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RAK Airways suspends services
RAK Airways suspends services Abdul Basit / 1 January 2014 Airline is looking at new options to start operations again with big plans. RAK Airways has suspended operations for its restructuring process, and will be in the air again in a better way, according to the airline’s director of communications. “The airline suspended operations for re-growth and restructuring. We need to move forward and will use this time to re-evaluate and also see what are the best options for RAK Airways’ future,” Elizabeth Percy told Khaleej Times over the phone. “There are options for new investors and we are just looking at new options to start operations again with big plans,” she emphasised. The airline is likely to make another announcement next month regarding the future road-map, aviation sources said. Earlier in the day, the airline announced the suspension of all operations, until further notice, from January 1 (Wednesday). None of the passengers will be affected with the decision, as the airline did not book any flight for 2014, Percy said. On Tuesday the airline operated its last two flights — Doha and Peshawar — before suspending operations. “The decision for suspending operations was taken following increased pressures on the carrier’s performance due to continuous market conditions, increased operating costs and the impact of the regional political instability on the overall aviation industry,” the airline said in a statement. RAK Airways, which re-launched in 2010 with a new livery and under new management, was operating flights from RAK International Airport to Doha, Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Jeddah, Riyadh, Calicut and Kathmandu. ‘‘The board of directors took the decision today to suspend the operations until further notice. We believe this decision is in the best interest of the airline and its shareholders. We will take this time to re-evaluate the best options available for RAK Airways’ future as well as those that fit the industry requirements of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah,” the statement said. Percy, who is also director of corporate communications for the RAK Department of Civil Aviation and RAK Airport, said that the airport operations will continue as usual for cargo, charter and other services. Responding to a question, she said that the affected employees of the airline would be compensated under the UAE Labour Law. In October, 2013 RAK Airways celebrated its third anniversary. — abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
On a cultural trail at Global Village’s Yemeni pavilion
On a cultural trail at Global Village’s Yemeni pavilion Staff Report / 1 January 2014 The Yemeni pavilion is turning into a main attraction for all those wanting to experience tradition and hospitality. It’s a honey trap at the Yemeni pavilion at Global Village which also abounds in spices, dried fruits and nuts. Visitors can find fantastic deals for the wonderful treats that are sold in this pavilion. The smells that arise from the barrels filled with spices, honey, dried fruits and nuts, simply makes the Yemeni Pavilion a fantastic cultural experience. The Yemeni pavilion has always been one of the most popular at the Global Village, and this year it is turning into a main attraction for all those wanting to experience tradition and hospitality. The knowledge the vendors possess makes for an educational and entertaining visit. A culture trip The culture of Yemen is rich and diverse. It is a country that holds dear to the values of their forefathers which is why visitors will see the pavilion stall owners sporting the traditional Yemeni Jambiya, a curved knife. The beautiful curved knives, and their bejewelled scabbards are just one of the many culturally significant items on sale at Global Village, as the pavilion also has a wide selection of Yemen’s national dress. The Yemeni Pavilion has, year on year, become renowned for the high quality of its honey. Visitors who talk with the knowledgeable vendors will find out that the honey being sold is remarkably good. The quality, taste, and colour of the honey can all change depending on the weather, time of year, and the type of flower that has been used by bees to make the honey. Some of the honey has nuts and seeds added to it for additional nutritional benefits, others have honeycomb in it to add a different texture. Spice up your life Heading over to the spice shops of this pavilion will bring you face to face with a uniquely sculpted Burj Khalifa, made entirely of spices. While sampling the fantastic honey around the Yemeni pavilion, visitors will notice their sense of smell tingling as aromas from the spice bins waft around the pavilion. Stocking up the pantry with some high quality spices and herbs is the best reason to visit the Yemeni pavilion. Amateur chefs will love the dried onion, fennel, cumin, and even frankincense, among many more high quality products. Vendors can also help visitors find out which of the all-natural oils — there are over 80 to choose from — is the best for them. The oils can be good for a number of ailments affecting the hair and skin, or the digestive system. Antique jewellery The Yemeni pavilion also has a large pieces of jewellery decorated with precious stones and pearls. The vendors prove themselves to be fonts of knowledge and offering in-depth information on the antique rings and bejeweled necklaces. Many of the rings and necklaces have Yemeni produced Agate stones and Onyx set into them, with the beautiful colours of these natural Yemeni-found stones standing out against the copper and silver pieces. Experience one of the oldest cultures in the world and sample a traditional way of life through the exquisite art of honey making, spice selling and, fabulous pieces of jewelry made out of natural materials. news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Thai govt rejects election delay despite deadly violence
Thai govt rejects election delay despite deadly violence (AFP) / 26 December 2013 Thai government rejected the proposal, saying it would not solve the bitter standoff. Anti-government protesters react to tear gas fired by riot police at a gymnasium in Bangkok, on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013. – AP Thailand’s government Thursday rejected calls to postpone February elections after clashes between police and opposition protesters in the capital left one policeman dead and dozens wounded on both sides. The new outbreak of civil strife deepened the crisis facing Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, whose government has been shaken by weeks of mass street rallies seeking to curb her family’s political dominance. The long-running conflict broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and elite against rural and working-class voters loyal to Yingluck’s older brother Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted as premier by a military coup in 2006. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets Thursday at rock-throwing demonstrators who tried to force their way into a sports stadium in the capital where election candidates were gathered to register for the February 2 polls. The protesters — who want to overthrow Yingluck’s government and install an unelected “people’s council” in its place — accuse billionaire tycoon-turned-politician Thaksin of corruption and say he controls his sister’s government from his base in Dubai. They have vowed to block the February election, saying it will only return Thaksin’s allies to power. Nearly 100 people from both sides were injured, according to the emergency services. Twenty-five police officers were hospitalised, with 10 in serious condition, according to a police spokesman. One police officer died of a gunshot wound. “Today democracy in Thailand is hijacked by violence & thuggery. Shame!” Sunai Phasuk, a senior researcher with New York-based Human Rights Watch, wrote on Twitter. As the violence escalated the Election Commission recommended the February polls be delayed indefinitely. “We cannot organise free and fair elections under the constitution in the current circumstances,” said commission member Prawit Rattanapien, who along with other vote officials had to be evacuated from the stadium by helicopter. But the government rejected the proposal, saying it would not solve the bitter standoff. “The government believes delaying an election will cause more violence,” Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said in a televised address to the nation. He noted that under the constitution, an election should normally be held no more than 60 days after the dissolution of parliament, which happened in early December. The main opposition Democrat Party — which has not won an elected majority in about two decades — has vowed to boycott the vote. Thailand has seen several bouts of political turmoil since Thaksin’s overthrow. His supporters have accused the protesters of trying to incite the military to seize power again, in a country which has seen 18 successful or attempted coups since 1932. Those wounded Thursday included one protester who was reported in serious condition with an apparent gunshot wound to his head. Two journalists, one Thai and one Japanese, were among the injured, according to the public health ministry. Security forces denied firing live rounds, saying only rubber bullets and tear gas were used against demonstrators. “Protesters are not peaceful and unarmed as they claimed,” another deputy prime minister, Surapong Tovichakchaikul, said in a televised address. “They are intimidating officials and trespassing in government buildings.” The weeks-long unrest, which has drawn tens of thousands of protesters onto the streets, has left six people dead and nearly 400 wounded. It is the worst civil strife since 2010, when more than 90 civilians were killed in a bloody military crackdown on pro-Thaksin protests under the previous government. Thaksin is adored among rural communities and the working class, particularly in the north and northeast. But he is reviled by the elite, the Bangkok middle class and many southerners, who see him as corrupt and a threat to the revered monarchy. Pro-Thaksin parties have won every election since 2001, most recently with a landslide victory under Yingluck two years ago. The protesters want loosely-defined reforms — such as an end to alleged “vote buying” — before new elections are held in around a year to 18 months. The rallies were triggered by a controversial amnesty bill, since abandoned by the ruling party, which Thaksin’s opponents feared would have allowed his return without going to jail for a corruption conviction which he says is politically motivated. The National Anti-Corruption Commission said Thursday that it would press abuse of power charges against the speakers of the two houses of parliament in relation to another controversial proposed law, to amend the make-up of the Senate. The anti-graft body said it was still considering whether to press the same charge against 381 other politicians, including Yingluck, who supported the bill. Continue reading
