The Cabinet approved a memo from the minister of planning on the implementation of the first phase of a maintenance and improvement project of roads and bridges linking various cities in the Northern Emirates at a total cost of Dh69.2 million. The ministers also endorsed a letter from the foreign minister on the agreement of setting up a higher joint committee between the UAE and Bahrain, which was signed in Manama on April 4 to enhance bilateral relations in various fields. Asserting the country's commitment to a nuclear-free world, the meeting endorsed the UAE's becoming a signatory to the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1969. The ministers also affirmed an information co-operation agreement between the UAE and India for the coming three years. In addition, the ministers were briefed on the outcome of the recent visit of Minister of Information and Culture Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India. The cabinet also agreed to discuss the government policy in preparing the general federal budget during its current session after discussing a draft law on general authority for youth care and sports for 1999. A number of promotions and new appointments in various ministries were ratified during the meeting. Other issues on the agenda were discussed and appropriate decisions taken on them. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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Sheikha Fatima bin Mubarak, wife of President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Chairperson of the UAE WomenÕs Federation was yesterday honoured by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, for her role in relief work. The award was presented by the organisation to Sheikha Fatima, carried the UNHCR emblem but with white hands instead of the customary UN blue, to signify selfless charity work. (The Gulf News)
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SHEIKHA FATIMA PRIZE FOR BENEVOLENCE
H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, President's wife and Chairwoman of the UAE Women's Federation, yesterday said that she was proud to be honouring prominent women volunteers for charitable works. In a statement on the occasion of honouring women who won the Sheikha Fatima Prize for Benevolence, Sheikha Fatima said that the UAE under the leadership of H.H. President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was a shinning example for helping the needy around the world. "This has made the UAE name synonymous with benefaction and generosity for all people in the world," Sheikha Fatima added. She said that UAE daughters have proved day after day that they deserve the trust vested in them and have won admiration and appreciation for their great enthusiasm for charitable works and volunteerism. "This reflects the women's firm belief in the principles of solidarity and values of volunteerism following the example of His Highness the President whose humanitarian works enliven the conscience of the people," Sheikha Fatima said. She added that she had followed with interest the UAE women's engagement in charitable and volunteer works for being noble deeds that live up to the traditional values of the UAE people as well as their Arab and Islamic heritage. She said that all authorities that worked hard to translate the concept of volunteerism into reality deserved appreciation and gratitude. She expressed special thanks to the UAE Armed Forces, the Red Crescent Society and the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees. Sheikha Fatima also praised the UAE media for highlighting the noble goals of volunteerism, attracting world appreciation and respect for the country. She also lauded the role played by government and private establishments, schools and social care institutions. Sheikha Shamma, wife of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Chairwoman of the Higher Authority for Women's Committee of the Red Crescent Society, said that Sheikha Fatima's patronage for humanitarian activities had encouraged the women to volunteer for charitable works. "Volunteerism has become a field for competition not for the sake of gaining fame but for the sake of upholding the value of our religion in helping the needy as well as raising the name of the UAE in the field of humanitarian works," she added. Sheikha Fatima later honoured the winners of the prize while she herself received a shield written in gold ink and signed by 2000 students of all educational levels. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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4,000 YEAR OLD FIREPLACES ON ABU DHABI'S ISLANDS
The use of scientific dating techniques on ancient fireplaces has shown that the islands of Abu Dhabi Emirate were important centres of settlement as far back as four thousand years ago, the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey, ADIAS, announces today. The fireplaces, surviving as low, roughly circular mounds with burnt stone and ash on the top or near the surface, have been identified on all the way along Abu Dhabi's coast and islands, from near Taweela, north east of the capital, to Sila'a and the island of Ghagha' in the west. Well over 300 such fireplaces have been found, usually occurring in groups of less than five. Two major groups of the fireplaces have been found, however, on Balghelam, near Abu Dhabi, where there is a group of over 30, and on Marawah, to the west, where there is a group of over 150. Dating of the fireplaces, or hearths, has proved in the past to be difficult. In some cases, Late Islamic pottery has been found in the vicinity, while for others, pottery from the early 1st Millennium AD has been identified in the area. Further study of these hearths was clearly necessary in order to assess their age, or their range of ages.. In order to permit this, samples of charcoal and burnt wood were taken last year from hearths on Balghelam and Marawah, and were submitted to the radiocarbon laboratory of the Scottish Universities Research and Reactor Centre, SURRC, at Scotland's University of Glasgow for Carbon 14 dating. Four samples were taken from hearths on Balghelam. Of these, one produced a calibrated radiocarbon date of 2100 +/- 170 BC, i.e. around the beginning of the Second Millennium BC, 4,000 years ago. Pottery from Bahrain, of roughly the same date, has also been recovered in the area. Of the other three Balghelam hearths, one produced a date of 595 +/- 195 BC, and two others produced dates of 1705 +/- 175 BC and 580 +/- 180 BC. Five samples were taken from hearths on Marawah. These produced calibrated dates of 2080 +/- 200 BC, 600 +/- 200 BC, 300 +/- 100 BC, 250 +/- 150 BC and 260 +/- 130 AD. Together, the results indicate that these types of fireplaces were used at least from the Late Umm al-Nar / early Wadi Suq period (c. 2100 BC to 1700 BC), to the late pre-Islamic period ( c. 200 AD). The results show that the simple, but effective, technology represented by these hearths was not only used over a very long period, but extended back much further than had previously been suspected. Further samples have now been taken for dating from hearths on the island of Rufayq, west of Abu Dhabi, which will be analysed with the help of sponsorship from the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations, ADCO. Results are expected later this year. The Academic Director of ADIAS, Dr. Geoffrey King, of London University, comments: " The coast of the UAE was known to Classical authors like Strabo as the land of the Ichthyophagi, the fish-eaters. Increasingly archaeology is giving concrete form and chronological evidence, based on Carbon 14 (C14) analysis, to date the great antiquity of the UAE's fishing tradition. The quality and quantity of the fish and shell-fish in the waters of the Gulf is such that in all periods since very ancient times, man has harvested the sea using technologies which survived down to the onset of the modern oil era. Indeed, some older inhabitants of the UAE still know exactly how to use the stone-lined fish baking hearths of a type that we now know was in use at least as early as 4000 years ago." The new data provided by the C14 results from Balghelam and Marawah offers an entirely new range of dating for occupation on the islands off the Abu Dhabi coast," he said. "We are grateful to Chief of Staff His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Presidential Court Chamberlain His Excellency Sheikh Surour bin Mohammed A Nahyan for permitting us to carry out our studies on Marawah and Balghelam. The results of the C14 dating show that even small and apparently insignificant sites can produce valuable information about the history and heritage of the people of the Emirates," he concluded. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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AUSTRALIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS CONCLUDE EXCAVATIONS IN MUWEILAH
Archaeologists from the University of Sydney, concluded extensive excavations in Muweilah, which lead to remarkable findings of a very large and ancient city. Dr Peter Magee, a post doctoral research fellow at the School of Archaeology at the University of Sydney, lead a team of archaeology students from the university in excavations on the site. He was quoted earlier by a local newspaper as saying that stunning evidence had been found of a city 3,000 years old, and ruins of an ancient palace full of rare luxury items. The excavation operation had also led to the discovery that there was knowledge of the Arabic script, the earliest evidence of such use in the whole of south east Arabia. The excavations have also revealed the earliest use of iron, a clay incense burner with lattice work and a delicate camel's head, as well beautiful painted pottery and bronze weapons. The project was funded by the Sharjah Archaeological Museum under the patronage of H. H. Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. Meanwhile, an archaeologist mission from Japan arrived here to carry out excavations on Islamic sites in Khorfakkan. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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MANSOUR OPENS ASH SHIWEB GROUND WATER FIELD
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Director General of the President's Office, yesterday inaugurated the Ash Shiweb ground water well field. The field was discovered by a consortium of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and two German companies, Gesellschaft Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and Daimler Chrysler Aerospace Dornier System Consult (DASA). The consortium was set up in 1995 as part of the Abu Dhabi Groundwater Assessment Project ordered by President H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, to determine the quantity and quality of deep and shallow ground water and develop water well fields in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Mansour toured a photo exhibition and saw the flow of fresh water from the main well, which produces 2.5 million gallons per day. He was briefed on the work carried out by the consortium and the amount of water discovered and the water reserves. The field contains 21 wells, producing 127 million gallons per day. The consortium is currently exploring water in Liwa area. Around 100 to 150 wells have been drilled so far. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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REGULATIONS HINDER PACE OF EMIRATISATION: NCC
The National Consultative Council, NCC, has agreed to hold further consultations with specialised institutions on speeding up the process of emiratisation in the private and public sectors. After discussing a report from a sub-committee, the council deemed it necessary to consult with the department of Administration and Organisation in Abu Dhabi before it gives its final recommendations on the issue. The committee found that emiratisation was progressing on a slow pace due to employment regulations. Job structure was also found too inappropriate with emiratisation. Lack of mandatory rules to ensure emiratisation was another reason hindering progress. The committee found that emiratisation policy will continue to be influenced by expansion policies in the fields of trade and industry and the opening up to world markets and the subsequent transfer of labour associated with it. NCC had earlier held discussions with representatives of the UAE University and the Higher Colleges of Technology, HCT, to review their plans on the emiratisation of the public and private sector. The committee found that emiratisation policy will continue to be influenced by expansion policies in the fields of trade and industry and the openness and to world markets and the subsequent transfer of labour associated with it. (The Gulf Today)
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45PC EMIRATISATION AT DUBAI MUNICIPALITY
Dubai Municipality has achieved 45 per cent emiratisation in its parking supervising jobs as 90 of the total 200 personnel in this field are now UAE nationals. Another 35 UAE nationals are now in the recruitment process and this would take the emiratisation to more than 53 per cent of the total jobs in this sector. (The Gulf Today)
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Abu Dhabi's total non-oil trade went up by 16 per cent in February this year to Dh1,810 million, from Dh1,550 million during the same month in 1999, according to statistics released by the Abu Dhabi Customs Department. The statistics showed that there was however, a 17 per cent drop in total two-way trade in February, compared to January this year, when the total was placed at Dh2,201.36 million. The drop was due to considerable decline in imports and exports from the level achieved in January, though re-exports went up significantly. Total imports increased by 19 per cent in February, to Dh1,698.18 million, from Dh1,421.20 million, during February, 1999. Imports were however less than the January figure of Dh1978.72 million, due to a big fall in imports from Japan and the UK, compared to the January level. Saudi Arabia was the top source for imports in February, with a five per cent increase to Dh242.71 million from Dh232.25 million in the same month last year, the statistics showed. The US came second, with an increase of 49 per cent, to Dh207.94 million, from, Dh139.35 million, followed by Germany with a 33 per cent rise to Dh190.56 million, against Dh143.51 million in the same month last year. There was also a doubling of imports from France and a 71 per cent increase in imports from Italy. Re-exports in February increased by 33 per cent to Dh74.24 million, from Dh55.75 million in the same month last year. Qatar re-emerged as one of the main re-export markets, with the figure touching Dh9.44 million, compared to Dh1.78 million in the same month last year. Re-exports to Saudi Arabia also increased to Dh24.68 million, against Dh10.50 million in the corresponding period last year. Exports during February dropped by 48 per cent to Dh38.41 million, compared to Dh73.77 million in the same month last year. This was also lower by Dh10 million, than the total exports for January this year. The main reason for the big decline in exports was a significant drop in exports to India, from Dh49.57 million in February last year, to only Dh2.48 million in the same month this year. Iran was the top export market, followed by Oman, the statistics showed. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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DI TO CALL REST OF CAPITAL LATER
Dubai Investments PJSC has decided to call the rest of its allotted capital or Dh650 million from its shareholders only within five years. The total capital of the company is Dh1.3 billion, half of which was called in earlier. Dubai Investments and its subsidiaries together posted a profit of Dh3.9 million in 1999, down from over Dh10 million for the year ended December 1998. Alone, the company's net earnings were to the tune of Dh13.7 million down from Dh22 million in 1998. The dip in the profit was due to the slowdown in the overall economy, the shareholders were told at the AGM. Out of the total consolidated earnings, Dh2 million will be transferred to the legal reserve, Dh1.8 million to the general reserve and the balance counted as the retained earnings. The retained earnings for the Group is Dh0.1 million while that of the company is Dh11.1 million. Transfer to the general and legal reserve is as per the UAE law, which mandates 10 per cent of the earnings to be transferred to these reserves till the reserves touch 50 per cent of the paid-up capital. Earnings per share for the group was at Dh0.03 in 1999 and for the company it was Dh0.08. The total consolidated income was Dh184.3 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 1999, which was up from the previous year's Dh139.1 million. The income of Dubai Investments alone was to the tune of Dh25 million against the earlier over Dh34 million. Dubai Investments in 1999 acquired 60 per cent of the shares in Gulf Printing and Publishing LLC, 50 per cent shares in Lite-Tech Industries LLC and 60 per cent of shares in Emirates Extrusion Factory LLC. (The Gulf Today)
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DUBAI PROSECUTION GOES HI-TECH
Dubai Prosecution is going hi-tech and announced it would be using modern techniques, similar to video conferencing, to interrogate suspects whenever it wasnÕt possible to do it face to face. Ibrahim Bu Melha, DubaiÕs Attorney General said that computer screens connected to cameras and microphones in both the prosecution premises and police stations would enable these remote controlled interrogations to take place. ÒThis system will make it possible to interrogate suspects when it is difficult to move them. It will also get around problems like transporting dangerous criminals,Ó Bul Melha said. He also pointed out that the digital communications system has a high level of security and confidentiality and that the record of an interrogation will be saved in the system which could be retrieved any time. The Dubai Prosecution is ready to implement the system, but has not yet made it a priority. (The Gulf News)
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AJMAN ZONE REGISTERS 131 FIRMS IN 1999
Ajman Free Zone registered 131 companies last year, taking up the number of firms operating out of the zone to 460 by end-1999. With this, the zone has become the second biggest in the country. The rapid growth has also encouraged the zoneÕs area to 1 million square metres. Citing the reasons behind its success, an independent study commissioned by the zone pointed out that leasing rates are 50 per cent lower than those at other free zones in the UAE, with living costs also being substantially less. Other advantages include strategic location, a range of tailor-made investor services, energy availability at competitive rates and efficient infrastructure. The location alongside of Ajman Port which can serve over 2,000 ships annually has also played a major role in attracting local and foreign investments in the zone. (The Gulf News)
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DUBAI SURPASSES TOURISM TARGET
Dubai surpassed its tourism projections for 2000 of three million tourist last year, one year early according to the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, DTCM. The department is now predicting that within 10 years the number of tourists visiting the emirate will double to six million. DTCM has 14 overseas representative offices located in Philadelphia, California, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan, Moscow, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Australia and Stockholm. DTCM will also be managing the 3,300 square metre dedicated cruise terminal being built at Port Rashid. (The Gulf News)
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ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET OPENS TODAY
Arabian Travel Market, ATM, 2000 opens on today at Dubai World Trade Centre with over 700 exhibitors from 59 countries in a show spanning some 7,000 square metres - a 16 per cent floor space increase on last year. The ATM is held under the patronage of Crown Prince of Dubai, UAE Defence Minister and Chairman of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The 310-square-metres stand at the exhibition has been designed on traditional lines and is shaped like an Arabian seafaring dhow. It incorporates elements of ancient and modern Dubai and graphic displays of the emirate's tourist attractions. (The Gulf Today)
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18 CO-OPERATIVES PLAN MERGER
The eighteen consumer co-operation unions in the UAE plan to merge in a bid to wield a stronger influence on the price of goods and increase their competitiveness in the retail sector. The move to merge the unions is expected to result in lower prices of goods as co-operatives operate under a single management and generate a unified sale. Yesterday, the Consumer Co-operative Union of the UAE launched the Fifth Co-operative Shopping Festival 2000 when all 88 branches will reduce prices of items by nine to 22 per cent. For the past four years during the festivals, sales increased by 200 per cent and hopes are high that this year the sales will rise by 300 per cent. At present, there are 18 co-operative unions in the UAE with 88 branches all over the country. By the end of the year, six more will be added to the branches, with two in Sharjah, two in Abu Dhabi, and one in Al Dahir and Umm Gafa. The co-operatives posted Dh1.5 billion in sales last year, up by 11.7 per cent form 1998 figures. The capital of the co-operatives also reached Dh337 million in 1999 with shareholders countrywide now pegged 18,993. (The Gulf News)
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VETERINARY SERVICES UNIT IN SHARJAH
Sharjah Municipality has established a new unit for veterinary services under the public health section, in accordance with an administrative order issued early this week by Director-General, Ahmed Fikri. The order, which came into effect from April 30, states that the unit will be in charge of developing and controlling the veterinarian services in the emirate. "The unit, to be headed by Ali Farea Saif, will be responsible for drawing plans to develop and preserve the animal resources and their products in order to make it a vital source of income for the emirate," Mr Fikri said. Mr Fikri said the unit would work to provide Sharjah with healthy food products as well as the required care for the animal resources. (The Khaleej Times)
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SHEIKH RASHID WINS SYRIAN ENDURANCE RACE
Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum was named champion of the second endurance race which was held in the Syrian city of Palmyra on the sidelines of the activities of the eighth Palmyra Tourist Festival, thus maintaining the title he won in the same race last season. The four leg race which was held for 120 kilometres saw absolute domination by the UAE riders who occupied the first five places. Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum came first after covering the distance in four hours, 31 minutes and 21 seconds. (The Gulf Today)