I think it's a reference in Abu Dhabi that you can measure yourself," he said. "It's more prestige."

Diamond Winners:

Mafraq Hospital

Sector: Health

Abu Dhabi Gas Industries (Gasco)

Sector: Oil

Gold Winners:

Abu Dhabi Distribution Company

Sector: Service

Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company

Sector: Oil & Gas

Abu Dhabi Health Servcies Seha

Sector: Health

Commercial Bank of Dubai

Sector: Finance

Silver Winners:

Excellent Pipes Company

Sector: Manufacturing

Abu Dhabi University

Sector: Education

Al Mansoori Specialized Engineering

Sector: Services

Lifeline Hospital

Sector: Health

Certificates of Appreciation granted to:

Al Hilal Bank

Sector: Finance

Gulf Diagnostic Hospital

Sector: Health

Al Ansari Exchange

Sector: Finance

Fast Rent a Car

Sector: Service

Aloft Abu Dhabi Hotel

Sector: Tourism

Joseph Group

Sector: Manufacturing

Al Ghadeer Pure Water Factory

Sector: Manufacturing


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More villa schools to close in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain

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Afshan Ahmed

ABU DHABI // Six more private villa schools in Abu Dhabi have been ordered to close, three in the capital and three in Al Ain, affecting about 3,250 children.

The schools will move their operations to three government buildings in Abu Dhabi, Baniyas and Al Ain from the beginning of the new academic year in September.

Last Updated: June 26, 2011

Busiest city roads to get 50km of bus lanes The construction of dedicated bus lanes will commence next month, with another 380 air-conditioned bus shelters planned for the emirate. Read

No fuel and now you can't even pump your tyres The closure of petrol stations in Sharjah has left motorists scrambling to find places to wash their cars, pump air into their tyres and change their oil. Read article

Armed, masked role players on rooftop arrested Four masked men who were role-playing with fake assault rifles on a villa rooftop have been arrested. Read article

Dream interpreter unravels nighttime mysteries Three times a week on his television show Ru'ya, Sheikh Wassem Yousef tells viewers that dreams really do come true. Read article

MORE UAE NEWS


The closures are part of a phased programme by Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) to shut down all schools operating in residential buildings by 2013, for health and safety reasons.

Last year 21 villa schools were closed. Among their shortcomings, the buildings were crowded and lacked basic resources and proper emergency exit routes.

This year a further 10 villa schools were warned that they faced closure. Adec officials say they took action on six – Al Ekhlass, Badr Al Kobra and Baraem Al Aqsa private schools in Abu Dhabi and Al Amal, International and Zaharat Al Madain private schools in Al Ain – because the schools posed particular health and safety issues and because there was enough spare capacity to accommodate the displaced pupils.

All six schools mostly follow the Ministry of Education curriculum.

Yousif Al Sheryani, head of the private schools and quality assurance department at Adec, said there was a surplus of 3,000 school places in Al Ain. “Parents here should not have a problem, as the fees are also within the same range.”
He said from prior experience not all parents considered the options offered by the authority. “Between 30 and 40 per cent will apply at other schools,” he said.

“It is understandable that some parents may not choose the school in Baniyas, because of its distance, but they can look for other schools.”

Dr Makarim Mobarak, headmistress of the International Private School in Al Ain, said most parents had opted to send their children to the school’s new site, the former Al Sarrooj government school near by.

“It has been a smooth transition and we are working closely with the authority to accommodate all pupils,” she said.
“Also, priority will be given to those children who were at the other schools in Al Ain that have shut down.”

Pierre Scottorn, section manager of the private school improvement department at Adec, said the council had not yet made a decision on the remaining schools warned of possible closure.

“As these schools end their academic year at a different time, those decisions will be made at a later date.”

Two government school buildings are being held in reserve to accommodate additional closures, he said.

Parents whose children attend any of the closing schools will have priority placement in the new schools until July 31, when registration will open up to other children.

Adec sent letters home with children to parents telling them how to register at the new schools. Additional information sheets can be collected from Adec’s headquarters building on Airport Road, regional offices in Khalidiya or the Ministries area in Al Ain.

aahmed@thenational.ae


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Structural Engineer (Offshore) - Mustang Engineering - Sharjah

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Please enable Javascript to view this content.Structural Engineer (Offshore)
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This contract assignment position will be based in Sharjah and resident in the EPC contractor offices representing the client / Operator ensuring that the design engineering etc. being carried out for offshore projects conform to their standards, specifications, budget and schedule.

Will perform tasks necessary to ensure completion of designs including:
Development of wind, wave, and seismic loads
Development of soil investigation inquiries and interpret resulting reports
Preparation of project specifications from standard specifications and direction of field verification and information gathering trips

Will direct structural engineering activities for small or medium size projects or a portion of major projects including:

Review and approve scope, budget, and schedule
Prepare man-hour and material estimates
Develop staffing requirements
Provide design criteria, philosophies and guidance to the structural project team
Supervise staff
Interface with other engineering disciplines
Review project documents for completeness and accuracy
Review all structural design drawings
B.Sc. Engineering degree or equivalent
Relevant experience in the offshore oil / gas industry of lay out, analysis and design of modular structures
Must have thorough knowledge of engineering practices and economic principles, calculation methods, design details, international codes and standards, procedures, and specifications
Relevant experience is required of either acting as the client's representative or being part of a PMC team

If you've already posted your resume to the Rigzone Career Center, you can send your resume to this employer for free.


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School fees strike a nerve with perplexed parents

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Felicity Glover

Every week, I have this tendency to go on and on about myself in this column. And it gets a little boring, mostly because I'd like to think that I'm not that self-centred.

I'm not really very comfortable talking about myself, especially week in and week out. But when you are writing a personal finance column, it's hard not to let your life or experiences creep into it.

These days, I'm feeling like I'm in the middle of a scene from that 1988 film Beaches, when CC Bloom (played by Bette Midler) says: "But enough about me, let's talk about you ... what do YOU think about me?"

Occasionally - OK, pretty much every week - I struggle to come up with a personal finance topic that's compelling enough to capture readers' attention.

That's not to say there's not a lot going on in the UAE - and there is: from banks gouging us with high fees and charging some of the world's highest interest rates, to enduring the roller-coaster ride of inflation over the past few years, the soaring prices of food and the high cost the global financial crisis has had on many people.

But if there's one topic that I've touched on that has garnered the biggest response, it has to be school fees. Which is why I'm writing about them again.

Since writing my column last week on my experiences with exorbitant school fees, false promises and the lack of quality education at my daughter's former school, I've heard from a lot of parents. Some wanted to know which school my daughter was now attending so they could apply for a place for their own child.

Others had real concerns, such as one parent who is sending their child to a school that has also been long promising a swimming pool. And it isn't the same school that my daughter used to attend.

Another is concerned that the school his daughter attends has applied to the Abu Dhabi Education Council to raise its fees to more than Dh66,000 for the next school year.

If granted, this would mark the second year in a row that this school has raised its fees.

"Most of the parents I've spoken to are leaving the school and are having to go back home," the parent, who doesn't want to be identified, says. "The principal takes the view that we are expats and we can afford it."

Profiteering is one word that some of the parents have used to describe their experiences with high school fees and the lack of quality they receive in return.

What I don't understand is that the education authorities have to approve the fees parents are being charged, as well as any increases the school might want to introduce in the future.

It would be interesting to know what the schools are telling the authorities to get their fee increases granted. What are they promising? And how are they proving that they are providing a good-quality education for the students when they are paying teachers so little?

Judging from the responses I've had from many parents this week, they are just as perplexed as I am.

My education problems might be over, but for two years, I did get the runaround from a school that promised a lot but delivered very little. When I challenged the principal of that school, daring to question the ethics of raising school fees in the middle of the summer holidays on the back of building a swimming pool that had been promised since 2008, he replied that there were special programmes for parents who couldn't afford school fees. Not once did I say in my correspondence with him that I couldn't afford his school's outrageous fees. Was he insulting me or did he just not get it?

This principal also described himself as the chief executive of the school. So the way I saw it, he was responsible for the financials.

He never did answer my question about what percentage of my fees had been going towards that much-promised pool since 2008. Next page


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Dahi wants study on youth crime

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Dubai: Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai Police Chief, has called for a forum to study, analyse and make recommendations on juvenile crime.

He spoke after the arrest of a gang of four young men in Sharjah, calling themselves the ‘Rashid Death Gang' who committed robbery and murder.

Lt Gen Dahi said the reasons behind juvenile crimes lay with families. On a radio programme, he said broken families may result in generations of delinquents and he blamed the personality of some fathers, who may take many wives or marry women who are not their match.

Their children, who do not receive the social and psychological care they need, may end up victims of juvenile delinquency, he said.


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HALAL FROZEN CHICKEN BREAST

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Stabbing case dropped after reconciliation

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Dubai: A court has dropped the charge of attempted murder against an Egyptian glass technician after he reconciled with the victim.

The 27-year-old AM, told the Dubai Court of First Instance he did not have any intention of trying to kill 37-year-old MA.

Prosecutors accused AM of attempting to murder MA by repeatedly stabbing him in his neck, chest and face because the latter had reportedly called him a homosexual in front of his workmates.

"The court has dropped the attempted murder charge against AM after the two parties reconciled. The court will confiscate the knife which was used during the attack," said Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir Fahmi yesterday in courtroom four.

Alone in the flat

According to the charge sheet, AM used a rope and a knife when attempting to kill the man, also from Egypt. The two men were alone in the flat when the incident happened. Prosecutors said AM tied MA's hands and left him in the bedroom. After that, AM grabbed a knife and stabbed MA repeatedly and cried in his face "come on die… you must die."


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Laboratory Supervisor - General Tech Services Llc - Sharjah

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Job Description Calibration of Pressure/temperature transmitters, Dimensional,Weighing, electrical measuring Instruments etc.
Coordination with customer service on calibration & services related issues

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British girl 'molested' at Atlantis

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Dubai: A man has been charged with sexually assaulting an 11-year-old British girl, L.R., in the Atlantis Hotel. The Pakistani defendant, M.A., 25, a security guard, denied the charges when he appeared in the Criminal Court of First Instance on Wednesday and asked the presiding judge for a lenient verdict.

According to records, the alleged incident occurred on April 13.

In her statements to prosecutors, L.R. said she was with her younger sister and other children touring the rooms on the 22nd floor of the hotel when the alleged assault took place. The children were heading to the Bridge Suite, records show.

M.A. was working as a guard in one of the rooms on that floor and reportedly asked the girl to kiss him, but she refused. Prosecutors said he suddenly grabbed her and hugged her for a few minutes. L.R. pushed him away and ran off.

Lieutenant K.S. of Dubai Police testified that the defendant confessed to grabbing the girl. Records show that M.A. confessed to prosecutors that he did hold the girl but for less than a minute. A verdict is expected on June 8.

On trial for kicking dog

A British engineer has been charged with kicking his neighbour's dog. The defendant, D.F., 50, a resident of Mirdif, confessed in court on Wednesday to consuming alcohol, but denied trespassing and assaulting his neighbour's German Shepherd puppy. The incident dates back to November 8, 2010.

According to records, D.F. was under the influence of alcohol when he allegedly trespassed into the backyard of K.B., 26, a hospital clerk. K.B. rushed out when he heard the animal's cry and found D.F. reportedly kicking Max, the dog. Prosecutors said K.B. tried to restrain the intruder, who managed to flee. D.F. told prosecutors that he had only opened his window and the dog attacked him, adding that he pushed it away in self-defence. The next hearing is scheduled for May 30.

Murder bid denied 

An Egyptian man, A.M., denied charges of attempting to murder his compatriot roommate and colleague, M.A., for reportedly spreading rumours that he was a homosexual.

Court records show both men worked for a glass installation company. The incident occurred on December 12, 2010 when the men returned to their apartment in International City for a midday break. Records show that A.M. tied M.A.'s hands and legs on the pretext of showing a magic trick. When M.A. complained it was hurting him, A.M. said: "It's better that your hand hurts, and not your heart."

A.M. accused his roommate of spreading rumours that he was a homosexual, which the latter repeatedly denied. Then A.M. grabbed a knife from the kitchen and allegedly stabbed M.A. in the neck while he was watching TV, records show. The victim reportedly went downstairs and asked the security guard to call an ambulance and the police.

The next hearing is set for June 8.

Two get 3 years

Two Chinese, a woman and a man, were sentenced to three years in prison each for running a brothel and forcing two German sisters, ages 12 and 16, into prostitution. The two were also charged with overstaying their visas.

Charges dropped

A court dropped murder attempt charges against a man following a reconciliation by both parties. Records show that Pakistani defendant A.M stabbed Somali salesman A.H. with a dagger over jumping of queue at Port Rashid.


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Grime spot at airport

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Reader finds a collection of rubbish at a site close to where aeroplanes take off

By Fatima Suhail, Gulf News readerPublished: 00:00 June 23, 2011Gulf News
 Fatima Suhail took this photograph at Terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport Image Credit: Fatima Suhail/Gulf News reader Gulf News reader Fatima Suhail took this photograph at Terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport.

Gulf News reader Fatima Suhail took this photograph at Terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport. She said: “When I came across this site, it left me completely stunned. There is a huge pile of unwanted furniture and other junk items dumped in an empty space near the aircraft. Due to strong winds, the debris can cause major damage to the aircraft parked nearby. This does not only create an unpleasant view for the motorists but can also lead to dire consequences. I request the authorities concerned to kindly look into this matter and take the necessary action urgently.”

— The reader is based in Dubai

Be a citizen reporter. Tell us what is happening in your community. Write to us and send us your videos and pictures at readers@gulfnews.com


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For Sale Brand new Apple iphone 4G HD 32GB

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Head of Commercial Industrial Sales - Sharjah

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Readers' generosity helps stranded family fly home

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Dubai: A Filipina mother and her four children who had been living on charity flew home to the Philippines on Wednesday after Gulf News readers helped her buy the air tickets.

The Filipina's Lebanese husband was deported to his home country after serving a jail sentence for defaulting on a loan repayment.

The story about her plight touched the hearts of Gulf News readers who ensured the mother and her children were able to return home.

Mary and her children had been surviving mainly on charity for the past year. She and a relative, who was staying with them, were barely making enough money to survive working as part-time housemaids.

Heartfelt gratitude

"I'm very grateful to all and everyone who gave me a hand of help. We have bought food and new clothes for the children," Mary said before boarding an Emirates flight.

Mary said readers had also sent money to her husband so that he would be able to foot the air fare to join them in the Philippines. "My children did not see their father for more than one year because he was in jail. He was then deported. But now they will be able to see him and enjoy being with him," she said.

"We lived here for several years, but my husband fell ill and took a loan for medical treatment and for expenses," she said recalling how the family's ordeal started about three years ago. "When he failed to pay back the loan he was sent to jail and he also lost his job.

Mary said she had earlier been turned down by many charity organisations. "Doors were closed in my face and I never thought that there are still any people who will care for us."


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Talking African Grey parrots for good homes immediately

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Doctor campaigns for more help for smokers

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Dubai: The chemicals that cling to a smoker's hair and clothes can still harm a child even if the smoker does not indulge in the habit at home, a doctor has warned.

Dr Sreekumar Sreedharan, a specialist physician at Aster Medical Centre said ‘third-hand smoke' was harmful to children as they hug their smoking parent.

"We get a number of children suffering from various respiratory problems, and a smoker in the family is the big factor," he said.

The toxins in the smoker's clothes is called ‘environmental smoke' and the chemicals are linked to various problems in a child such as poor cognitive performance in school, behavioural problems and other conditions.

No substitute

"Nicotine is unique, there is no substitute for it," said the doctor, explaining how it stimulates the brain and at the same time relaxes the smoker. "That is why we give nicotine patches or gum to reduce the addiction, we do not have anything else which gives this at the same time," he said.

Nicotine enters the blood stream within seconds and within two hours its effects vanish. "That is why you need to smoke again and again," said the doctor.

The doctor said quitting smoking was the hardest thing to do. "You need counselling, you need support from friends and you need to have very strong will power." He suggested people find a smoker who has quit to help them in the fight against tobacco.

Ignorance is amazing

Dr Sreedharan believes media plays a great part in conveying the message that smoking is harmful. He said it was amazing people were still not aware that smoking had such terrible effects.

He called on authorities to spread the message through television adverts. He also called for a counselling group to help smokers quit.

Smokers are fooling themselves by believing smoking fights obesity, and that it helps concentration. "The only thing smoking is good for is that it prevents old age,'" said the doctor. "You die before your time."

Kicking the habit

The Gulf News campaign to help its readers quit smoking started on May 31. It is being supported by DM HealthCare.

Ten readers have been initially chosen to get help to quit smoking. Doctors will counsel and aid them over the next six months and up to a year.

The ‘quitters' have one thing in common — they wish to give up but cannot do it alone.


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Computer hackers targeted by university-industry partnership

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The National Melanie Swan

ABU DHABI // Amid a spate of computer attacks on global players such as Sony and the International Monetary Fund, experts say the UAE needs to bolster its cyber-security through academic partnerships with industry.

First and foremost, they say, there is an urgent need for research into digital forensics and encryption technology.

Last Updated: June 26, 2011

Busiest city roads to get 50km of bus lanes The construction of dedicated bus lanes will commence next month, with another 380 air-conditioned bus shelters planned for the emirate. Read

No fuel and now you can't even pump your tyres The closure of petrol stations in Sharjah has left motorists scrambling to find places to wash their cars, pump air into their tyres and change their oil. Read article

Armed, masked role players on rooftop arrested Four masked men who were role-playing with fake assault rifles on a villa rooftop have been arrested. Read article

Dream interpreter unravels nighttime mysteries Three times a week on his television show Ru'ya, Sheikh Wassem Yousef tells viewers that dreams really do come true. Read article

MORE UAE NEWS

Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi has begun research with the security companies Cassidian, a division of European Aerospace and Defence Systems, and Emiraje Systems, a security company in the capital that develops defence and security information systems.

Students in the university's master's course in information security, launched last year, will have access to guest lecturers from the industry. That should help them to form key contacts and make them far more employable.

"For Khalifa University such partnerships, not only in this field, are very important," said Dr Andrew Jones, who is heading the department. "It's a young university and now we're looking at who we want to play with in the security field as well as other areas."

It is also a prime opportunity for the students, whether they want to stay in academia or work for companies such as banks or telecommunications providers.

"It prepares them for a future in academia, a future in industry and gives them a wider perspective than simply the academic one," Dr Jones said.

In turn, industry gets first pick of the local talent, as well as the benefits of joint research with a dedicated team that includes master's students and seven PhD students.

"We get to build relationships with customers or potential customers," said the head of business development at Cassidian, Andrew Warnes.

"We get to find out what they really need and we are seen as more credible in the local market."

The most popular with the 13 students is digital forensics - appealing for those hoping to work in law enforcement - and cryptology, more suited for those interested in banking or government work.

"Digital forensics is seen as fun and exciting," said Dr Jones. The course was designed to meet the UAE's needs, developing expertise and local talent.

Vulnerable areas include infrastructure and utilities. Because they have a long life-cycle, often being in operation for decades, much of the equipment was not designed to cope with today's online security challenges.

"They were built with very primitive security," said Dr Jones.

Abu Dhabi Police and the Ministry of Interior have also begun to address the lack of expertise, supporting the master's programmes in cyber security at Zayed University, which saw its first graduates last year, and in information security at Khalifa University.

Lt Col Faisal al Shamari, the chief information security officer at Abu Dhabi Police, said cyber-security is one of Abu Dhabi's biggest hurdles. "The knowledge gap is a challenging issue whether we want to admit it or not," he said, adding that partnerships between academia and industry were helping to close that gap.

In January, the Nato secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, warned that cyber threats were growing both in frequency and sophistication.

In 2007, the first known case of cyber warfare occurred when Russia froze Estonia's infrastructure, including banks and government agencies, through remote computer access after Estonia removed a symbolic Soviet war memorial. Next page

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Khalifa University is partnering with businesses to fight computer hackers as experts say the UAE needs to bolster its cyber security.

Breath of fresh air for wind tower concept


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Cleaning product taps into waste

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Vesela Todorova

DUBAI // Keeping the UAE's windows and buildings clean of dust comes at a great cost, financially and environmentally.

Most of the enormous amount of water used for the job - an estimated 30,000 litres for one wash of the Etihad Airways building in Abu Dhabi alone - is taken from the mains supply, which means it has been expensively desalinated.

But one company has found a solution by turning effluent from sewage treatment plants into a product that can clean glass and building exteriors.

As more companies question their role in the UAE's outsized carbon footprint, the five-year-old company Clearwater is seeing increased interest in its products.

"The market response has been very positive, with the commitment of the Government and businesses in the UAE to adopt sustainable practices," said Yousif al Lootah, the chief executive of Clearwater.

The company has been hired to wash the UAE's 170 Enoc and Eppco petrol stations. Other clients include Etihad Airways, Cisco and The Gate at the Dubai International Financial Centre.

The company has recently begun to sell its product under the same name for household use. It plans to offer washing services to other airlines.

Clearwater takes water from Dubai's sewage treatment plants, which has already been treated enough to be deemed safe for irrigation.

It treats the water further through reverse osmosis, a common process where water is passed under pressure through a series of membranes. It then passes through two carbon filters, which capture any remaining solids or dissolved minerals.

The company produces 75,000 litres of the water every day at its plant in Al Quoz. Although it is not recommended for drinking because of its lack of minerals, it is safe enough to be drunk, said Peter Manzi, the managing partner of Clearwater.

The lack of minerals is what makes the water an effective and environmentally friendly cleaning agent without the need for soap or other chemicals normally used in industrial cleaning, said Mr Manzi.

"The water is sucking the dirt in because it tries to go back to its natural state," he said.

The product's main green benefit is that it has replaced the use of drinking water, Mr Manzi said. Clearwater washes buildings three times a year, although they would require four washings using mains water.

The process has so far earned approval from a number of water experts.

"Anything you can do to decrease the use of desalinated water is a positive step," said Dr Rachael McDonnell, a visiting scientist in water policy and governance at the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture in Dubai.

"One of the challenges here at the moment is that only 30 per cent of all desalinated water is utilised in the human use system."

The rest is used for other purposes such gardening, for which lower-grade water could be used, Dr McDonnell said.

Marwan Ghannam, the senior technical director at Hyder Consulting Middle East, said turning treated sewage into a cleaning product was safe and sustainable.

"Buildings need to be washed anyway, so why not use purified treated sewage effluent instead of consume potable-quality water for such an application?" Mr Ghannam asked.

vtodorova@thenational.ae


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Humanitarian aid guide translated into Arabic

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Abu Dhabi: While the UAE is among the leading countries in the GCC that provide aid and additional resources to help victims in crises, there is still much that can be done by the region's humanitarian and non-governmental organisations, a leading expert in humanitarian affairs told Gulf News.

"The UAE government has been a great source of help, not only in the translation of The Sphere Handbook, but also in providing translations for additional humanitarian documents and it is also a leading source for aid not only for victims in the region, but around the world as well," said Khalid Khalifa, Head of Office for the Coordination of the Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Integrated Regional Information Network (IRN) for Middle East and Asia Bureau.

Rwanda genocide

The handbook, which is among the most recognised guide on humanitarian services and crisis management, was first released in 1994 as a result of the difficulties faced by aid workers in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide. It cannot be applied legally, however, and humanitarian experts have called for applying it ethically.

"Because of the UAE's constant commitment to helping victims by providing aid and resources, one of the methods we use to ensure that our representatives are always up-to-date on the latest information and techniques, we are constantly organising training workshops so that Emiratis in the humanitarian sector can continue building their skills," Sultan Al Shamsi, Executive Director, UAE office for the Coordination of Foreign Aid (OCFA), said.

"The Arabic edition will also be distributed by western aid organisations and additional launches of it are being planned in July.One of the challenges we faced in translating it was ensuring that the Arabic phrases used were as clear as possible, as there are many different dialects in the region," Khalifa said.


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HALAL FROZEN CHICKEN FEET

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Disabled man grew up without a father; now he's a role model

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Melanie Swan

DUBAI // Saif al Deeb is one of Desert Group's star employees.

Last Updated: June 26, 2011 UAE

A few students from the Future centre for special needs took part in an art workshop held at the Emirates Palace.

More from Sound & Vision

While he has a mental disability, the 25-year-old has, in four years working at the Dubai garden centre, developed a range of life skills, improved his speech and social interactions and integrated fully into what was previously a scary, unknown world.

He has since married and now has a two-year-old son, Saeed.

As a child, Mr al Deeb had been cared for at the Dubai Centre for Special Needs, where he learnt English, Arabic, basic computing and Islamic studies. However, it is the Desert Group's initiative to employ people with special needs that he credits with changing his life.

"Life would be very boring if I didn't have this job now," he said. "I'd be at home doing nothing if I wasn't doing this."

Having started off with basic jobs, such as weeding and lifting, he now hopes to learn accounting and rise to the level of salesman. He has high hopes too, for his son, to give him the life and opportunities he never had.

"I hope my son will be a policeman, so he can keep our country safe," he smiled. "I want to teach him the things I couldn't do in my childhood, like praying and eating properly. I want to take him to a proper school so he can become something in the future. Whatever I couldn't do as a child, I want to give him."

Mr al Deeb grew up without a father and takes family life extremely seriously. His job, where he earns more than Dh4,000 a month, now enables him to give money back to his family.

"I feel very good about myself now," he said. "I feel I can do anything. I can forget my disability because I do what other normal people do. People respect me and earning a salary makes me very happy."

Ibrahim Ali Mohammed Ali, one of the two carers at the centre, said growing up without a father has a big effect on men like Mr al Deeb: "It makes them feel more responsibility to their families and makes them want to be more independent."

mswan@thenational.ae


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UAE-Turkey conduct counter-piracy naval exercises

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Dubai: The UAE and Turkey will conduct counter-piracy naval exercises on Sunday to promote security and stability at sea, while contributing to the world's peace, a top naval official said on Wednesday.

"Our mission is a counter-piracy operation, to deter the piracy at sea in the Gulf of Aden in the internationally recognized transiting corridor and Arabian sea and in the Indian ocean and conducting naval diplomacy," said Rear Admiral Sinan Ertugrul, Commander of the Turkish Task Force.

Speaking on board the Turkish warship TCG Barbaros, docked at Mina Zayed, the first such high Turkish rank to visit the UAE, praised the Emirati navy as "very capable and very powerful."

Special forces from the UAE stormed a hijacked ship in the Arabian Sea, east of Oman, in early April, rescuing the crew and capturing all of the pirates who had seized the vessel only a day before.

The operation was conducted in co-ordination with the Bahrain-based US 5th fleet.

During his 5-day visit, Admiral Ertugrul will have talks with his Emirati counterpart Commander of the UAE Naval Forces, Staff. Brigadier Ibrahim Salem Al Baloushi on means to promote the abiity of the two countries to work together and share intelligence and expertise.

Piracy threat to peace

Admiral Ertugrul stressed piracy is a threat to peace and prosperity not in the region only but worldwide because piracy has a great effect on maritime trade and security. We coordinate all the activities we conduct with all the forces in the area, it is not national, it is very well organized and coordinated.

As part of its global anti-piracy mission, Turkey is deploying four frigates, which conducted joint exercises with Oman.

Similar joint training exercises will be conducted with Qatar, Pakistan, India, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.


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Drivers urged to ensure proper tyre pressure

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Dubai: Drivers who fail to check their tyre pressure and are involved in accidents will be held liable and questioned, cautioned a chief traffic prosecutor yesterday.

Motorists should drive cars that are mechanically safe and properly maintained to avoid endangering lives of other road users, according to Chief Traffic Prosecutor Salah Bu Farousha, Head of Dubai Traffic Public Prosecution (TPP).

His warning came in light of what Bu Farousha described as a "tragic accident" that killed one Filipina and injured seven individuals after a Pakistani driver lost control over his bus on Tuesday evening due to a flat tyre.

"The 34-year-old Pakistani has been detained because, according to primary investigations, he is responsible for the accident. He should have double checked the tyres' pressure of the bus.

Lost control

Prosecutor Ali Khater, who conducted the onsite inspections, said the suspect lost control near the World Trade Centre tunnel immediately after the tyre ruptured.

The suspect remains in detention as the investigation continues and Bur Dubai Police Station has been asked to provide traffic prosecutors with a copy of the accident report. Bu Farousha said the number of accidents due to raptured tyres increase during the summer months, leading to tragedy.

"That's why traffic prosecutors depend highly on technical reports while investigating such accidents… we mainly depend on the findings, concerning the tyre pressure, reached by the experts at Dubai Police's mechanical workshops," he added.

Traffic prosecutors have recorded 54 deaths resulting from traffic accidents since the beginning of this year, until Tuesday's accident. "TPP recorded 81 deaths which resulted from traffic accidents for the same period during last year."

Bu Farousha called on motorists to obey the law and drive safely.


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Gizmo trend: TV in a card

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Dubai: A Dubai-based inventor has put a TV in a greeting card, literally.

This ‘Hallmark-of-the-digital-world' invention is the brainchild of Britons Russell Lawley-Gibbs, a Xerox executive in Dubai, and his partner Robert Green, a video producer, who together came up with the new TV-in-a-card gizmo.

Pop open the cover and it reveals a 4.3-inch 320 x 240-pixel resolution LCD screen. A custom chip powers the micro-thin display with built-in storage that can hold about 30 minutes of video.

The idea was hatched during a conversation Gibbs and Green had one lazy afternoon on the Dubai Marina beach. "With Dubai, the city that has so many innovations, the fit seemed perfect. Dubai - where everything is possible - actually was the inspiration behind the card," said Gibbs.

The electronics are sourced from Asia, but the packaging can be customised.

Rob, who spent many years in video production, said: "If you send out a DVD, nobody watches it, but send out a TV in a card, where all the person has to do is open the card, [and] everybody watches it." He said he would have been delighted to provide Prince William and Kate Middleton with a memory of their happy day, with a customised wedding card. "We came in just a bit late."

The cost gets cheaper per piece with more orders.

"So, a single five-minute video will set you back about $90 (Dh331), but if you have as many friends as the royals you could expect to pay half (between $40 (Dh147) and $50 (Dh184) ) of that."

Gibbs thinks it will appeal to "special people in your life" - your spouse, parents or children - or special customers for corporate users.

By bridging the gap between ‘same old, same old' direct mail and digital content, the duo think their gear will take mailing to new heights and keep postmen busy.

But who will buy these cards?

According to Gibbs, their customers range from individuals who want to send personal greetings - a new baby, a special birthday, a video CV - to companies who want to promote products such as showcasing a venue, luxury goods or spa.

High-end car makers can also use it to send out test driving invites. For the green crowd, one version of the card has a small solar panel powering the battery. The duo are confident it will be a hit among the elderly too. "An awful lot of people still don't use the internet," said Gibbs.

The cards also plug directly into a PC or Mac via USB and videos can be downloaded and copied across AVIs or MP4-format videos.

Vital Specs

Size: 4.3-inch LCDResolution: 320 x 240-pixelCapacity: 30 minutes of videoPrice: $40 (Dh147)to $90 (Dh331)

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UAE gets first woman air traffic control officer

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Abu Dhabi: After a three-year training programme, 22-year-old Noufa Al Afeefi is today the first Emirati woman to become a UAE Air Traffic Control Area Officer.

"I have always been fascinated by large planes in the sky since I was a little child, and I always dreamed of flying aboard one of them. After graduation, I pursued this dream more seriously, with the Air Traffic field, which came in line with my realisation of the high [complexity] of the global aviation sector and the relevant challenges. This made me even more determined, and I knew that was the career I wanted to assume," said Noufa.

Dominated by men

She said the field has always been dominated by men and noted the fact that she is the first UAE woman to apply and at the young age of 22. The biggest challenge was working on different shifts on different days. Another, she said, was live training, which allows no room for error.

"We at the General Civil Aviation Authority have set key fundamentals to encourage nationals to join [the] GCAA and work in its various departments, as we believe that the sector needs the support of nationals to realise its great potential for a promising future, thanks to the great growth rates and performance improvements," said Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, Director General of the GCAA.


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Filipinos want Ferdinand Marcos's body buried in heroes' cemetery

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The National Sholto Byrnes

February carried a special significance for Filipinos this year. It was the 25th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986, during which peaceful protests in Manila's Epifanio de Los Santos Avenue brought an end to the 21-year rule of Ferdinand Marcos.

Only hours after Marcos was reinvested as president following another rigged vote, the ailing dictator and his notoriously extravagant wife, Imelda, fled the Malacanang Palace for exile in Hawaii. Crowds stormed the residence and made off with personal belongings of the couple, who were accused of looting $10 billion from a country they left bankrupt and divided.

How fitting that the president overseeing the silver jubilee celebrations - which included pop concerts, book launches and the dedication of a museum at Camp Aguinaldo, where the tiny band of armed forces whose rebellion against Marcos was crucial to the uprising's success made their stand - should be Benigno Aquino III. For "Noynoy", as he is popularly known, is the true heir to that revolutionary uprising. It was the assassination of his father, opposition leader Ninoy Aquino, in 1983 that set in motion the events that led to Marcos's ousting, while his mother, Corazon, was the self-declared "plain housewife" who became the revolution's figurehead and the keeper of its flame. Her death in 2009 was marked by 10 days of mourning across the Philippines.

Just days before the anniversary, however, there was a call for remembrance of a very different kind. On February 16, Marcos's son Ferdinand Jr, or "Bongbong", told reporters that his father ought to be honoured with a burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani, the country's official heroes' cemetery. His father's embalmed body should be moved from the refrigerated crypt in Batac, Ilocos Norte, where it has been on display in a glass case since 1993, after the Marcoses were allowed to return, and be interred in the manner befitting a former president and decorated soldier. "It is his right," said Marcos Jr. "The lessons that needed to be learned have been learned. It is time to close this chapter."

Far from being drowned by a chorus of consternation, in March Marcos Jr's call was followed by a resolution in Congress backing the move. "Ferdinand Marcos gave invaluable service to his country as soldier, writer, statesman, president and commander-in-chief," it read. He "remained a Filipino patriot to the end of his life and in death deserves to be honoured as such". So far 219 representatives - more than 80 per cent of the chamber - have signed. Human-rights groups and church representatives have expressed outrage; it was only this year that victims and families affected by the torture, summary executions and disappearances for which a Honolulu Federal Court found the Marcos estate liable in 1995 began to receive payments. (The class action awarded 9,539 plaintiffs a total of $2 billion in damages.)

President Aquino has "inhibited" himself from the decision and asked Jejomar Binay, his vice president, to make a recommendation instead. That may be understandable, given that he still believes Ferdinand Marcos was responsible for his father's shooting. But many view it as a convenient excuse all-too-typical of a vacillating president whose pledges of reform have yet to yield much in the way of substance. Both sides insist the issue is clear-cut: either that Marcos more than fulfils the conditions for burial in the hallowed cemetery, or that even to contemplate bestowing the honour is an insult to those who fought for the restoration of democracy. As the conclusion will upset significant numbers, far better to let the vice president take the fall.

Handed the poisoned chalice, Binay has attempted to share the responsibility by asking political parties, NGOs and the public to let him know their thoughts, prompting thousands of texts and e-mails. The vice president promised an announcement in the first week of June, saying: "We will act based on the result of public opinion." If so, the hero's burial could well go through - two recent opinion polls showed a majority in favour. Meanwhile, Marcos Jr is in the country's Senate, his mother Imelda a congresswoman - and as unrepentant as ever - while his sister Imee was elected governor of the family home province of Ilocos Norte last year. A mere quarter of a century after he was deposed, a man who regularly used to make lists of the world's worst dictators is well on his way to rehabilitation. Have Filipinos forgiven? Have they forgotten? Or could it be that the EDSA Revolution didn't really change anything at all? Next page

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Twenty-five years after being deposed, the reputation of the late Ferdinand Marcos is on its way to rehabilitation. Can the Philippines forget its past so easily?

Filipinos want Ferdinand Marcos's body buried in heroes' cemetery


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RAK police on the hunt for radar vandals

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Dubai: Several radars were smashed by unknown people in Ras Al Khaimah recently, official police source said.

Lieutenant Colonel Saleh Salem Al Shimali Director of the Directorate General of Central Operations, Acting Command Ras Al Khaimah Police, urged the public to cooperate with the police in maintaining the public property of the emirate and not to destroy it.

Al Shimali denounced the act which occurred yesterday evening when unknown persons damaged a radar located in Al Rams Sha'am by spraying its glass black and spraying graffiti on the box. Al Shimali said an investigation has been launched.


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Two carpenters deny murdering colleague

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Dubai: Two carpenters denied beating a co-worker in a drunken brawl, strangling him and abandoning his lifeless body in a deserted area - before returning to their drinking session.

The Indian defendants, N.S., 24, and J.K., 30, admitted before the criminal court on Wednesday they were involved in a drunken fight in December with the victim, R.K., but stressed they did not intend to kill the victim.

Police officers found the victim's body in Al Khawaneej area on December 30, 2010. An Emirati police officer and witness told prosecutors they initially did not suspect foul play. A forensic report, however, showed the cause of death was assault from kicking and punching and strangulation.

R.K. and the defendants were building a villa in the area, records show.

Police investigators said R.K. had been drinking with his co-workers on the night before his body was found.

According to H.A., 35, a Dubai police lieutenant, a dispute broke out between the defendants and R.K. The men fought and the defendant kicked and punched R.K. until he fell to the ground. Then they allegedly chocked him.

Later, N.S. and J.K. returned to their drinking, and left him where he lay, records show. H.A. told prosecutors that in the morning, after the defendants found him unconscious and motionless on the floor, they knew he was dead and then carried his body to a deserted area. The next hearing is scheduled for July 6.

Two in court for shoplifting

Two women accused on shoplifting has denied on Wednesday stealing items from a Debenhams store.

The Iranian defendants, N.F., 24, and M.L., 56, both visitors, appeared in a criminal court and denied stealing items worth Dh2,182.

Prosecutors said the incident occurred at around 4:30 pm on March 17, 2011.

A Pakistani security guard, Y.A., 35, told prosecutors that he got suspicious when CCTV cameras showed the defendants were browsing around the store and one of the women was carrying an empty backpack.

Y.A. said the defendants took two pairs of jeans, a shirt, two women's shawls, four pairs of shoes, perfumes and a blue jacket.

Records show the defendants put the items in a basket that belonged to the store before going to the changing rooms. Twenty minutes later, N.F. and M.L. got out of the changing room and the backpack was full, Y.A. told prosecutors. The defendants returned the blue jacket back, and went to the elevators to exit the store.

Y.A. warned the store employees of what he saw, and when they checked the dressing room, they did not find any clothes, records show. Court records showed the women removed the security tags from the items and hid them in the pocket of the blue jacket they left behind. Five tags were found hidden in jacket, Y.A. said.

Security guards were sent to stop them before they left the store before police came. The next hearing is on July 13.

Settlement reached in attempted murder case

A man facing attempted murder charges lodged by his roommate whom he suspected of spreading rumors of him being a homosexual walked free on Wednesday.

The incident occurred on December 12, 2010, after the men - who both worked for a glass installation firm - returned to their apartment in International City apartment for a mid-day break.

The Egyptian defendant, A.M., 27, denied stabbing his roommate, M.A., 37, with a kitchen knife during the first hearing on May 25 before judge Fahmy Mounir Fahmy.

M.A. told prosecutors that after he woke up from one-hour nap in his bedroom, he saw A.M. sitting on the edge of his bed holding a rope. A.M. convinced M.A. to have himself tied up with the rope to show a magic trick. M.A. agreed and A.M. tied his (M.A's) hands, legs and wrapped the rope around his body.

"I told him the rope was too tight on my hands and they were hurting me. He said: ‘It's better that your hand hurts, and not your heart'," M.A. told prosecutors.

M.A., unsure of what will happen next, untied himself and followed his roommate to the living room. It was then that A.M. confronted M.A. about spreading rumours that he was gay.

Repeated denials by M.A. and appeals to let the matter go did not pacify the accused. A.M. allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife and slit M.A.'s neck as he watched TV. In court, M.A. said A.M. bit him in the arm before he managed to get the knife away from him. A police officer who responded to the incident testified that he found blood stains on the stairs leading up to the apartment on the fourth floor, and he found a profusely bleeding M.A. on floor at the entrance of the building. The case was withdrawn after the accuser signed a letter forgiving the defendant.


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Spotlight on property dealer: Headley's Dubai 'link'

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Dubai: A real estate salesman in Dubai finds himself unwittingly in the spotlight after his name and etisalat mobile number were found listed in the diary of David Coleman Headley — a key terror suspect who allegedly plotted the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and planned to strike Europe as well.

Headley appeared before a Chicago court in a counter-terrorism trial this week.

Pages from his handwritten diary, produced by US prosecutors as evidence, mention Dubai-based Imran Lodhi alongside other names, some of which allegedly belong to Pakistani handlers of the Mumbai attacks.

It's believed that Lodhi was managing two shops for Headley in Dubai and also assisting him in acquiring a third one.

An XPRESS investigation has discovered that Lodhi, 41, is a Pakistani national who works with Search Confident Real Estate company in Deira.

His colleagues confirmed that Lodhi has been working at the company for the past five to six years, but said they didn't know if he had any associations with Headley. "When you're a real estate agent, a lot of people have your number. I don't know whether or not Lodhi was managing any properties for Headley, but I can tell you that he's got a clean record. I know him for many years. He's a good man," said his colleague Nadeem.

Lodhi himself was not available for comment.

His etisalat cell phone number remained switched off.

When XPRESS managed to contact Lodhi briefly on his du number on Wednesday afternoon, he said he was busy in a meeting and requested us to call back after one hour. All subsequent calls remain unanswered.

A visit to Lodhi's office Search Real Estate Company in Deira drew a blank as nobody there knew his whereabouts. "He came in the morning and then left for field visits," said the receptionist at his office.

The company's managing director could not be contacted as he's out of the country.

Headley, who had pleaded guilty to doing some groundwork for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 160 is currently testifying against co-accused Tahawwur Rana to avoid the death penalty, making him a key counter-terrorism witness for the US government.

Rana, a Chicago-based businessman who has also been accused of providing cover for Headley, has pleaded innocent, with his lawyers claiming that he has been framed.

As it emerged during the trial, Headley, who feared arrest in India in 2009, had written an e-mail giving details about his assets in Dubai to Rana when they were still friends. The e-mail said: "The larger one [shop] has two more years on the lease. The rent is fixed at Dh23,780 quarterly. It was paid in February so you can figure out when it is due next. The smaller one has one year on its lease. The rent is [Dh]12,200 quarterly, paid in January, so figure out the rest. The guy managing these properties is Imran Lodhi and his number is 011-971-50-214-XXXX. He has two months rent with him for EACH shop now, that is of Oct, Nov 08 and of Jan, Feb 09."

The e-mail is also said to have quoted Headley as saying that he let Lodhi keep the amount, since he owed Dh166,000 on a third shop he was planning to buy.

"The balance of this payment, after deducting the four months rent will be paid after I sell this plot in Pakistan. After that, I will have to pay the balance on the third shop by 2011. The amount is [Dh]166000 multiplied by six. All the three shops are in Shazi's name." The identity of "Shazi" remains unclear.

A resume of Lodhi obtained by XPRESS said he worked for Julian Real Estate in Lahore from 2001 to 2005 before he joined Search Confident in Dubai. According to the resume, he is an arts graduate with a Masters in Business Administration.

It said he also worked with Pepsi Punjab Beverages Co Pvt Ltd in Pakistan, between 1991 and 2000.

Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Deputy Dubai Police Chief said, "We have not been approached by anyone about this case. However, if we were to be contacted for assistance in the matter, it would be through the legal ministries in the region."

The Chicago Trials

David Coleman Headley, formerly known as Daood Saeed Gilani, is a Pakistani-American terror operative and currently a key witness for the US government in a counter terrorism trial in Chicago in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Testifying before the court in the trial of a co-accused Chicago businessman and long-time friend Tahawwur Rana for the second day on Tuesday, he alleged close co-operation between a Pakistani militant group and the intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), saying he was in touch with them even a month before the attacks.

Headley, 51, alleged he was recruited by the ISI to help plot the Mumbai attacks. He claimed he met with handlers from militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba and the ISI in Pakistan in October 2008 — one month before the attacks in Mumbai, which killed over 160 people.

He said an earlier attempt to attack Mumbai in September 2008, had failed as "the boat carrying Pakistani assailants hit the rocks". Headley had earlier pleaded guilty to doing preparatory work for the Mumbai attacks but is currently testifying against Rana to escape death penalty.


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Schools with good leadership produce excellent students

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Dubai: The success or failure of a school depends, to a large extent, on the leadership of the school, a school leadership expert said Wednesday.

"Teachers make the biggest difference in the improvement of any school and the leadership of the school is the second biggest factor for improvement," Geoff Southworth, a UK-based school leadership expert told a workshop organised for public school teachers by the Regional Centre for Education Planning (RCEP).

"In the United Kingdom, 20 years of school inspection have shown that [for] every 100 schools with good leadership, about 93 will have a good standard of education. On the contrary, for every 100 schools with poor leadership, only one will have good standard of education," he said.

The workshop, which was held at the University City of Sharjah yesterday, was organised by RCEP in association with Unesco and the UAE Ministry of Education.

Hotly-debated topic

While school leadership is a hotly-debated topic among the teaching fraternity worldwide, there is growing consensus on the nature and practice of effective school leadership, Southworth said.

According to a document published in 2008 by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, effective school leadership policies include the clear definition of the role of leaders, the need to encourage and support more leaders, and measures to development of capabilities. It also includes measures highlighting school leadership as an attractive profession and the recruitment of effective leaders.

"If teachers and [the] leadership of a school are improved, then there will be huge improvement, which can further be bettered by engaging parents in the process," Southworth said.

Extensive research

The UK-based expert bases his comments on extensive research and teaching experience, apart from various studies conducted worldwide.

Southworth's findings are synchronous with the findings of school inspections in Dubai by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

Earlier this month, while announcing the inspection results of public schools, Jameela Al Muhairi, head of the Dubai School Inspection Bureau at the KHDA, said that the leadership of the school and a desire to improve were the only reasons why many schools overcame hurdles and showed improvement.


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Driver convicted of drunken groping

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The National Salam al Amir

DUBAI // A driver was sentenced this morning to six months in prison for drunkenly groping a woman as she walked home in International City.

The 22-year-old MM, from Pakistan, confessed before the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance to sexual assault and consuming liquor. The court referred him to the Misdemeanours court for the drinking charge.

The Filipina victim, 30-year-old AJ, a cashier, told prosecutors that on April 2 she was walking to her apartment after finishing her shift at work. She testified that she saw the defendant walking with another man in the opposite direction.

When they passed AJ, prosecutors said, MM stretched out his hand and touched the woman's groin.

Police said he also confessed during investigations. He will be deported after serving his prison term.

salamir@thenational.ae

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He molested woman on the street as she walked home, prosecutors say.


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Mohammed bin Rashid issues law on Dubai Real Estate Corporation

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Newsfunction increaseFontSize(){var containerElement = document.getElementById("articlecontainer");containerElement.style.fontSize = "14px";}function decreaseFontSize(){var containerElement = document.getElementById("articlecontainer");containerElement.style.fontSize = "11px";}Mohammed bin Rashid issues law on Dubai Real Estate Corporation 2011-06-26 13:30:45
WAM Dubai, June 26th, 2011 (WAM) -- His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE in his capacity as the Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai has issued Law No. (11) of 2011 amending Law No. (14) of 2007 establishing Dubai Real Estate Corporation.

As per Article (3) of the law, a public corporation owned by the government will be established operating its work on a commercial basis under the name " Dubai Real Estate Corporation" and enjoys a legal personality, financial and administrative autonomy and legal capacity to undertake all actions that ensure the achievement of its purposes. It may also contract with third parties and sue and be sued in that capacity and to delegate any other person for this purpose.

The Corporation aims to own and manage the real properties registered in the name of the government or any of its departments, including the ownership, reconstruction, investment and the use and exploitation of land and commercial and industrial real estate, located in the emirate. It will also provide building services and implementation, marketing and management of buildings and real estate and commercial properties in addition to the development, purchase, sale, lease and management of real estate properties registered in the name of the corporation.

Article (19) of the law stipulates that the corporation retain any revenues from the sale or privatization of its assets or any of its companies or activities. The corporation will not be subjected to the provisions of Law No. (35) of 2009 Concerning the Management of the Public Funds of the Government of Dubai. This decree is effective from the date of issuance and shall be published in the Official Gazette.

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Awareness drive helps cut pedestrian deaths in Dubai

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Dubai: Pedestrian death toll continues to decline on Dubai roads, with a 35 per cent drop in fatalities during the first three months this year as compared to last year, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced Tuesday.

Statistics show a huge improvement in pedestrian safety over the years, Hussain Al Banna, director of Traffic at the RTA's Traffic and Roads Agency said.

During the first three months of this year, 11 pedestrian fatalities were recorded as compared to 17 during the same period last year, he said.

Over 67 per cent of the accidents took place in the night, Al Banna said.

Further drop

"We will continue with our awareness efforts this year and expect a further drop in pedestrian fatalities; which already dropped from 78 cases in 2009 to 43 in 2010."

Last year, the pedestrians killed in traffic accidents hit a record low in a decade with 2.8 cases per 100,000 of population. In 2001, five cases were recorded per 100,000 of the population.

The number climbed steadily going from 6.8 in 2004 to an all time high of 9.5 in 2009. The number has been dropping since 2009.

In 2008, seven cases were recorded and 4.4 cases in 2009.

Positive trend

Al Banna attributed the positive trend to awareness campaigns organised by RTA to enhance pedestrian safety, particularly among workers, as well as the building of foot bridges across the city.

"The awareness campaign carried out by the RTA this year started off at the workers' accommodation at Sonapur and covered Al Quoz, Jebel Ali, Al Barsha, Al Ghusais schools complex and RTA customer service centres."

Be attentive

It focused on educating workers on the importance of being attentive and making sure the road is clear of traffic before crossing the road.

Earlier, the RTA had identified seven areas where the most number of accidents involving pedestrians took place — including Al Quoz, Al Wasl, and the service roads of Shaikh Zayed Road.

But this year, so far, the accidents were not concentrated in certain areas, but rather spread out.

"RTA has been successful in reducing the number of fatalities caused by traffic accidents during the last three years, and the situation improved year after year.


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Man rammed police car during high-speed chase, court told

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Salam al Amir

DUBAI // A man caused nearly Dh150,000 in damage to a police car when he rammed it during a chase on Sheikh Zayed Road, then fought with officers trying to arrest him, a court was told this morning.

The Emirati HM, 23, is also charged with assaulting his wife, MA, 25, and endangering her life as well as those of police officers as he drove MA's car recklessly through Dubai last summer.

According to records, on July 25, as MA was leaving her job in Dubai, HM got into her white Hummer, slapped her and took the wheel. He then sped down Sheikh Zayed Road before a police patrol spotted him and chased him onto back roads.

WN, a police officer who chased the Hummer, said HM drove on pedestrian walkways and rammed a police car from the side and the back. He added that HM stopped the vehicle when he reached his residence and WN tried to arrest him, but was attacked by HM's brother AM, 26.

"The other officers restrained him but he managed to kick me in the leg," WN said.

AM and a friend, AJ, are separately charged with assaulting police officers. HM's sister AMH, 26, is accused of coming out to the car and insulting MA.

The next hearing was scheduled for June 26.

salamir@thenational.ae


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Scholarship scheme set up for Pakistani students

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Dubai: A Dubai-based university established by the late Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto has announced an offer of 80 scholarships to Pakistani students who cannot afford to attend university.

"This is a birthday gift from our university for the Pakistani community in the UAE," said Dr Fiaz M. Ishaq, head of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute for Science and Technology (SZABIST) — based in Dubai International Academic City.

He was speaking at a function organised by the university to mark the 58th birthday of Benazir Bhutto, who was the founding chancellor of the university and established its off-shore campus in Dubai in 2003.

Dr Ishaq said that some 20 scholarships would be given to Pakistani students in Pakistani schools in the UAE who pass their higher secondary school exams. Every year 20 more scholarships will be added and a total of 80 students will get scholarships within four years.

Fund committee

"[The] university will waive 25 per cent of the tuition fee while some 50 per cent [of the] fee will be paid from the scholarship fund to be established by the university whereas 25 per cent fee will be paid by the student," he explained.

The scholarship fund committee will comprise members of the university, Pakistani schools, Pakistani missions and prominent community members.

"Our aim is to help provide higher education to poor students who cannot afford to continue their studies and forced to quit education," Dr Ishaq said.

He said the university would also provide vocational and skilled training to poor students after high school.

"We will help them get jobs and will also help them get their degrees studying as part time students," he added.

The university's community initiative was well received by Pakistan Ambassador Jameel Ahmad Khan and the community members who attended the function.

"We are ready to support the university for the noble cause," said Khan.

Earlier, rich tribute was paid to Benazir Bhutto, who was born on June 21, 1953 and assassinated on December 27, 2007 during an election campaign in Pakistan.

Supporters of Bhutto from all over the UAE gathered to offer prayers in her memory. Many were in tears as they recounted instances of their interaction with Bhutto during her eight years self-exile in Dubai.

Brave leader

"She was a brave leader and was symbol of hope and struggle," said Ambassador Khan who also recited one of Bhutto's favourite poems. Mein Baghi Houn, Mein Baghi Houn (I am revolutionary).

On a different note, supporters of Bhutto such as Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal demanded that the Pakistan government track down the murderers of Bhutto.

"It is very disappoint[ing] for us that our government has not yet arrested those involved in our leader's murder," he said.


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Ant venom holds promise as painkiller

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Martin Croucher

DUBAI // A deadly ant that is dominant across the Arabian Peninsula could soon be put to a surprising use as a powerful painkiller.

Scientists in Saudi Arabia believe that venom from the Samsun ant could be harvested and used to make a cheap alternative to anti-inflammatory drugs currently on the market.

The ant species, which is known as Pachycondyla sennaarensis, has been linked with several deaths in the UAE in recent years.

However, zoologists at King Saud University in Riyadh found that the venom could reduce swelling in mice by the same level as diclofenac, a painkiller commonly used to treat chronic conditions such as rheumatism and arthritis.

"This could be a cheaper alternative to other anti-inflammatory drugs," said Abdel-Azeem Abdel-Baki, one of the researchers, whose work was published in the African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology in March last year.

"These ants are very common in the region and the venom can be easily extracted. One day there could be a use for it in medicine."

The researchers injected xylene, an irritant, into the ears of mice. They found that the ant venom could reduce swelling by 33.3 per cent, while diclofenac caused a reduction of only slightly more, 34.8 per cent.

Mr Abdel-Baki said the team were currently experimenting with higher doses but were still some way from human testing.

"We still don't know if it's fit for humans," he said.

The Samsun ant was first identified by entomologists as a tramp or non-native species in the early 1980s, but is believed to have been introduced over a century ago from the humid African savannah regions. As green areas have grown in the region, it has flourished.

"They do very well in grassed, irrigated areas, and that is what we have turned the desert environment into," said Dr Brigitte Howarth, an assistant professor in the department of natural sciences and public health at Zayed University who specialises in desert ecology.

"Because of the way that gardens are spreading across the UAE, the ant is a lot more prevalent as well."

Knowledge of anthropods in the Emirates has been scant until quite recently. Only 14 species of ant were documented until 1994, when foreign researchers managed to record more than 70.

One of those researchers was Barbara Tigar, now a biology lecturer at Liverpool Hope University in the UK. In a 1997 paper, she and her co-authors documented the spread of several introduced species of ant in the UAE - among them the Samsun ant.

"Nice garden environments are also nice environments for species that you wouldn't normally find in the Emirates," she said.

"There's quite a lot of concern about these invasive species of ants. They tend to come in and take over the native species.

"Instead of having quite a wide diversity you just get one species which is dominant, that can really change the whole ecology of an area."

The Samsun ant, which measures four to six millimetres in length, thrives in humid soil conditions and scientists believe it has evolved from a granivorous - grain-eating - diet to become omnivorous as a mechanism to adapt to different environments.

However, it is still regarded as non-aggressive, feeding mostly on seeds, food waste, fruits, small arthropods and dead animals, according to one study of the ants on the Iranian island of Qeshm, by the Tehran-based entomologist Dr Mehdi Sedaghat.

Its colonies range from several dozen ants to several thousand, each with just one queen. The workers are polymorphous, developing into a variety of sizes and shapes according to their role.

Samsun ants have been linked with several deaths over the years, most recently in 2008, when an Egyptian woman in Ras al Khaimah died after an asthmatic reaction brought on by the venom of a Samsun ant.

Although there have been few detailed studies in recent years, pest control experts say Samsun ants are now endemic.

"The number has increased dramatically over the last 30 years," said Dinesh Ramachandran, technical director for the National Pest Control agency. "This poses a serious problem because they are a public health concern. They have a nasty sting and can sometimes kill people." Next page


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Two carpenters deny murdering colleague

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Dubai: Two carpenters denied beating a co-worker in a drunken brawl, strangling him and abandoning his lifeless body in a deserted area - before returning to their drinking session.

The Indian defendants, N.S., 24, and J.K., 30, admitted before the criminal court on Wednesday they were involved in a drunken fight in December with the victim, R.K., but stressed they did not intend to kill the victim.

Police officers found the victim's body in Al Khawaneej area on December 30, 2010. An Emirati police officer and witness told prosecutors they initially did not suspect foul play. A forensic report, however, showed the cause of death was assault from kicking and punching and strangulation.

R.K. and the defendants were building a villa in the area, records show.

Police investigators said R.K. had been drinking with his co-workers on the night before his body was found.

According to H.A., 35, a Dubai police lieutenant, a dispute broke out between the defendants and R.K. The men fought and the defendant kicked and punched R.K. until he fell to the ground. Then they allegedly chocked him.

Later, N.S. and J.K. returned to their drinking, and left him where he lay, records show. H.A. told prosecutors that in the morning, after the defendants found him unconscious and motionless on the floor, they knew he was dead and then carried his body to a deserted area. The next hearing is scheduled for July 6.

Two in court for shoplifting

Two women accused on shoplifting has denied on Wednesday stealing items from a Debenhams store.

The Iranian defendants, N.F., 24, and M.L., 56, both visitors, appeared in a criminal court and denied stealing items worth Dh2,182.

Prosecutors said the incident occurred at around 4:30 pm on March 17, 2011.

A Pakistani security guard, Y.A., 35, told prosecutors that he got suspicious when CCTV cameras showed the defendants were browsing around the store and one of the women was carrying an empty backpack.

Y.A. said the defendants took two pairs of jeans, a shirt, two women's shawls, four pairs of shoes, perfumes and a blue jacket.

Records show the defendants put the items in a basket that belonged to the store before going to the changing rooms. Twenty minutes later, N.F. and M.L. got out of the changing room and the backpack was full, Y.A. told prosecutors. The defendants returned the blue jacket back, and went to the elevators to exit the store.

Y.A. warned the store employees of what he saw, and when they checked the dressing room, they did not find any clothes, records show. Court records showed the women removed the security tags from the items and hid them in the pocket of the blue jacket they left behind. Five tags were found hidden in jacket, Y.A. said.

Security guards were sent to stop them before they left the store before police came. The next hearing is on July 13.

Settlement reached in attempted murder case

A man facing attempted murder charges lodged by his roommate whom he suspected of spreading rumors of him being a homosexual walked free on Wednesday.

The incident occurred on December 12, 2010, after the men - who both worked for a glass installation firm - returned to their apartment in International City apartment for a mid-day break.

The Egyptian defendant, A.M., 27, denied stabbing his roommate, M.A., 37, with a kitchen knife during the first hearing on May 25 before judge Fahmy Mounir Fahmy.

M.A. told prosecutors that after he woke up from one-hour nap in his bedroom, he saw A.M. sitting on the edge of his bed holding a rope. A.M. convinced M.A. to have himself tied up with the rope to show a magic trick. M.A. agreed and A.M. tied his (M.A's) hands, legs and wrapped the rope around his body.

"I told him the rope was too tight on my hands and they were hurting me. He said: ‘It's better that your hand hurts, and not your heart'," M.A. told prosecutors.

M.A., unsure of what will happen next, untied himself and followed his roommate to the living room. It was then that A.M. confronted M.A. about spreading rumours that he was gay.

Repeated denials by M.A. and appeals to let the matter go did not pacify the accused. A.M. allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife and slit M.A.'s neck as he watched TV. In court, M.A. said A.M. bit him in the arm before he managed to get the knife away from him. A police officer who responded to the incident testified that he found blood stains on the stairs leading up to the apartment on the fourth floor, and he found a profusely bleeding M.A. on floor at the entrance of the building. The case was withdrawn after the accuser signed a letter forgiving the defendant.


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UAE's envoy to UN meets Honduras president

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Tegucigalpa: Ahmad Abdul Rahman Al Jarman, UAE permanent representative to the United Nations, and the first non-resident Ambassador to Honduras, on Wednesday presented his credentials to President Porfirio Lobo Sosa of Honduras.

Al Jarman conveyed greetings of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the President of Honduras, assuring UAE's desire to strengthen and support mutual relations between both countries in various fields.

President Porfirio Lobo Sosa reciprocated greetings to Shaikh Khalifa and praised the wise leadership and development witnessed in UAE.


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