Iran's warning to Gulf states

Agence France-Presse

2260747948275310VgnVCM100000e56411acRCRD2260747948275310VgnVCM100000e56411acRCRD

TEHRAN // Iran's parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani warned that Iran will not forgive Gulf Arab nations if they continue backing US "plots" against Tehran, local media reported yesterday.

"We recommend to some of the countries in the region who were siding with [Iraq dictator] Saddam [Hussein] and now are siding with the US plots against the Iranian nation to give it up," he was quoted as saying.

Mr Larijani was referring to the financial aid and political support given by Gulf Arab states, namely Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, to the Iraqi regime during the 1980-1988 war against Iran.

View the original article here

Warning over tainted soft drink

Yasin Kakande

$(document).ready(function() {$.get('/national/overrides/ajax/article_detail_date.jsp', {'vcmid':'838653560c3a4310VgnVCM100000e56411acRCRD'}, function(data) { $("#article_date").html(data);});});

AJMAN // Up to 230 cases of Vimto have been cleared from shop shelves after tests found they were contaminated with bacteria and fungi.

Municipality inspectors collected samples for laboratory examination after consumers complained about strange-tasting 250ml packs of the popular soft drink.

"The tests found large amounts of bacteria and fungi in the drink, which falls short of the UAE accepted health standards," said Khalid Al Hosni, the executive director of environment and public health at the municipality.

"The fungi found in the drink produce dangerous toxins that could lead to serious diseases."

He urged the public not to buy the drink if they found it in stores and to report shops selling it to the municipality at 80026 and 06743858 or 064780809.

Humaid Al Muala, the director general of environment and public health, said other emirates and municipalities and the Ministry of Environment had been notified.

Whether Vimto's manufacturer would be fined was a matter for the ministry, said Mr Al Muala.

ykakande@thenational.ae

View the original article here

Wadis warning following drowning in flash flood

Anna Zacharias

$(document).ready(function() {$.get('/national/overrides/ajax/article_detail_date.jsp', {'vcmid':'219fb217e29e2310VgnVCM200000e66411acRCRD'}, function(data) { $("#article_date").html(data);});});

FUJAIRAH // The municipality is warning residents to stay away from wadis after the drowning of an Emirati man, 27, in a flash flood at Wadi Wurayah on Friday.

"Wadis are like fire, you cannot underestimate them," said Mohammed Al Afkham, the general manager of the municipality.

"Their water comes very fast and very strong. We want locals and visitors to stay away from dangerous places. Don't go inside the wadis and be aware of the weather."

The municipality did an inspection tour of roads and dams across the emirate and has reopened roads that were closed after heavy rainfall last week. More rain is expected until Wednesday.

Every year there are deaths in Northern Emirates wadis because of heavy rains.

"Fujairah is all wadis and dams. You cannot fence all of Fujairah," Mr Al Afkham said. "We are putting extra signs to keep our people away."

Police yesterday said the man who died on Friday had hiked 2 kilometres into the wadi with two friends.

His friends chose to climb the mountain but he decided not to, leaving him caught in the flash flooding, which carried his body for 200 metres.

azacharias@thenational.ae

View the original article here