Day: April 6, 2023

Sports

UAE off to a winning start at NAS International Padel Championship

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Al Habtoor Motors and Al Jawareh cruise to victory in volleyball.

The UAE national team started their campaign in style with a 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia as the inaugural edition of the NAS International Padel Championship at the 10th NAS Sports Tournament in Dubai on Tuesday.

Held under the theme ‘Limitless Abilities’ and organised by the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), the NAS Sports Tournament is the biggest event of its kind in terms of participation and prize money, and has been held every year during Ramadan since 2013 at the iconic Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex.

Abdullah Abdulaziz and Faris Al Janahi put the hosts ahead after edging past their rivals in the hard-fought first set, 7-5, 7-5.

In the second set too, the UAE team were stretched to their limits, but the latter won the set 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 with Salem Al Houli and Hamad Al Janahi digging deep before outlasting their opponents.

Abdullah Ahli and Omar Bahrozian won the third set 6-2, 6-3 without much fuss to ensure their team’s victory.

Stepping up the game

In another Group A match, Japan edged past Qatar 2-1 in a thriller. The Japanese players started well and won the first set 6-1, 7-6. They were taken aback in the second by Qataris 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory. Stepping up the game, Japan won the decider 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 to advance into the next round of the championship.

UAE will now meet Qatar and Saudi Arabia will face Japan. In Group B matches, Iran moved ahead with a convincing 3-0 win over Bahrain while Egypt battled past Kuwait 2-1.

Eight teams are taking part in the first edition of the NAS International Padel Championship. UAE, Qatar, Japan and Saudi Arabia are in Group A, while Egypt, Iran, Kuwait and Bahrain form Group B.

Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Padel Association, witnessed the matches while Abdullah Al Basti, Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai, watched volleyball competition.

Riding high on Brazilian star Felipe Airton Bandero’s super performance, Al Habtoor Motors outlasted Zabeel 3-1 (25-23, 14-25, 25-21, 27-25) in a closely contested match that kept the fans on the edge of their seats in the NAS Volleyball Championship.

Airton Bandero scored 27 points for the winners, while Zabeel’s Cuban import Leonardo Martinez netted 29 points.

Brazil’s Airton Bandero currently plays for Cheonan Hyundai Skywalkers in the Korean V-League.

Last year’s runner-up, Al Jawareh posted their second victory after sweeping aside Al Khalidiya 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-19).

Growth of the competition

Al Jawareh, whose squad consists of top French, Brazilian and Canadian players, maintained their upper hand throughout the match and won it comfortably. Da Silva Gabriel top scored for the winners with 11 points.

Former UAE national volleyball team stars Jaafar Al Fardan and Aref Rajab underlined the growth of the competition with each passing year.

“This year’s competition is remarkable, with famous names and professional players from around the world taking part in the championship,” said Fardan. “The strength of the competition has seen a significant rise since the inception of the NAS Sports Tournament. I anticipate that the Emperor and Fahood Zabeel teams will reach the finals due to their large number of professional players, which reflects the strength of the volleyball championship,” said Rajab.

NAS2 APRIL 5-1680718038462
Action from the Wheelchair Basketball Championship held at the Dubai Club for People of Determination.

Winning march

Elsewhere, Dubai Ambulance topped their group after defeating Dubai Municipality 28—18 in the Wheelchair Basketball Championship being held at the Dubai Club for People of Determination.

They raised their point total to six. Ability Live achieved the first victory of the tournament after beating Community Development Authority 20-12.In Group A, the Dubai Police team continued their winning march and delivered another dominant performance, routing the Department of Finance 42—17. With this win, they raised their points tally to 8 points, followed by Al Bustan Center and Residence, who beat Dubai Electricity and Water Authority 23-20 and are on 5 points.

Sports

Crystal Palace and Southampton win Mina Football Cup titles

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Fursan Espania and CFFA of Dubai clinch Under-14 and Under-18 categories.

The Crystal Palace and Southampton Teams of England have won the titles of Mina Football Cup for Youth, which was organised by the CBF Performance Co. with the support of Dubai Sports Council (DSC).

The Tournament was hosted in the Emirate of Dubai for the second successive year, and it took place at the courts of Jebel Ali Golf & Shooting with participation of 32 teams, among which were 15 international teams from the various continents of the world.

Crystal Palace of England beat the Polish Gornik Zabrze counterpart in U-12 category to win the title, while Southampton of England secured the U-16 category.

Fursan Espania of Dubai won first place in Under-14 category, and the CFFA team from Dubai came first in the Under-18 category.

Huge participation

Winners in the different age groups of the Tournament were honoured by Ahmed Salem Al Mahri, Director of the Sports Development Dept in DSC, Teddy Sheringham, the English former star of Manchester United & West Ham United and the Tournament’s ambassador.The Tournament saw participation of 600 players from the various countries and continents in four age groups (from 12 to 18 years old); among which were 15 teams from Europe, Africa, India, Far East & North America. Top on the list of these teams are: the England’s Crystal Palace and Southampton, Yokohama of Japan, AYSO United & New York Red Bulls from America, along with academies of the two stars; Robbie Fowler and Lukas Podolski of Poland.

Sports

UAE to vie for World Cup spot in Zimbabwe tournament

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The team produced an impressive performance to finish its campaign in Namibia.

The UAE celebrated its qualification for the Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier with an emphatic 66-run win over Jersey in its final match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off in Windhoek, Namibia, on Wednesday.

Muhammad Waseem’s team had already booked their place in the Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier, the final qualifying tournament for the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup, on the back of its better head-to-head record in Namibia.

The team then produced another impressive performance to finish its campaign in the six-team tournament in Namibia.The victory over Jersey saw the UAE finish second in the points table behind USA with eight points from five matches.

Only the top two teams — USA and UAE — qualified for the Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier (June 18-July 9) which will be held in Zimbabwe.

The top two sides in the 10-team qualifying tournament will qualify for the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup (October 5-November 19) in India.

On Wednesday, the UAE made 284 for seven in 50 overs, thanks to fine knocks from Asif Khan (82), Muhammad Waseem (65), Vriitya Aravind (45) and Aayan Afzal Khan (43 not out).

The then reduced Jersey to 218 all out in 44.5 overs with leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan taking four wickets for 57 runs.

Brief scores:

UAE beat Jersey 66 runs.

UAE 284/7 in 50 overs (Asif Khan 82, Muhammad Waseem 65, Vriitya Aravind 45, Aayan Afzal Khan 43 not out; Julius Sumerauer 4/51, Charles Perchard 2/56)

Jersey 218 all out in 44.5 overs (Harrison Carlyon 85, Asa Tribe 40, Julius Sumerauer 21; Karthik Meiyappan 4/57, Junaid Siddique 3/52, Zahoor Khan 2/23)

health

Smart Salem opens premium medical fitness testing centre at Dubai Knowledge Park

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Smart Salem, a high-end medical fitness provider, opened its first-ever dedicated centre at Dubai Knowledge Park, a member of TECOM Group PJSC.

The facility will provide a suite of visa processing services to residents, which includes striving to deliver the fastest medical fitness results in Dubai.

The facility was inaugurated by Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), and Dr. Amer Ahmad Sharif, CEO of Dubai Academic Health Corporation and President of Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, in the presence of Dr Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of Health Regulation at the DHA, Sanjay Verma, Chief Executive Officer of Smart Salem, and a number of officials.

Dr. Al Mulla said,

“Dubai’s Health Sector is thriving and we are keen to foster and promote health investments across key areas such as medical fitness. We are also keen on implementing the latest medical technologies to improve efficiencies, enhance convenience and provide the highest quality of specialised medical services.

“The expansion of Smart Salem centres across the geographical areas of Dubai, further enhances the provision of excellent, technology-driven, proactive and convenient services to ensure customer happiness.”

Using advanced technology to enhance efficiency and improve the customer’s journey, the latest Smart Salem Centre aims to deliver medical fitness results within 30 minutes.

The medical fitness and visa processing centre have five private blood collection rooms, two x-ray rooms, a state-of-art on-site laboratory, six smart check-in kiosks.

The 8,000 square foot facility has the capacity to service up to 500 customers each day. From ‘Salem’ the resident robot’s welcome to a digital kiosk to verify customer details, the journey is digitally enabled.

Customer Happiness Officers will escort customers throughout their visit along with a digital queuing system to ensure a hassle-free experience. Smart Salem is also integrated with the Dubai Government and Dubai Academic Health Corporation (DAHC) systems for an instant, paper-free exchange of health records and medical testing results.

health

MoHAP urges public to take necessary precautions due to the spread of Marburg virus

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The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has urged the public to be aware of the virus causing Marburg hemorrhagic fever and to avoid travelling to Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea unless it’s necessary due to the recent spread of Marburg virus.

This comes after several Arab countries advised their citizens to postpone travelling to those two countries due to the same concern.

The Ministry has emphasised that all necessary precautions are being taken in accordance with international health standards to contain the virus in its current geographical scope. The situation in these countries is being closely monitored to determine the global severity of the disease, MoHAP said in a statement today.

The Ministry said that precautionary measures are being taken to ensure public safety and promote health awareness. It is recommended that individuals postpone their travel to countries where the Marburg virus is spreading, unless it is absolutely necessary. If travel is unavoidable, necessary precautions should be taken to avoid exposure to the disease, such as avoiding close contact with patients, touching contaminated surfaces, and refraining from visiting caves and mines.

Visiting health facilities

The Ministry also reaffirmed the importance of frequently washing hands with soap and water. If these are not readily available, people should use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Additionally, individuals should avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth with their hands and ensure proper hand hygiene before touching their face.

For those who have travelled from affected areas, the Ministry recommends isolating themselves from others and seeking medical attention at the nearest health facility or emergency department within hospitals.

Those who travelled to affected areas should inform medical staff that they have been to an area where Marburg virus disease is spreading or have been in contact with infected individuals, or exhibit symptoms for up to 21 days.

The Ministry called on the public to verify the accuracy of information and follow the preventive measures issued by the MoHAP and other health authorities in the country. It advised them not to circulate rumours or any information that has not been officially announced or issued by relevant authorities.

The Ministry stressed that the UAE’s epidemiological surveillance system is very effective and is in constant coordination with other health authorities.

Symptoms

Marburg virus disease is a severe and life-threatening hemorrhagic fever that is rare but highly dangerous to human health. The disease is caused by the Marburg virus, a zoonotic RNA virus that is transmitted from animals to humans in a closed environment, such as mines or caves inhabited by bats.

Symptoms of Marburg virus develop suddenly and include fever, chills, headache, myalgia, chest pain, and a sore throat. As the disease progresses, symptoms become increasingly severe and may include jaundice, severe weight loss, and other serious health complications.

Politics

Dubai: Sheikh Mohammed meets committee members of Arab Great Minds initiative

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Aims of project to nominate personalities from the region in six distinguished categories.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday, took to Twitter to highlight the potential of Arab talent to lead scientific and cultural advancements. His Highness expressed his confidence in their ability to enrich civilisational development and scientific progress.

“We recognise the importance of fostering opportunities for creative Arab talent and supporting them in utilising research, development and technologies to shape a brighter future for humanity. The UAE will continue to serve as a hub for exceptional talents, including scientists, doctors, writers, thinkers, researchers and innovators,” said Sheikh Mohammed.The remarks were made during a meeting held with the committee members of the Great Arab Minds initiative, in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE, and Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council.

The Dubai Ruler said that the aim of the committee is to nominate Arab personalities in six distinguished categories – science, architecture, engineering, economics, literature and medicine.

“Distinguished Arab minds are able to enrich and revive our scientific and civilised contribution to the world,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.

The Great Arab Minds initiative was launched b Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in 2022.

The initiative’s mission is to search for exceptional Arab talents – scientists, thinkers, and innovators across key fields, aiming to identify, support and acknowledge leading thinkers in the region, amplify their impact and inspire future generations.

Business Entrepreneur

Moro Hub partners with BeyondTrust to enhance enterprise security in the UAE

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Moro Hub, a subsidiary of Digital DEWA, has partnered with BeyondTrust, a global leader in intelligent identity and access security.

The collaboration will allow the two companies to offer customised Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions that cater to the specific needs of enterprises in the region. As part of the agreement, Moro Hub will be able to resell BeyondTrust products and offer enhanced managed security services to its clients.

The partnership was signed by Dr. Ahmed Alketbi, Chief Information Security Officer of Moro Hub and John Hathaway, BeyondTrust Regional Vice President of Sales in India, Middle East and Africa.

Dr. Alketbi stated that the partnership with BeyondTrust will help enhance the company’s security services and support its clients’ Digital Transformation Journey. Moro Hub will offer comprehensive and flexible services to its clients through cloud or hybrid models.

John Hathaway expressed his pleasure in partnering with Moro Hub, a company that is at the forefront of cyber and physical security in the UAE. The collaboration will enable organisations to protect privileged identities, access and endpoints across IT environments from security threats, and offer clients operational efficiencies and extended protection.

BeyondTrust‘s Privileged Access Management Solution reduces the risk of privileged credential misuse through automated privileged password and session management, ensures complete control and accountability over privileged accounts, prevents malware and ransomware attacks by assigning just-in-time privileges, and secures, manages, and audits vendor and internal remote privileged access without a VPN.

Business

Dubai has emerged as a model for cities of the future: Sheikh Hamdan

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Crown Prince attends Dubai Future Foundation Board of Trustees meeting.

“Dubai has developed a world-class framework to imagine, design and create the future,” Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), said today.

Describing Dubai as one of the most future-ready cities in the world, he said the emirate has created a unique blueprint for fostering strategic partnerships, disruptive business models and innovative workplace practices. He was briefed on DFF’s achievements and milestones, as well as its current and upcoming projects at the meeting.

Dubai’s model for shaping the future, which has been inspired by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, aims to institutionalise foresight and create an integrated system for long-term planning and success.

We aim to maintain Dubai’s position as the leading city of the future and one of the most future-ready cities in the world across all sectors. To achieve this, we encourage everyone to contribute to shaping and designing the future and developing proactive plans to keep pace with emerging challenges and invest in its opportunities. We believe that all of us should adopt a culture of strategic foresight.

– Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

He also described DFF, launched six years ago, as one of the organisations most sought after in the world by institutions focused on exploring future trends and anticipating changes in a myriad of industries.

“Dubai Future Foundation will continue to play a pivotal role in anticipating the future of technology, issuing reports and launching national strategies to deploy technologies with the potential to change work, life and the economy. We will continue to inspire global cities by designing the future of Dubai in collaboration with our public and private sector partners,” His Highness added.

Future global gatherings

Sheikh Hamdan was also briefed on major events organised by DFF, including the inaugural Dubai Future Forum. To date, DFF has organised nearly 1,000 events, gatherings and workshops that have attracted more than 73,000 participants. The Foundation has also played an instrumental role in enhancing Dubai’s position as a leading venue for the world’s largest gatherings of futurists and a testbed for disruptive ideas.

He also received an update on the Dubai Future District Fund, a Dh1 billion investment fund launched to support entrepreneurs and startups, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The value of these investments is expected to reach $1.7 billion in 2025.

The Fund will support the Dubai Future District, home to Emirates Towers, the Dubai World Trade Centre and the Dubai International Financial Centre, that will create an integrated ecosystem for shaping the future in partnership with government entities and the private sector, including multinational corporations and startups.

National strategies

Sheikh Hamdan reviewed DFF’s major strategic initiatives, including the Dubai Research and Development Programme, the Dubai Robotics and Automation Program and the Dubai Program to Enable Drone Transportation, which support the Foundation’s goal of unlocking opportunities in clean energy, logistics, blockchain, autonomous mobility and 3D printing.

Commenting on this, he said: “These strategies have already strengthened partnerships between Dubai’s government entities, resulting in synergies that have enhanced the quality of their skills and capabilities.”

He added: “As part of our firm belief that preparing for the future is a key element of success, we launched the Dubai Future Readiness Index during the World Government Summit 2023 to assess our government entities’ readiness for future challenges and changes.”

Sheikh Hamdan was also briefed about the nearly 40 reports that DFF has published to date in cooperation with more than 75 local and global research institutions, which have received more than 170 recommendations. His Highness stressed that “the reports issued by the Dubai Future Foundation have contributed to strengthening Dubai’s position as a global reference for experts, governments, and local and international institutions.”

DFF recently issued the Future Opportunities Report: The Global 50, which aims to identify opportunities, explore ways of overcoming global challenges, and help policymakers and business leaders stay ahead in an unpredictable world.

Forward-thinking culture

Sheikh Hamdan praised DFF’s success in attracting new startups to AREA 2071 at Emirates Towers, providing them with the support needed to scale locally and expand globally. Also, DFF’s Dubai Future Accelerators initiative has attracted more than 300 startups to date, helping them identify opportunities to develop innovative solutions in cooperation with government entities.

He also noted the importance of government partnerships under the Dubai 10X initiative, which aims to create exponential change that will place Dubai ten years ahead of leading global cities.

He stressed on the Dubai Future Academy’s important role in equipping a new generation of talent with the critical skills and tools needed to build a prosperous future. The Academy has already trained more than 25,000 people across 200 programmes, instilling a culture of innovation among government and private sector professionals.

The next chapter of growth

He stressed that in the coming phase of growth, it is crucial for DFF to continue developing future initiatives and strategists. DFF will continue its efforts to shape future global technological transformations, support high-potential startups, and attract specialised talent and expertise.

His Highness said: “We aim to maintain Dubai’s position as the leading city of the future and one of the most future-ready cities in the world across all sectors. To achieve this, we encourage everyone to contribute to shaping and designing the future and developing proactive plans to keep pace with emerging challenges and invest in its opportunities. We believe that all of us should adopt a culture of strategic foresight.”

Raising global competitiveness

Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Managing Director of Dubai Future Foundation, said: “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s bold vision to create a future-focused organisation has contributed significantly to the success of Dubai and the UAE in navigating today’s complex and fast-changing world, with an advanced approach based on foresight and proactivity and an inclusive strategy for the future centred on raising human wellbeing.”

“Under the supervision of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Dubai Future Foundation will continue to respond strategically to the evolving global landscape, empower government entities and enhance their future readiness, and ensure that top talent, innovators, and entrepreneurs have the tools to thrive and prosper. The Foundation will continue to provide global platforms to share knowledge, expertise, visions and future insights, and enable the deployment of disruptive fourth industrial revolution technologies to better serve humanity,” Al Gergawi added.

The Board of Trustees meeting was attended by Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Managing Director of DFF; Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future; His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications and Deputy Managing Director of DFF; His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of DFF and other dignitaries.

Business

Big Bad Wolf sale returns to Dubai on April 7 with up to 75% off; books starting from AED2

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The world’s biggest book sale will offer discounts of up to 75 per cent on over 1 million books with some titles starting from as low as Dh2.

The world’s biggest book sale, the Big Bad Wolf (BBW), is back for its fifth edition this year. The sale which will run from April 7 to 16 will offer discounts of up to 75 per cent on over 1 million books with some titles starting from as low as Dh2. The sale will be held at Dubai Studio City from 9am to 2am and will be free to enter.

“The books will be the superstar of the event,”

said Andrew Yap, co-founder of BBW.

“We have about 60—70 per cent new book titles as compared to last time and we have a lot more discounts.”

This year, BBW will be held under the theme ‘Bigger and Gooder’. Andrew said that it was a play on words to remind people that reading was of utmost importance.

“A lot of customers called us out saying we made a mistake,”

he said.

“So we tell them that we are all a work in progress. That is why we should read. We need to read to know that such a word does not exist. It is a very powerful statement.”

Majed Al Suwaidi, Senior Vice President of Dubai Studio City and Dubai Production City – TECOM Group, said that the event has become a staple of the group’s creative calendar,

“Literature is such a powerful fuel for creativity, imagination, and curiosity. Big Bad Wolf promotes a love for reading that is essential to nurture in younger generations, especially in an increasingly digital world,”

he said.

New additions

This year, the sale will have several innovations.

“We came out with an ‘Unbelievable’ section where customers will find books for as low as Dh2,”

he said. The section will offer unbeatable prices on select books.

This year, visitors will also be able to buy gift vouchers for their near and dear ones. Additionally, according to Andrew,

“the look and feel of the hall will be different”

and instead of being laid flat in stacks, there will be elevated shelves which will make for a better customer experience.

The BBW now also has an office and warehouse in the UAE, which has contributed to making the books cheaper.

“Definitely, it will bring our overheads lower,”

said Andrew.

“We will have more discounts and we are able to replenish books better.”

In addition to this, Andrew revealed that BBW will be more active all across the country.

“We will have more events around the UAE,”

he said.

“When we say our mission is to make books affordable and accessible, it cannot be just Dubai. If you live in a small city outside of Dubai, you don’t have the same opportunities. So, we want to bring our books there. We will be venturing out into other cities as well.”

Customer experience

A key factor of the event will be the volunteers who will man the book sale.

“We work with an agency who has recruited people from across several age categories to help out at the sale,” said a BBW spokesperson. “We train them well so that they know enough about the books we are selling. Several of them are returning volunteers because they enjoyed working with us so much.”

Visitors can browse through a wide variety of bestsellers, fiction, non-fiction, literature, cookbooks, children’s books, graphic novels, and more. In addition, the fair will showcase board games, colouring books, and collectibles, all under one roof. The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale was conceptualised with the vision to promote literacy and reading among communities worldwide.

BBW is supported by strategic partner Dubai Culture.

“We realise the importance of organising and hosting book fairs,”

said Eiman Al Hammadi, Acting Manager of the Libraries Affairs Section at Dubai Culture.

“This year we are focusing on how to how we can the reach the community on a very big scale. We are reaching out to kids in university and schools as well as their parents. It is not easy but year by year we are doing more work to reach different sections through the selection of books.”

Uncategorized

Exclusive: Driverless taxis in Dubai by end of 2023; how much it will cost, where you will find the cabs revealed

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The self-driving vehicles can accommodate up to three passengers.

Ten self-driving taxis will be deployed for public use in Jumeirah area by the end of this year, with fares comparable to limo taxis, a senior official at Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has exclusively confirmed to Khaleej Times.

Khaled Al Awadhi, director of Transportation Systems, Public Transport Agency at RTA, said the RTA will add more autonomous taxis in the same area next year until the gradual deployment of 4,000 driverless cabs across Dubai by 2030.“The fare is not yet finalised, but it will be comparable to what is currently charged by limo taxis, which are usually 30 per cent higher than regular taxis in Dubai. The self-driving taxi can sit up to three passengers at the back, with no passenger allowed in the front,” noted Al Awadhi in a phone interview on Wednesday night, following the announcement by the RTA that US-based self-driving technology company Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors (GM), has started digital mapping of the Jumeirah 1 area.

RTA and Cruise have earlier joined forces to run autonomous taxi services in the city, making Dubai the first non-US city to commercialise Cruise self-driving cars that are all-electric and emission-free. Dubai will exclusively have only Cruise taxis until 2030.

Bolt taxis

The car model of the 10 self-driving taxis is Chevrolet Bolt, the same self-driving sedans deployed by Cruise to conduct data collection and testing of technology for traffic signals, signages, and drivers’ behaviour in the Jumeirah 1 area. It is equipped with a suite of sensors, including LiDAR (laser sensor that uses near-infrared light to detect the shapes of objects), cameras, and radars to determine the distance of objects.

Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency, earlier said in a statement: “Data collection and testing is a crucial phase in Dubai’s quest for excellence in smart mobility and advanced technology. The work being done will ensure Cruise’s advanced generalisable AI (artificial intelligence) and autonomous driving systems safely adapt to Dubai traffic conditions.

He added: “The launch of autonomous vehicles will bring a positive impact on Dubai’s transportation landscape and wellbeing… The rollout of autonomous vehicles will alleviate traffic congestion, lower the number of traffic accidents, and cut harmful emissions.”

For tourists and residents

Meanwhile, Al Awadhi said the choice of the Jumeirah area in the initial rollout phase is because of its strategic location and historic tourist attractions.

Initially, the 10 self-driving Cruise taxis will only operate within the confines of the Jumeirah area, meaning pick up and drop off are limited in the same area. “The route is between Etihad Museum and Dubai Water Canal,” Al Awadhi shared.

But the route is not only limited to one road, as the 8km stretch between Etihad Museum and Dubai Water Canal starts from Sheikh Zayed Road to the beach side in Jumeirah, meaning commuters will enjoy riding a driverless taxi when they go to La Mer Beach, Mercato Mall, Coca Cola Arena, City Walk, Galleria Mall, Box Park or any of the numerous restaurants and cafes along Jumeirah and Al Wasl roads.

They can also take the driverless taxis when they move around the consular offices of South Korea, Kenya or Morocco; or when they go to Jumeirah Archaeological site, Four Season Resort Hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Dubai Ladies Club, Al Wasl Park, Iranian Hospital or Canadian University Dubai; or when they visit friends and families living in the residential flats and villas in Jumeirah.

Al Awadhi added that Bolt taxis will follow the same speed limits in the Jumeirah area, which is 70kph both along Al Wasl and Jumeirah roads.

More to come

Aside from the three-passenger Chevrolet Bolt EV (electric vehicle), Al Awadhi said Cruise will also roll-out in Dubai its shuttle-like Cruise Origin that can accommodate up to six passengers.

Origin is the product of a multi-year collaboration with parent company GM and investor Honda that is designed for a ridesharing service. According to Cruise, “the shuttle-like vehicle has no steering wheel or pedals, and is designed to travel at highway speeds. The interior is roomy, with seats (that can sit up to three passengers on each side) facing each other.”

“Seats have personal USB ports and digital displays are located above to give travellers information about their rides.”