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UAE reaffirms support to UN role in Syria crisis
UAE reaffirms support to UN role in Syria crisis (Wam) / 27 September 2013 Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, met Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary-General, at the organisation’s headquarters on Wednesday. The two discussed ways of enhancing cooperation between the UAE and the United Nations, and exchanged views on important regional and international issues, particularly current developments in Syria and Egypt, and the situation in the Middle East in general, including developments in the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and the Iranian file, as well as other issues of common concern. Ban Ki-moon receives Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed at UN headquarters. -Getty Images The UN Secretary-General briefed Shaikh Abdullah on the priorities of the United Nations during the next phase, and its views on developments in Egypt and on the Syrian crisis, including the issue of the Syrian chemical programme. Ban Ki-Moon also briefed Shaikh Abdullah on international efforts being made to prepare for the convening of the Geneva-2 Conference. The UAE Foreign Minister reaffirmed the UAE’s firm support for the UN’s efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis and to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people, as well as its efforts in support of peace negotiations. He reiterated the UAE’s commitment to continue its support for the activities of the United Nations, especially the political and humanitarian efforts to restore stability in Syria and the region as a whole. ShAikh Abdullah also met with some of his counterparts from different countries within the framework of his meetings on the sidelines of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly. Shaikh Abdullah met with the Foreign Ministers of Poland, Portugal, Uruguay, New Zealand, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to the Prime Minister of Tonga, Sialeataongo Tuivakano. The parties discussed ways to develop bilateral relations and cooperation in all fields, especially economic, commercial and cultural fields, including promoting programmes of official visits. Shaikh Abdullah also exchanged views with his counterparts on many issues of mutual interest, especially the Syrian crisis and the developments in Egypt, Libya and the Iranian nuclear file, along with the peace process in the Middle East and global economic conditions. Continue reading
Dubai Police warn people of cyber extortionists
Dubai Police warn people of cyber extortionists Amira Agarib / 27 September 2013 Police have urged people to exercise caution while striking friendship with strangers on the Internet or sharing private photographs with ‘friends’ they have met only on the social media sites like Facebook as smart crooks are on the prowl. The Dubai Police department handling electronic crimes has recorded several cases of extortion by such culprits who courted friendship with not just women but also men to catch them in an embarrassing situation later and blackmail them, said Salem bin Salmeen, Deputy Director of Anti-Economic Crime Department. In one such case, an Arab man struck friendship with a woman on Facebook. As they became closer, he managed to make her share her private pictures with him. The trouble started when she ended the relationship later. The suspect logged into Facebook in another name and managed to court her again as a friend. Then, he threatened to circulate her private photos among others, including her friends and relatives, if she did not pay him Dh15,000. Finally, she approached the police. The police laid a trap and arrested the suspect when he received the money from the woman. When the police confronted him with the trail of correspondences and phone call records between him and the woman, he confessed to trying to extort money from her. In another case, a man courted a Syrian woman on Facebook. They got engaged but she ended their relationship later. At this, he opened another account on Facebook and met with her father. He threatened the elderly man that he would circulate the private photos of his daughter if you did not did not pay him a big amount of money. The woman’s father lodged a complaint and was stunned when the police caught his daughter’s former fiance as the culprit. The police have also come across cases of suspects abroad luring victims in the UAE through the social media networks and some smartphone applications. Some people fell into their trap. In one such case, a man pretended to be a woman and sent a good-looking woman’s photos as his own to a man. He invited the victim to chat with “her” on Skype or Facebook. He then shared some obscene videos through Skype and videographed the victim enjoying himself and threatened to circulate the footage. Bin Salmeen said the Dubai Police’s electronic patrols worked round the clock to protect people from such criminals and inform the authorities in other countries to take action against the culprits who blackmailed residents here. – news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Pakistan expats fret over slow quake relief
Pakistan expats fret over slow quake relief Nissar Hoath / 27 September 2013 UAE-based expatriates from the Pakistan province of Balochistan, which was devastated by a strong earthquake on September 24, have expressed their anger over delayed relief supplies to affected areas. Most of the people from the earthquake-affected areas who spoke to Khaleej Times were furious that no efforts or initiatives to launch relief campaigns are being taken by the Pakistan Embassy, community organisations and schools in the UAE. “Normally, whenever there is a natural disaster, the entire community rises up to send relief assistance and funds to the affected people. But this time the entire community, including Pakistani diplomatic missions, is sleeping,” said Haji Mohammed Saleem from Awaran, which was most affected area. He added that he and his relatives lost many family members and their properties, including domestic animals in the quake in the Labash and Malar villages of Awaran, which is about 300km from Karachi. A resident of Malar, Waheed Baloch, said even the electronic media of Pakistan is least bothered about the earthquake. “Of all the over-24 big TV channels, only one was on the ground and covering the pain of our people during grieving condition. Throughout these days since Tuesday, the channels were only running tickers about the quake and were busy highlighting the US visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and of other celebrities,” he said. According to him all the figures about casualties and property damages released by the media were wrong and far below. “The earthquake was so strong that it was felt even in remote areas of Western Balochistan in Iran and in India and caused an island to surface from the sea-bed in Gwadar. In Awaran alone, we have buried more than 300 people. But the media says only 400 people have died and another 400 injured. We have more 600 fatalities and over 1,000 injuries in addition to a number of villages being totally destroyed and thousands of people living under the open skies,” he added. Bashir Ahmed Al Balushi, an Omani originally from the Makkorran coast of Balochistan, was also furious about the delay in relief assistance. “Can you believe, only an army convoy with very little supply reached an affected area that too after 24 hours of the deadly quake and only 30 doctors and 300 blankets were despatched for the entire affected areas,” he added. Abdul Qadir Ismail, another expatriate resident, said he was shocked to see the silence of the Pakistani community in the region over this disaster. “A small incident in other areas of Pakistan sees the Pakistani community in the world rising to the occasion and sending relief assistance without loss of time. But this time I’m shocked that even the international community and charity organisations have not moved yet,” he said. He said one of his relatives in Labash, Awaran, Haji Yaqoub lost all his 10 family members, and his properties were also destroyed. “We don’t expect any support from the government of any other organisation. We here in the Gulf will send money to our people to help rebuild their houses and treat the injured. We will have our own relief fund formed by the Baloch community living here and elsewhere in the world as well as in Balochistan,” he added. — nissar@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
