NEWS FROM THE UAE
SOURCE : THE NATIONAL
F1 planners prepare for all eventualities
ABU DHABI - OCT 08: When 48,000 people descend on Yas Island on November 1 for the Formula One Grand Prix, ensuring their safety and security will involve unprecedented measures, from predicting traffic flow to helping aeroplanes land.
From the moment drivers cross from the mainland on one of the bridges, their arrival will be recorded by underground sensors.
The data will be fed into computers in a control centre. They will then make millions of near-instantaneous calculations, predicting each vehicle’s effect on traffic, parking and the crowd inside.
Then, attendants directed by radio from the control centre will wave drivers into one of the island’s 19,600 parking spaces.
For those fans lucky enough to arrive in a private aircraft, the island has its own air-traffic control centre, too.
“The biggest security challenge would be to manage the crowds and traffic attending the event, and the people coming in and out of the island,” said Major Gen Obaid al Ketbi, the deputy general commander of the Abu Dhabi Police and the head of the higher security committee for the Yas Marina Circuit.
Authorities have been preparing for the challenge by simulating hundreds of scenarios using the technology, which was designed specially for Yas Island. By the time spectators arrive, it will be able to predict the effects of even a five-second traffic delay.
“For example,” said Gen al Ketbi, “if there is a delay in a certain process on the road, or in the main field area, or there is a problem in the inspection area that is delaying the inspection process, the software will show the impact on heavy traffic inside the island and outside.
“So it shows you how to control the crowd, what the hot spots are, so we can prepare in advance how to manage such situations.”
The security committee visited F1 races in Germany, Bahrain, Italy, Singapore and Japan to collect ideas about crowd and traffic management.
One of the most important lessons: an entertained spectator is usually an orderly one.
“What we learnt from our visits on how to control the crowds, is to engage them in events and activities on the island after the race, so they don’t all leave at the same time,” he said.
In any case, he noted, fans will have paid hefty sums to get into the three-day event, making it unlikely that many would be there to make trouble.
“Formula One is one of the events that you can have under control because the audience only attend by invitation or they have to buy tickets.
“We do not expect any security problems, because those coming are there for fun and not to make trouble. This is not a football match, where the audience will pay Dh10 or enter for free.”
But as in any big event, there was one major piece of advice Gen al Ketbi had for those planning to attend: “We encourage people to arrive early. It is better to avoid the rush.”
But more serious measures will be in place to prevent security breaches in the air, on the ground or in the water.
Nine private UAE-based security companies have been hired, and an international company may be called in as well.
Security guards, police and civil defence services will be working side by side. All have received training for evacuating the complex, as well as in basic crowd control. The number of police officers available on the island has not yet been specified. “Security and police will be all over the place,” he added. “We will be at the right place at the right time.”
Surveillance cameras, metal detectors and helicopters will be used to check ticketholders and keep an eye on crowds.
In addition to the air-traffic tower, the military will control and patrol the airspace overhead.
“There is also constant co-ordination with Abu Dhabi Airport on what planes will be passing on top of the island.”
Tourism police will offer guidance and help solve any problems visitors may have. There will be two field hospitals with 100 beds available, plus an emergency-services facility in each area of the racing complex.
“We have also co-ordinated with the nearby local hospitals.”
Planning for all contingencies is difficult, if not impossible, officials said. In some countries, for instance, spectators have thrown objects on the track.
Some details are still being decided on, including the number of routes into and out of the racing complex.
Overall, however, he said everyone was confident of a safe and successful race weekend.
“There is no room for not succeeding in this event,” Gen al Ketbi said. “We have every reason to run it successfully, we have the support and clear vision of the leaders on our side, and as we succeeded in managing big events before, such as Idex, this will be a continuation of our success.”
Abu Dhabi to get ski slope (briefly)
ABU DHABI - OCT 08: An indoor ski slope, with 300 tonnes of snow trucked in from Dubai, is expected to be one of the main attractions when an extreme sports festival opens today at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
Adventurous visitors can also try skateboarding, wakeboarding, hot-air balloon rides, scuba diving, jet skis and other activities at the Adrenaline Sports Live festival, which runs through Saturday.
Barbican Turbo, a custom car meet at which enthusiasts show off their lavishly modified vehicles, will take place at the exhibition centre simultaneously. It will include an appearance by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the 14-time Middle East rally champion from Dubai.
“There’s really something for all ages and interests,” said Cressida Evans, the marketing manager for the event organiser, CMPi UAE.
For the ski slope, Ski Dubai brought in snow on refrigerated lorries. Workers were scheduled to pump it on to the slope early this morning, getting ready for the first skiers and snowboarders.
The slope will be located in the main hall at the exhibition centre, which will also include climbing walls and an aerial ropeslide.
The possibility of the snow melting is not as much of a problem as one might imagine, according to Ski Dubai. When the snow is compacted, a spokesman said, it becomes self-insulating and stays cold.
“We expect that the snow will slowly melt and we will be monitoring this throughout the length of the show,” the spokesman said.
Watersports will be offered in the marina in front of the exhibition centre.
There will also be skateboarding and in-line skating competitions, and demonstrations of parkour, also known as “free running”, in which practitioners navigate urban obstacles in smooth and creative movements. A free-fall tower, where people are strapped into roller-coaster seats, lifted 14m into the air and dropped, will be in operation if it clears customs in time, organisers said.
After trying out the attractions, which are included in the admission price, visitors can book lessons or adventure holidays.
Barbican Turbo, which like Adrenaline Live is in its second year, is expected to draw car fans from across the region. The top 100 custom cars and motorcycles from across the Middle East will be on show, and visitors can enter their vehicles in a horsepower competition to determine the most powerful car.
“We’ve been absolutely inundated by people wanting to enter the competitions and volunteer at the Barbican Turbo event,” Ms Evans said. “It attracts a lot of the young Arab population.”
There will be “drifting” demonstrations, in which drivers skid their rear tyres through turns at high speeds while keeping their cars under control, and a graffiti competition, in which aspiring street artists spray designs on the sides of 40-foot shipping containers.
Three-day passes, which allow access to both events, cost Dh100. Single-day tickets cost Dh50. More information is available at www.adrenalinesportslive.com and www.barbicanturbo.com. The National Dragon Boating Cup, with races between university, school and corporate teams of up to 20 people, will also be held this weekend off the beach behind the Shangri-la Hotel and Souk Qaryat Al Beri.
Suspect swallowed 45 heroin capsules for flight, police say
DUBAI - OCT 08: A man who allegedly swallowed 45 capsules of heroin in an attempt to smuggle them into the country was arrested yesterday by customs inspectors who became suspicious of his nervous manner.
A customs official said the ingested capsules contained 516 grams of pure heroin. Inspectors were alerted by his body language as he made his way through Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 1.
Ali al Mughawi, director of the Passengers Operations Department at Dubai Customs, said inspectors began to monitor the passenger after he was spotted acting nervously around the inspection point.
“Upon arrival to the carousel, his luggage was examined through the X-ray detector and nothing suspicious appeared.
“However, the passenger’s nervous behaviour increased inspectors’ doubts; thus he was accompanied to the body scan machine and searched,” Mr Al Mughawi said in a statement.
“Odd bodies that looked like capsules were spotted in the passenger’s guts.”
When confronted, he broke down and burst into tears as he confessed that there are 45 capsules of pure heroin inside his body.
Investigators at the Passengers Investigations Department at Dubai Customs interrogated him, and he admitted to bringing the narcotics to hand them to others.
The man was transferred to the Anti-Narcotics Department at the Dubai Police General Department where further action will be taken against him.
According to Mr al Mughawi, customs officers observe and inspect passengers through a “three point scientific system”.
Roaming officers called “rovers” are tasked with observing passengers from their moment of arrival at the airport terminals.
“The rovers study the body language, impressions and actions and accordingly they profile suspicious individuals,” he said.
“Specific checks and observations are made on people who arrive from drug producing or trading destinations.”
When a rover suspects a person, his actions are then observed and body language studied until he picks up his luggage.
“People’s body language changes when they pick up their luggage,” Mr al Mughawi said.
At this point if a suspect’s body language changes, the rover alerts the customs inspectors at the inspection points to flag the person down.
“When a search is performed we use some of the world’s most technologically advanced equipment to scan and verify contrabands.”
Mr al Mughawi said Dubai Customs were now fully aware of the various techniques smugglers use to smuggle drugs.
“We have had over 10 arrests this year alone of smugglers trying to bring in drugs,” he added.
Etisalat extends reach into high-end phones
UAE - OCT 08: Etisalat has announced its second device to be sold bundled with a monthly plan, extending its push into selling high-end mobile handsets as it seeks to offset declining subscriber numbers.
The UAE’s largest telecommunications company will sell the HTC Magic, the first handset to come with a customised Arabic version of Google’s Android mobile operating system.
The model of offering a subsidised or free handset coupled with a long-term contract has been deployed for more than a decade in many overseas markets.
Etisalat first experimented with such packages when it launched the Apple iPhone in February. It has since sold more than 30,000 iPhones, attracting affluent high-spending customers who represent the most profitable market segment for mobile operators. Along with the BlackBerry mobile e-mail package, such offers are becoming increasingly important as competition for lucrative customers intensifies.
Etisalat will also launch the new Apple iPhone 3GS by the end of the month, according to Omar Muzakki, who was yesterday promoted to become Etisalat’s vice president for consumer marketing. The company lowered the price of its iPhone 3G earlier this week, which has become a standard move by operators around the world in the lead-up to releasing Apple’s newest model.
The moves come after Etisalat reported its first decline in mobile subscribers, which fell by 80,000 in the three months ending in June. The company’s domestic operations, which contribute the bulk of its profit, are being squeezed by a decline in both population and business or leisure visitors.
Its main competitor, du, which has built a brand targeted mainly at price-sensitive customers, launched its first major push at high spenders in April.
After reporting a strong take-up of its packages targeted at the upper end of the market, du is in negotiations with Apple to launch the iPhone on its network. It has yet to provide any information on when it expects to make the device available.
The Magic also includes applications targeted at the regional market, including an electronic Quran and an Arabic-English dictionary. The phone will be offered for free to customers who sign up to a one-year, Dh460 (US$125.24) per month contract, which includes 10 gigabytes of monthly internet downloads. Sold without a contract, the phone costs Dh2,100, slightly less than the new Apple iPhone.