Mushin Lagos gets a facelift

Some 5,000 Nigerian volunteers turned out Saturday armed with paint brushes to give a facelift to Mushin, a notorious slum in the centre of the country's commercial capital Lagos.

Led by Abimbola Fashola, the wife of Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, the volunteers administered paints to seven selected streets in the community, known for being overcrowded and chaotic and plagued with a high crime rate.

Fashola flagged off the ceremony on Saturday morning by painting the first house while more buildings and roadside curbs along the most noticeable and eye-catching parts of the community were painted by the volunteers.

"This is a commendable self-help project and I plead with the organisers to extend the same gestures to other local government areas in the state and the entire country," she said.

The volunteers in the one-day beautification exercise tagged "Mushin Makeover" came from all walks of life including entertainment, security agencies, students, traders, professionals and business and corporate leaders. Mushin residents were excited about the landmark beautification project.

"This is so cool, our old house is looking new with a fresh green paint," resident Rashidat Modupe told AFP after her house had been painted.

"I have lived in Mushin for more than 50 years and this has never happened before," another resident, a landlord, added.

The project was organised by Visible Impact to compliment the state government's ongoing megacity programme.

Nigeria's most populous city with between 15 and 17 million people has decided to overhaul its image.

Fashola said a trip he made to Singapore before becoming governor in 2007 gave him a model on which to base his transformed megacity.

He said focus has been put on revamping the transportation and road sector, improving waste management and water provision, property development and the environment.

Blogging Workshop In Qatar- Google provides solution to Arabic transliteration problem

Creating content in Arabic script requires either learning the Arabic keyboard layout or using onscreen keyboards, which are useful but limited by the speed at which one can click the mouse.

As a result, producing online content in Arabic script has mostly been limited to a small number of bloggers and commercial websites.

Google recently launched an exciting solution to the transliteration problem, from Roman into Arabic script.

Speaking to Media persons at the Supreme Council of Information & Communication Technology workshop on Saturday, head of Engineering Google Inc (MENA), Ahmad Hamzawi said, “Transliteration is a technique that is used to do phonetic mapping of words written in one script (e.g. Arabic) to another script (e.g. Roman).

While using Roman transliteration may be adequate for a lot of purposes (chatting), it leaves a lot to be desired from the perspective of people who prefer to read and write the language in its original script.

Jeramiah Owyang, a partner at Alimeter Group, opened the session with blogging strategy.

He said, “Humans beings are essentially social creatures.

We maintain our social networks through contacts, connections and affiliations.

A blog is a frequently updated, personal website featuring diary-type commentary and links to articles on other websites.

Blogs range from the personal to political, and can focus on one narrow subject or a whole range of subjects.” Blogging is not very popular in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region because of the lack of Arabic content, he said.

There are 4000 blogs in Arabic language.

Arabic is the eighth most-used language on the Internet.

Nineteen percent of bloggers in the region are critical to terrorism.

Sixty-four percent people blog on domestic issues and news around the region.

Owyang said its important to integrate your blog with other social networks tools like facebook, twitter, delicious, dig etc.

Shabina Khatrisi, an American freelance Journalist in Doha, talked about her experience in starting as a professional and personal blogger.

Rain pours in Doha

Even as intermittent rains continued to lash Doha and its surrounding areas for the third consecutive day on Sunday resulting in flooded streets and problems for commuters and pedestrians alike, the Department of Meteorology has predicted more thunder showers on Monday.

Head of the Analysis and Forecasting Section Abdulla Mohammed al Mannai said that the rain witnessed during the last 72 hours were equivalent to the total volume of rains witnessed in the entire month of December normally.

He, however, said that there was nothing unusual about it and added that the weather would start improving from Monday. “Colder days are ahead as there would be a significant drop in temperature on Monday because of the combination of cold air mass in the upper levels of the atmosphere associated with jet stream,” he added. The minimum temperature is expected to dip to 17 degree Celsius from 20 degree Celsius being witnessed normally these days. Meanwhile, residents had a tough time during the last three days because of intermittent rains, which caused heavy waterlogging at several places even in the heart of the town.

According to the Department of Meteorology, Doha alone recorded 24.6 mm rainfall during the last 24 hours. High pressure over Iraq and north-west of Saudi Arabia were reported to be the reasons behind the showers witnessed across the country. A resident of Fereej Bin Mohammad Street said that a car fell into a pit as it was inundated with water and had to be removed with the help of a crane.

Similarly, several vehicles in different parts of the city got stuck as their engine stopped while wading through the waterlogged areas. The collected water also led to traffic snarls in most of the areas inside Doha with vehicles remaining stranded and traffic moving painfully slow. The commuters had difficulty clearing their windscreens and mirrors to keep track of the vehicles.

It was also not easy for pedestrians, especially the workers, who had to brave the rains while waiting for buses and taxis at shelterless bust stops and footpaths. However for some, the wet weather came as a boon as they were desperately waiting for the rains that are hard to find in this region. Many were seen walking along the Corniche under umbrellas and enjoying the cool breeze. Covering themselves with woolen garments and caps, they enjoyed the rains mingle with the foaming Arabian Sea.

Doha Gymnasiede 2009

As many as 29 world records were smashed in the Doha Gymnasiade 2009 which concluded on Saturday.

The new records were created in the swimming and athletics competitions.

The athletes made a new world mark in swimming events like girls 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle, 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, 50m and 200m butterfly, 200m and 400m medley and 4x100m freestyle.

The swimming events in which the boys created world records were 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle, 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, 50m and 200m butterfly, 200m and 400m medley and 4x100m freestyle.

In the swimming event for girls 50metres freestyle, Santaman Anna of France created a new a world record to win gold.

A solitary record was broken in athletics, the event being high jump for girls.

Winners of the final 24 events, across all categories, including athletics, swimming and gymnastics, were declared on the fourth and final day of the competition.

Significant titles among the medal winners were the delegations from Italy, Russia, and Ukraine.

In the 2000m steeplechase boys final, Burhan Ahmed Mohammed of Saudi Arabia won gold followed by Italy’s Sanguinetti Andrea who won silver while Qatar’s Elbachir Siksasse clinched the bronze.

The 3000m boys final was won by Zhang Lei of China, while the 110m hurdles for Boys witnessed Mach Di Palmstein Ivan of Italy as the winner In the 100m hurdles for boys, Raibaut Mathilde of France won the gold medal, while the relay boys final was won by Spain followed by Brazil with silver and France with bronze.

In the relay for girls, Italy won the gold, Hungary silver and Russia bronze.

In the long jump for girls, French Beaufour Megane won gold while Zhou Xiaoxue of China won silver.

The pole vault gold for girls went to Russia’s Stetssyuk Tatiana.

The gymnastics events for which winners were declared on Saturday included finals for apparatus ball for girls, apparatus club for girls, and group show in rhythmic gymnastics category.

Finals were also held for vault for boys, balance beam for girls, parallel bars for boys, floor for girls and horizontal bar for boys.

VicTravelmedia

VicTravelmedia

VicTravelmedia

igerian Woman Face Horror from another in U.S

An Arlington couple has been indicted by a federal grand jury on accusations that they enticed a Nigerian woman to come to the United States and then forced her to serve them for little or no pay for nine years.

Emmanuel Nnaji, 50, and his wife, Ngozi, 45, have been charged with conspiracy, forced labor, document servitude, alien harboring and making false statements, according to a seven-count indictment returned late Wednesday.

According to a Justice Department news release, the couple promised the Nigerian woman, a widowed mother of six, a salary and support for her children, whom she was struggling to care for.

When the woman arrived, however, the couple isolated her and forced her to work long hours with no days off and little or no pay, the release said. They also monitored her contact with her family and refused her requests to return home or attend church, among other things, the release stated.

The indictment also alleges that Emmanuel Nnaji sexually assaulted the woman and made her fearful to call police.

Reached by phone Thursday, the man’s son, Emmanuel Nnaji Jr., 25, called the woman crazy and said the allegations against his father and stepmother are false.

"It is a bunch of bull," the younger Nnaji said. "The lady they brought over here was a crazy lady. I lived in their house for four of the nine years they are talking about.  . . . Anytime we brought her into public, she acted a complete fool."

Emmanuel Nnaji Jr. said his father and stepmother are nurses who devote their lives to helping people. He said they are both from Nigeria and, on one of their visits home, they agreed to bring the woman to the U.S. in exchange for her help taking care of their six children.

He said that he never saw his father or stepmother abuse or mistreat the woman and that they gave her whatever she asked for. He said he believes that one of his father’s associates persuaded her to make the complaint.

"She ends up talking to one of my dad’s associates and they put it in her head that my dad kidnapped her," the younger Nnaji said. "One day, she burst out of the house and leaves the kids and runs to the FBI and makes up some bogus" story.

Emmanuel Nnaji Jr. said he also never heard the woman talk about her children.

"I found out she had kids from the FBI," he said.

Emmanuel Nnaji Jr. said his father and stepmother have been under investigation for two or three years and were recently arrested but are free on bail. He said he doesn’t know the woman’s whereabouts.

"I’m just tired of it," he said. "My dad is a good man."

If convicted, Emmanuel Nnaji and Ngozi Nnaji face a maximum sentence of up to 55 years in prison. Ngozi Nnaji, a Nigerian national, also faces deportation if she is convicted of any of the felonies, according to the news release.

Source- Star Telegraph USA

VicTravelmedia

VicTravelmedia

VicTravelmedia

igerian Woman Face Horror from another in U.S

An Arlington couple has been indicted by a federal grand jury on accusations that they enticed a Nigerian woman to come to the United States and then forced her to serve them for little or no pay for nine years.

Emmanuel Nnaji, 50, and his wife, Ngozi, 45, have been charged with conspiracy, forced labor, document servitude, alien harboring and making false statements, according to a seven-count indictment returned late Wednesday.

According to a Justice Department news release, the couple promised the Nigerian woman, a widowed mother of six, a salary and support for her children, whom she was struggling to care for.

When the woman arrived, however, the couple isolated her and forced her to work long hours with no days off and little or no pay, the release said. They also monitored her contact with her family and refused her requests to return home or attend church, among other things, the release stated.

The indictment also alleges that Emmanuel Nnaji sexually assaulted the woman and made her fearful to call police.

Reached by phone Thursday, the man’s son, Emmanuel Nnaji Jr., 25, called the woman crazy and said the allegations against his father and stepmother are false.

"It is a bunch of bull," the younger Nnaji said. "The lady they brought over here was a crazy lady. I lived in their house for four of the nine years they are talking about.  . . . Anytime we brought her into public, she acted a complete fool."

Emmanuel Nnaji Jr. said his father and stepmother are nurses who devote their lives to helping people. He said they are both from Nigeria and, on one of their visits home, they agreed to bring the woman to the U.S. in exchange for her help taking care of their six children.

He said that he never saw his father or stepmother abuse or mistreat the woman and that they gave her whatever she asked for. He said he believes that one of his father’s associates persuaded her to make the complaint.

"She ends up talking to one of my dad’s associates and they put it in her head that my dad kidnapped her," the younger Nnaji said. "One day, she burst out of the house and leaves the kids and runs to the FBI and makes up some bogus" story.

Emmanuel Nnaji Jr. said he also never heard the woman talk about her children.

"I found out she had kids from the FBI," he said.

Emmanuel Nnaji Jr. said his father and stepmother have been under investigation for two or three years and were recently arrested but are free on bail. He said he doesn’t know the woman’s whereabouts.

"I’m just tired of it," he said. "My dad is a good man."

If convicted, Emmanuel Nnaji and Ngozi Nnaji face a maximum sentence of up to 55 years in prison. Ngozi Nnaji, a Nigerian national, also faces deportation if she is convicted of any of the felonies, according to the news release.

Source- Star Telegraph USA

Nigerian Woman Face Horror from another in U.S

An Arlington couple has been indicted by a federal grand jury on accusations that they enticed a Nigerian woman to come to the United States and then forced her to serve them for little or no pay for nine years.

Emmanuel Nnaji, 50, and his wife, Ngozi, 45, have been charged with conspiracy, forced labor, document servitude, alien harboring and making false statements, according to a seven-count indictment returned late Wednesday.

According to a Justice Department news release, the couple promised the Nigerian woman, a widowed mother of six, a salary and support for her children, whom she was struggling to care for.

When the woman arrived, however, the couple isolated her and forced her to work long hours with no days off and little or no pay, the release said. They also monitored her contact with her family and refused her requests to return home or attend church, among other things, the release stated.

The indictment also alleges that Emmanuel Nnaji sexually assaulted the woman and made her fearful to call police.

Reached by phone Thursday, the man’s son, Emmanuel Nnaji Jr., 25, called the woman crazy and said the allegations against his father and stepmother are false.

"It is a bunch of bull," the younger Nnaji said. "The lady they brought over here was a crazy lady. I lived in their house for four of the nine years they are talking about.  . . . Anytime we brought her into public, she acted a complete fool."

Emmanuel Nnaji Jr. said his father and stepmother are nurses who devote their lives to helping people. He said they are both from Nigeria and, on one of their visits home, they agreed to bring the woman to the U.S. in exchange for her help taking care of their six children.

He said that he never saw his father or stepmother abuse or mistreat the woman and that they gave her whatever she asked for. He said he believes that one of his father’s associates persuaded her to make the complaint.

"She ends up talking to one of my dad’s associates and they put it in her head that my dad kidnapped her," the younger Nnaji said. "One day, she burst out of the house and leaves the kids and runs to the FBI and makes up some bogus" story.

Emmanuel Nnaji Jr. said he also never heard the woman talk about her children.

"I found out she had kids from the FBI," he said.

Emmanuel Nnaji Jr. said his father and stepmother have been under investigation for two or three years and were recently arrested but are free on bail. He said he doesn’t know the woman’s whereabouts.

"I’m just tired of it," he said. "My dad is a good man."

If convicted, Emmanuel Nnaji and Ngozi Nnaji face a maximum sentence of up to 55 years in prison. Ngozi Nnaji, a Nigerian national, also faces deportation if she is convicted of any of the felonies, according to the news release.

Source- Star Telegraph USA

Karwa men say three cheers to crackdown on illegal cabs

DOHA-In recent weeks, the Traffic and Patrols Department has stepped up its crackdown on illegal private taxis plying in the city.

The offence is punishable under Qatar Traffic laws with a fine of QR3,000 and impounding of the car.Karwa Taxi drivers, the consequential victims of the offence, are naturally happy with the new development.

As the illegal and more numerous competitors stole their passengers with impunity, the Karwa drivers see this move as a morale booster.

A Filipino Taxi Driver, Ninto Mendel, said: “the increasing number of illegal taxis had apparently outnumbered Karwa taxis in the country causing the average daily income of Karwa drivers to fall.

With this crackdown, I hope to be able to meet the company’s demand and save for myself.

This crackdown is very good.” Rasik an Indian Karwa driver said, “I am happy with the current crackdown on private cabs, they compete with us at major shopping malls and bus stops, they pick up passengers from the roads and also get prior bookings on phone.” Usman Badrou an Eritrean driver wanted stronger action.

“If private cabs are totally eradicated from the roads our productivity and efficiency will be go up as there will be more passengers per vehicle to pick up.

We’ll be prompt and happy to work,” he said.

With these efforts to curb illegal private cabs, however, many residents believe that shortage of taxis in Doha would aggravate, unless Mowasalat goes for a further expansion of its fleet of buses and taxis.

Mowasalat on its part has no plans to increase its fleet of taxis.

“For now, we are concentrating on completion of the Karwa City project.

Any major expansion would come up next year,” said an official.

Kimo Mohammed, a Sudanese resident said, “Private taxis are not only cheaper than Karwa taxis.

They also come at short notice in contrast to Karwa taxis where booking 24 hours in advance is probably the only guarantee.”

Nigerians yearn for native food


If you are a Nigerian and wish to savour your country’s delicacies in Doha, you may find it very tough to cater to your taste buds.

Since typical Nigerian dishes are very rich and spicy foods, having different varieties and flavours, it is almost impossible to find them in the local restaurants.

As a result, many Nigerians have compromised with the situation and taken to alternative foods.

Talking to Qatar Tribune, Gbenga Aladesanmi a Nigerian music teacher, said, “My eating habit has changed because I don’t have access to ‘iyon’ (pounded yam).

There are no Nigerian food stores here.

So we have to make do with what we have in locally available food items.

This has resulted in poor and, at times, unhealthy eating habits because most of us are not so good at cooking healthy meals.

Instead, we prefer to eat fast foods.” He said if at all the food items of their country are available, they are very expensive.

“The cost of a yam tuber range from above QR150 and to elaborately prepare a meal of pounded yam you need two to three tubers, which is expensive.

Most of the time, it is easier to pick up your phone and dial a meal that would be delivered at your doorsteps.

The absence of a Nigerian restaurant affects my eating habit.

I have taken to local foods like kubus which is different from my Agege bread.” Commenting on the absence of Nigerian delicacies and what he misses about home, Bayo Anjorin, said, “During many evenings, I think of the food, not just any type of food, but the type that could be eaten or enjoyed in the company of my native friends and family over some drinks, complemented by a football game on TV and spiced up with arguments and debates over the different aspects of our national life.

I miss amala and gbegiri, not to forget ‘ewa agoyin’.

These are meals I can’t find here, even at family kitchens.” Ibrahim Yusuff, an IT expert, said, “I hope to relish eating a typical Nigerian delicacy when we celebrate our national day on October 1. There are food stores, Indians, Filipinos, Nepalis and other nationalities, but none for Nigerians.

May be the cost of setting up a food store is something enormous that the average Nigerian food vendor can’t afford.” Since the Nigerian expatriates miss their authentic delicacies, they are always on the look out to go back to their country during the vacations to enjoy a good meal.

Etihad to open new premium lounge at London Heathrow

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is to open a new premium lounge at London Heathrow airport as part of the airline’s flights moving from Terminal Three to Terminal Four on 30 September 2009.

First and business class customers and Etihad Guest Gold and Silver card holders will have access to the new lounge, conveniently located opposite the gates most commonly used by Etihad Airways for flight departures.

The lounge gives passengers an opportunity to relax in style and enjoy a range of services and facilities. These include individual treatment rooms where therapists from Six Senses Spa will offer facials, foot and leg massages. Customers can also enjoy five-star dining facilities in the lounge with a selection of foods from around the world, all cooked in an open kitchen.

A modern timber panelled business centre provides individual workstations and privacy for those with laptops. Other features include a prayer room, a relaxing seating area with Poltrona Frau leather chairs and a bathroom and shower facilities for customers to freshen up in prior to departure.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ chief commercial officer, said: “We are proud that we will soon be offering one of the best customer lounges available at London Heathrow.

“Our new premium lounge at the airport represents a major investment and demonstrates the airline’s continuing commitment to deliver world-class premium products and services to its first and business class customers on the ground as well as in the air.”

Etihad Airways unveiled its first new premium lounge outside the UAE in July 2009 in Frankfurt, Germany.

Etihad Airways also provides a complimentary limousine service for its first and business class passengers flying in and out of London Heathrow. First class customers flying to London Heathrow are also the first to take advantage of the airline’s new first class product.

The airline’s highly-anticipated new first class suite entered into service between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow on Wednesday 25 August.

The new private suite provides first class customers with an extra-large leather seat, upholstered by world-renowned leather company Poltrona Frau, which extends to a fully-flat bed, 80.5 inches in length.

Within the cabin customers also have access to a large and luxurious changing room with a full length mirror, wash basin and leather fold-down seat to allow passengers to freshen up at any time during the flight.

IATA: In the Red, Despite Demand Improvements

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced international scheduled traffic results for July showing passenger demand declining 2.9% compared to the same month in the previous year while freight demand was down 11.3%. The international passenger load factors stood at 80.3%.

The July passenger demand fall of 2.9% was a relative improvement over the 7.2% drop in June and the 6.8% decline recorded over the first seven months of the year. July capacity was more in line with reduced demand than in previous months and load factors are similar to those recorded in July 2008. These positive developments, however, have come at the expense of yields which continue to fall sharply.

The 11.3% decline in cargo demand for July was also a relative improvement over the -16.5% recorded in June and the -19.3% average for the first seven months of the year. Despite this improvement, the July freight load factor of 47.6% was lower than the 49% recorded in July 2008.

“Demand may look better, but the bottom line has not improved. We have seen little change to the unprecedented fall in yields and revenues. The months ahead are marked by many uncertainties, including the price of oil. The road to recovery will be both slow and volatile. In the meantime, the industry remains in intensive care,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

International Passenger Demand

All regions saw improved demand performance compared to June, but significant differences by region should be noted:

Asia-Pacific carriers are experiencing the extremes of this recession. The 7.6% fall in passenger demand compared to July 2008, was the largest decline of any region. At the same time, compared to the -14.5% recorded in June, the relative improvement to -7.6% was also the biggest among all regions. Economic growth returned during the second quarter in a number of Asian economies, to a much larger extent than elsewhere. This was likely the driver behind July’s better performance. The impact on passenger confidence from Influenza A(H1N1) was also somewhat diminished as media coverage of the disease decreased.

• European and North American carriers saw declines of 3.1% and 3.2% respectively. Passengers have been trading down to cheaper seats in the face of recession pressures. Airlines have also been leaving less expensive fares open for sale much longer (closer to departures dates) in the face of excess capacity and intensifying competition. The July improvement in travel demand was more the result of deep discounting than stronger incomes or greater economic confidence.
• Latin American carriers saw demand decline by 3.5%. This was the only region to see a greater decline in June than the seven month average which is -3.0%.
• African carriers saw a fall of 5.5% compared to the seven month average of -8.6%.
• Middle Eastern carriers were the only region to grow in July. The 13.2% growth in July was slightly better than the 12.9% recorded in June. The growth is fueled by increased capacity and greater market share in traffic between Europe and Asia.

International Air Freight

Freight demand on international markets was 11.3% lower in July than a year earlier, but was a considerably better result than the -16.5% recorded in June. All regions, except Africa, saw improvement in demand compared to June. The Middle East was the only region to grow.

Falls by Asia-Pacific carriers, European carriers and North American carriers were 9.5%, 16.2% and 14.6% respectively.

• African carriers posted the worst performance at -25.9%. This was the only region to see a deterioration in freight demand compared to June when the region’s carriers posted a 20.2% decline compared to the same month in the previous year.
• Middle Eastern carriers were the only region to grow, posting a 1% growth in demand compared to July 2008.
• Latin American carriers posted a 1.2% fall in demand compared to July 2008.

The stabilization of air freight demand in the first quarter and its improvement in the second quarter has helped reduce the rate at which excess capacity has been growing. But load factors are still lower than levels seen at the same time last year. Downward pressure on freight rates and revenues continued to intensify in July.

“The freight numbers tell an interesting story. The sector is being boosted as companies re-stock depleted inventories. Once inventories are at desired levels in relation to sales, improvements in demand will level off until business and consumer confidence returns. Given the large amount of debt in all sectors of the economy, instant relief is not in the forecast,” said Bisignani.

“Airlines need to make their money in the June-August peak travel season. Planes are full. Load factors are high. But revenues are way down. Conserving cash, effectively managing capacity and cutting costs will be the long-term theme for every business in the air transport value chain,” said Bisignani.

Abu Dhabi Expands Links to Europe with Ukraine International Airlines New Direct Route to Kiev


Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) today announced that Ukraine’s leading international carrier, Ukraine International Airlines (UIA), will commence the first direct service from Abu Dhabi to the Ukrainian capital of Kiev.

The initial flight is scheduled to depart from Abu Dhabi International Airport on Friday 25 September 2009, with twice weekly flights due to arrive in Abu Dhabi at 2030 hours on Mondays and Fridays, and depart the following morning at 0155 hours on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

In addition to generating traffic between Abu Dhabi and Kiev, the operation is timed to allow easy transfer for passengers onto the wide network of onward services offered from Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Ukraine International Airlines will operate a Boeing 737 aircraft configured in two product classes, business and economy, for the flight which is expected to take around five and a half hours in each direction.

The service forms one of the key components to build upon the already strong business links between the Ukraine and the UAE. Other measures include the establishment of the Ukraine – UAE Business Council to facilitate trade and economic relations and realize the potential commercial opportunities between the two nations.

In this regard, Mohammed Al Bulooki, Vice President of Airline Marketing and Aeronautical Revenue of ADAC, stated: “We warmly welcome Ukraine International Airlines with their new route to Kiev, which helps to expand the number of European destinations serviced directly from Abu Dhabi International Airport”.

“Not only does the service provide the opportunity for business and leisure tourists to experience the rich tourism offerings within the Ukrainian capital, it also allows passengers from Kiev to utilize the fast and efficient transfer facilities at Abu Dhabi International Airport, and take advantage of the links provided by International carriers and Etihad Airways to other destinations around the world.”, Al Bulooki added.

From his side, Yuri Miroshnikov, President of Ukraine International Airlines, stated:“We are delighted to be expanding our operations in the Middle East with this new service to Abu Dhabi. We have already had a great response from our business customers wishing to take advantage of the convenient new direct service, and leisure passengers travelling to experience the distinctive Arabic hospitality and unique culture and heritage of the UAE.”

To support the new route into the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) facilitated a familiarization trip for representatives of the Ukrainian media. As part of the trip, ADAC hosted an afternoon presentation at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which focused on ADAC’s main role and mission to develop the aviation sector in the UAE, and highlighted the upcoming developments such as the landmark Midfield Terminal Complex and the world-class boutique duty free offering at the new Terminal 3.

Romanian Special Envoy envisions Improved Qatar Ties


The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its Ambassador at large or Special Envoy, Vasile Sofineti recently visited Qatar to boost the relationship between its Country and Qatar, with other Gulf Countries.

The Ambassador at Large visited the Ministry of foreign Affairs , where dialogue and discussions centered on opening new bridges of understanding and partnership between the two nations.Also the meeting touched on ways of boosting relationship and creating a portfolio of opportunities for Qatari business men and other GCC nationals.

The visit to Qatar is the first in the region by the Ambassador who will visit other Gulf Countries in the coming days.

The Ambassador said, " My Mission is not easy but it has the chance to succeed, we are organizing a Romanian Business Forum come next April 2010, the forum is for Romanians, Central European and GCC businessmen to come see the business potentials and opportunities in Romania .A Cultural display by participating nations is also on cue, am thrilled with the meetings that i had, and with the ideas that i got from all those meetings, which help fulfil my mandate"

"Am Promoting the ideas of partnership, we invite Qatari business men to look into the Romanian Market, where they will find a lot of opportunities and they can be assured of our full support", said Vasile Sofineti.

"Romania has excellent Political relations with Gulf Countries, the Political dialogue is very sincere and friendly,in the last 20 years we align our relationship with the European Union and NATO because they are closer and we are in the same Continent, we want to ignite and open new bridges with friends"

"Traditionally we have had a lot of Arab Students studying in Romania now we have a few thousands, because of that we have large numbers of Arab Communities in Romania.So many have taken Romanian Citizenship, the people who study in Romania are large assets for us"

"We have had good economic ties with the Arab World.We can work together in oil inspection field, we can also assist the big projects that Qatar is envisaging, like the security systems in the new airport, also Information technology, though India is close, we have had successes in Tunisia. In Tourism and Agriculture there is open invitation to know each other better as a member of the EU and NATO, am sure Romania will be a pleasant surprise for Qatari businessmen.

The new Ambassador at Large for the relations with Arab countries in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is a Journalist Cum Diplomat, he served as Editor in Radio Bucharest (1978-1990)in charge of Persian Language, he has also served as Ambassador in Jordan, India and accredited to Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Malaysia Dangerous Place To Visit

Malaysia is the most recent Countries according to Rights watchdog Amnesty, who has failed to abolish caning, saying that tens of thousands of migrants had received the "inhuman and degrading" punishment in recent years.

Amnesty cited a statement in Malaysian parliament last week that said local authorities had caned at least 34,923 migrants between 2002 and 2008, 60 percent of them from neighboring Indonesia.

"Amnesty International urges the Malaysian government to rid the country of this cruel punishment," the London-based group said in a statement.

"Whipping someone with a cane is cruel, inhuman and degrading, and international standards make clear that such treatment constitutes torture."

Apart from Indonesians, those caned were also from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines and Thailand.

Malaysia, Southeast Asia's third largest economy, has 2.2 million migrant workers in Malaysia, who are the mainstay of the plantation and manufacturing sectors.

The caning sentence was added to Malaysian immigration laws since 2002, amid concern over the ramifications of having a large migrant workforce.

Under the laws, those staying in Malaysia illegally are subject to a mandatory whipping of up to six strokes of the cane, fines and up to five years in jail.

Caning is also carried out for serious offences including rape and drug trafficking.

"The practice is humiliating, and causes such pain that people have reportedly fainted. Those caned often carry scars, psychological as well as physical, for years," Amnesty said.

Nigerian Held at Moscow Hotel as Fake Diplomat A Nigerian native posing as a diplomat was detained Tuesday as he tried to enter the Ritz-Carlton hotel where U.S. President Barack Obama was staying with his family, Moscow police said. Police officers guarding Tverskaya Ulitsa, where the hotel is located, noticed the man loitering around the hotel and stopped him as he tried to mingle with Obama’s security detail, police said. “The man provided documents saying he was Prince Henry Obasy, a diplomat with Nigeria’s embassy in Moscow, and he said he had received [the documents] from the Foreign Ministry’s state protocol department,” Viktor Paukov, police chief for Moscow’s central district, said in a statement. The papers turned out to be fake and he was detained. The man refused to elaborate on what he was doing at the hotel, police said. The Foreign Ministry told police that it had not registered anyone named Prince Henry Obasy, and the Nigerian Embassy denied having a diplomat with that name. Police have opened an investigation on the matter. Obama and his wife, Michelle, traveled around Moscow for meetings for most of the day Tuesday, while their two young daughters stayed at the hotel with their grandmother.

Michael Jackson dies at age of 50 and would fondly be remembered as the king of pop music.

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Robert Ménard leaves Doha Centre

Robert Ménard and his team have left the Doha Centre for Media Freedom. "The Centre has been suffocated. We no longer have either the freedom or the resources to do our work", he explained.

"For several months we have made an independent voice heard, one that has exposed violence with concern for nothing but the truth. We have helped more than 250 endangered journalists and media all over the world, and I think we can be proud of that.

"But some Qatari officials never wanted an independent Centre, free to speak out without concern for politics or diplomacy, free to criticise even Qatar. How can we have any credibility if we keep quiet about problems in the country that is our host? Now the Centre has been suffocated. We no longer have either the freedom or the resources to do our work. This cannot go on. I was willing to make any necessary compromises as long as the foundations of our work – assistance grants, statements of opinion - were safeguarded. But that is no longer the case."Ménard went on: "This is a pity, especially as media freedom is particularly threatened in this part of the world. More than 30 journalists are currently imprisoned in the Middle East and North Africa. Since the start of the year, several journalists have been killed in the region: in Iraq, Iran and the Palestinian Territories. The Centre was always there to give assistance to families, pay lawyers’ fees and help those who wanted to travel to less dangerous areas.

"It was the first time that an international organisation for the defence of media freedom had been set up in a country outside the West. It was made possible by the Emir and his wife Sheikha Mozah. Thanks to them, we have completed projects such as starting an independent news agency for Somali journalists, providing bulletproof jackets in Somalia, Iraq and Pakistan, opening a press centre in Gaza, supplying newsprint to newspapers in Guinea-Bissau. Our work has not been in vain, and we can only hope it will be continued in some way."Ménard spoke about the obstacles encountered by the Centre and pointed to those responsible, particularly Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani, who is also President of the Board of Al Jazeera: "Those who have caused us problems do not accept the idea of our independence and freedom of speech. They constantly put obstables in our way, thereby going against the commitments we have made.

"For example, Centre staff were prevented from leaving the country temporarily and had to apply for a permit whenever they needed to travel. Sheikh Hamad refused to sign administrative documents that would have enabled the Centre to take in journalists under threat in their own countries, as originally planned. His office told us recently that giving shelter to journalists from countries such as Iran might go against Qatar’s diplomatic interests. This confirmed that the Centre’s independence was, in his eyes, a myth.

"Sheikh Hamad also tried to enforce new internal regulations, in violation of the Centre’s statutes and with a view to keeping tighter control over how the Centre was run. He would have had the power to censor the Centre’s statements. Finally, payment of the Centre’s budget, scheduled for 1 April, has been continually delayed and we are now unable to answer appeals from journalists in danger, in Pakistan, Somalia and elsewhere.

"Returning to more basic matters, Qatar has still not ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, despite frequent promises. And the committee that was supposed to discuss a new law on the media - and on which we had been invited to sit - has still not held any meetings." Ménard concluded: "I do not doubt the sincerity of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah and her determination to advance the cause of freedom, especially media freedom. But she is not alone. And those who prefer to retain the status quo are many, powerful and obstinate.

"No-one but her would have dared imagine a Centre like the one we have built here. Maybe Sheikha Mozah is too far ahead of her fellow citizens, too ’modern’ for political figures attached to the status quo, too aware of the challenges in this world for dignitaries concerned only with their own interests."

The heads of the assistance, research and communications departments have also left the Centre. The Doha Centre for Media Freedom was set up on the initiative of Sheikha Mozah and Reporters Without Borders in December 2007. Ménard, who became director-general on 1 April 2008, was the founder of Reporters Without Borders, which he headed for 23 years until 1 October 2008.

Illegal immigrant jailed for stealing identity

The UK Border Agency has published details of a man, in the UK illegally, who has been jailed this week for two-and-a-half years for stealing another man’s identity and pretending to be him for 12 years.

The report continues:

Sukhjiwan Singh Burham, a 37-year-old Indian national of Erica Close in Slough, was arrested by UK Border Agency officers during a raid on a catering firm in Southall, west London on 2 April 2009.

He claimed to be a British national named Avtar Singh, and a later search of his property by immigration officers uncovered a marriage certificate and driving licence in that name. However, they also found letters and other documentation in his true name.

UK Border Agency checks revealed that the real Avtar Singh is a British citizen living in Canada, who was interviewed by officials at the British High Commission to establish his identity.

Burham later admitted that he had entered the country illegally in 1996, and had paid £3,000 for an illegally obtained United Kingdom passport. He had then used that passport to enable his wife, whom he married in India in 2003, and three children to enter the country.

On 16 June he pleaded guilty to fraud, deception and a series of immigration offences at Reading Crown Court. He was jailed for two-and-a-half years, with an automatic recommendation that he be deported.

Burham’s wife and children are now awaiting removal from the United Kingdom.

Gareth Redmond, area director for the UK Border Agency, said:

‘This conviction shows how seriously the UK Border Agency takes criminals who use false or fake identity documents.

‘We now have teams of specialist police and immigration officers working side by side to investigate exactly this kind of crime. This is another example of their success.

‘We will continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder with the police and other enforcement partners to identify criminal activity and remove those who have no right to be in this country.’

Burham was one of nine people arrested during a UK Border Agency enforcement operation at KMB Catering in Southall. The firm was warned that they face a fine of up to £90,000 for employing the men without carrying out the correct right-to-work checks.
Ends.

Employers can be fined up to £10,000 per illegal worker under the new ‘Civil Penalty’ system.

Cynthia Barker of Immigration Adviser, Bison UK, said:

”Employers are advised to carry out regular file checks, or use a specialist vetting service provided by a qualified immigration adviser.”

http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk/

UAE plans towards sustainable tourism.

The DTCM has announced the official launch of the first-ever initiative to reduce carbon emission (CO2) in the hospitality industry by 20 per cent by the year 2011.

The launch is together with the Dubai Green Tourism Award which will be in line with the World Environment Day.

The initiatives are part of the department’s ambitious Sustainable Tourism agenda for the emirate, a sought-after tourism destination in the world.

The award, to be presented in December 2009, is expected to attract 200 hotels from three, four and five stars and deluxe hotel apartments who are eligible to compete for the annual honours.

This was announced at a Press conference held on Wednesday at the InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival City. It was addressed by Mr. Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman, DTCM Executive Director Media Relations and Business Development, Ms. Shaikha Al Mutawa, DTCM Director Business Development, and Mr. Majid Saqr Al Marri, DTCM Director of Hotels Classification.

Mr. Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman said: “The programmes are part of the department’s efforts to introduce best practices to improve the service standards and excellence in tourism industry. This is a major initiative designed to encourage and acknowledge the significant efforts of the emirate’s tourism industry towards the Sustainable Tourism.”

The department, recognizing the issues associated with global warming, has undertaken as one of its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) the initiative to reduce by 20 per cent carbon emissions within the hospitality sector by 2011.

He said the initiative focuses on conservation of natural resources and sensible use of energy, water and gas etc. as their excessive use causes degradation in the environment by disturbing the eco balance in the atmosphere.

He said this initiative is in line with vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to turn Dubai into a green and environmentally-responsible community. Environment conservation and protection has been emphasized in the Dubai Strategy Plan 2015.

The main objectives of the initiative are to increase awareness about the global warming and CO2 emissions and energy usage in the tourism industry, encourage environmental practices in the hospitality industry, introduce new initiatives that highlight the importance of CSR programmes and develop awareness and educational culture within hospitality sector about the sustainable tourism.

Mr. Majid Saqr Al Marri, DTCM Director of Hotels Classification, gave a presentation about the Dubai Green Tourism Award website and offered comprehensive information about the Dubai Green Tourism Award 2009 submission process. He said applications of the award can be submitted in person at a special counter being created on 10th Floor of DTCM Head Office and also online through the website being created by the department.

Ms. Shaikha Al Mutawa, DTCM Director Business Development, said submission of applications for the award will be accepted until July 7 followed by awareness workshop on Sunday, 21st June 2009. From July 8 to 22, the evaluation process will be conducted with the awards presentation ceremony to be conducted in December 2009.

She said by embracing sustainability initiatives, Dubai hotels can gain a competitive edge that would undoubtedly have a positive impact on like-minded tour operators.

In Dubai, the average hotel produces 6500 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annual and the size of the carbon footprint produced by all hotels in Dubai, is estimated to be over 500 million kilos a year - equivalent to 60,000 round-trip flights between Dubai and London.

A high-level panel of officials and experts will evaluate and assess the submissions for the award in a two-tier selection process which will be of international standard. A judging panel will also visit the participating hotel establishments. The assessment will cover the participating organisation’s environmental strategy and environmental issues that their initiatives and programmes addresses, history of environmental performance of these initiatives and education and awareness.

The award sponsors are EcoVentures, M.Can, InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival City, and Philips. The Press conference attended by Shezan Amiji, Director and CO-founder, Eco Ventures, Louis Hakim, Vice President, Royal Philips Electronics CEO Philips Middle East, Shadi Hassan, General Manager MCAN and Steven Greenwood, General Manager Inter-continental Hotel.

DTCM appointed Farnek Averial to conduct and implement the DTCM CO2 Reduction programme.

Kia Motors posts 11.5% increase in May global sales

Kia Motors Corporation announced that its global sales figures for passenger cars (export sales, domestic sales, and sales from overseas plants), recreational vehicles (RVs), and commercial vehicles for May 2009 recorded a total of 141,949 units. This marks a year-on-year increase of 11.5%.

By region, Kia posted year-on-year sales increases in China (20,252 units, a 51.3% year-on-year increase), Korea (38,102 units, a 44.0% year-on-year increase) and general markets (23,430 units, a 13.0% year-on-year increase).

Cumulatively through the first five months of 2009, Kia’s global sales increased by 0.5% year-on-year and reached 590,934 units. General markets experienced the largest gain, selling 110,289 units through May and representing a 17.0% increase, while the Korean and Chinese markets showed cumulative year-on-year sales increases of 14.2% (146,518 units) and 13.5% (74,797 units), respectively.

So far in 2009, Kia’s best selling model in overseas markets has been the C-segment Cerato (known as ‘Spectra’ or ‘Forte’ in some markets) with 95,883 units sold. The B-segment Rio comes in second with 60,780 units sold, followed closely by the Sportage compact SUV with 58,091 units sold. Sales of the C-segment cee’d and the A-segment Picanto continue to perform well with 50,544 and 35,951 units sold, respectively.

In terms of vehicle category sold overseas, Kia’s recreational vehicles achieved an increase of 24.6% year-on-year, selling 36,187 units in May.

Hyoung-Keun Lee, Senior Executive Vice President and COO of the International Business Division, Kia Motors Corporation, said “We are five months into the year and have already surpassed the half million global sales mark, and have experienced consistently high and significant year-on-year gains in general markets and China. Considering the global climate, these results are even more impressive and our message to our dealers is to continue their great work.”

The New Straits Times Online: Nigerian leaps seven floors to evade cops

The New Straits Times Online: Nigerian leaps seven floors to evade cops

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QIB Finances Salam Bounian Tower for QR 206 Million

Doha – QIB and Salam Bounian have signed a QR 206 million Musharaka agreement through which the Bank will finance the developer’s Jumana Tower at The Pearl. QIB is a leading financial institution in Qatar, financing some of the country’s largest vital projects and is a dedicated supporter of the country’s economy.

Jumana Tower is a residential project at The Pearl’s Porto Arabia. Facing the marina, the 28-floor tower offers 250 luxury apartments. Jumana Tower construction is proceeding according to schedule and is due to be delivered next year.

QIB CEO, Mr. Salah Jaidah, commented on this agreement, saying, “Qatar’s economic growth has been measured between seven and nine percent in 2009. With continual government support of the local real estate sector and the resulting involvement of primary local financial institutions such as QIB, sector growth will continue to rise and the market will see an increasing number of large finance deals such as QIB’s agreement with Salam Bounian.”

Mr. Ahmad Meshari, QIB General Manager, Domestic Business Group, said, “QIB and Salam Bounian have a strong collaborative history regarding Sharia’-compliant finance agreements. QIB has previously organized sukuk for Salam Bounian for a USD 137.5 million finance for “The Gate” project. This Jumana Tower agreement is an extension of QIB and Salam Bounian’s strong relationship characterized by the strength and stability of its real estate projects.”

Salam Bounian General Manager, Mr. Yasser Hamad, said of the QIB – Salam Bounian partnership, “This agreement is symbolic in that it is the first major Islamic finance agreement to occur since last year’s Q3 crisis. It proves that Salam Bounian is respected in the banking industry and is considered a strong company in the market with a solid foundation and good reputation.”

DOHA: Despite the constraints faced by the organisers, the Akon concert held last Month has turned out to be one of the most successful concerts held in Qatar.

Qatar Vision not only brought an international artiste such as Akon to Doha but also successfully hosted the event without any major or official sponsor. The Akon crew pocketed QR1m for the performance, for which 8,960 tickets were sold.

The InterContinental hotel’s beach was a perfect location for the big event. The hotel provided Akon a full suite with food and beverages and arranged the visas for the artist and the crew.

While the event brought much publicity to Doha for having hosted a magnificent concert, the absence of an official sponsor was sorely felt by the organisers. They could get some sponsorship only at the last minute from Kodak, Pepsi and Sarq.

Sharif Omar Hashisho, Managing Director of Qatar Vision, said: “We did not make any money in Akon but we are happy that all Doha is speaking about it. The profit is not really much if we compare it to the hard work done for the event. At least we had great exposure and managed to prove to people that Qvision is capable of doing an amazing job in bringing to Qatar superstar artists such as Akon.”

On the issue of sponsorship, he said: “Honestly, without good sponsors and government support, its just too much for us as a private company to do all this work ourselves. If sponsors cover 50 percent of your cost you are in a good shape and can bring even better artists.”

“From my side, I am extremely happy that everyone who attended the concert left with a great impression about the good organisation and professional work of the Qvision team. I am also happy because Qatar now is going to be considered a place artists would include in their future tours. I am also happy because we had zero incidents regarding safety or security of our guests. I am also happy because Akon and his musicians left Qatar with a great impression about the culture and hospitality and are ready to come back again and again,” Hashisho added.

DOHA: The Diplomatic Club, Doha’s premier private club providing its members and guests with a luxurious lifestyle, announced yesterday its portfolio expansion for 2009 with several projects currently under way.

These new plans reflects the Diplomatic Club’s longstanding relationship in the hospitality industry and the company’s continued ability to provide unparalleled and outstanding standards of services within this field.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Saad Hilal Al Muhannadi, CEO of Diplomatic Club said: “In order to continuously provide a prestigious lifestyle to its patrons, the Diplomatic Club is undergoing some minor and major facelifts. This year, the club underwent a complete renovation of its main lobby and member’s lounge areas with designs that are both comforting and classic in appearance ensuring grace and elegance.”

Le Grill Restaurant, renowned for the best grilled meats in town, is currently undergoing a transformation in its design features in order to provide its clientele with alternative new look.

Also in the pipeline, and in order to meet the ever increasing number of guests, is the construction of a new multi-storey Al Sayyad restaurant, located adjacent to the existing site. The new restaurant will feature regular seating areas, as well as private majles areas and a terrace overlooking the magnificent views of the west bay lagoon, said Al Muhannadi.

The Diplomatic Club is accelerating its expansion programme with the construction of a luxury hotel in the club’s premises. The Hotel will be located by the beachfront, overlooking the west bay lagoon and will offer 100 rooms and suites, restaurants, roof top bar and retail shops. The design of the building will be inspired by the traditional construction of the club but with an added modern touch in order to comply with current market trends and styles.

Also the Diplomatic Club has ventured into the business of Hotel management services with the creation of DC Hotels.

A formal agreement was signed between the two parties which mean the Diplomatic Club for Hotel Management Services will manage the DC Hotel Brand and will provide hotel owners advisory services and input before and during construction, manage the pre-opening stages of the new property and operate the hotel throughout the contracted period.

The Diplomatic Club for Hotel Management services has recently been awarded the operation of its first 2 hotels in Doha this year, with the opening of DC Hotel at the 44 West Bay Tower and the DC Hotel Musheireb.

DOHA: Qatar Charity recently opened a mosque in Mali in the presence of Malian President Amadou Toumani Touré.

During a meeting with representatives of Qatar Charity, the president commended the efforts of the charity in building mosques and administering development projects in the country over the past several years. A certificate of appreciation was given to

Qatar Charity.

A representative of Qatar Charity said the mosque was built to alleviate the hardship faced by the elderly and the women, as it is the nearest mosque for the

local community.

Qatar Charity also distributed canned meat to widows, the disabled, the elderly and the poor in a number of villages, and also in canteens in several elementary schools. Six schools in four rural communities of the province of Koulikoro and the poor in 18 villages were the beneficiaries.

The distribution was conducted at a ceremony in Bashanvala village. It was attended by a representative of the governor of Koulikoro, an academic director of a university, heads of the beneficiary rural communities and the director of the office of the World Food Programme in Mali.

The World Food Programme official expressed happiness over the initiative taken by Qatar Charity to support the school feeding programme in rural schools. He said this had brought joy to the hearts of children and their parents, as they were exempted from bearing the expenses of the last two school meals.

The initiative is the first of its kind by any charity organisation in Mali and will reduce the burden borne by parents of schoolchildren. It will also encourage students to continue their education and contribute to a high rate of school enrolment in the target villages. The WFP official called for expanding the programme to other schools and continuing it in the coming years.

In recent years, Qatar Charity has implemented a range of health and educational projects in Mali, building five schools, three clinics, two multi-purpose centres and more than 30 mosques.