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Qatar Railways Company (QRail) announced the appointment of Eng. Saad Ahmed Al Mohannadi as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Eng. Al Mohannadi joins QRail as the company is ramping up operations in preparation for the Qatar Integrated Railways Project, which will incorporate a metro system, long-distance passenger travel, and freight transport.

Eng. Al Mohannadi was previously Director of Technical Affairs at Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) from September 2008; he holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Qatar in 1997 and an MBA from the University of Qatar in 2009. He comes to QRail with a distinct practical experience through the leading and vital responsibilities that he had been carrying on for more than fifteen years of practical experience in the areas of electricity and water through his contributions in many major committees in the Ministry of Electricity & Water in Qatar, and “Kahramaa”.

The most important of these committees are: Secretary-General of the GCC-CIGRE Organization, member of the Advisory Committee and the regulatory body at the GCC Interconnection Authority, Chairman of the Tenders Committee at “Kahramaa”, a member of the Committee on public Tenders at “Kahramaa”, “Kahramaa” Team Leader for Mesaieed power plant to generate electricity with a generating capacity up to 2000MW, a member of the Committee on comprehensive Urban Planning, Member of the water distillation at “Kahrama”, a member of the Grievances of Engineers Committee, and a member of many other national and regional committees.

Furthermore, Eng. Al Mohannadi took over many vital responsibilities and moved through different positions. He started as a Network Control Engineer at the Ministry of Electricity and water from August 1997 until September 2001, before the establishment of “Kahramaa”. Later on, he became the head of network control of Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation “Kahramaa” from January 2004 to September 2007 and took over as director of network planning of electricity from September 2007 to September 2008, the date of his appointment as Director of Technical Affairs.

Some of his most important work is the planning and management of the main energy projects which are worth billions of riyals in the field of power generation and transmission of electric power, such as the “Ras Bu Fintas 2″, Mesaieed , and “Ras Qirtas” power plants, as well as electricity projects’ expansion, phase IX, X and various infrastructure projects and other important projects in the water distribution network.

He also received the ISO certification in more than one administration was supervised by him as well as the recent recognition for his outstanding by the Council of Ministers. Research and contributions to the work of the most important papers in the Energy Conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the Sultanate of Oman in Doha 2003 and 2001. Mr. Al Mohannadi has a lot of research papers and contributions, some of the most important are his two papers in the Energy Conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the Sultanate of Oman in Doha 2003 and 2001.

He also won numerous awards including: award for Outstanding Performance presented by the President of “Kahramaa” 2011, award for contribution to the effective implementation of the “Ras Qirtas” power plant project presented to him by the Deputy Chairman of the Board, 2008, award for his continuous efforts and perseverance towards achieving the goals of “Kahramaa” presented by the Vice Chairman of the Board 2004, the award for reducing the effects of damaged portable electric (90 MVA) at the sub-station “Sailiya” which created a good reputation and impression of “Kahramaa”. The award was presented to him by the Director of technical Department and the Director of electrical Networks 2005.

The company recently held a series of awareness events in the rail industry for a number of leading consulting firms, construction companies and operations companies all around the world who will participate in the Qatar Integrated Railways Project.

In creating Qatar’s much-anticipated state-of-the-art integrated railway network, the Qatar Railways Company will manage the development of the West Bay People Mover, Lusail City’s Light-Rail Transit system, and the integrated Qatar Railways Project, which will incorporate a metro system, long-distance passenger travel, and freight transport.

Originally Published On: www.ameinfo.com – Original Article Here

Looking for safe passage Car accidents have always been a concern in the UAE but increasing attention is being placed on pedestrian safety of late.

Although the number of pedestrian deaths in Dubai fell drastically — from 116 in 2008 to 42 in 2010 — many roads in the country still lack proper pedestrian facilities such as zebra crossings, footbridges, and speed humps.

Run for your life: UAE residents are being forced to jaywalk dangerously due to a lack of pedestrian crossings.

        Credit: Cecilie Kallestrup, Videography and Manuel Almario, Reporting

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Earlier this month, two women were killed after being hit by a vehicle as they crossed a major highway in Sharjah. In an online poll, 73 per cent of people felt they did not have enough pedestrian crossings in their neighbourhood. But just how bad is the situation? Watch a video on gulfnews.com as community journalists Cecilie Kallestrup and Manuel Almario visit some of the areas highlighted by readers in a survey. Gulf News' community reporters also give an indication by writing about their concerns over pedestrian safety in a variety of UAE locations.

Originally Published On: gulfnews.com – Original Article Here

Abu Dhabi: The working hours of private sector companies will be reduced from eight to six hours during the Holy month of Ramadan, without affecting the salaries of employees.

The Labour Minister Saqr Gobash, issued a ministerial circular to private sector companies and establishments on the reduction of work hours in the UAE, which is in accordance with article 65 of the Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 on regulation of work relations and its amendments.

The ministry congratulated President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Their Highnesses Rulers of Emirates, government and people of the UAE on the advent of Ramadan.

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Originally Published On: gulfnews.com – Original Article Here

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: Jul 25, 2011 12:54
Updated: Jul 25, 2011 12:54

JERUSALEM: Israeli security forces on Monday intercepted a boat on the Dead Sea carrying two Palestinians along with assault rifles, ammunition magazines and other unspecified weapons, the military said.

The military did not provide other details but said they were treating the incident as an attempted weapons-smuggling operation and not as an attempted militant attack. Army Radio described the vessel as a rubber dinghy.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the arrests capped a weekslong police operation. He identified the arrested men as West Bank Palestinians in their 40s.

The Dead Sea borders Israel, the West Bank and Jordan. It is only lightly patrolled and there is little boat traffic there.

While Israeli authorities say the lake is a known route for drug smugglers, boats ferrying weapons have only rarely been stopped there.

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Originally Published On: arabnews.com – Original Article Here

Ajman: With more than ten different kinds of dates on display and the chants of traditional ayyala (traditional) dancers, the first Liwa Ajman Date Festival was inaugurated yesterday by Shaikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman.

The three-day festival showcases date farming traditions, date and palm trading and a number of other cultural and heritage events such as weaving baskets as well as art galleries. It also features date competitions during the three days of the festival. Winners of the contest will be announced at the end of each day.

Shaikh Ammar toured the venue and was briefed about the products and activities by the participants. He commended the festival and said that this festival acts as a meeting point for those interested in palm tree farming and they could also share thoughts and ideas.

The festival is being held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ajman. It was organised by Ajman Culture and Media Department with the co-operation of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.

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Top produce

Some of the dates on offer include the famous and top graded Khalas, as well as Shishi, Dabbas, Lulu, Bu Ma’an and Khunaizi. The Liwa Centre for Dates Processing and Trading offered some unique products such as date pickles, date jam, date juice as well as chocolate-dipped dates.

Maitha Jasem Al Mazroui, one of the participants, said that Liwa is the most popular region in the UAE for date production. She added that Al Ain and Al Dhaid are also known for the quality of their production.

Maitha added that in Ramadan people prefer the Shishi, Bu Ma’an and the Dabbas variety of dates as they are drier and more mature.

The UAE University’s Date Palm Research and Development programme presented and exhibited some samples of the various production stages of date palm tissue culture, right until it turns into a three-year-old plant.

Learning tradition

In a step towards engaging the younger generation and familiarising them with the traditions of their ancestors, a general knowledge contest about palms and dates as well as a traditional craft contest has been planned today which is open for children enrolled in summer camps and clubs.

The festival also features art, photography and stamp galleries. The stamp gallery, which was organised in conjunction with Emirates Post, boasts a collection of stamps featuring categories of dates in the emirates.

An open discussion will be chaired by Ali Al Matroushi, head of heritage, museums and monuments today.

Information

Originally Published On: gulfnews.com – Original Article Here

Ras Al Khaimah: The Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Court has sentenced a man to one year in jail for possessing narcotics, a judicial official said.

The judicial official said the Emirati man was driving to the UAE in a private car from Oman. He was accompanied by two of his friends, the official added.

At Al Dara border the police inspectors found 100 strips of Tramadol, a controlled painkiller, in his car, the official added.

He said the police found one Tramadol strip under his pedal from which only one tablet was missing.

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The rest of the strips were all hidden in his underwear, the official added.

Police arrested all of the men who were in the car and took them to a RAK police station for questioning.

Police investigations revealed that the Emirati man had bought the Tramadol tablets in Oman to smuggle them to the UAE for personal use.

The official said the Emirati was used to consuming drugs, while one of his friends denied that he knew anything about the whole matter.

The court later released his friends, the official added.

Originally Published On: gulfnews.com – Original Article Here

Dubai: The agricultural landscape witnessed a 15 per cent increase in organic greenhouse farming last year in the UAE as farmers are being urged to move away from traditional farming techniques and go in for water-saving options.

Farming in greenhouses helps save water by reducing evaporation in hot temperatures and also gives organic farming a boost as crops can be better monitored.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Water, over the last four years, the total area of organic farms reached 2,196 acres in 2010 compared to 110 acres in 2007. The quantity of organic produce reached 5,268 tonnes in 2010, a huge increase from 264 tonnes in 2007.

Dr Nasser Al Mohammad Sultan, Assistant Undersecretary for Agricultural Affairs, said there is a global increase of organic agriculture.

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Demand for ‘safe’ food

Demand for "safe" food that does not contain pesticide or chemical residues, minimises environment degradation and protects the biodiversity of soil, has pushed organic farming and crops into a billion-dollar industry, he said.

Becky Balderstone, owner of Ripe, previously known as Bumble Box, a straight-to-your-door organic produce supplier, agreed that organic farming in the UAE is on the increase, but so far Ripe sources its vegetables from only two Abu Dhabi farms.

"Supermarkets never used to supply the amount of organic, local vegetables that they do now, it’s incredible what’s available," she said.

"Farmers start planting in September and by mid-October you will be able to see pumpkins, leeks, peppers and all sorts. It’s not just cucumbers and onions any more," she said.

Most farmers are using plastic greenhouses, with just a few able to invest in glass greenhouses.

Balderstone added that organics has grown rapidly — thanks to the time spent in educating farmers on how to grow farm products economically by adopting water-saving methods.

Originally Published On: gulfnews.com – Original Article Here

By ARAB NEWS

Published: Jul 25, 2011 22:19
Updated: Jul 25, 2011 22:19

JEDDAH: A groom took SR70,000 given to him by his future father-in-law and vanished, local daily Al-Madinah reported Monday.

The father reportedly collected funds from his friends and relatives to raise the money for his future son-in-law who claimed he was in a bad financial situation. The father said the groom betrayed his trust and ran away from the wedding and he had no option but to take the case to court. He told the newspaper that he paid a heavy price for his blind trust in the groom and said he gave his consent to the proposal made by the young man and his family.

However, after the engagement, the groom started to complain about his financial crisis. “I gave the groom the SR70,000 which I raised. A few days before the wedding, I asked the groom about his house so I could move my daughter’s furniture there but he said that he did not have a home and he would take my daughter to live with him outside the Kingdom,” the father said. He added that when the groom refused to go ahead with the wedding or return the money, he took him to court.

Commenting on the case, head of the Jeddah General Court Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Qani warned fathers not to have confidence in young men who propose to their daughters before getting to know them well. He said that if the groom refused to come to the court after repeated summons, he would be tried in absentia.

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Originally Published On: arabnews.com – Original Article Here

Over 300 insurance professionals, regulators and key industry players will share their perspectives on the impact of the global financial crisis on the Saudi insurance industry during a special summit to be held in the Kingdom.

Highlighting the challenges and opportunities facing the Islamic insurance market, the Third Saudi Insurance Summit will convene at the Marriott Hotel, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 16th to 18th May 2009.

“I think, and many agree, that the annual Saudi Insurance Summit plays an important role in encouraging information sharing, maintaining dialogue and promoting best practices especially in times of uncertainty,”

said Shabnam Rawal, Managing Director – Conferences and Training, IIR Middle East.

The demand for Takaful – insurance that complies with Islamic law – is growing in the Gulf region in line with increased demand for Islamic banking products, especially in Saudi Arabia where all insurance activities must comply with Sharia.

Moreover, Takaful companies have been successful in developing insurance products that are viable alternatives to Western products. Despite the current crisis, recent studies forecast the Islamic insurance (Takaful) market will grow five-fold over the next 10 years, while the market for Sharia-compliment insurance will worth $US4 billion in 2010.

According to Dr. Saleh J. Malaikah, Chairman, Salama, although Saudi Arabia has not been unaffected by the global financial crisis, the Kingdom stands in a much healthier economic position than many other markets. Due to responsible fiscal policies and good economic fundamentals, many industries remain strong including the burgeoning insurance market.

The insurance industry in the Kingdom is not impervious to market fundamentals but many experts believe the long term outlook is positive. “Although the short-term outlook is less benign due to local conditions and the global downturn, I think that Saudi insurance sector presents a high-value business and offers significant growth potential,” said Dr. Malaikah, Salama

The summit, which is organised by IIR Middle East, will feature key contributions from over 30 high-profile international and regional organisations including Malath, Medgulf, Salama, AIG, Standard & Poor’s and many others.

Originally Published On: www.ameinfo.com – Original Article Here

Abu Dhabi: Inspecting the new building and facilities of the New Mazyad School in Al Ain yesterday, General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, stressed the government’s commitment to developing education and said investment in education is essential to build local manpower.

He was inspecting preparations by schools ahead of the new academic year in his capacity as chairman of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC).

General Shaikh Mohammad was received by Dr Mugheer Khamees Al Khaili, Director-General of ADEC, and other senior officials.

New programmes

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Shaikh Mohammad was briefed about the school’s facilities, classrooms and laboratories, in addition to the educational programmes and projects it plans to conduct.

The new school building is among 14 schools and nurseries that will be inaugurated ahead of the new academic year to keep abreast with the needs of the growing population of the emirate.

Shaikh Mohammad said that the support given to the education sector by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is due the key role it plays in developing human resources capable of achieving the nation’s objectives, and making the UAE shine in science and technology both regionally and internationally.

General Shaikh Mohammad also said that the UAE’s objective is to achieve results in the field of education that are on par with international standards. He said that this can be accomplished through the continuous development of education and creating a healthy environment for learning.

General Shaikh Mohammad was accompanied by Shaikh Tahnoun Bin Mohammad Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region, apart from shaikhs and senior officials.

Later, General Shaikh Mohammad and Shaikh Tahnoun toured Al Ain Municipality’s customer service centre in Mazyad.

General Shaikh Mohammad was briefed about the centre by Mattar Mohammad Al Nuaimi, Director-General of Al Ain Municipality, and Khalifa Rashid Al Niyadi, Executive Director of Eastern Region Services sector at Al Ain Municipality.

General Shaikh Mohammad urged the centre’s employees to follow the highest standards and modern methods of customer service. He also instructed them to activate methods of communication to pinpoint the needs of customers and facilitate their applications and procedures.

Originally Published On: gulfnews.com – Original Article Here