Sharjah Police say initial indications are that the accident was caused by brake failure, which led the driver to lose control. Photo: Sharjah Media Office
Sharjah Police say initial indications are that the accident was caused by brake failure, which led the driver to lose control. Photo: Sharjah Media Office
Sharjah Police say initial indications are that the accident was caused by brake failure, which led the driver to lose control. Photo: Sharjah Media Office
Sharjah Police say initial indications are that the accident was caused by brake failure, which led the driver to lose control. Photo: Sharjah Media Office

Indian consulate to aid families of nine killed in Khor Fakkan bus crash


Ramola Talwar Badam
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India's consulate in Dubai has pledged its support to the families of nine of its citizens killed in a bus crash in Sharjah's Khor Fakkan area on Sunday night. Three compatriots who were among more than 70 injured in the incident remain in a serious condition.

The bus was transporting 83 men who worked for a construction company in Ajman to Khor Fakkan. The vehicle overturned near a roundabout after its brakes failed.

“All the nine who died are Indian nationals and three men are seriously injured,” S Madani, chairman of Khor Fakkan's Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre, who visited the men in hospital, told The National.

“The men had come to Khor Fakkan from Ajman to pick up free cooking supplies like rice and lentils that their company provides in its head office. They spent the day walking around, visiting some sites as it was their day off. The accident happened on their way back when the brakes failed.”

The injured have been admitted to multiple hospitals in Khor Fakkan and Fujairah to treat head and limb wounds, officials and social workers said. Autopsies are being completed on the nine men who died, after which the bodies will be embalmed and sent to their families in India. Officials said they were working to ensure the bodies were repatriated at the earliest opportunity.

“The Consulate is in touch with the families of the deceased Indian nationals, and we are working closely with the local authorities to provide all possible assistance,” said a media statement from the Indian Consulate in Dubai. “Our officials have visited the injured Indian nationals in hospitals and we will continue to extend our support.”

Sharjah Police said initial investigations indicated the accident was caused by brake failure, which led the driver to lose control of the bus as it approached an exit located near the entrance to the city. The police have urged companies to regularly undertake maintenance of vehicles, to be safe on winding roads and intersections and strictly follow speed limits.

How to get there

Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
 

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

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Dir: Taika Waititi

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson

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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?

It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?

Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.

The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.

The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.

Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver. 

The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.

But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.

Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.

It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.

So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.

Rory Reynolds

Result

UAE (S. Tagliabue 90 1') 1-2 Uzbekistan (Shokhruz Norkhonov 48', 86')

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Updated: December 18, 2024, 9:52 AM