Traffic on the road in Ras Al Khaimah. Police are offering motorists a 55 per cent discount on traffic fines for the next two weeks. Pawan Singh / The National
Traffic on the road in Ras Al Khaimah. Police are offering motorists a 55 per cent discount on traffic fines for the next two weeks. Pawan Singh / The National

55 per cent off traffic fines in RAK



Motorists in Ras Al Khaimah will have their traffic fines reduced by 55 per cent as of Wednesday.

All fines incurred in the emirate will be slashed by just over half if paid through the Ministry of Interior smartphone application between November 1 and 15.

RAK Police are implementing the discount in celebration of the seventh anniversary of Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi’s ascension to Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.

Maj Gen Ali Al Nuaimi, commander-in-chief of RAK Police, said the discount applies to all traffic offences except for impounded vehicles.

The announcement comes two weeks after a motorist in the emirate accumulated more than one million dirhams in traffic fines this year.

The feat set a record for the most traffic offences committed by a single driver over the past few years, Maj Gen Al Nuaimi said.

In Sharjah, police are celebrating their golden jubilee by offering a 50 per cent discount on all traffic fines.

Like in RAK, fines incurred in Sharjah must be paid through the MOI app to avail the discount.

During the two and a half month discount period, motorists will also be able to have any black points on their licences cancelled, but must visit the Sharjah Traffic Department to take advantage of that service.

MATCH INFO

Watford 2 (Sarr 50', Deeney 54' pen)

Manchester United 0

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

  • be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
  • not be younger than 25 years old
  • not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
  • be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
  • have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
  • undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
  • A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

Rating: 3.5/5

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Which products are to be taxed?

To be taxed:

Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category

Not taxed

Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.

Products excluded from the ‘sweetened drink’ category would contain at least 75 per cent milk in a ready-to-drink form or as a milk substitute, baby formula, follow-up formula or baby food, beverages consumed for medicinal use and special dietary needs determined as per GCC Standardisation Organisation rules

Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

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Scoreline:

Cardiff City 0

Liverpool 2

Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)

The specs: 2019 BMW X4

Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800

Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km

Match info

Uefa Champions League Group B

Barcelona v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request