UAE and Turkey to conduct counter-piracy naval exercises

Dubai: The UAE and Turkey will conduct counter-piracy naval exercises on Sunday to promote security and stability at sea, while contributing to the world's peace, a top naval official has said.

"Our mission is a counter-piracy operation, to deter the piracy at sea in the Gulf of Aden in the internationally recognised transiting corridor and Arabian sea and in the Indian ocean and conducting naval diplomacy," said Rear Admiral Sinan Ertugrul, Commander of the Turkish Task Force.

Speaking on board the Turkish warship TCG Barbaros docked at Mina Zayed, Rear Admiral Ertugrul praised the Emirati navy as, "very capable and very powerful. And we believe that we can enhance the level of interoperability between the navies of the two countries."

Hijacked ship

Special forces from the UAE stormed a hijacked ship in the Arabian Sea, east of Oman, in early April, rescuing the crew and capturing all of the pirates who had seized the vessel only a day before.

The operation was conducted in co-ordination with the Bahrain-based US 5th fleet.

During his five-day visit, Admiral Ertugrul will have talks with his Emirati counterpart Commander of the UAE Naval Forces, Staff Brigadier Ebrahim Salem Al Beloushi to promote the ability of the two countries to work together and share intelligence and expertise.

Admiral Ertugrul stressed piracy was a threat to peace and prosperity not only in the region but worldwide because piracy had a great effect on maritime trade and security.

Well organised

"We coordinate all the activities we conduct with all the forces in the area, it is not national, it is very well organised and coordinated," he said.

As part of its global anti-piracy mission, Turkey is deploying four frigates, which conducted joint exercises with Oman.

Similar joint training exercises will be conducted with Qatar, Pakistan, India, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.

The four warships are part of the Turkish Maritime Task Group (TMTG), which was set up as part of the Turkish Navy's expansion plans.

Supporting treaty

Admiral Ertugrul said the grant objective of TMTG exercise was to support the ongoing United Nations and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation operations worldwide, and ensuring maritime security.

"Given the threats to global security, especially maritime security, Turkey's drive assumes greater significance and is meant to promote security at the seas and contributing to world peace."

In a bid to boost the anti-piracy efforts, the Turkish Maritime Task Group will be providing naval escorts to Turkish and non-Turkish flagged vessels passing through the Gulf of Aden.

We don't discriminate

Admiral Ertugul said: "We don't discriminate, we protect whoever joins us in the convoy operation.

"This is international courtesy. Other nations are also doing the same. Some Turkish flagged vessels are now escorted by other friendly countries. The nations are very interested in coming together to find common solutions to the issue of piracy.

Traffic: busy trading route

Around 33,000 merchant ships navigate annually through the Gulf of Aden, Suez Canal, and Red Sea that have great significance on global sea trade.

The value of the freight of the transiting ships is almost equal to 14 per cent of world merchant shipping (approx Dh6.6 trillion), 26 per cent of world petroleum shipping and 30 per cent of European Petroleum consumption.

Around 30 Turkish merchant ships that navigate monthly in the area.

Nato is conducting counter-piracy activities in full cooperation with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and with actions against piracy initiated by others, such as the European Union.

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Abu Dhabi Indian School struggles with long waiting list of admission seekers

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Indian School (ADIS) is struggling hard with a long waiting list of pupils seeking admissions, due to a lack of seats in the Indian schools in the capital, the school officials have revealed.

"There were more than 1,000 applicants each for 150 seats each in kindergarten 1 and grade 1 this academic year," B. R. Shetty, Chairman of ADIS, told Gulf News on Wednesday.

There is a large number of pupils seeking admissions in other classes also apart from K.G 1 and grade 1, he said.

ADIS, a non-profit sharing school, is one of the largest Indian schools in the country, with about 5,800 pupils. Shetty said establishing new branch of the school will be the immediate solution to the problem.

As Gulf News reported on April 4, 2010, ADIS management had requested the permission from Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) to open a new branch. The council had confirmed that it was considering the request, as part of its strategy to encourage building more non-profit sharing Indian schools to address the shortage of seats.

At a press conference at the school on Tuesday evening, Shetty said the management is still waiting for the land from the council to start the construction of the school. He said that he had learnt from ADEC that about 12,000 more seats had to be created to address the shortage of seats in Indian schools in the capital.

"So that we are planning to build a news school to accommodate about 5,000 schools," he said.

Shetty said Indian Community Kindergarten (ICK) owned by him has also sought the permission to build a non-profit sharing school up to grade 12, so that both the schools can take most of the 12,000 pupils who will be seeking admission in the coming years.

As Gulf News reported the crisis erupted following an ADEC decision to close down schools being run in villas by 2013, citing lack of educational, environmental, health and safety standards.

Explaining the hundred percent results achieved by the students in recent CBSE examinations, Shetty and V.K. Mathu, the school principal, said ADIS management would be able to build a new school with the same academic excellence.

Shetty revealed that ADEC has promised the land on a nominal rent for the new school. "It would be probably near Mussffah or Mohammad Bin Zayed City,".

"Once the land is given, we can start the construction next day, as we have enough funds, so that it can start functioning next academic year [2012-2013]" he said.

ADEC has not yet officially confirmed the quantum of shortage in Indian schools in the capital. ADEC and DoT officials were not available for comments on Wednesday.

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Poetry library and research centre opened

Dubai: The Emirati classical Arabic and Nabati poetry library and research centre was inaugurated at the Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage Saturday.

There are 800 titles in the library that goes by the name Bait Al Qaseed, or the house of poetry.

Juma Al Majid, Chairman of the Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage, opened the library along with Sultan Bin Saqr Al Suwaidi, Federal National Council member and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Culture and Scientific Association, and Saeed Al Nabouda, CEO of Dubai Culture.

Exhibition

Al Majid and his guests also visited the Palm library that was opened recently which includes more than 100 studies related to palm trees.

An exhibition titled ‘Poets on the mail wing', was also opened by Al Majid, which was prepared in cooperation with the Emirates Association of Stamp Collectors and the Al Sarkal Cultural Establishment.

The stamp collection included seven prominent Emirati poets such as Al Majidi Bin Daher, Rashid Al Khudur, Rashid Bin Tannaf, Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais, Salim Bin Ali Al Owais and Hamad Bu Shihab.

The guests were briefed about the poets and their stamps by Shaikha Al Mutairi, head of the heritage section in the centre.

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Abdullah's India visit to cement ties

Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, will pay an official visit to India on June 27 along with a high-level delegation, UAE government sources and the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi told Gulf News Wednesday.

The high-profile visit may result in the conclusion of some agreements in important areas of cooperation, the UAE sources said.

Shaikh Abdullah will be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other senior officials, as well as several business leaders and CEOs of key companies in the areas of shipping, aviation, telecommunication and energy.

He will hold discussions with the Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna as well as senior Indian leaders including the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on bilateral and international issues, M.K. Lokesh, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, said. India and the UAE have close relations based on historic foundations, he said.

Currently, the two countries are its largest trading partners with bilateral trade amounting to around $44 billion (Dh161.48 billion) in 2009-2010. Investments are growing substantially from both sides, the ambassador said.

In addition, the UAE is an important supplier of crude oil to India. Both countries share common perceptions on major global issues in the security, economic and environmental fields, Lokesh said.

Partnership

"Both sides have expressed their desire to take their partnership to strategic levels. The visit comes at a time when new global challenges are emerging and both the countries have common interests in their early resolution," the ambassador said.

India recognises and appreciates the growing role of the UAE in regional and global affairs and its initiatives in maritime security, peace-keeping operations and regional peace initiatives as well as in other areas like global governance, environment, and renewable energy sectors, Lokesh said.

The visit will provide a valuable opportunity to further cement the warm and friendly relations that exist between the two countries, he said.

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Man caught selling pills is charged

Dubai: An Arab man was arrested selling a banned pain killer in Ghusais on June 10, Dubai Police have said.

Upon receiving a tip-off from a source, a team from the Anti-Narcotics Department set up a trap for the man in a car park.

Police arrested the 28-year-old, identified as A.A.A., and searched his car and home in Sharjah, where over 4,000 Tramadol pills were found.

The drug is a strong pain killer sometimes used recreationally and prohibited in the UAE.

The suspect confessed that the pills were his, adding that he takes and sells them.

He was charged with owning, using and promoting narcotics and referred to the public prosecution.

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Death games on high seas

Dubai: Close on the heels of the tragic death of 14-year-old Emirati Abdullah Al Amiri in a jet ski accident near Palm Jumeirah last month and the permanent disfiguring of 10-year-old Daniel Clamens, another near-fatal accident has shocked beach-goers in Dubai.

A 27-year-old South African rugby player, J.B., fell off a double storey boat on June 17 onto a platform and knocked his head on the motor of the boat, the impact of which threw him into the water. The accident broke his neck and caused brain injury. While the victim's wife is unavailable for comment, sources claim that the man has been declared medically brain-dead and is currently in a state of coma.

These accidents have prompted warnings from safety experts urging water sport lovers to be cautious while hitting the beaches here. Talking to XPRESS, Candy Fanucci, Founder of Pirate Surf Rescue Team in Dubai, highlights the dangers of unsupervised water sports on Dubai's open beaches. "Jet skis are accidents waiting to happen. If you see someone on a jet ski while you're in the sea, stay as far away from them as possible. They have the reflection of the water and the sun in their eyes, which makes them largely unable to spot a swimmer in their proximity," she says.

The South African lifeguard explains how trying to help a person with a neck injury could lead to further damage. "By being ill-informed, one can actually harm the victim more than benefit them. A person who has fallen off a boat, such as the victim in question, should be left alone until qualified medical help arrives. Moving the patient may cause terminal paralysis," she warns.

Earlier this month, 10-year-old Daniel Clamens had his face ripped apart in an accident on Al Mamzar Beach involving a jet ski. Clamens, who was on a banana boat being towed by a neighbour's boat, fell off the tube and was instantly hit by a man on a jet ski who was chasing the boat in order to launch himself off the waves. The jet ski hit Clamens straight in the face, damaging four of his vital nerves and cutting off half of his face. The 10-year-old is undergoing a series of surgeries.

Safety gear a must

Last month, 14-year-old Emirati Abdullah Al Amiri died in a jet ski accident near Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Hotel in Dubai. Police reports say Al Amiri and three friends were on a raft while a fourth friend was on the jet ski.

When a wave toppled the raft over, Al Amiri, who wasn't wearing a life jacket, was pulled under the water, and resurfaced in another spot, where the jet ski struck the 14-year-old in the head, causing death. If the teenager had worn a life jacket, he would have bobbed on the surface of the water, making himself more visible to his friends.

"The use of safety gear for water sports is an issue that needs to be addressed asap [as soon as possible]," says Fanucci, adding, "Ideally, beaches should be segregated into zones for different water sports. Each area should be demarcated, creating a circuit or track for each sport."

"Boats should be away from water skis, which should be away from the surfers, swimmers and those on jet skis. As per government regulations all users of jet skis should have a life vest, helmet, fire extinguisher, emergency whistle and goggles on hand. What people don't understand is that a jet ski is no different from a motorcycle, often reaching similar speeds. When you fall on water, the impact is just as harsh as falling onto a tarmac road," Fanucci says.

Fanucci gives the example of a 10-year-old girl who was hit by a surf board on Sunset Beach in Jumeirah two weeks ago.

"The girl was in the shallow water and a beginner surfer got carried on the wave towards the shoreline. The surf board hit the child straight on the head. Fortunately, the injury was minor and she didn't have a concussion, but it was just another reminder of the importance of safety procedures on beaches. It may seem like a fun day out on the beach, but participating in unauthorised water sports is just as dangerous as participating in unauthorised motor sports. It's not all fun and games when things go wrong."

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