####Taxi prices increase in Abu Dhabi On April 30, the Abu Dhabi Integrated Transport Centre announced that Abu Dhabi taxi prices will increase from May onwards. The price hike was justified as being part of a launch of new initiatives to provide safety and quality in taxi services. The new prices will have a daytime 5 AED flag fall and a 5.50 AED flag fall in the night, compared to the current 3.50 and 4 AED flag falls. The price per kilometer will also increase from the current daytime prices of 1.6 AED to 1.82 AED and nighttime 1.69 to 1.82 AED, equaling the day and night prices per kilometer. Furthermore, a minimum fare of 12 AED will be introduced. The price will still be among the cheapest of major cities in the world. ####UAE company to freight icebergs from Antarctica On May 2, eco firm National Advisor Bureau Limited, based in Masdar City, announced their plan to tow icebergs to the UAE in order to solve drinking water problems. The plan is to start the project in early 2018, and simulations have already been run. According to the company’s simulations, it will take up to one year to freight an iceberg from Antarctica to the UAE, where it will be placed off the coast of Fujairah. One iceberg contains 20 billion gallons of water, which is enough to sustain one million people for five years. The plan is to send workers onto the iceberg, who will chip off blocks above the waterline that will be crushed, filtered and stored in large tanks. Due to its size, the evaporation of the iceberg may also potentially bring microclimate changes in the UAE. It may result in the presence of year-round rain storms in the UAE and southern parts of the Gulf. The financing of the project was not elaborated on. ####Nuclear reactor completed, but operation delayed The construction of the first nuclear reactor in the UAE has been completed. However, the beginning of operations has been delayed to 2018 due to security preparations. Korea Electric Power Corporation and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation will jointly operate the nuclear reactor through Nawah Energy Company as soon as security tests are completed. The reactor needs time for international safety assessments and for further education of its personnel. Nawah Energy Company is working with the International Atomic Energy Agency in order to make sure that safety is sufficient before the operation starts. The reactor will be part of the Barakah nuclear power plant, which will hold three other reactors and provide up to a quarter of the UAE’s electrical energy. According to the plan, the whole plant will be up and running by 2020.