Tag Archives: environment
Russian troops smash their way into Ukrainian base
Russian troops smash their way into Ukrainian base (Reuters) / 23 March 2014 The facilities at Belbek and Novofedorovka had been among the last still under Ukrainian control after Moscow’s armed takeover and subsequent annexation of Crimea. Russian troops smashed their way into a Ukrainian airbase in Crimea with armoured vehicles, automatic fire and stun grenades on Saturday, while Ukrainian forces abandoned a naval base after attacks by pro-Russian protesters. The facilities at Belbek and Novofedorovka had been among the last still under Ukrainian control after Moscow’s armed takeover and subsequent annexation of Crimea, which has a majority ethnic Russian population and harbours one of Russia’s biggest naval bases. A Reuters reporter said armoured vehicles had smashed through the walls of a compound at the Belbek airbase and that he had heard bursts of gunfire and grenades, making the takeover one of the more dramatic of Russia’s largely bloodless occupation of Crimea. Russian forces had already seized Belbek’s airstrip and warplanes at the start of the crisis. The compound seized on Saturday contained barracks, arms depots and a command building. Colonel Yuliy Mamchur, the commander of the base, said a Ukrainian serviceman had been injured and that he himself he was being taken away by the Russians for talks at an unspecified location. After the Russians entered by force, Mamchur told his troops he would inform the high command that they had stood their ground. The soldiers applauded, chanting “Long live Ukraine!”. Many stood to take pictures of each other in front of the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag, which continued to fly over the base. Asked if he thought he would return safely, Mamchur said: “That remains to be seen. For now we are placing all our weapons in the base’s storage.” Earlier, an unidentified Russian officer with no rank insignia had gone to the fence to try to negotiate a surrender, but had been rebuffed by a Ukrainian officer with the words: “We have no documents from the Ukrainian president stating that this is Russian soil. Bring me such a document and we will leave.” Ukraine’s naval base at Novofedorovka, near Sevastopol, was vacated after unarmed pro-Russian protesters attempted to force their way in, Ukrainian military spokesman Vladislav Seleznyov said in a Facebook post. He said the Ukrainians had first repelled the protesters with smoke bombs, but then left of their own volition. He quoted a sailor at the base as saying the Ukrainians had walked out singing their national anthem and waving the Ukrainian flag. Seleznyov also said Ukraine’s only submarine, the Zaporizhya, had been taken to Sevastopol’s Yuzhnaya Bay by Russian forces on Friday. “The Ukrainian commander left the submarine, refusing to raise the Russian flag. It has been seized,” he said. There have been few casualties since Russian forces started seizing control of military facilities in Crimea, though one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and two others wounded in a shooting in Simferopol earlier this week. Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said on Friday that Crimea’s bases were still formally under Ukrainian control, but most are now occupied by Russian troops and fly Russia’s tricolour flag. On Friday, extravagant firework displays were staged in Crimea and Moscow to mark the formal unification of the peninsula with Russia, which Kiev and Western leaders refuse to recognise and have answered with sanctions. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Office spaces turn into sleeping quarters?
Office spaces turn into sleeping quarters? Afkar Abdullah / 23 March 2014 Sharjah residents urge municipality to take action against companies that let staff to sleep in the office during night. Residents of Sharjah are facing a peculiar problem: Some companies are renting offices in residential buildings so that staff can sleep there during the night. Residents have urged the Sharjah Municipality to take action against such companies. Residents complained that companies use the space as offices in the day time and allow office boys and some other employees to use them as sleeping quarters to cut costs and avoid providing employees with transport and residence. According to an official at the Sharjah Municipality, they had put an end to this practice some time ago. “It has come to our notice that (some) companies rent offices on the first and mezzanine floors in (residential) buildings and the staff there use them as accommodation quarters during the night. In addition to companies, some supermarkets and salons are allowing workers to sleep on the premises, despite the law forbidding it,” said the official. Loui Farman, a resident of Al Yarmouk, said the workers of a car rental company sleep in the company’s offices in their building. “They create a ruckus at night and disturb the tenants. The practice must be stopped as it is not safe for families.” Mohammed Khalaf, a resident of Al Qasimia, said some employees of a company sleep in their office in his building. “They keep their lights on and walk in the corridor in their pajamas … These companies must follow the rules and regulations to ensure safety for residents.” An official at a real estate company said they have issued warnings to companies that allow their staff to sleep in spaces rented out as offices. Ali Ahmed Mohammed, Director of Tenancy Contract Attestation Department at the Sharjah Municipality said offices are only for work purposes and not for accommodation. The municipality, he said, is carrying out inspection campaigns targeting such practices. “The municipality will impose hefty fines on those found violating the rules and allowing their workers to sleep in a unit that is meant for commercial and business purposes. We urge building managements and landlords to report such practices by calling on 993,” Mohammed said. afkarali@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
What makes JBR’s The Walk tick?
What makes JBR’s The Walk tick? Kelly Clarke / 23 March 2014 Dubai’s thriving hotspot attracts people from all over the UAE, even neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Take a stroll around JBR’s The Walk and you’re pretty much set for a great day out. From coffee to shisha, or lunch to a quick dip in the sea, the thriving hotspot attracts people from all over the UAE, even neighbouring Saudi Arabia. So what is it exactly that makes The Walk tick? “It’s wonderful here. It’s got all the points of interest in one place and it’s our favourite place to come on a Saturday,” says Egypt-born Cherine Ragab. And true to her word, I catch Cherine, and her partner Hussam Rezk, strolling along The Walk at noon on Saturday. Living in Dubai for 13 years, the couple says they are big fans of the popular shopping and restaurant strip. The fact that the beach is just a hop, skip and jump away, makes the area even more attractive, especially when friends come to visit. “It’s just everything you need in one place, but we do try to manage ourselves so that we don’t come during peak hours when the crowds are huge,” Hassam says. There is one slight drawback to the beachside destination, though he says. “Parking can be difficult because spaces are usually full. We tend to park down at the end which isn’t too bad as the long walk back to the car helps us burn the calories we just consumed,” he jokes. With the new Beach Mall recently opened to the public — adding a much-needed 1,200 parking spaces to the area — it seems visitors are being put off by the steep pricing, with a hefty Dh20 per hour being charged for the privilege of being smack, bang in the middle of it all. “It’s too expensive, but maybe after this gets printed, prices will be reviewed,” a hopeful Hassam and Cherine say. A tourist’s point of view Continuing my march along The Walk’s cobbled pavement, I spot a couple snapping a photograph of a Dubai Police 4WD, and immediately make a bee-line for the duo. “I take it you guys are tourists,” I ask them, and the response is yes. This is Padraig and Clare McAdam’s first trip to Dubai. Staying at a nearby hotel, the Irish couple says they’ve been down on The Walk every day since arriving on March 17. “It’s nice to walk it and there’s a bit of a buzz about the place. The crowds last night were unreal, and the traffic too. We saw so many vintage cars driving along the strip, it was fantastic,” they tell me. Catching the couple in full tourist mode and fresh from sipping on a coffee at one of the new cafes along Beach Mall, Clare says the location is the area’s biggest selling point. “We heard this mall is new and I think it’s lovely, especially with the beach so close by, although he’s really not a fan of the beach,” she says, pointing to her husband. So how does it compare to other holiday destinations? “We’ve been to Spain, Turkey, France. I think the culture, in this particular area, is missing a wee bit, but I tell you what is nice. The people and the food. The variety is great and the people are so friendly, so that will keep us coming back,” Padraig says. And will JBR be the area of choice on the couple’s next visit? “I think so yes. It was about 50 per cent more expensive to stay at our hotel, compared to the city hotels, but the area was recommended to us and it suits us down to the ground. It’s better than being in the middle of a concrete jungle,” they say. Growing appeal Opened to the public in 2008, JBR’s The Walk is one of Dubai’s most favoured hotspots among residents and tourists alike. As the area continues to expand, with the addition of the Dubai Tramway — which opens its first phase to the public in November — and the new Beach Mall, hosting the world’s biggest TV screen, prices in the area have already begun to rise, but it doesn’t seem to be denting its popularity. Syrian resident Hassan has been living in JBR for two years, and with his tenancy contract up for renewal in a few months, rent is due to increase, but he says he is staying put. “The fact that the beach is close by is a big bonus for me, and some of the shisha on offer is very good, too. My rent is rising, but I need to stay here, so I’m just going to pay whatever they ask ,” he says. Although Tracey Spiller and Dan Minks already live on one of Dubai’s most recognisable landmarks, The Palm, they still find themselves drawn to the JBR area. “We’ve just come down today to grab some breakfast and go to the beach,” Dan says. For Tracey, the visits have not been so frequent since the opening of the new mall. “To be honest, we always used to come down here before, but we don’t come as much because it’s just so packed on the beach and it’s quite far to walk to the restaurants.” But like Cherine and Hassam, the crowds haven’t put them off completely as they say it’s always a place they’ll bring visiting friends and family. So despite a hike in prices and the often-overbearing crowds, it seems the lure of JBR will continue. kelly@khaleejtimes.com FACTS > 1.7km stretch along The Walk > 2008 saw the official opening of The Walk For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
