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Abdullah Omran Taryam passes away
Abdullah Omran Taryam passes away (Wam) / 31 January 2014 Shaikh Mohammed says Dr Abdullah contributed to the UAE Union alongside the founding fathers. Dr Abdullah Taryam with the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. — Wam Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam, Chairman of Dar Al Khaleej for Press, Printing and Publishing, and former minister of education and justice, died on Thursday morning at the age of 66. Funeral prayer for Dr Abdullah will be held after Friday prayers at the King Faisal Mosque in Sharjah. He will be buried at Jubail cemetery in Sharjah. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, mourned the death of Dr Abdullah. Shaikh Mohammed said: “I offer condolences to our people on the death of Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam, Emirati loyal son, statesman and renowned mediaperson. Today I lost a dear brother, Abu Khaled, and a loyal friend, known of good conduct, courage, clarity of opinion, intention and sense of belonging and loyalty to his homeland and leadership.” Dr Abdullah Taryam with His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. — Wam The Vice-President noted that Dr Abdullah had contributed to the UAE Union alongside the founding fathers, adding that during his youth time he occupied top posts in the government. Shaikh Mohammed said Dr Abdullah had contributed to establishing a prestigious media group at the local and Arab levels. May Almighty Allah rest his soul in eternal peace. The Ministry of Presidential Affairs mourned the death of Dr Abdullah. The Ministry prayed to Almighty Allah to rest his soul in eternal peace and bestow patience on the deceased family. The Court of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, issued a statement of condolence saying, “….Abdullah was one of the national symbols who contributed to the Union. He also promoted local and Arab media. May Almighty Allah rest his soul in eternal peace.” Dr Abdullah Taryam with General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE armed Forces; Shaikh mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential affairs; and Lt-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. — Wam The Court of His Highness Shaikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, mourned the death of Dr Abdullah. It expressed profound sorrow on the demise of Abdullah and solace to the bereaved Taryam family. May Almighty Allah rest his soul in eternal peace. The Court of His Highness Shaikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu’alla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain, mourned the death of Dr Abdullah. Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Jarwan, also mourned the death of Dr Abdullah. Dr Abdullah Taryam with the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Born in Sharjah in 1948, Dr Abdullah finised his primary, secondary and high school education in Sharjah and Kuwait. He attained his Bachelor’s degree in History from Cairo University and his Ph.D in Modern History from the University of Exeter in the UK in 1986. He established the Al Khaleej newspaper with his brother, the late Taryam Omran, in 1970, which has since grown to become the Dar Al Khaleej newspaper group. Abdullah worked as a secondary school teacher at Al Orouba School and then became a Director of the Department of Education in Sharjah. He was among the team that negotiated the establishment of the UAE Union. He also held the posts of Minister of Education and Minister of Justice. Journalists’ association mourns Taryam’s death Mustafa Al Zarooni The UAE Journalists Association mourned the death of Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam, Chairman of the Board of directors of Dar Al Khaleej Press, Printing and Publishing, and former minister of education, and minister of justice. “Dr. Abdullah Omran Taryam was a prominent national figure who played an important role in the modern history of the UAE. He was one of the pioneers of the national press. He and his late brother Taryam Omran established the first private newspaper in the country,” the association said in statement on Thursday. “The deceased played an important role in the talks which laid the foundation for the inception of the UAE and the creation of the Federation,” the statement said. “Throughout his lifetime he defended the idea of the Federation, the project of the union and its accomplishments, and hence he holds a prestigious place among the veterans in the UAE,” the statement added. In its statement, the association mourned the deceased who was also a competent Arab writer. Dr. Abdullah Taryam, the statement said, was the founder of Dar Al Khaleej, which has been and still is a hub of knowledge in the regional and Arab world. Dar Al Khaleej has churned out batches of writers, thinkers and intellectuals who have enriched cultural and media organisations, the statement noted. The association described Omran Taryam as a person who was sincere and loyal to the cause of his country. The brilliant statesman, with his wisdom and farsightedness brought Dar Al Khaleej and Al Khaleej Arabic daily to the forefront. Abdullah Omran Taryam was one of those men who made a difference in every position he held, the statement said, and mentioned how he had taken the ministry of education to new heights. mustafa@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Syrian terror group a threat to US, says intelligence chief
Syrian terror group a threat to US, says intelligence chief (AFP) / 30 January 2014 James Clapper says Syrian regime now may have the ability to produce biological weapons on a limited scale. Syria’s civil war serves as a “huge magnet” for terror groups while sub-Saharan Africa has become a “hothouse” for extremists, US intelligence chief James Clapper warned on Wednesday. Presenting an annual intelligence assessment of global threats, Clapper described a mounting danger from militants aligned or inspired by Al Qaeda, even as the terror group’s core leadership has been steadily weakened in Pakistan. The raging conflict between President Bashar Al Assad’s regime and rebel forces has lured Al Qaeda-linked militants to Syria, where they could possibly prepare to mount attacks on the West, Clapper said. “Syria has become a huge magnet for extremists” who can now recruit, train and equip a growing number of militants there, he told the Senate Intelligence Committee. America’s intelligence agencies estimated that there were about 26,000 “extremists” operating in Syria out of a total opposition force of 75,000 to 110,000, Clapper said. The conflict had attracted roughly 7,000 foreign fighters from some 50 countries, mostly in the Middle East and Europe, he said. The presence of the hardline militants was of “tremendous concern” among US allies, particularly among European governments, who fear foreign fighters will return home to carry out attacks, he said. “We’re seeing now the appearance of training complexes in Syria to train people to go back to their countries, and, of course, conduct more terrorist acts,” he said. Clapper said Syria resembled the semi-autonomous tribal belt in northwest Pakistan, which has served as a sanctuary for the Taleban and members of Al Qaeda. Echoing Clapper’s comments, Mathew Olson, head of the National Counter-terrorism Center, said “a permissive environment, extremist groups like Al Nusra and the number of foreign fighters combine to make Syria a place that we are very concerned about, in particular the potential for terrorist attacks emanating from Syria to the West.” Clapper also offered a warning on advances in Syria’s biological weapons programme. Although Syria has agreed to eliminate its large arsenal of chemical weapons, the regime now may have the ability to produce biological weapons on a limited scale, he said. “We judge that some elements of Syria’s biological warfare programme might have advanced beyond the research and development stage and might be capable of limited agent production, based on the duration of its longstanding programme,” he said. Clapper offered no further details, but it was the first time officials had stated publicly that spy agencies believed Syria had made significant strides in its biological programme. Neither Assad nor the rebel groups appeared able to achieve a decisive victory on the battlefield in the next six months, said Clapper, adding that the war would further foment Sunni-Shia sectarian tensions across the region. Clapper also said America’s 16 intelligence agencies believed sub-Saharan Africa would “almost certainly” experience more security turmoil in 2014, as the region had turned into an incubator for extremists. “The continent has become a hothouse for the emergence of extremist and rebel groups, which increasingly launch deadly asymmetric attacks, and which government forces often cannot effectively counter due to a lack of capability and sometimes will,” Clapper said in written testimony to senators. He said countries in the Sahel region, including Chad, Niger, Mali and Mauritania, faced the threat of terror attacks due to their backing of a French military intervention in Mali launched a year ago. The region also faced pressures from swelling youth populations and “marginalised” ethnic communities that are frustrated over a lack of government services and jobs, according to Clapper. The annual report from the intelligence community addressed Ukraine’s dramatic political stand-off, describing President Viktor Yanukovych as “firmly intent” to hold on to power. The Ukrainian leader appeared prepared to resort to force or other illegal means to prevail against popular protests, according to Clapper. A Russian aid package to Ukraine signed in December will prevent a financial crisis in the “short term” but will increase Kiev’s dependence on Moscow and leave it vulnerable to Russian pressure, he wrote. Clapper denounced an avalanche of leaks from former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, saying the disclosures of National Security Agency eavesdropping had put diplomats, spies and soldiers at risk and damaged foreign partnerships. He called on Snowden and his “accomplices” to return the documents he had “stolen.” For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Rehabilitation of patients is important: Haya
Rehabilitation of patients is important: Haya Asma Ali Zain / 31 January 2014 Princess Haya says all the hard work on getting a patient over an acute injury is almost wasted if the patient is not rehabilitated and integrated back into society. A needs assessment should be conducted before establishing specialised centres in the country said Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Princess Haya among the delegates at the Leaders Healthcare session at the Arab Health 2014 in Dubai on Thursday. — KT photos by Grace Guino She was addressing the session on Leaders Healthcare on the concluding day of Arab Health 2014, on Thursday. Princess Haya said healthcare professionals, doctors and nurses have become so much specialised in certain areas that they have neglected the basics of general care. “One of the areas most neglected is rehabilitation. Patients often receive excellent and acute care but limited rehabilitation … all that hardwork, getting a patient over an acute injury is almost wasted if the patient is not rehabilitated and integrated back into society where they can live a normal life and contribute to the country,” she added. “We have made significant advances in healthcare since last we met. The Al Jalila Foundation, a non-profit organisation launched in 2013, is mandating the UAE as a centre of excellence and research. Additionally, the groundwork for specialisation in healthcare has more than strategically paved by the new Insurance Law which comes into force in Dubai this year and will provide healthcare cover for all our residents,” she said. “We continue to produce standards of specialist nurses and soon will establish the University of Medicine and Health Sciences and the University Hospital at Dubai Healthcare City.” Also, this month, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid chaired a session to boost healthcare and education. They endorsed cancer and early detection programmes, a national database for all medical records and certain measures tackling obesity and encouraging a healthy lifestyle, she added. “Before we set up a system, we must understand the advantages and disadvantages of specialisation. So, how do we get better outcomes at reduced costs? First is by specialisation. By building speciality hospitals, healthcare workers are exposed to a large number of patients with the illness in question which otherwise will rarely be seen by these individuals. With the increased numbers of treatments comes the early recognition and signs and symptoms, institutions of treatment, better timed diagnostics and interventions for improved outcomes. “Furthermore by allowing physicians to share in efficiency gains through ownership, speciality hospitals may create more powerful incentives to achieve other costs and quality improvements. So how do we fare in the UAE with regard to specialist hospitals? Most hospitals in the region, especially in the UAE were established as general hospitals that have been changed for a particular specialty over time, she said in her speech. “In order to succeed, we must conduct a proper needs assessment for our population that will identify the most prevalent incidences of diseases among our population allowing us to concentrate on resources and establishing well designed, well-staffed and well-equipped specialised centres such as was the intention of the Al Jalila Speciality Hospital.” No project should be allowed without a detailed assessment so as not to waste our precious resources.” “We must realise that there will be diseases that are too rare for us to treat on our own. We will require local and at times international help to deliver the best possible care.” “We must not dilute our expertise by establishing competing facilities when the demand is low as this will reduce expertise.” Another challenge for our region is identifying how many specialised centres are required to serve our small populations, she added. “We must work together to limit sense expansion that dilutes our expertise.” asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
