NEWS FROM THE UAE
Source : The National
Hundreds mourn air crash dead at Indian consulate in Dubai
Sanjay Verma, the consul general of India, pauses with other mourners during a prayer vigil honouring the passengers killed in the aircrash in Mangalore, at the Indian Consulate in Bur Dubai yesterday - The National
DUBAI - MAY 25: Hundreds of Indians gathered at their consulate in Dubai yesterday to light candles and mourn the loss of friends and loved ones who were killed in the Air India Express Flight 812 which crashed in Mangalore on Saturday.
Grieving relatives fought back tears as people voiced their condolences and prayed for the souls of the 158 victims.
“This tragedy happened to people working here who had spent decades here, dedicated their youth to this country, and were going home,” Sanjay Verma, the Indian consul general, told a packed audience at the consulate auditorium.
“Let this time of crisis bring us together to hold hands as a nation.
“The 158 deaths affected many Indians in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Northern emirates. Today’s gathering unites us all in sorrow. It unites our nationality,” he said.
Mr Verma announced that the Indian consulate in Dubai would appoint a dedicated officer to deal with all requirements the families of the deceased would need to receive the compensation the Indian government earlier this week announced would be offered.
New curbs to fight jet-ski danger
ABU DHABI - MAY 25: Jet skis will be regulated by the coastguard within a month, officials said yesterday.
The announcement came as Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak, the minister of Public Works and chairman of the National Transport Authority, opened the new Unified Marine Registration Centre at Mina Port.
The centre will immediately handle all registration of boats – a process that falls between the Critical National Infrastructure Authority, the Ministry of Environment and Water, the National Transport Authority and the Department of Transport – with jet skis to follow.
During the past two years a spate of jet ski accidents in Abu Dhabi has prompted officials to regulate the sport. Marine police were called to 54 jet ski-related incidents between June 2007 and 2008. Although most were for minor problems such as jet skiers running out of fuel and collisions not involving injuries, there were four serious accidents. In June 2008 a jet skier’s throat was slashed by a rope attached to a tow boat that snapped and hit his neck.
Marine police said at the time that they would fine anybody on a jet ski who went too near a beach or a boat. Those entering restricted areas such as private islands or beaches or driving recklessly would also be fined.
Jet ski rental companies welcomed the impending regulations, saying they already applied age restrictions and limits on where customers could operate the machines.
Mohamed Zukria Waaheed, who runs Penguin Marine Jet Ski Rental, said: “The regulations will be good. It will make it safer for us and for those renting them.”
Jet ski-only zones are also planned.
Radi Salem, of Titanic Rental, said jet ski zones would benefit his company. “It would help customers locate us easily and we would be able to set up a one-stop shop at the beach with a garage, a showroom and our offices.”
He said they already give customers safety instructions and supply them with life jackets.
Rules updated to ensure all your bread is upper-crust
DUBAI - MAY 25: Consumers will soon get bread guaranteed by law not to be crummy.
New regulations governing the quality of staple foodstuffs. from clear labels indicating weight and ingredients to the amount of moisture – were approved yesterday by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The 29 new or amended regulations, which also govern mineral water, energy drinks and halal food, will be in full force by October, said Mohammed Badri, the acting director general of the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology.
The new standards for mass-produced bread were prompted by complaints to the Ministry of Economy about shoddy quality and bread labelled with weights listed incorrectly, Mr Badri said.
By October, all mass-produced bread must be labelled with the ingredients and the weight. The moisture level, which affects weight, must be between 30 and 35 per cent, depending on the type of bread, Mr Badri said, and it must be stored at 25°C or lower.
“They are selling based on the weight,” he said. “So the things that affect the weight we are controlling, and we will control the things that affect the quality.”
Two men are charged in Sheikh Zayed Road stunts
Dubai police have released these pictures of the two vehicles confiscated as part of the investigation into an online video showing stunts taking place on the Sheikh Zayed Road. Courtesy Dubai Police
DUBAI - MAY 25: Two Emirati men are being charged with endangering other people’s lives after an online video showing them performing automotive stunts on the Sheikh Zayed Road led to a police investigation.
The case is the first of its kind in Dubai allowing traffic violators to face criminal prosecution. The suspects, who were not identified, face up to three years in prison and fines if convicted.
A video clip posted on YouTube shows a pick-up truck intentionally spinning and skidding across the heavily travelled road while a 4x4 zig-zags across six lanes of traffic balanced on two wheels