NEWS FROM THE UAE
Excerpts from UAE Dailies
Cost effective and eco-friendly fuel will be available from next month
ABU DHABI — Sep 26:From October 8, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company for Distribution (Adnoc Distribution) will introduce another cost-effective and environment-friendly fuel, which will save Dh1 and 50 fils per gallon on super and special brands.
The new variety of petrol E-plus (Octane 91), will be available at all Adnoc Distribution services stations across the UAE.
The launch of this new product is aimed at reducing the financial burden of the consumer. It also comes in line with Adnoc Distribution's commitment to developing oil resources without creating environmental imbalance.
E-plus will be available alongside Special 95 and Super 98 to meet consumer demand for new products that are less expensive and more environment-friendly.
E-plus, which comes in red colour, is another high quality product that is as efficient as other fuels and will save an amount of Dh1 compared to (Super) which is priced at Dh6.75 and 50 fils less compared to (Special) which is priced at Dh6.25 per gallon at Adnoc stations.
E-plus will be sold at Dh5.75 per gallon. Adnoc Distribution, in cooperation with Takreer and the Marketing Directorate of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has prepared detailed studies and completed all preparations to ensure the availability of the fuel as per potential demand of the market.
Motorists can fill their vehicles with the new fuel at all Adnoc stations. However, the Super will be available at select stations in each emirate. A list of those stations will be published to customers shortly. Adnoc will launch an educational campaign for the new product under the slogan E-plus: The Happy fuel: Less expensive More economical to provide the consumers with detailed information about E-plus.
A special website has been launched containing relevant information about the new product explaining its features and functions www.adnoc-dist.ae. In coordination with car dealers in the country, a list of vehicles which can use E-plus is available on the website.
Adnoc Distribution welcomes any queries and suggestions via its Customer Interaction Centre 800 ADNOC 8002366.
KHALEEJ TIMES
New timings for driving schools to ease traffic
DUBAI — Sep. 26:To reduce traffic congestion during peak hours, driving institutes have been asked by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to change their timings, said a senior RTA official, while issuing a list of new timings.
During Ramadan, RTA has directed training institutions to change timings for light vehicles from 9.30am to 1pm and resume from 2.30pm until 5pm.
RTA has also banned training of all categories of drivers on the main streets in Dubai at all times. The ban includes the streets of Shaikh Zayed, Shaikh Rashid and the Al Ittihad roads.
Engineer Maitha bin Adai, CEO, Traffic and Roads Agency, said that the steps aim to alleviate congestion on the roads of Dubai, especially because it increases during Ramadan as office traffic converges with the closure of businesses in the afternoon.
The RTA has asked the training institutions to cooperate and adhere to the new procedures.
For light vehicles, the new timings from Saturday to Thursday will be 8am to 1pm, then from 3pm until 5pm. The timing on Friday will be from 7am until 11am, and on public holidays from 7am to 3pm. Heavy vehicles training timing from Saturday to Thursday will be 8:30am to l1pm, and from 3pm to 5pm.
On Fridays and public holidays, training starts from 8 am until 1pm and resumes from 3pm to 5pm.
The same timing will be implemented for the heavy vehicles training during Ramadan except for the beginning of training in the afternoon, starting from 3pm and continuing until 5pm.
The RTA has also announced change in timings of trucks and heavy vehicles movement in Dubai during Ramadan.
According to the new rules, the ban extends from 7.30am up to 11pm and depends on the area and road.
Bin Adai said that the restrictions of the new timing strictly prohibit the movement of the heavy vehicles from 7.30am up to 9.30am on most of Dubai roads while the afternoon timings will remain as before Ramadan i.e from 1pm up to 3pm. Changed evening timings start from 5.30pm up to 8.30pm.
She explained that the decision to change truck timings was to prevent passage of trucks on all main roads of Dubai from 7.30pm to 11pm including on Shaikh Zayed road, part of Shaikh Rashid road (from Za'abeel Tunnel upto Al Garhoud Tunnel), Al Ittihad road, and the downtown roads.
KHALEEJ TIMES
Minor traffic mishaps will be handled by insurance firms
DUBAI — Sep. 26:Dubai Police will no longer deal with minor traffic accidents, and the service will be the duty of insurance companies with effect from the beginning of next year, according to Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police.
It is the responsibility of insurance companies in dealing with minor accidents regarding the damage the motor vehicles involved in the incident suffered from. It is also their duty to specify and settle the disputes between the affected drivers as well as writing the reports after inspecting the accidents, according to Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan.
Local insurance companies should carry out their duties — like their counterparts in other countries in the world — towards their customers regarding these incidents, he reiterated.
Dubai Police examined and inspected more than 15,000 minor accidents every month, he said, adding that this required much effort and much time at the expense of other security services. Therefore, it is seen as necessary to transfer the service of writing reports of minor accidents to the insurance companies, Lt General Dhahi said.
Dubai Police had announced in June a plan to assign the duty of writing a report on minor accidents to the insurance companies or private security firms in Dubai.
KHALEEJ TIMES
Police seize 30 vehicles used as illegal taxis
Ras Al Khaimah: Sep. 26: Police patrols have recently seized 30 vehicles involved in carrying passengers from RAK to the other emirates.
Captain Shaikh Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, who heads the Police Patrols at the Police Operation Department said the patrols were deployed along roads leading from RAK to the other emirates.
He said the drivers who are involved in this illegal business are considered violators of the local regulations which prohibit all drivers from being involved in the taxi business except those officially registered and licensed by the authorities.
A total of 94 vehicles have been licensed to take passenger from RAK to the other emirates.
He added that the national taxi drivers have repeatedly complained to the Traffic and Licensing Department and the police about Asian taxi drivers and others who illegally carry passengers.
Passenger numbers
During Ramadan, the number of passengers travelling daily from RAK to Dubai and the other emirates, mainly after Iftar, has at least tripled and the national taxi drivers are complaining daily that many private cars are getting involved.
Police officials stressed that the taxi stand has been working 24 hours a day during Ramadan and this flourishing business has motivated a large number of people including private cars and the rented cars to get involved.
GULF NEWS
Maid forced into sex trade dies after contracting HIV
Dubai: Sep.26:The trial of a hotel receptionist who hired a maid and forced her into prostitution until she became HIV positive and died in hospital, started yesterday.
The Dubai Public Prosecution charged the 36-year-old Bangladeshi suspect, identified as M.Q., with forcing the 31-year-old Nepalese victim, B.M., into the sex industry and threatening to harm her if she did not sleep with customers. She then got infected with AIDS and died. He used to keep the customers' money.
During yesterday's hearing, the suspect denied the accusations and told the Dubai Court of First Instance that he is innocent.
A few days before she died, the victim told the police that the suspect received her at Dubai International Airport when she came to work as a maid. He housed her in a flat in Al Hamriyya area and used to drive her to hotel rooms and villas where she used to reportedly sleep with customers. In her statement to the police, she said she worked as a prostitute "against her will and under his continuous threats to abuse her".
In his statement to the public prosecution, a 31-year-old Nepalese witness, J.R., said once the victim called and asked him for help because she did not have a passport or residence permit. He said she was crying, tired and in a bad condition when he met her.
The victim told J.R. that the suspect was abusing her and forced her into prostitution and she had to frequently have sex with the customers and "he used to keep the money for himself".
The witness said he asked the suspect why was he doing that to her, but the suspect replied, "do not interfere in this because she is my woman and I am responsible for her". He said the suspect did not allow him to meet the victim until a week prior to her death when he was informed that she was admitted to hospital because she was HIV positive.
Medical reports said the victim suffered general body weakness, headache, nausea, anorexia, sore throat and weight loss. She underwent radiological investigations including CT scan brain which was normal and was found to be HIV positive before she died in March.
GULF NEWS