DUBAI // Three new Metro stations that opened on Saturday passed their first big test when the city returned to work yesterday. GGICO, Noor Islamic Bank and World Trade Centre provided commuters with an opportunity to reach previously inaccessible areas of the Dh29 billion (US$7.9bn) driverless public transport system. On his day off, Varghes Keechera made a trial run of the route he plans to take from his home in Satwa to his job in Mirdif City Centre. The 37-year-old Indian set off on a feeder bus to World Trade Centre station, then caught the Metro to Rashidiya.
"You save a lot of time on the Metro," said Mr Keechera, an electrical engineer, after his trial run. "Buses can take an hour. When the traffic's bad, taxis take an hour." His trip had taken 30 minutes by Metro, he said. Most important, however, was the money he would save. He reckoned that by not laying out Dh60 (US$16) a day on taxis, he would save more than Dh1,000 a month. "I'm going to save so I can send the money to my family," said Mr Keechera, whose wife and two young children live in India.
The new stations were generally quiet. At 8.30am, no passengers got on or off a train that stopped at Noor Islamic Bank, formerly known as Al Quoz. Around noon, there were only about half a dozen passengers using World Trade Centre. At least one escalator and the air conditioning in the footbridge spanning Sheikh Zayed Road were not operating. Officials at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai's transportation regulator, did not respond to requests for comment.
However, such glitches did not dampen the enthusiasm of Mansour Sajjadi, 54, a businessman visiting from London. He was pleased with the advantages that the station offered. "I'm here on business every couple of months, and since the Metro's opened it's become a lot easier to travel," he said. "Of course, it's easier to get taxis now than it was two years ago. But the Metro is inexpensive and there are more stations opening, so it's a more convenient option."
Some passengers using the new stations were critical of the RTA. A 26-year-old Portuguese man, who identified himself only as Manuel, said the regulator should provide better information. "Their customer service is very poor," he said. "You try to call and no one gets back to you." But because he was unable to obtain a driving licence, the Metro was "useful", he said. The three new stations bring the number in service on the Red Line to 21 of the 29 planned stops. hnaylor@thenational.ae
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
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Company%20Profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Where to submit a sample
Volunteers of all ages can submit DNA samples at centres across Abu Dhabi, including: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Biogenix Labs in Masdar City, NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, NMC Royal Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, NMC Royal Women's Hospital, Bareen International Hospital, Al Towayya in Al Ain, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
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The biog
Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
HAEMOGLOBIN DISORDERS EXPLAINED
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
AL%20BOOM
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