Shopkeepers in the UAE are kept on their toes by surprise visits by health inspectors, and it is no different for the agencies supplying meat and vegetables to those like Haneen Dajani who are performing the Haj this year
Half of the meat inside the freezer was uncovered and the temperature wasn't cold enough, noted a Haj food inspector, as he examined an agency's kitchen.
"If he said he will cook the meat today then it's fine, but it cannot stay in this condition," said Tarek Al Braiki, a member of the UAE Haj commission.
Mr Al Braiki was part of an inspection committee examining quality of services provided to UAE pilgrims; the committee included a religious adviser, a member of the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, a doctor, a volunteer and two regular Islamic Authority general inspectors.
"We brought it at 2pm [three hours earlier] it hasn't had time to freeze yet," replied the agency's chef.
Mr Al Braiki continued his tour around the cooking area which was on the hotel's roof and checked the vegetables in boxes, and yoghurt cans on the floor.
"Those were brought in today?"
The chef assured him they were.
Thirty minutes earlier the Mr Al Braiki complained about piled-up food, an uncovered rubbish bin, and an inefficient electric fly zapper at another agency's kitchen.
"This should be changed, the [zapper] cage should extend from corner to corner."
A strong barbecue smell circulated in the kitchen as beef sizzled on the stove.
The kitchen seemed a bit spotted with food crumbs and splashes around the cooking area, which the inspector considered normal considering the amount of food being prepared.
As for the other faults found, the agency owner said he would fix them in three days.
"He has only a 24 hour chance to fix them, or else we will take action," said Ahmed Hussein, the authority's inspector. "We will re-visit him in the morning and again in the afternoon, we will keep following up until they respond to our comments."
The following day's visit will be a surprise without prior notification.
On a brighter side, two veteran pilgrims praised the agency as the best they have tried.
They relaxed in their bedroom as the committee entered to inspect it. "The services are worth more than what we paid for," said Rashid Al Naqbi, a 45-year-old Emirati.
"If there were any defaults why wouldn't we say, we paid money for the service after all," he added.
The company was also praised for the banners at the hotel reception carrying its name, details and some useful information.
"This way if a pilgrim was lost he can see the signs and know he reached the right place," explained Mr Hussein.
The hotel's lobby and lifts flooded with the pilgrims who had arrived early morning.
While some listened to a lecture in French at the lunchroom, others gathered to pray at the lobby, while some searched for the medical clinic.
"The location of the clinic should be changed," said the committee's doctor.
It was in a tiny corner at the hotel's lobby surrounded by partitions with nothing much more than a bed, closet, and desk.
"There is no privacy for the patients, anyone sitting in the lobby can hear what the patient is saying, what if it was a woman and she was giving private information about her case," he explained.
The agency argued that this place was allocated to them by the hotel and they cannot be provided by a substitute.
"I will explain the situation to the mission's medical board and will see what they decide," concluded the doctor.
The mission's inspection teams will be performing visits daily as more pilgrims start to arrive.
hdajani@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
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Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
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Price: From Dh2,099
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
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- Grade 7 = grade A
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- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
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Assassin's%20Creed%20Mirage
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Starfield
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Bethesda%20Game%20Studios%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Bethesda%20Softworks%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20PC%2C%20Xbox%0D%3Cbr%3ERelease%20date%3A%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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SCORES IN BRIEF
New Zealand 153 and 56 for 1 in 22.4 overs at close
Pakistan 227
(Babar 62, Asad 43, Boult 4-54, De Grandhomme 2-30, Patel 2-64)
THE DETAILS
Deadpool 2
Dir: David Leitch
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz
Four stars
WHAT%20IS%20THE%20LICENSING%20PROCESS%20FOR%20VARA%3F
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Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
- Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
- Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
- If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
- The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
- Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
- Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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The%20new%20Turing%20Test
%3Cp%3EThe%20Coffee%20Test%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EA%20machine%20is%20required%20to%20enter%20an%20average%20American%20home%20and%20figure%20out%20how%20to%20make%20coffee%3A%20find%20the%20coffee%20machine%2C%20find%20the%20coffee%2C%20add%20water%2C%20find%20a%20mug%20and%20brew%20the%20coffee%20by%20pushing%20the%20proper%20buttons.%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EProposed%20by%20Steve%20Wozniak%2C%20Apple%20co-founder%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
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