Tag Archives: dubai
Obama: I might lose congressional vote on Syria
Obama: I might lose congressional vote on Syria (AP) / 10 September 2013 President Barack Obama conceded Monday night he might lose his fight for congressional support of a military strike against Syria, and declined to say what he would do if lawmakers reject his call to back retaliation for a chemical weapons attack last month. The president sought to use a glimmer of a possible diplomatic solution — including vaguely encouraging statements by Russian and Syrian officials on Monday — as fresh reason for Congress to back his plan. Syria welcomed a proposal to turn over all of its chemical weapons to international control. Obama said Syria’s statement was a potentially positive development, but he voiced skepticism about that the regime of President Bashar Al Assad would follow through. He said it was yet another reason for lawmakers to give him the backing he is seeking. He spoke in a series of six television network interviews planned as part of a furious lobbying campaign aimed at winning support from dubious lawmakers and well as a war-weary public. Speaking of Assad’s government, Obama said the credible threat of a military strike led by the United States “has given them pause and makes them consider whether or not they could make this move” to surrender control of their chemical weapons stockpile. “If we don’t maintain and move forward with a credible threat of military pressure, I do not think we will actually get the kind of agreement I would like to see,” Obama said on CNN. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid cited “international discussions” in unexpectedly postponing a test vote originally set for Wednesday on Obama’s call for legislation backing a military strike. In a separate interview with NBC, Obama took the step — unusual for any politician — of conceding he may lose his campaign in Congress for authorization. “I wouldn’t say I’m confident” of the outcome, he said. “I think it’s fair to say that I haven’t decided” on a next step if Congress turns its back, the president told NBC. Obama arranged a trip to Congress on Tuesday as well as a prime time speech from the White House. The president picked up a smattering of support but also suffered a reversal when Sen. Johnny Isakson, a Republican, announced he had switched from a backer of military action to an opponent. Reid, the Senate majority leader, made a statement of support for the president’s request. “Today, many Americans say that these atrocities are none of our business, that they’re not our concern,” the Democrat said of Assad’s alleged gassing of civilians on Aug. 21. “I disagree. Any time the powerful turn such weapons of terror and destruction against the powerless, it is our business.” Others came down on the other side of the question. “I will vote ‘no’ because of too much uncertainly about what comes next,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Republican, reflecting concerns that even the limited action Obama was contemplating could lead to a wider war. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat, also voiced opposition. “I strongly believe that we need the entire world, not just America, to prevent and deter the use of chemical weapons in Syria, or anywhere else on the globe,” she said. In the House of Representatives, one of two female Iraq war veterans in Congress announced opposition to military strikes. Legislation approved in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week would give Obama a maximum of 90 days to carry out a military attack, and it includes a ban on combat operations on the ground in Syria. Both of those limitations were last-minute concessions to critics of a military option, and it was unclear whether Reid would seek additional changes to build support. Despite the difficulty confronting Obama, an AP survey indicated the issue was hardly hopeless for the president, particularly in the Senate where Democrats maintain a majority, and perhaps also in the Republican-controlled House. The survey showed 23 Senate votes in favour of military authorization and 10 more leaning that way. Opponents totalled 20, with another 14 leaning in the same direction, with the remaining 33 senators undecided or publicly uncommitted. That created at least the possibility of the 60-vote majority that will be necessary to advance the bill. In the House, there were fewer than a dozen declared in support and 150 opposed or leaning that way. But 201 lawmakers had yet to take a public position, more than enough to swing the outcome either way. The public opinion polling was daunting for the president and his team. An Associated Press poll showed that 61 percent of those surveyed want Congress to vote against authorization of U.S. military strikes in Syria and 26 percent want lawmakers to support such an action, with the remainder undecided. Continue reading
UAE happiest Arab country
UAE happiest Arab country Staff Reporter / 9 September 2013 The UAE has been ranked the happiest Arab country and the 14th happiest in the world in the second World Happiness Report. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has lauded the achievement, which he described as an approach followed by the founding fathers of the UAE, a vision in all government sectors, levels and institutions ‘‘as well as a manner of work that governs all of our policies and decisions’’. Shaikh Mohammed with students at the Granada School for Primary Education in Al Mazhar area of Dubai on Sunday. Shaikh Mohammed also visited the Al Nokhba (Elite) Model School. The visits to the two schools come within the framework of Shaikh Mohammed’s interest in pursuing excellence in the field of education for UAE students. — Wam “Achieving happiness, welfare and dignified living for nationals and their families is the preoccupation of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This ranking would not have been possible without the efforts of sincere men, excellent teamwork and full coordination and integration between all local and federal government sectors.” A safe and secure environment is one of the main reasons that the UAE has been voted the ‘happiest country’ in the Arab region, according to its residents, who said the UAE is ‘an amazing place to live in’. “Our goal is to achieve the happiness of our people, and their satisfaction is the gauge of our success. All development plans that we approved, all initiatives that we launched and all the government policies and laws, have one common goal — achieving the happiness of our people. What we have already achieved is only the first stage, which will be followed by more work and achievements in order to become one of the world’s best countries God willing,” Shaikh Mohammed said. “Countries can only be built with happy and satisfied people. Happiness of individuals is only the start for a stable, productive and safe society. That is why relevant international organisations started to review the real yardstick for the success of governments and to increasingly focus on measuring the satisfaction and happiness of people as a main way towards sustainable development,” stated Shaikh Mohammed. Underscoring the importance of embracing this yardstick by all government officials, he said: “We gave directives to all government teams, during the recent Government Summit, that they should make their decisions and policies based on one goal, which is making society happy. No doubt happiness and satisfaction is something psychological for individuals, but the government’s mission is to provide dignified living and welfare for its citizens, to make life easy for them as well as to create opportunities for them to achieve happiness for themselves and for their families. All this requires, among other things, joint efforts and policies and laws that are suitable for society, achieving security, justice and safety, taking care of underprivileged groups and the continuous development of infrastructure. This cannot be achieved without having clear-cut plans and excellent teams and taking the best advantage of the resources that are available to us. “We will continue forward to serve our country, achieve happiness for our sons and to invest all that we have to prepare people to make them able, strong, and skilled enough to achieve success. I say to all our people: be hopeful because we all overcame a lot of challenges in the past, and because our present is full of achievements, and our future is promising and is based on the highest ambitions,” said Shaikh Mohammed. Khaleej Times caught up with a few UAE residents who agreed with the results of the report, and cited a safe and secure environment as one of the main reasons for the overall happiness of its people. Indian national and Dubai resident Shehir Rawthar said: “In comparison to neighbouring nations, UAE is a safe haven. People here have steered clear of wars and fights. Even a layman can afford luxury, and that is what makes UAE special.” Pakistani national Victoria Diamond said: “I have lived here all my life and UAE is home to me. There is no other place where I feel safer and happier than I feel here.” Syrian national Khaled Ali said: “My home country is currently in a state of crisis. I have been living here for the last 11 years and I have achieved tremendous career and personal growth living in the UAE. Though I am worried about my brothers and sisters back home, I know my family will be very safe here. Yes, I am happy in the UAE.” “I have been living in the UAE since 2005. Except for very high rents and a slight language problem, it is a great place to live in. It is safe and provides great education for its young. I personally live in a great place, have a good job, and I drive a good car. So if happiness is measured by the kind of commodities that you can acquire, then yes, I am a very happy man,” said British national Nick David. — news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Many happy returns as Dubai Metro turns 4
Many happy returns as Dubai Metro turns 4 Lily B. Libo-on / 9 September 2013 Dubai Metro, world’s largest driverless rail network extending up to 75 kilometres, celebrates its four years of successful operation today with an increase of 20 per cent increase in its ridership over the years. The high-level performance of Dubai Metro’s 58 trains is evident by its more than 366,000 current average daily passengers, which has led millions to turn to public transport and decongest Dubai roads. Metro passenger, Joseph, an Indian expatriate in Dubai says: “I find the Metro very efficient, no-hassle public transport for expatriates. I live in Baniyas Square but work at the Dubai Airport Free Zone in Al Qusais. Yet, I reach my work place in 15 minutes. I have never been late because Metro Green Line is bringing me to work with efficiency and speed.” According to Cherrie Rentillo, a Filipina, the metro helps her in saving time. “It is very efficient and seldom has any technical glitches. Even if it happens, the Rail Agency of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) always has a solution. “It is fast as you will not go through a traffic rush. It’s just perfect,” she says. Pakistani expatriate, Ali Mohammed, is all praises for the Dubai Metro. “Since its launch in 2009, I have never been late for work though I work on Shaikh Zayed and stay in Deira. It is a great help to workers, not just in terms of time but also in terms of cash. RTA’s newly launched Metro Mini Entertainer, a discount voucher booklet priced at Dh65, is also a help when I come home late. It contains Dh2,000 worth of savings from over 30 different outlets representing restaurants and leisure centers located close to the metro stations.” Sudanese housewife, Huda, said that the latest expansion of the women and children cabin from 7am to 9am and from 5pm to 9pm from Sunday to Thursday is convenient to mothers when travelling with kids, especially while going to the Mall of the Emirates or The Dubai Mall. “It is such a relief,” she said. Metro expansion welcome The news of the forthcoming expansion, which will expand the Red Line to Mirdif and the Green Line to Academic City, is also a welcome move. Dubai Metro passengers along this area said that it will give them the benefit of traveling faster and quicker. Ramadan Abdullah Mohammed, director of RTA’s Rail Operations, said that Dubai Metro celebrates its fourth year of operation today, with a huge success and increasing demand, which prompts it to continuously plan for expansion. “We conduct a continuous study to enhance our services to the public, even the latest allocation of one cabin to women and children from 7am to 9am and from 5pm to 9pm, is a product of our study. We also plan to increase the number of trains based on the continuous study of the ridership during peak hours and months, holidays such as Eid and National Day, and our target and achievements,” Ramadan said. He said the Dubai Metro achieved its target well in 2012, and even in 2013, it is performing well in terms of achieving its target. To start the project next year, the RTA is conducting more studies on the proposed extensions and the exact time to begin the projects next year after concluding its observations. The Green Line will extend up to 24 kilometres and the Red Line by 12 kilometres. Both lines consist of modern designs and architecture, including many retail outlets, Wi-Fi connectivity, ATM machines and accessibility for special needs passengers to public buses. The number of riders using the Dubai Metro Red Line in the last six months topped 43,552,110 riders at a rate exceeding seven million per month. The Green Line riders during the same period reached 23,549,206 at a rate of about four million riders per month. Deira City Centre, Burj Khalifa, Mall of the Emirates, Union, Burjuman, Al Rigga and Al Karama metro stations accounted for the biggest chunk of passengers in the Red Line. – lily@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
