Inspection campaigns find 2,000 cases of illegal taxis in first five months of 2014



Inspection campaigns organised by the taxi authority TransAD and Abu Dhabi Police have uncovered a phenomenon of “smuggling of passengers”, where the owners of private vehicles transport passengers for a fee as their source of income.

Some of those caught operating these illegal taxis had a fleet of private vehicles and hired unlicensed drivers.

The inspections, carried out during the first five months of this year, revealed 2,000 cases of smuggling passengers.

Punishments for this crime, set out under Law 19/2006 on Taxi Transport Regulation in Abu Dhabi, range from fines of between Dh5,000 and Dh10,000 to a 30-day jail term, or both.

Many of those caught breaking the law are repeat offenders, and TransAD has proposed amending the law to disqualify any drivers who are caught more than once.

TransAd warned the public not to use unauthorised taxis, because the vehicles are not properly equipped for the safety of passengers and may not even be insured. In addition, the drivers are not linked to an employer and cannot be easily prosecuted should any problems arise.

Yet according to Al Ittihad, the Arabic-language sister newspaper of The National, a large number of people in Abu Dhabi continue to use illegal taxis because of the lower fares and their availability in remote areas. Parents, in particular, often rely on them to transport their children to and from school.

TransAD said it was working in partnership with authorities to combat the problem and raise awareness of the dangers, in addition to intensifying its inspections and tightening controls, especially during peak hours.

newsdesk@thenational.ae

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Squid Game season two

Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk 

Stars:  Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun

Rating: 4.5/5

What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

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Rating: 4/5

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Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
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6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
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7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
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7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
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Profile of Tarabut Gateway

Founder: Abdulla Almoayed

Based: UAE

Founded: 2017

Number of employees: 35

Sector: FinTech

Raised: $13 million

Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?

West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles

UAE Premiership: Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners-up  Jebel Ali Dragons

Dubai Rugby Sevens: Winners – Dubai Hurricanes; Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Conference: Winners  Dubai Tigers; Runners-up  Al Ain Amblers

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