NEWS FROM THE UAE
Excerpts from UAE Dailies
Lucky escape for Airport Engineers as aircrafts Tyre Bursts
Sharjah - nOV. 27: Airport engineers onboard a six-seater Beechcraft had a lucky escape yesterday when its left rear tyre burst soon after it landed and skidded off the runway at Sharjah airport.
The incident took place at noon yesterday when the engineers were on a calibration mission. The incident led to the closure of the runway for a couple of hours and two incoming flights had to be diverted to Dubai International airport.
Dr Ganem Al Hajri, Director-General of the Sharjah International Airport, confirming the incident said there were no casualties or injuries.
He said: "It was a Beechcraft that was on a calibration mission which involves testing navigation procedures."
"Emergency services rushed to the scene within moments of the aircraft coming to a standstill. We had to close the airport for a couple of hours. Passengers at the airport were notified of the delay." The airport was opened by 2pm.
Dr Al Hajri said the aircraft is registered in Pakistan. "Such incidents do not take place often. I am glad that business at the airport was back to normal in no time."
Dr Al Hajri said a calibration aircraft runs tests on both landing and en-route navigation aids. It is fitted with various calibration equipment and can also carry crew.
GULF NEWS
Truck crushes man who came to help driver
Ras Al Khaimah - Nov. 27: A heavy vehicle, which was stuck in the sand at the entrance of the emirate, ran over a man who rushed to help the driver.
Police pronounced the Pakistani, 42, dead at the site. A senior officer said the accident took place in Al Jazera Al Hamra when a heavy vehicle driven by M.A.F, Pakistani, 23, got stuck in the sand.
The driver called on a group of Pakistanis to give him a hand. The victim accompanied by his friend rushed to help the driver and started removing sand around the vehicle's tyres. The officer said the driver was trying to get the vehicle out of the sand by moving forward and reversing. The vehicle ran over the victim while he was removing sand from around the rear tyre.
The prosecution arrested the driver.
GULF NEWS
Authorities to inspect container homes
Dubai - Nov. 27: The Ministry of Labour and the Dubai Municipality yesterday said they will inspect the site where workers of a construction company live in cargo containers.
Gulf News yesterday reported that more than 2,000 workers of a construction company are living in cargo containers in Al Aweer.
The containers are divided into two sections with eight workers living in each half.
The containers are fitted with air conditioners and exhaust fans.
Humaid Bin Deemas, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Labour, said that such acts are inhuman and contradict the labour law.
He said officials will inspect the site today.
"Cargo containers are designed to transport goods and it is unacceptable to make workers live in them as it goes against the ministry's policies and any company that will violate the law will face harsh penalties," said Bin Deemas.
He asked all workers in similar conditions to file a complaint with the labour relations department. He said this helps the ministry in learning workers' problems.
A Dubai municipality engineer said they will soon issue an official statement. "We will be visiting the accommodation," said the engineer from the Building Inspection Section.
A worker at the accommodation said: "We tried not to make an issue out of it but then it became impossible for us to live inside container although it is fitted with an exhaust and air conditioner."
GULF NEWS
Naif suspect 'has personality disorder'
Dubai - Nov. 27: The medical examination of the Naif shootout suspect has revealed that he suffers from personality disorder but showed no psychosis symptoms during the observation period, a court was told yesterday.
The Dubai Court of First Instance had earlier asked Rashid Hospital to examine the 21-year-old Saudi suspect, identified as A.M., to verify his mental state.
The medical report said, "The suspect was examined by a medical team which found that he suffers from personality disorder [psychopathic personality] but showed no psychosis symptoms during the medical observation period. According to his tests, the suspect is responsible for his acts and behaviour at this time."
The Public Prosecution had charged the suspect with illegally using a gun and premeditatedly killing his 38-year-old compatriot, Z.L., shooting 35-year-old A.L., kidnap and theft.
Presiding Judge Mahmoud Al Sharshabi adjourned the case until next month for the defence lawyers Nasser Malalla Ganem and Mohammad Al Zarri to hand in their defence.
Strange behaviour
In an earlier hearing, two policemen testified that the suspect was 'acting and speaking strangely' when he was arrested.
The 21-year-old was speaking in 'an incomprehensible language', one of the policemen told the court. The policemen said he was standing four or five metres away from the victims' car when he heard the sound of three or four bullets.
"When we stopped the accused and seized the weapon from his hand, he was speaking in a strange language. I did not understand a word of what he said," testified the policeman.
Another policeman said the suspect was acting strangely and speaking in an unusual manner.
GULF NEWS
Training must for food outlets’ staff
ABU DHABI — Nov. 27: The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) has signed contracts with various companies to train workers at restaurants and other food outlets in maintaining hygiene and ensuring health safety.
Dr Moustafa Al Ghazali, in charge of the ADFCA’s food inspection section, told Khaleej Times that under the agreement, which will come into effect in January next year, all employees working in food joints should obtain certificates stating that they have received training from the firms.
Dr Al Ghazali also said the ADFCA has empowered inspectors to close any establishment posing danger to public health.
All restaurants, cafeterias, bakeries, food processing factories, supermarkets and hypermarkets in Abu Dhabi are required to comply with several regulations laid down by the authority, he added.
For instance, high profile restaurants should cover 100 to 150 metres and the kitchen area should not be less than 80 metres, he said. Workers should be provided with uniforms and issued health cards.
All appliances and tools used should be made of stainless steel and a food outlet should have a valid or renewed licence, he added, referring to the criteria.
He said small eateries are the major cause of concern as most of them flout rules despite being issued warnings.
Fewer violations are found among fast food chains for they strictly follow the specific rules and conditions as well as test and verification system conducted by international companies under which they are functioning and as per a unified rule implemented worldwide, he said.
Therefore, fast food chains are the best in terms of health safety, according to the ADFCA official. Regarding cafes, Dr Al Ghazali said many of them are in breach of rules.
Abu Dhabi has been divided into six areas by the ADFCA. About nine inspectors are generally assigned to each area, depending on the number of eateries in the area, Dr Al Ghazali said.
He added that the authority has four major specialised units — hotels unit, schools unit, factories unit and central markets unit.
KHALEEJ TIMES
Rainy weather hits the emirates
Dubai - Nov. 27: Winter finally arrived in Dubai yesterday as rain and wind swept into town and temperatures plummeted. On the road, traffic was forced to slow down, even more than usual, as surface water gathered on the city’s main streets.
And city-goers reached for their knitwear as temperatures plunged from 28.6 degrees to a refreshing 18.5 degrees within the space of four hours. But as the emirate’s residents took the chance to splash about in the small puddles left by the 2mm of cool, autumnal rain, in Abu Dhabi, strong winds brought visibility down to just 1,000 metres, causing small sand storms.
Despite the excitement, Clive Stevens, duty forecaster at Dubai Met Office, reassured 7DAYS the weather was typical for this time of year. “This weather is not that unusual for November - it’s just the winter season kicking off”, he explained. “Rain started over Bahrain and Abu Dhabi yesterday before spreading across the Gulf, affecting us at around 1.30pm.”
Clive promised a return to the UAE sunshine tomorrow, though warned there was plenty more rain to come: “It’s going to clear up tomorrow with plenty of sunshine, maybe some cloud, but the rest of the week looks to be unsettled, with chances of a few more showers on Tuesday and Friday. He added: “It won’t be anything too exciting though, there is no need to panic, it is just really nice, cool autumnal weather.”
SEVEN DAYS