Free public transport project in Idlib, Syria

The buses were an instant success from the first day. Each of them transported more than a thousand passengers, and the number doubled over the following days. 

The project was reactivated at a time when fuel prices increased as a result of the high exchange rate of the Syrian pound (SYP) against the dollar, and the closure of roads of fuel coming from oil fields in north-eastern Syria,

للمزيد: https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2019/12/free-public-transport-project-in-idlib/#ixzz68ops00zw

Western-backed YPG=PKK thugs getting away with murder

The Western media and politicians prefered to remain silent about the YPG's terror attack that killed 13 civilians in Tal Abyad, although the safety of civilians in northern Syria was the focus of concerns three weeks ago

The Western media and politicians have chosen to remain silent once again to the atrocities being committed by the PKK terrorist group's Syrian branch People's Protection Units (YPG).
The YPG killed 13 civilians and injured 20 others on Saturday in an attack carried out at a market in Tal Abyad, Syria.

Turkey #publictransport to be fare-free for four days of Eid Al Adha

Travelers on highways and bridges managed by the General Directorate of Highways will be exempt from paying tolls and municipality-run public transportation will be free during the upcoming Qurban Bayram holiday (also known as Eid al-Adha) in Turkey, according to a decree signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2019/08/07/turkey-to-enjoy-toll-free-road-travel-free-public-transport-during-holiday 

KRG, sitting on top of huge oil reserve, is broke

rudaw, Kurdistan Region — Projects underway by companies and contractors have stalled in Kirkuk under pilling local administration debt as the province is complaining that the federal government hasn’t sent its share of the Iraqi budget or petrodollar for four years.

"There are no projects [underway]. We don't see anything. It isn't only the Kurdish areas. There are no projects anywhere. We had the petrodollar in this city. Things were done," shop owner Walid Mohammed told Rudaw.

All major powers cooperating to commit war crimes

Today again the displacement of the countryside is repeated #Homs North. #Children, #women and displaced civilians are sitting on the roads now after their arrival in the #Syrian_north and the rain is falling on them
the suffering of displacement starts now#syria pic.twitter.com/82qzdpvfwY

— muhammad najem (@muhammadnajem20) May 7, 2018

Who controls #kirkukoil has great leverage on world economy

The Energy Giant Taking Over Kurdistan | OilPrice.com: "No matter how one sees the Erbil-Baghdad row, it is highly remarkable that Rosneft has factually become an arm of Russian foreign policy in the Middle East. Practically negotiating state-to-state diplomatic and military relations, the Russian IOC has managed to wriggle itself into almost all energy-related equations, without seemingly antagonizing anyone, even more so, promising investment to both quarreling sides. No small feat."

Amman, Jordan, car culture very unpleasant, expensive.

Lack of public spaces, inefficient public transportation in capital come under spotlight | Jordan Times: "“We need to create a sense of belonging to the city,” said an architect and urban planner Rami Daher during the event, denouncing the lack of “public spaces” in the city. 

“Just a very exclusive type of public space is being created which leads to geographies of inequality,” he insisted. 

The architect, along with the audience, asked for a bigger involvement of the state in the future development of the Jordanian capital with most of the claims focusing on transportation and public projects targeting the whole Ammani society. 

Nemeh Qatanani, GAM’s engineering director, referred to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which he said would help improve public transportation.

“The share of the public transport is very humble currently, with 5 per cent of rides made by buses and 8 per cent by shared taxi,” Qatanani stated. 

GAM highlighted its keenness to complete an organised public transportation system. “Between 20 and 25 per cent of household income of the Amman population is used for mobility expenses solely,” he said."

Saudis fear true Islam

Middle East Eye: "Their real demands, which were conveyed to the Emir of Kuwait - who is acting as an intermediary - are the closure of Al Jazeera, de-funding of Al Arabi al Jadid,  Al Quds al Arabi, and the Arabic edition of Huffington Post, along with the expulsion of Palestinian public intellectual Azmi Bishara.

This is the media that reveals - in Arabic - the stories that these Arab dictators most want their citizens not to read. Not content with muzzling their own media, they want to shut down all media that reveals the inconvenient truth about their despotic, venal, corrupt regimes, wherever it is in the world."

Rich grabbing last of usable biosphere

A firm in the UAE has plans to tow icebergs from Antarctica to its own coast in 2018, to help solve water access issues. pic.twitter.com/7wgRjClxDq

— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) May 6, 2017

Walking past miles of gridlocked cars in Egypt

The National: "Not just priority, the lack of local public transport should be put at the level of a national emergency: the inability to move efficiently around cities is stifling economic growth, generating the destruction of vast tracts of agricultural land and historic buildings and causing severe hardship to the country’s citizens.
....There can be no good reason to need over an hour to drive a kilometre or two through the centre of the city. I have walked for miles while passing cars, buses and lorries stalled in traffic. It’s maddening that it can be quicker to walk across town than to go by car. The gridlock likewise hinders goods and spare parts from reaching markets, at great cost to the economy as a whole."

KRG running up huge debt while workers go unpaid

Rudaw : "I also highlighted the KRG’s growing debts and the huge gap that has accumulated between the KRG’s revenues and expenditure over the last 6 years. I warned that if the KRG carried on as before with its uncurbed spending and without real reforms, then even if we reached 1 million barrels of crude oil production per day and oil returned to $100 per barrel we would still not cover our financial requirements."

Dubai Car-Free Day participation on the rise. #8 coming up.

Santa Monica Observer: ""From two organizations during the first Car Free Day, the participation has grown to 1,070 last year. The environmental results achieved have also multiplied. Compared to 1,000 people in the first year, 30,000 people abandoned personal vehicles and turned to environmentally-friendly transport instead," said Khalid Sharif, Assistant Director General for Environment, Health and Safety Control."

Traffic is costing Malta €200 million a year --Transport Minister

timesofmalta.com: "Traffic is costing the Maltese economy €200 million in GDP a year and this will increase to €1.2 billion by 2050 unless current policies were changed, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said today. "

A heatwave in the Arctic, a Trump in the White House

Al Jazeera: "This Christmas, the Arctic had a heatwave, scoring record high temperatures, even in the dark. A chunk of ice the size of the United Kingdom thawed in the warmth.

On the other side of the planet, a huge fracture in Antarctica's ice shelf widened suddenly in December. Long term, the whole ice shelf will probably break up.

An ominous threshold is being reached, just as the very "old economy" Donald Trump, sworn to uphold climate denial and fossil fuel supremacy, is about to take control of the United States presidency."

"tens of thousands" expected to observe Dubai Car-Free Day on February 5

GulfNews.com: "Tens of thousands of employees of the participating entities are expected to ditch their cars for a day to participate in Dubai Municipality's biggest environmental awareness campaign."

Free bus scheme for 18 year olds to kick in on Sunday, Transport Malta announces

maltatoday : "Youths born in 1999 will be able to travel by bus for free for a year starting from the date they turn 18, in a scheme that will kick in on New Year’s Day."

Why all the bombing in Iraq? #Kirkuk oil priced $2/bbl at well-head

Dr Ashti:Even at low oil prices, #Kurdistan is attractive. CAPEX is reasonable&operating costs are very low, 2$ per barrel produced #KIOG16

— The Oil & Gas Year (@TOGYnews) December 6, 2016

UAE - cars are constant headache - where to park?

The National: "SHARJAH // Residents are unhappy with a decision to end free afternoon parking in the city.

Sharjah City Council members last week agreed to end free parking between 1pm and 5pm in an attempt to curb abuse from motorists taking advantage of it, especially near marketplaces."

History of British meddling in MENA to steal resources - #waronislam

Herein lies the entire strategy against the Muslim world pic.twitter.com/hTJkEiZYmZ

— أحمد الدمشقي (@dimashqee) November 11, 2016

Free public transport for 18-year-olds

timesofmalta.com: "The Finance Minister also announced that all 18-year-olds will be eligible for free public transport for a year. The assistance cannot exceed €312 per person. "