Tag Archives: dubai
Musharraf at court for the first time for treason hearing
Musharraf at court for the first time for treason hearing (AFP) / 18 February 2014 He was first ordered to appear before the tribunal on December 24, but had missed repeated hearings since then due to bomb scares and health problems. Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf arrived in court on Tuesday for the first time to face charges in a treason case he has denounced as a score-settling exercise by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The 70-year-old arrived in a heavily protected cavalcade of at least half a dozen vehicles at the National Library in Islamabad where the court has been holding hearings, an AFP photographer said. No former military leader has appeared in court before, and the trial is seen as a test of the supremacy of civilian rule in a country governed for more than half its history by the army after three coups. Musharraf faces possible treason charges, which can carry the death penalty, over his suspension of the constitution and imposition of a state of emergency in 2007 while he was president. He was first ordered to appear before the tribunal on December 24, but had missed repeated hearings since then due to bomb scares and health problems that saw him complain of a heart ailment. Musharraf has challenged the civilian court’s right to try a former army chief, saying he is entitled to be dealt with by a military tribunal. He has accused Prime Minister Sharif, whom he ousted in a 1999 coup, of waging a “vendetta” and has asked for permission to go abroad for medical treatment, which has been refused. Sharif came to power after elections in May last year in the first transfer of power from one elected government to another after a full term. Musharraf has endured a torrid time since returning to Pakistan in March last year on an ill-fated mission to run in the general election. Almost as soon as he landed he was barred from contesting the vote and hit with a barrage of legal cases dating back to his 1999-2008 rule. The charges against him include the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007. So far, nothing has come of rumours that a backroom deal would be struck to get Musharraf out of the country before trial, to avoid a destabilising clash between the government and the powerful armed forces. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Dubai puts cap on school fee hike
Dubai puts cap on school fee hike Dhanusha Gokulan / 17 February 2014 Annual hike to be not more than 5-7% depending on performance: DEC Schools in Dubai will not be allowed more than an annual 5-7 per cent hike in fees based on performance rates awarded by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and even when the education cost index (ECI) records high costs. The Dubai Executive Council (DEC) announced its decision on Sunday to place the school fee cap depending on the schools’ performance. An official said that the annual school fee hike must not cross the rating awarded by the KHDA based on the school’s performance evaluation index. Parents, according to the annual school fee rise cap, would only have to bear a maximum of 5-7 per cent hike annually during the over-inflation times while investors would have to bear much more than that percentage. Schools rated ‘outstanding’ shall be given a seven per cent increase, school rated ‘good’ will be given six per cent, schools rated ‘acceptable’ and ‘poor’ shall be given five per cent. These projections released by the DEC add that if the cost of education index is negative or zero, then no increase will be allowed. The education costs index is measured by gauging the operational charges paid by a school. The resolution explained that a framework would be developed to give the schools the right to apply for restructuring their fees if the inflation rates negatively impacts the profitability and development of their services. The education costs index for the year 2013 saw an increase by 1.74 per cent as compared to 2012, based on the reports released by the Dubai Statistical Centre (DSC) and the KHDA. According to Abdulla Al Shaibani, Secretary-General of DEC, the decision is aimed at keeping the vision of good education at an acceptable fee to students and guardians. “The function of the council is to adopt policies that will contribute to meeting the needs of Emiratis and residents in Dubai and increase the competitiveness of the emirate socially and economically,” he said. This decision, he said would encourage schools rated ‘outstanding’ and ‘good’ to carry on by giving them better profit rates than schools rated ‘acceptable’ and ‘poor’. The cap would also help regulate the general inflation rate in the emirate by restraining the inflation on education within acceptable levels. According to the KHDA’s current fee framework, outstanding schools will be eligible for up to a 3.48 per cent raise, good schools are eligible for up to 2.61 per cent and the rest will be granted up to a 1.74 per cent rise. In a statement issued to the Press, the authority said that every school in Dubai has been directly informed of the changes by the KHDA. Some of the school authorities that Khaleej Times tried to get in touch with for a response on the decision said that they are still trying to fully understand the ruling and a detailed circular will be issues to parents and stakeholders. Staff salaries accounted for 60 per cent out of the operational charges at private schools, followed by rent, maintenance fee, and electricity and water bill, along with other factors that have been included in the calculation of the education costs index. dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Restaurant transforms dining tables into interactive tables
Restaurant transforms dining tables into interactive tables Afkar Abdullah and Amira Agarib / 17 February 2014 Guests can browse through the menu, see pictures of each dish, read the descriptions, place their order directly from their table to the kitchen and then watch it being prepared on ‘Chef Cam’. From choosing your own ‘tablecloth’ designs to watching videos of the ordered food being prepared, Dubai’s first smart restaurant offers it all. As part of Dubai Smart City, this amazing restaurant uses interactive technology to transform dining tables into smart interactive tables that provide innovative ways to make the customer’s experience more interesting. People are flocking Ebony Restaurant — the first of its kind in the UAE and Middle East — not just to satisfy their taste buds, but to also experience ‘smart dining’. The dining tables here are smart touch screens in which guests can see the menu, order their food and connect to the Internet, too. The multi-cuisine restaurant offers African-Mediterranean fusion dishes, Arab, Asian and popular international food. The interiors of Ebony restaurant at the Bay Avenue Mall, Dubai— KT photo by Rahul Gajjar With just a touch, guests can browse through the menu, see pictures of each dish, read the descriptions, place their order directly from their table to the kitchen and then watch it being prepared on ‘Chef Cam’. Customers can also choose the ‘tablecloth’ from a range of images, or watch videos, read current news, check their Facebook timeline, share their photos, send greeting cards to other tables and even order a taxi home. Zeinab El Agib Mahmoud, a Briton of Sudanese origin, owner and general manager of the restaurant, explained that there are two methods to log onto the Ebony table menu. In the first, a customer can scan his/her Facebook profile picture on a small square on top of the menu selections. If the customer doesn’t have a scanner, the system will be activated from the control panel on the Point-of-Sale (POS) computer by the hostess. Once activated, the customer has to choose the language: English or Arabic. The customer can also browse the selection options by pointing to the menu box at the edge of the table, which brings a drop down of the options. They can have their Facebook timeline displayed, or view photos and share them with their companions on their individual seats on the table. The multi-cuisine restaurant has dining tables that are smart touch screens. The media option in the table shows a wide selection of videos and photos where customers can choose their background wallpaper. Default videos or photos can also be set for a number of tables. This is usually done for company events where company logos and presentations can be shown on the table screens for all the guests. The same is done for family occasions, like birthdays, where photos can be displayed on the tables and shared with fellow guests. A selection of cartoons is also available to keep children entertained while waiting for their food. “The idea occurred to us (Zeinab and her husband) because of our IT background,” said Zeinab. “After our sons graduated and got married, we decided to do something beneficial for us and for community. We thought of launching a restaurant and in order to give our customers a unique dining experience we combined it with latest technology, excellent ambience, interesting food, and efficient, friendly service.” “We decided to choose Dubai as it already considers itself a smart city. We moved from the UK to Dubai and started the project in 2013,” she explained. “We not only pride ourselves on our innovative technology, but also on our delicious food. Our menu is a fusion of African, Arabic and Mediterranean cuisines. We combine North and East African flavours to create dishes that are original and very tasty. The food is contemporary, traditional and international,” said Zeinab. “The food meets the highest standards and every customer who leaves our doors is fascinated and excited to come back.” The restaurant is located in Bay Avenue Mall at Business Bay. afkarali@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
