Tag Archives: classifieds
US ready for action on Syria
US ready for action on Syria Allan Jacob / 27 August 2013 The United States on Monday said its forces in the region were ready for any military action on Syria if ordered by President Obama as UN chemical weapons experts got to work in the stricken country, interviewing and taking blood samples from victims of an alleged gas attack last week. “I can confirm that the US Navy has assets in the region prepared to support any decision by the president,” said Commander Bill Speaks from the Office of the Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, in response to questions by Khaleej Times . Khaleej Times can also confirm that the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group arrived in the region last week after transiting through the Suez Canal. US 5th Fleet spokesperson Lt. Marissa Myatt said it was a routine deployment and the Group would replace another nuclear-powered carrier, the USS Nimitz . What is significant is that it will be the first time in a year when two carriers operate in the region. UN chemical weapons experts visit a hospital where wounded people affected by an apparent gas attack are being treated, in the southwestern Damascus suburb of Mouadamiya on Monday. -Reuters ‘‘We’ve trained hard and we’re ready to operate alongside our coalition partners to conduct maritime security operations to ensure stability and build trust and confidence throughout the region,” said Rear Adm. Kevin Sweeney, commander of the Group. The USS Harry S. Truman Strike Group is accompanied by guided-missile cruisers USS San Jacinto and USS Gettysburg ; guided-missile destroyers USS Bulkeley and USS Mason ; a strike fighter squadron; an airborne early earning squadron; an electronic attack squadron; a helicopter sea combat squadron and a helicopter maritime strike squadron. This development comes in the wake of talks between military leaders from the United States, Europe and the Middle East in Jordan for what could be a council of war should they decide to punish Syria for the worst reported chemical weapons attack in 25 years, agencies reported. Last week, hundreds of people died in Damascus suburbs in what appears to have been the worst chemical weapons attack since Saddam Hussein gassed thousands of Kurds to death in 1988. Meanwhile, UN investigators crossed the frontline from the centre of the capital, which remains under Assad’s control, to inspect the Mouadamiya suburb, one of at least four neighbourhoods hit by poison gas last Wednesday before dawn, Reuters reported. The UN said one vehicle in its convoy was crippled by shooting by “unidentified snipers”, but mentioned no injuries. They continued on after turning back for a replacement car. “I am with the team now,” a doctor who uses the name Abu Karam told Reuters by telephone from Mouadamiya. “We are in the Rawda mosque and they are meeting with the wounded. Our medics and the inspectors are talking to the patients and taking samples from the victims now.” Wassim Al Ahmad, an opposition activist, said members of the Free Syrian Army umbrella rebel organisation and the opposition’s Mouadamiya Local Council were accompanying the inspectors on their tour of the suburb. “The inspectors are now examining victims being treated at a makeshift hospital in Mouadamiya and are taking blood samples from them,” Ahmad said. Video filmed at the site showed inspectors in black and blue body armour and blue UN helmets walking through a street as curious onlookers came up to watch. They shook hands with men who appeared to be rebels wearing camouflage vests, and were accompanied by doctors and local residents. The group descended into the basement of a building where they were told injured survivors were being treated below ground to protect them from more shelling. Another video showed an inspector interviewing a patient and taking notes. Activists say at least 80 people were killed in Mouadamiya when the district was hit with poison gas. Hundreds of people were also killed in three other rebel-held districts – Irbin, Ain Tarma and Jobar. An opposition activist said a large crowd of people gathered to air their grievances to the UN team. There was also a plan for the experts to take samples from corpses. (With inputs from agencies) allan@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Entire Dubai Metro cabin for women and children
Entire Dubai Metro cabin for women and children Lily B. Libo-on / 27 August 2013 From September 1, the Roads and Transport Authority’s Rail Agency will extend the Metro cabin capacity for women and child passengers to meet the growing demand during peak hours. A cabin of the Dubai Metro reserved for women and children during peak hours from September 1. — KT photo by Leslie Pableo Peak hours are from 7am to 9am and from 5pm to 8pm during which one cabin will be allocated entirely for women and children from Sundays to Thursdays. Currently, only half of the cabin is dedicated as special Dubai Metro compartment for women and children to provide, in addition to privacy, more space to allow strollers and bags. Ramadan Abdullah Mohammed, Director of Rail Operations, said that every Metro train has five cabins, of which half a cabin has been allocated to women and children and the other half for Gold card-holders, and the rest for all other passengers. “With the extension of the Metro cabin capacity for women and children, only three-and-a-half cabins will be for other passengers during peak hours starting September 1. “The number of women and children Metro passengers have noticeably increased primarily due to the growth in the public transport culture among the public from different social cross-sections, including women and children. Such a rise in the number of these commuters has prompted us to extend the current capacity of their Metro cabin to reach half of silver cabin.” He said that this Metro cabin capacity is being extended to make the Metro trip smoother and more comfortable for women and children, especially that this segment of Metro passengers needs to be given privacy. The Rail Operation director appealed to all male Metro commuters to respect this new cabin allocation during the peak hours and help women and child travellers enjoy riding in the Metro with more privacy. Dubai Metro, which was launched on 09-09-2009, is servicing 400,000 riders a day, with 46 trains on the Red Line and 10 trains on the Green Line during peak hours. Dubai’s is the world’s longest driverless Metro at 75km. – lily@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Infrared cameras catch motorists unawares
Infrared cameras catch motorists unawares Staff Reporter / 27 August 2013 Traffic signals using infrared surveillance cameras are catching unaware errant motorists jumping red lights and speeding through amber lights in the country’s Capital. The cameras, which function using a hi-tech system, uses infrared beams without a flash to capture road violators. Due to the number of drivers being caught out by the cameras, the Traffic and Patrols Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police have called on motorists to reduce speeds when approaching road signals in order to avoid risking their life and the lives of other road users. The infrared–run surveillance cameras also monitor and capture the wrong use of vehicular traffic lanes, motor vehicles stopping on pedestrian crossings, and motorists committing illegal turns in the road. Director of the Directorate Brigadier Hussein Ahmed Al Harithi, warned of jumping red signals, and added that people on their mobile phones often commit the violation. “Such mistakes often result in material losses and human casualties”, he said, noting that, priority is given to traffic travelling in other directions when the red light is on. He said the surveillance system on road junctions in Abu Dhabi, which had been enforced by the Directorate since the beginning of 2012, is an integrated project and aims to improve traffic safety at the junctions. Accordingly, he said for five years, surveillance cameras have been installed on more than 150 road intersections in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region. “The vehicular traffic surveillance system is one of the modern systems which conducts a continuous evaluation to the engineering condition of the road junctions and their impact on traffic safety as well as the occurrence of road accidents”, he said, and is linked to the Directorate’s reports system, SMS and convertible message systems. The surveillance cameras span more than five lanes in each direction of the road, and has several functions including reading all number plates, identifying the number of vehicles on the road, noting the average speed limit, and identifying the number and directions of the pedestrians while traffic signals turn green and red. The Directorate is making huge efforts to curb traffic accidents, and has intensified traffic awareness through the Abu Dhabi Traffic Programme called “Together”, on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
