Tag Archives: lifestyle
UAE court convicts 30 Muslim Brotherhood men
UAE court convicts 30 Muslim Brotherhood men Staff Reporter / 22 January 2014 State Security Circuit at the Federal Supreme Court orders the convicts to be jailed for terms ranging from three months to five years. Thirty people accused of links to the Muslim Brotherhood, and charged with setting up a branch of the organisation in the UAE, were sentenced by the State Security Circuit at the Federal Supreme Court to jail terms ranging from three months to five years. The verdicts were issued in the presence of 24 accused. Six others were sentenced in absentia. Fair trial, says human rights association In a statement, the Emirates Human Rights Association said it had followed up the trials of 20 Egyptians and 10 Emiratis, who were allegedly involved in the Egyptian Muslims brotherhood cell, at the Supreme Federal court in Abu Dhabi. “The prosecutions were held in a transparent, clear and open aura,” the statement said, noting that the defendants, throughout the trial, were defending themselves and through lawyers. The trial was attended by representatives from Egypt’s embassy and Egyptian Journalists Syndicate. In reply to a question on the arrest and torture, Jameela Al Hamili, member of the board of directors of the association said the procedures of arrest are legal, and no complaint on torture was sent. news@khaleejtimes.com Earlier, the court heard statements from the accused, the defence team and witnesses and reviewed the reports of experts. The court also ordered the dissolution of the Brotherhood in the UAE, closure of all its offices, as well as confiscation of seized equipment. It also ordered the deportation of the foreign national accused after completion of their jail terms. According to a copy of the verdict which has been obtained by Khaleej Times , Medhat Rajab Abdellah Ammar was sentenced to five years in jail, while Saleh Faraj Daifallah Al Malhatani, Salah Mohammed Rizq Al Mashad, Ibrahim Abdel Aziz Ibrahim Ahmed, Murad Mohammed Hamid Othman Badawi, Othman Abdel Rahman Suliman Matkees, Al Sayyid Awaad Hifni Moussa, Hamada Abdel Aziz Abdel Maqsood and Saleh Mohammed Saleh Al Dhufairti were each sentenced to four years in prison. Ahmed Mahmoud Taha was acquitted of the charges. Ahmed Labeeb Jaffar , Hassan Mohammed Hassan Ahmed, Khalid Mohammed Abdullah Al Shaiba Al Nuaimi, Hamad Hassan Ali Reqait, Ali Saeed Al Ghandi, Rashid Omran Al Shamsi, Mohammed Ali Saleh Al Mansour, Tariq Ibrahim Abdel Rahim Al Qasim and Hussein Ali Abdullah Al Najjar were ordered to serve a year in prison. Ahmed Rashid Al Taboor Al Nuaimi, Hassan Mohammed Hassan Ahmed, Khalid Mohammed Abdullah Al Shaiba Al Nuaimi, Hamad Hassan Ali Reqait and Saleh Mohammed Saleh Al Dhufairi each received three months, while another defendant Hamad Hassan Ali Reqait was let off with a fine of Dh3,000. The foreign nationals accused in the plan are to be deported after serving out their jail terms. The sitting judge, in his ruling said: “Inspired by the rules of the Islamic Shariah, and guided by the principles of the law, the court has given the defendants to prove their innocene and has conducted the trial with utmost transparency as per the UAE constitution and international conventions.” “This court had issued its verdict studying the documents and results of investigations, as well listening to the statements of the defendants,” the judge said. The Public Prosecution stressed that the accused intended to set up a branch affiliated to the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood. “They structured the organisation and set up a general administrative centre under which there are central committees and offices, which are located all over the country.” The Muslim Brotherhood members collected monthly subscription fee, the prosecution told the court. Their actions posed a threat to state security, the prosecution said, and added that their investigation was held in a fair manner. Defence lawyers, meanwhile, challenged the role of the investigators and alleged the evidence gathered did not prove any wrongdoing. “The charges against the accused have been cooked up, and charges of theft are not true because there is no tangible evidence,” the defence lawyers told the court. — news@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Now travel all over Dubai at just Dh270 per month
Now travel all over Dubai at just Dh270 per month Lily B. Libo-on / 21 January 2014 Travellers can top up their blue NoL card once on salary day with Dh270 and they can travel all over Dubai the entire month. Travelling around Dubai can sometimes be tiresome for regular travellers, who have to be out on the road early. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has introduced a solution to their travel woes in the form of a personalised blue NoL card. Travellers can now stop worrying about setting aside cash for their daily fares. In fact, they can save Dh150 per month by using this card. They just have to top up their blue NoL card once on salary day with Dh270 and they can travel all over Dubai. Similarly, students can travel all over Dubai with a personalised blue NoL card for just Dh170 a month. Emirati senior citizens are eligible for a 50 per cent discount on the card, while people with special needs can travel with it free of cost; they just need to pay Dh70 as an application fee. When travelling by the Dubai Metro, there are four tiers. The daily fare for travellers using the silver NoL card is capped at Dh14, which is applicable on all four tiers. On Tier zero (T0), less than or equal to 3km costs Dh1.80; on Tier 1 (T1) it costs Dh2.30; Tier 2 (T2) costs Dh4.10; and Tier 3 (T3) costs a maximum of Dh5.80. After they use up the maximum Dh14 daily cap, they are travelling free of charge. Blue NoL card holders have more privileges embedded in a more secure card. Louloua Yousif Al Asmakh, Deputy Director and Clearing and Settlement Manager, UAFC Department, RTA, said by just paying Dh70 as an application fee, the blue NoL card will be secured with the holder’s name, photo and signature. “If the holder loses the card, the balance of the card can be protected by calling the RTA to hold or block it so the finder cannot use it. Anyone can apply for a blue NoL card at any RTA ticket offices inside the Dubai Metro stations or through its website, www.NoL.ae.” The card will be delivered to the applicants within 10 to 14 days. Blue NoL cards come in different special designs. Applicants can choose from any of the five designs at an additional cost of Dh30. -lily@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Winners of the 2014 Zayed Future Energy Prize announced
Winners of the 2014 Zayed Future Energy Prize announced (Wam) / 20 January 2014 The Zayed Future Energy Prize honoured 9 winners for their achievements and excellence in advancing renewable energy and sustainability worldwide. General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, reaffirmed on Monday that under the leadership of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, sustainable development has been placed at the core of the national strategy. In the spirit of safeguarding the nation and its people, the government’s international collaborations are aimed at securing peace and prosperity for all humankind. His remarks were made at the 2014 Zayed Future Energy Prize awards ceremony, held at the Emirates Palace on Monday. Marking the sixth year, the Zayed Future Energy Prize honoured nine winners for their outstanding achievements and excellence in advancing renewable energy and sustainability worldwide. The winners, across five categories, are ABB, Abellon CleanEnergy, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, battery pioneer Wang Chuanfu and five high schools from around the world. General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasised that the Zayed Future Energy Prize underscores the UAE’s commitment to address the global energy and climate challenges; adding “through the Prize, we are not only recognising tremendous achievement in renewable energy and sustainability, but also funding the organisations, schools and individuals committed to sustainable development among communities around the world.” He added: “This is exactly what the Zayed Future Energy Prize set out to do through honouring the legacy that the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, God rest his soul, instilled in us.” The annual US$4 million prize, established by the UAE government, recognises companies, organisations, schools and individuals across the world that have made significant contributions to the future of renewable energy and sustainability. The prize is awarded in five distinct categories: Large Corporation, Lifetime Achievement, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) and the Global High Schools Prize. In his opening remarks, Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Director-General of the Zayed Future Energy Prize, welcomed General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan; thanking him for his direction and support which have been “instrumental and the leading force behind its success.” “More than ever, the world needs innovators, technologies and initiatives that can address our pressing energy challenges,” said Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber. “Our wise leadership established this Prize in honour of our late founding father, Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul. Now in its sixth year, the Prize has created a strong group of alumni who continue to champion breakthrough ideas, technologies and programs,” added Dr Al Jaber. “The collective efforts of our winners and finalists are positively impacting communities around the world. Today, alumni of the Prize are delivering access to energy and water to millions, championing the deployment of renewable energy and are creating job and education opportunities.” The Global High Schools Prize category – in its second year – was launched to recognise and encourage young people to incorporate renewable energy and sustainability into their schools. Five schools from five regions were each awarded US$100,000 for their proposed sustainability projects. The five winners are New York-based Bronx Design & Construction Academy from the Americas region; Gheorghe Rosca Codreanu National College in Romania representing Europe; Nkhata Bay School Authority in Malawi for Africa; Kalkeri Sangeet Vidyalaya in India for the Asia region; and Tonga High School representing Oceania. “This year, we saw a record number of Global High School submissions. It is inspiring to see the youth of today participate in such large numbers. It is a strong indication of their demand for a more sustainable future,” continued Dr Al Jaber. An annual award, the prize is managed by Masdar, on behalf of the Abu Dhabi government and seeks to award achievements and innovation in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability, as well as to educate and inspire future generations. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
