Abdul Muthalib says the number of keys cut this month at the shop he manages has dropped from 1,500 to 20.
Abdul Muthalib says the number of keys cut this month at the shop he manages has dropped from 1,500 to 20.

Police to enforce key-cutting permits



ABU DHABI // Police have begun enforcing a law requiring residents to gain official permission to get their keys copied. The law, which has been on the books for 10 years but has not been routinely applied, will protect residents by keeping records of all copied keys, officials say. But shops which offer key- copying services say the policy shift has turned customers away and had a devastating effect on business.

"The real impact is more psychological. People who come for legitimate business become very concerned about this new rule and very concerned that they need a police statement," said the manager of one shop near Defence Road, who asked to remain anonymous. "It turns them off. Some of them get scared, others get annoyed because they think it's a very legitimate thing for their own houses." Under a previous system, police asked key-cutting shops to record the details of each customer and to photocopy their identity documents.

Now customers must provide proof of ownership to the police and gain a letter of "no objection" before copying keys. "If [a customer] wants to copy a car key, he has to present the car registration," said Col Hammad al Hammadi, based at Khalidiya police station. "In the case of a house key, he has to show proof of ownership or rent. In the case of a key to a company's safe, the person should present a letter from the company."

Police suspended the requirement for a "no objection" letter several years ago when the office which handled the procedures moved out of the capital. The law was re-implemented this year when local police stations were handed responsibility. But according to Abdul Muthalib, who manages a small key-cutting shop in the basement of Marina Mall, the law frustrates his customers and robs him of business.

Mr Muthalib, whose shop also repairs watches and offers photocopying services, said he had lost at least 30 per cent of his revenue since "no objection" letters became mandatory. And despite Col Hammadi's assertion that getting police approval "takes five minutes", Mr Muthalib said the majority of customers abandon the effort immediately upon hearing about the law. "Now, these customers, when you say that you need a letter from the police, they shout at me and they leave," he said.

"After that, they don't come to our shop. Daily, there are maybe 10 or 15 customers shouting at me. Now, maybe in one month, there are about 20 keys. Before, there were about 1,500 keys," said Mr Muthalib, whose store charges Dh10 (US$2.70) to copy a key. "Then I lose other business also. Sometimes, people come in here and they wait for the key, they see something else, and they buy it." Mr Muthalib added that the back-to-school period is the best time for key cutters, when parents buy several copies of their children's locker keys. This time of year normally brought in four to five hundred keys each day, he said.

"I've lost too much, you know. Our rent always increases. Everything is increasing now. So it's affecting our business too much. "Our main business is key-cutting and watch repair. Now it's only watch repair," he said. To add to his problems, Mr Muthalib said that some rivals were ignoring the rules. "Sometimes people say that, in other places, 'I can get my key done without permission'," he said. "I don't know where they find these shops."

One shop in Khalidiya cut a key without asking for a permit. Instead, the store manager logged names, phone numbers and signatures after taking a photocopy of customers' identity cards. "Some key owners know the residents of their area and develop a trust relationship with them, therefore they overcome the procedures," said Col Hammadi. "We are aware that some violations take place, but with limits. We trust people to follow our instructions. Generally, people abide by the law in the UAE, and specifically in Abu Dhabi."

He added that he was working with key cutters to find compromises to the procedures. "I sat with a key copier the other day and we reached a solution to ease the procedure by allowing people to register for the key copies at the shops. I will raise this suggestion to officials for approval," he said. "The goal of Abu Dhabi Police is to make things easier for the public. Therefore we are talking to key copiers and listening to their suggestions."

@Email:mbradley@thenational.ae * With reporting by Haneen Dajani, Essam al Ghalib and Emile Hokayem

Company%20Profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport

Price, base: Dh5.1 million

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm

Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km

It's Monty Python's Crashing Rocket Circus

To the theme tune of the famous zany British comedy TV show, SpaceX has shown exactly what can go wrong when you try to land a rocket.

The two minute video posted on YouTube is a compilation of crashes and explosion as the company, created by billionaire Elon Musk, refined the technique of reusable space flight.

SpaceX is able to land its rockets on land  once they have completed the first stage of their mission, and is able to resuse them multiple times - a first for space flight.

But as the video, How Not to Land an Orbital Rocket Booster, demonstrates, it was a case if you fail, try and try again.

Disclaimer

Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

 

 

Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
RESULTS

5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB) Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Boerhan, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA) Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA) Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Messi, Pat Dobbs, Timo Keersmaekers
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA) Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi

Company%20Profile
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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals

Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent   

Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km

Yahya Al Ghassani's bio

Date of birth: April 18, 1998

Playing position: Winger

Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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)
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
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Key changes

Commission caps

For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:

• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term). 

• On the protection component, there is a cap  of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).

• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated. 

• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.

• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.

Disclosure

Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.

“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”

Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.

Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.

“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.

Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.

Dubai World Cup Carnival card

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m

7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m

9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m

10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m

The National selections:

6.30pm - Ziyadd; 7.05pm - Barney Roy; 7.40pm - Dee Ex Bee; 8.15pm - Dubai Legacy; 8.50pm - Good Fortune; 9.25pm - Drafted; 10pm - Simsir

'Nope'
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5


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