Life in Dubai and its not so public Lores

The eighth wonder of the World in Dubai

2006-05-22T19:09:00.000+04:00

Dubai develops worlds first robotic car park

2006-05-01T10:12:00.000+04:00

Dubai Municipality yesterday inaugurated its first robotic car park in Deira.

Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, said: ' This is the first of many such car parks in Dubai. ' The automatic car park, located behind the Inter Continental Hotel on Al Maktoum Street, will operate on an experimental basis for six months.

' During office hours, the parking facility will be restricted to Dubai Municipality officials and after that it will be free for public [use], ' said Lootah.

After the six-month period, the municipality will open the car park to the public and decide on appropriate parking charges.

The pillar-like structure utilises a minimal amount of land area, just 7.5 square metres and can accommodate 16 cars.

Essa Al Maidour, Assistant Director General for General Projects Affairs, said: ' The design of the structure looks like a multi-storied pillar that can contain a large number of cars, ' he said.

East and West Robotics LLC, a robotic car park design and manufacturing firm had worked since May 2005 to complete this model project.

Members of the public do not even need an instruction manual to operate the car park. Nicholas Fuad Amiouni, Design and Production Manager of East and West Robotics, said: ' Instead of a human attendant, an artificially intelligent system controller is initiated through the touch-tone of a mobile phone. It needs only a missed call to park a car and another to retrieve and drive away. It takes only 15 seconds to park a car, ' said Amiouni.

Once a missed call is placed on the system, a platform is then provided for the calling motorists car. After the car is on the platform and the motorist has stepped away from it, the car is automatically sent to a preassigned, vacant parking spot.

To get the car back, simply place another missed call.

Quit smoking contest offers $10,000 prize

2006-04-23T05:10:00.000+04:00

Smokers in the UAE can win up to $10,000 (Dh36,700) if they quit smoking for a month in May.

The Central Department of Health Education at the Ministry of Health is conducting the “Quit and Win, Smoking Cessation Contest” during May along with Nicotinell.The programme coincides with World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

Dr Ayesha Al Mutawa, director of Central Department of Health Education, said: “The contest is open to all smokers – shisha, cigarette, cigar or pipe. Anyone can walk in and pick up the forms. After a month, we will test their lungs to see if they have really quit. This is a test of their will power.Then we will put them on a nicotine patch programme.” Participating malls in the Emirates will have stands equipped with health educators and tests to measure the toxic gases in the lungs of smokers before and after they quit.

All smokers above 18 years of age, with a history of daily smoking of one year or more before the start of the competition are eligible for the contest.

Once a person register to enter the contest, he or she will have to abstain from smoking for at least four weeks between May 1 to May 30.

A biochemical test will be done for participants to ensure complete abstinence from smoking during the period.

In addition to the test, a witness must testify on the smoking history of the participant during the four weeks period.

Apart from the main prize, there will be an international draw for winners and the opportunity to win more prizes.

Entry forms will be sent to the Central Department of Health Education.

The event is held in collaboration with Health Education Sections in the Northern Emirates as well as Preventive Medicine Department in Sheikh Khalifa Medical City.

Spouses who smoke are likely the main targets for campaigners.

Rini Damos, a Dubai housewife, said: “I want my husband to quit smoking anyway. So if he gets money for it, of course, I will encourage him.”

Burj Al Alam sets sights on being three-time world record breaker

2006-04-21T05:35:00.000+04:00

Those in charge of creating the world’s tallest commercial tower – the Burj Al Alam – have three more records in their sights.

Latest plans reveal the giant structure will hopefully contain the highest restaurant, the highest spa and a hotel with the most lofty views anywhere across the globe.

But chiefs say that if somebody else attempts to nab the overall crown of tallest commercial tower, they will not attempt to top them with an extra antenae.

Yesterday, the details were revealed and, typically, it did not pass off without a world record being set as the tallest ice sculpture in the world was unveiled in the form of a 40-foothigh model of the Burj Al Alam.

Burj Al Alam, unveiled this week, has three records pencilled in its blueprints.

“It will have the world’s highest restaurant, complete with a garden, the world’s highest spa and the highest situated hotel,” said Syed Mohammed Ali, chief executive of the building’s developers, Fortune Group.

The skyscraper in the Business Bay area of Dubai is designed to resemble a crystal flower. It is to become one of the world’s tallest buildings, only 28 metres below the current tallest,Taipei 101.

The Burj Al Alam, being developed by the Fortune Group, a Dubai-based contracting and investment firm, will stand at 108 storeys (482 metres).

Imran Hanif, sales and marketing director of Fortune Group, said: “The top 10 towers in the world that are complete or under construction are unlike this one. The Taipei 101, for instance, has an antenna making it currently the tallest. Freedom Tower has an antenna on one side.We won’t be adding any antennae on the top. Our unique design does not permit that.” The building has a façade of blue reflective glass, formed from six distinct shafts thinning at the centre.The entire building flares out at the top and the bottom.

“The architects had a real challenge because the floor space reduces to 20,000sq ft in the cen tre before flaring out to 28,000sq ft at the top,” Hanif said.

The building features a sixstorey “crown” that consists of a sky garden, Turkish bath, club facilities and a helipad. Each office floor plate is divided into six “petals”.

The building will have retail outlets on the ground levels, 74 storeys will be dedicated to offices, while 27 storeys will be taken up by hotels. Burj Al Alam will be completed by 2009.

Undercover police to target the boy racers

2006-04-15T02:21:00.000+04:00

Boy racers who are staging dangerous impromptu races on Dubais roads are firmly in the sights of a team of new undercover traffic police.

Brigadier Mohammed Saif Al Zafeen, Director of Dubai Traffic Police Department, said a new road safety campaign launched by his office would provide the motivation for racers to stop.

'What these people are doing is illegal and we now have undercover police cars that can take control of such racers,' the top official said.

'We are also now using our radars to compile a record of those who drive above 50 per cent of the speed limit like racers and they may lose their driving licences. We will impound their cars and even confiscate the vehicles if they repeat the offence,' Al Zafeen added.

Dozens of young men and women say they race through Dubais traffic on a near daily basis in pursuit of 'glory', endangering the lives of those around them.

A 21-year-old, who would not be named, said he has participated in some 300 of such races in the past few months alone and there were thousands of bored youths like him who are always itching for the next race.

A 21-year-old Iraqi, Mahmoud Zaid, said: 'The races just happen.You pull up at a light, and you see a guy in a souped-up car next to you.You gun your engine, he guns his, and when the light changes, you take off.'

'We hit around 220 kilometres per hour, even in traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road. The race ends when one gets much more ahead than the other, or you get to where you were going, or just when you get bored with it,' he explained.

The drivers say because their races are small and unplanned, they avoid the police net on major racing implemented in February to stop large-scale illegal races that were organised on Dubai's roads.

'The [government] has not done anything yet to scare me off racing,' one young racer said.

'Even with radars, we manage. We all just slow down together, and then its a free-for-all after that. Radars are just obstacles, like other cars on the road,' added the racer, who says he races every day and has never been caught.

Racers said it would take stronger action to keep them off the roads – greater fines, threat of deportation or loss of licences.

The traffic police campaign, launched on Sunday, involves a greater police presence on the roads, the use of unmarked cars to catch offenders, recording licence plate numbers of dangerous drivers and heavy use of mobile radars, all of which will affect racers as well as other dangerous drivers, said Al Zafeen .

So far this month 12 people have been killed in accidents on Dubais roads and 91 have been killed since the start of the year. Last year an average of two people a day were killed in accidents in the UAE 292 in Abu Dhabi and 236 in Dubai many as a result of dangerous drivers.

IBM to help UAE automatically punish drivers

2006-01-06T00:33:00.000+04:00

InformationWeek reports that IBM has announced a deal with United Arab Emirates in which it would provide speed tracking devices that will automatically warn violators of traffic laws:

'The telematics device will use multiple microprocessors based on IBM's Power Architecture, and will have the capability to monitor the speed of the vehicle and send out a warning if the car surpasses the posted speed limit.'

GeekCoffee goes on to report that tickets will be issued automatically to violators who ignore the warnings.

If the voice warning is ignored, the system would use a GSM/GPRS link to beam the car's speed, identity and location to the police so that a ticket could be issued.

Pretty damn scary especially for me....

Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum dies

2006-01-04T13:00:00.000+04:00

His Highness Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai has died.

He was 62 years old.

A statement from the Ministry of Presidential AffairsÂ confirmed that His Highness died earlier this morning in Australia.

The President of the UAE, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nayhan, mourned the death of Shaikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The statement added that the UAE had lost a historical leader from its leaders who dedicated his life to building the country, and strove to do his best for its people.

The statement added that Shaikh Maktoum was a generous and giving man whose memory will be ingrained in the consciousness of the nation.

The official mourning period will last for 40 days, when all UAE flags will fly at half mast.

Ministries and government organisations will be closed for seven days.

Truck Driver Jailed For Negligence

2005-12-31T11:32:00.000+04:00

A Dubai court yesterday sentenced a truck driver to two months in prison for causing an accident in which two other motorists were crushed to death. Mudather Shah was also ordered to pay dhs400,000 to the families of the victims.

Last month, the Pakistani driver for World Wide Express Transport was driving at excessive speed by Deira City Centre when he lost control of his articulated lorry, causing the container that the vehicle was carrying to come off and crush a Dubai Transport taxi, instantly killing the taxis driver Hisham Jamal El Deen, 36 and its passenger Tamer Abdul-Haleem, both Egyptians.

The 40 tonne container had not been secured properly to the vehicle. 'Even though the prosecutors have asked for a more severe sentence, I have tried to take your circumstances into account,' Judge Ali Al Thahabi told the 23-year-old defendant yesterday.

A court source said yesterday that if Shahs employer World Wide Express insurance company does not pay the blood money, or diya, he could remain in jail well after he serves his two month sentence.

'Often, in similar cases, the government or charitable individuals step in to help defendants pay,' he added.

The source also said that the Public Prosecutor could still appeal the case to see that Shah receives a more severe sentence because 'the deaths were caused by the drivers lack of responsibility and total disregard for human life'.

Dubai to create Air Conditioned Foot Bridges

2005-12-31T11:26:00.000+04:00

This image is an artists impression of what seven air-conditioned pedestrian bridges to be built near some of Dubai’s crowded junctions will look like.

Yesterday, Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) announced the dhs35 million project to be completed by the end of 2006. Each bridge is expected to cost around five million dirhams to construct, the RTA said.

The new bridges will be placed on Abu Hail Street close to the Grand Mosque, Al Nahda street near Union Co-operative Society, Abu Baker Al Siddique Street near Al Gaz Mosque, Al Maktoum street close to Al Khaleej Palace Hotel, Airport Road near the Cargo Village underpass, Casablanca Street near Dubai Tennis Stadium and on Baniyas Road near to the Sheraton Hotel.

These locations were selected taking into account a number of factors, the RTA said, such as movement of pedestrians and the percentage of accidents involving pedestrians.

UK Newspaper Censorship Lifted by Monopolised ISP

2005-12-31T11:14:00.000+04:00

Etisalat yesterday unblocked the web site of the UK’s most popular newspaper, The Sun.

The company had blocked the web site following 'requests from members of the public'. Web sites can be blocked if they are deemed offensive

The Sun told 7DAYS its website had been blocked due to pictures of 'Colleen McCloughlin [fiancee of footballer Wayne Rooney] that were too hot for some unnamed politicians and a couple of residents even though she was pictured in some frilly dress.'

Get Pet Cleaning Robots with your house

2005-12-26T13:54:00.000+04:00

A Dh2 billion Dubai-based conglomerate, with interests in information technology and real estate, has announced the launch of a new property development company that will combine its two core areas of activity to create the most technologically advanced properties in the Middle East region.

Almasa Holdings, which consists of five different companies operating in all areas of information technology, announced the launch of its sixth company, Omniyat Property Development Corporation.

The new company will focus on developing high-tech commercial and residential buildings and properties in Dubai and the rest of the region.

Almasa Holdings president and CEO Mehdi Amjad said the new company was being launched with an initial issued capital of Dh150 million, and an authorised capital of Dh300 million as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Almasa Holdings.

Mehdi Amjad was addressing a Press conference held at Burj Al Arab.

' We have been looking at the Dubai property market very carefully over the last 18 months as we were looking at further developing our real estate business and spinning off this in-house division into a fully-fledged property development company with its own structure and management team, ' Amjad said.

To be known by its trading name Omniyat Properties, the company was born out of Almasa Holdings five-year-old real estate division, which has implemented numerous successful real estate investment projects in the UK and Iran over the last few years, and started looking at the booming Dubai property market more than a year ago.

Omniyat Properties, which will soon launch its first projects in Dubai and in the future expand into other markets in the Middle East, will capitalize on its mother-companys technology base to develop high-tech properties where technology will play a major role in improving people’s lifestyles.

'Almasa Holdings is a leader in technology in the Middle East, and thats why we have decided to capitalize on our strength in technology to offer futuristic homes and offices the likes of which have not been seen anywhere in the Middle East, and probably in the world,' said Almasa Holdings chief marketing officer Ehab S Shouly.

Shouly, who is also Omniyat Properties marketing director and senior vice-president, said Omniyat homes and offices will include futuristic features such as voice control as well as robots which will take care of daily chores such as vacuum cleaning, mopping and even pressing shirts.

'Omniyat is an Arabic word that means wishes, and thats exactly what our new company is all about. Our slogan is ‘Live the Future’ and we want to give people in Dubai and the region the chance to live the future today and benefit from the technologies which are available out there,' he continued.

All of Omniyats developments, he said, will feature a technological edge, whether they are residences, offices, or retail outlets.

'Our offices for example will be able to call you and read out your emails to you, or even set up your meetings. Our homes are so futuristic were even offering robotic family pets in some of them,' Shouly said.

Amjad, who will also serve as President & CEO of Omniyat Properties, said the newly re-branded Almasa Holdings, previously known as Almasa Group, ventured into real estate five years ago as a means of diversifying its investments as its information technology business was doubling in size year-on-year.

'We started out as an IT distribution company but as we grew and our turnover reached hundreds of millions of Dirhams, we decided to invest in another sector to spread the risk.'

'We decided to go into real estate as we saw it as offering a safe investment and a good counter-balance to the fast-moving IT world,' Amjad said.

The vision for Almasa Holdings was born ten years ago when Amjad, then a fresh graduate, decided to set up his own company rather than join his familys gold trading business. He set out with a capital of one million Dirhams, and a dream to establish a regional force in the field of information technology.

The groups massive growth was aided by a major investment from Al Mirah Group, a 25-year-old leading Kuwaiti retail firm running one of the biggest chains of hypermarkets in Kuwait, which bought a 50 per cent stake in Amjads company shortly after he launched it. Al Mirah Groups chairman, Ismail Janati, is also Almasa Holdings chairman.

Almasa started out in computer hardware distribution but expanded into all other areas of information technology over the years, including manufacturing and assembly, software development, networking solutions, hardware repair and maintenance, software distribution, as well as online hiring solutions.

Almasa Holdings employs over 250 people with some 30 different nationalities across its six member-companies. It covers and operates in more than 60 countries, from the Middle East to North Africa, and Asia to Europe. The group has offices in 12 countries, with the biggest being its headquarters in Dubai.

Almasa IT Distribution, the groups core company, is today the biggest IT distributor in the Middle East and North Africa, representing top international brands such as HP, Maxtor, Avaya, Hitachi, and Microsoft among others. It has just been voted the Mena regions number one IT distributor for the second year running.

Tony Manning, Almasa Holdings and Omniyat Properties chief financial officer, said the groups turnover is expected to reach Dh2 billion by the end of this year, which is an increase of Dh440 million over the previous year.

'We have continued our year-on-year trend of excellent growth since our inception,' he added.

Manning said all six of Almasa Holdings member-companies -- Almasa IT Distribution, Almasa Business Solutions, Performance Systems, The Hiring Solutions Company, ART International, and Omniyat Properties, which took over Almasa real estate divisions projects -- have all turned in excellent performances this year.

'We expect our new property ventures in Dubai and the rest of the Middle East to make a significant contribution to our growth in the next few years.'

'Our aim is to triple our turnover within five years. While technology will remain at the heart of Almasa, property will emerge as an equally important contributor to our revenues and profits,' he said.

Manning added that the initial Omniyat Properties capital of Dh150 million will be increased to Dh300 million to support this growth. 'We expect to make further announcements in the near future regarding strategic partnerships and increases in Omniyats capital,” he said.

Tim Wilson, sales director and senior vice-president of Omniyat Properties, said the company will enter all segments of the property development market at all levels.

'We will be developing properties with residential, office, retail and probably even hotel elements. All of them will rely heavily on technology,' he said.

Omniyat Properties is also currently setting up a state-of-the-art Sales Presentation Centre from which it will be selling its properties, and giving potential customers high-tech presentations which are befitting to its image. Sales will be conducted both directly by Omniyats own sales force and through its growing network of agents.

The company will be launching its first projects in Dubai in the last week of January. It has already acquired plots of land in various developments in Dubai, and continues to explore opportunities in all countries in the region.

'We want to be a true regional developer, and to be the developer of choice for our customers,' Amjad said.

UAE's International Activities

2005-12-17T09:41:00.000+04:00

Newspaper article from the Gulf News showing UAE's investment in some of the Major businesses around the world including but not limited to, Ferrari, Tussad's Wax Museum in UK, The London Eye and Daimer Chrysler.

Click on the image below to view the complete article.

Proposed Railway Networrk To Link UAE With Other Arab Countries

2005-12-14T07:54:00.000+04:00

Residents of the UAE could well be able to travel by train to Damascus, Beirut, Basra and Cairo, to mention but a few cities, when an Arabian railway network becomes reality.

A proposed Arabian railway network, which will connect the UAE with the rest of the Arab world, will offer a practical alternative to short and medium-haul flights for both freight and passengers.

Murhaf Al Sabouni, General Secretary of the Syria-based Arab Railway Union, said Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah can be main line stops on the 1,860km 'third artery' of the proposed rail network between Basra and Muscat.

"The northern emirates of Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah, along with Fujairah on the country's east coast, would be branch line stations," Al Sabouni said in his presentation on the General Overview of the Current and Future of Arab Rail at the Gulf Traffic 2005 exhibition in Dubai.

He said the seven UAE emirates will be connected to an ambitious Arabian railway network extending in a giant loop from the Syrian-Turkish border through Iraq and along the Arabian Gulf, Arabian Sea and Red Sea coasts.

Dubai Metro

This will be in addition to plans of constructing Emirates Railway, the UAE's future national rail network and Dubai Metro.

The presentation was based on a study conducted by the Arab Railway Union and the Syrian General Corporation for Railways in association with the Arab Transport Ministers Council of the Arab League.

No date has been suggested for the implementation of the Arabian Railway network.

In all, the network will comprise 10 trunk lines and cover 25,000km, stretching from the Syrian-Turkish border in the north to Aden in the south-west through Arabic-speaking North Africa to Mauritania on the Atlantic coast and as far East as the Iraqi border with Iran.

In North Africa, Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania all have existing railways, which will be utilised in the network, said Al Sabouni.

Ocean Heights

2005-12-14T07:34:00.000+04:00

Ocean Heights will be 82 Floors once completed and be one of the world's tallest Residential Buildings.

Ocean Heights will contain 600 plus luxury 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. It will also provide customers with 24-hour security, a dedicated concierge desk, professional housekeeping services and 700 parking spaces. It was designed by award-winning architectural firm Aedas.

It will also be located in the Dubai Marina and should be completed by 2008.

New Dubai World Trade Center

2005-12-09T05:32:00.000+04:00

Dubai has given the nod for an upgrade on the current World Trade Center Building. The plan, which envisages the redevelopment and enhancement of the present complex over the next seven to ten years, will include a state-of-the-art convention centre, office and residential towers, hotels and hotel apartments and shopping facilities. The Towers should be around 40 stories.

Also under way is a project to boost the current exhibition capacity by 30 per cent within one year to meet the surging demand for space with most exhibitions recording phenomenal growth in size.

At present DWTC has over 60,000 square metres of exhibition space, including more than 23,000 square metres of space under its management at the Airport Expo Dubai. The city has many other venues catering for events both large and small.

DWTCs current convention centre - DICC - has a capacity to accommodate events with up to 11,000 delegates and its main multipurpose hall has the capacity to hold up to 6,000 people when set as an auditorium.

The new development will complement DWTCs plans in developing the Dubai Exhibitions City, which forms an important part of the World Central project at Jebel Ali. The Exhibition City will provide 120,000 square metres of exhibition space upon completion of phase one in 2009. "Both projects will provide a tremendous boost to Dubai's position as the main conference and exhibitions hub for the region and a leader in the MICE industry," Shaikh Hamdan said.

"Dubai has cemented its position as the premier Middle East conference and exhibitions centre. I confidently expect this development to enjoy a tremendous response from exhibitions and conventions organisers worldwide and will play a big part in Dubai's and UAE's success story" he added.

Apart from the new convention centre, designed to be the most technologically advanced in the world, the project will add to the number of available hotels and hotel apartments in the city and will increase Dubai's capacity to hold world-class meetings and conventions. It will also include the Landmark Tower to be situated on Shaikh Zayed Road by the Emirates Towers, shopping outlets, residential complexes, parking facilities and links to the advanced Dubai light rail metro system.

The Gate-Shams in Abu Dhabi

2005-11-30T03:16:00.000+04:00

The Gate Shams Abu Dhabi is a massive multi-use project being planned for Abu Dhabi that will include several large towers.

These towers, shaped as if they open up and welcome the sky, represent the contemporary design and vision of the project.

The first of the plots to be released has been given a working name of 'The Gate', as its five impressive towers form the southern entrance to the Shams Abu Dhabi development. With four residential towers of 60 stories and a single 75-story mixed residential and commercial use tower, this plot encompasses 3,000 residential units with accompanying underground parking and environmental terraces and in total represents more than one million square metres of development space.

The second plot represents what is generally being referred to as the Northern or Upper Village-a residential cluster of buildings ranging from six to 35 stories which will be bisected by a major canal. This neighbourhood is expected to be known as a slightly upscale residential area known for its serenity.

The third plot is composed of several blocks dominated by two iconic towers at the northern tip of the development. These towers, shaped as if they open up and welcome the sky, represent the contemporary design and vision of the project. These towers will form the commercial centre of the adjoining Upper Village.

Distict Municipality plans to link coastal projects by Sea

2005-11-30T01:13:00.000+04:00

The Transport Department of Dubai Municipality is studying options to integrate inter-emirate and local ferries between new coastal developments.

The costal developments that would be connected are the Palm Jebel Ali, the Palm Jumeirah, the Deira Palm, The World, and the Dubai Waterfront and Business Bay with a water transport system, which would also extend to neighbouring emirates. The vessels serving these routes would also have access to the the creek extension once it is completed.

According to estimates that are part of the medium term ferry route strategy 2010, the route connecting all these coastal projects will have considerably high ridership, with the annual passenger forecast for the Business Bay leading with an estimated 5.5 million passengers. The route to Sharjah could annually carry some 500,000 passengers, Maritime City route of up to 500,000, and the coastal route covering the island projects of up to 470,000 passengers annually.

Al Dosari also revealed that the department is also planning to try out natural gas powered Abras (water taxis). These would offer a quiet and environment friendly fuel for the much popular water transport system.

Al Safa Project, To Include 800 Meter Canal and 10 Floor Hotel

2005-11-29T02:19:00.000+04:00

Dubai Municipality plans to build a 100 hectare real estate project at Al Safa area in Dubai which will be a housing and recreational property development built with modernity combining traditional features of Arabia in it.The new development will be in the Al Safa Area in Dubai

The real estate development which will incorporate the traditional water channel system and a big lake surrounded by restaurants, office and residential complexes, will provide investment opportunities. "It will include a recreational commercial axis for pedestrians, called the Pedestrian Promenade, to be constructed along an 800-metre stretch of a water canal. The promenade will serve as centre point of commercial and recreational attraction. Residents will be able to use boats as a mode of transport and leisure. There will be separate areas for cars and pedestrians".

The work on the infrastructure development of the area, between Al Wasl and Shaikh Zayed Road is expected to begin soon. The project will offer a unique opportunity to investors. Tenders will soon be offered to invite investors to build houses, offices, schools, sports complex, hotel, hospital and recreational and shopping facilities. But they have to follow designs given by the Municipality.

The hotel will be an ground plus 10 storeys tall while residential and commercial buildings will be ground plus three storeys.

Developments in Abu Dhabi

2005-11-27T23:36:00.000+04:00

This will be devoted to project developments and urban project in Abu Dhabi.

The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority has approved investment packages to build 4,000 hotel rooms in three years as part of its plan to add 17,000 rooms by 2015, the chief of the authority said yesterday.

At least 17,000 additional rooms are needed by 2015, according to the chief. Hotel construction is a critical component for growth.

Currently, Abu Dhabi has 8,000 hotel rooms.

The authority recently approved investment packages for 4,000 new hotel rooms to be delivered in three years. About 2,000 hotel rooms have entered the first stage in the licensing process and the momentum will soon pick up.

About six to seven four- and five-star hotels will be built to add the 4,000 new rooms.

A major Abu Dhabi group is constructing a hotel and furnished apartments along with Shangri La Hotels.He said the authority would also develop Saadiyat island and other zones with residential, leisure and tourism complexes. Details will be made public shortly, he said. The growth in tourism sector will also stimulate the retail sector.

Dubai Metro Network Project

2005-11-26T01:48:00.000+04:00

Recently have just found some information on the proposed Metro Network in Dubai, which is supposed to be completed by 2009.

Here's what it is supposed to look like:

The Dubai Metro Network will comprise two lines:

The Red Line will initially run from Salahuddin Rd to the American University of Dubai through Burjuman and Sheikh Zayed Rd, and will progressively be extended to Jebel Ali Port in the south and the intersection of Al Nahda and Damascus roads through Al Qiyadah intersection in the north.

The Green Line will initially run from Al Ittihad Square to Rashidiya bus station through Deira City Centre and the Airport Terminals 1 and 3, and will progressively be extended to serve the Deira and Bur Dubai central areas and Souks up to Burjuman and Wafi shopping centres.

The two lines will total nearly 70 km, with 35 stations along the 50-km long Red Line, and 22 along the 20-km long Green Line. The two transfer stations at Al Ittihad Square and Burjuman are common to both lines.

Also, a possible extension of the Green Line from Wafi to the projected Festival City development is under study.

The two lines will run underground in the city centre

The two lines will run elevated on a specially designed viaduct everywhere else. The viaduct design and aesthetics is being developed specifically to actually enhance the urban architecture along its corridor. Also, the tracks will not cross the public highway, which will ensure plenty of safety. The metro project should fit very well into Dubai's urban setting.

Here's a few pics of what it might look like:

New Dubai Zoo to be Cageless

2005-11-21T00:46:00.000+04:00

Dubai Municipality announced yesterday that it will soon begin building a new Dhs200 million ( 31,740,000.00 Gbp, Great British Pounds ) zoo at a site near Mushrif Park.

The new zoo, replacing the original on Jumeirah Road, will be designed as an ‘open’ zoo, free of cages and including natural features such as caves and water.

“It will be simple but modern. A barrier free zoo that will include plenty of grassland for the animals,” a Municipality source said yesterday.

The announcement comes after almost two years of discussions over what to do with the more than 1,000 creatues housed in the Jumeirah enclosure, which was built in 1967.

Originally, the Municipality had plans for an one billion dirham wildlife park, designed by one of Europe’s top firms. However, following Dubailand’s announcement in 2004 that its development would include a wildlife park, the Municipality decided to rethink its plans.

Yesterday, Qassim Sultan, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said: “The new Dubai Zoo has the potential to become a landmark attraction for national and international visitors. It will serve a major tourism and visitor education function for all of the UAE. ”

The current Dubai Zoo attracted around 779,000 visitors in 2004. So far this year, 590,000 people have visited the zoo. But the cramped conditions in which its animals have been kept, due to the lack of space, has drawn criticism from Dubai residents.

Zoo staff have done their best to keep the animals well cared for despite being overwhelmed by the number of beasts being kept there - far more than the enclosure was originally designed for.

The zoo is the only sanctuary for the animals that find their way there, either through authorities discovering creatures illegally smuggled into the country or people realising that the exotic pet they bought has now become too large to take care of at home.

The new zoo will be built in two phases. The first phase involves basic “mobilisation works” while the second phase will include “construction activities” for the zoo and a botanical garden.

The zoo will include a 108 hectare Safari park and an extra 150 hectares will be set aside for future expansion.

The animals housed at the current zoo, including giraffes, tigers, bears ,cheetahs, a gorilla and a pigmy hippopotamus called Annie, will all eventually be moved to the new zoo once its ready. “It "It is unlikely that new animals will be brought in,” the Municipality source said.

The latest Airbus 380-800 in service by Emirates

2005-11-20T00:57:00.000+04:00

The latest Boeing 380-800 which is as wide as a football field in service by Emirates Airlines, the International Airline of United Arab Emirates as seen at in Dubai International Airport.

Interior of the Airbus 380-800,

Airbus 380-800 landing at Dubai International Airport,

Schematic outline of the plane,

On January 18 the Airbus A380 was officially revealed in a ceremony in Toulouse, France. The A380 represents one of the largest European industrial projects ever, and replaces the Boeing 747 as the world's largest airliner.

Table 1 compares the Airbus A380-800 to the Boeing 747-400ER.

**Table 1:** Jumbos compared. Sources: Airliners.net, Wikipedia.
Dimensions
	Airbus A380-800	Boeing 747-400ER
Length	72.8 m	70.7 m
Height	24.1 m	19.4 m
Wingspan	79.8 m	64.4 m
Wing area	845 m²	541 m²
Cabin width	6.58 m	6.10 m
Weights
Operating empty	277,000 kg	181,755 kg
MTOW	540,000 kg	362,875 kg
Powerplants
No. engines	4 turbofans	4 turbofans
Max engine thrust	374 kN (84,000 lb)	276 kN (62,000 lb)
Performance
Cruising speed	902 km/h	907 km/h
Max speed	945 km/h	939 km/h
Range	14,800 km	14,205 km
Capacity
Flightcrew	2	2
Seating (typical)	555	416 (23/78/315)
Seating (max)	840	568
Cargo	N/A	137-158.6 m³

How will the 'World' project affect Dubai

2005-11-16T02:41:00.000+04:00

While there have been numerous articles written recently about the proliferation of artificial island projects, the astounding "The World" venture among them, few have addressed or assessed the environmental impact of such massive undertakings and the transformation of both the sea and landscape. Until recently, Nakheel, the government-controlled corporation developing these ambitious projects, has been able to focus predominantly on promoting rather than defending the islands, but new evidence of environmental detriment is bringing the company and its projects under fire from certain groups.

Inspired by the three artificial palm tree-themed islands projects that are nearing completion, The World is a heady $14 billion endeavor, consisting of 300 individual islands arranged to mimic the shape of the globe's landmasses. Ranging in size from five to 20 acres, and with 50 to 100 meters of water separating each island, the total area encompasses just over 20 square miles. The development is located about two and a half miles off the coast of Dubai city. Islands go for $7 million to $35 million each.

From the air, The World and Palm projects create a highly visible impression on the landscape of Dubai. And back down at sea level, significant changes in the marine environment are leaving a visual scar of another type. As a result of the dredging and redepositing of sand for the construction of the islands, the typically crystalline waters of the gulf of Dubai have become severely clouded with silt. Construction activity is damaging the marine habitat, burying coral reefs, oyster beds and subterranean fields of sea grass, threatening local marine species as well as other species dependent on them for food. Oyster beds have been covered in as much as two inches of sediment, while above water, beaches are eroding with the disruption of natural currents.

The profound underwater changes currently taking place as a result of construction are only matched by the grandiose vision of Nakheel developers. Plans for one palm island project, The Palm, Jumeirah, includes an artificial diving park complete with four themed areas from which enthusiasts can choose One area called Snorkler's Cove will feature traditional marine life as well as an added incentive--a daily deposit of a single solid gold one-kilogram bar, worth $15,629 at current gold prices. Developers also intend to transfer and sink several wrecks for a more dramatic diving experience. Project backers assert that such additions will actually help attract fish and other marine life by providing shelter and leading to reef expansion and community diversification.

This optimistic outlook aside, another archipelago project, the Palm Jebel Ali, is located in a formerly protected marine reserve. The management of Jebel Ali marine reserve, the Persian Gulf's second most biodiverse marine system, was taken away from the Dubai Municipality Protected Areas Unit and passed over to Nakheel developers to build the island. Few can argue that the replacement of these natural formations with artificial structures can be a true substitute for what is being destroyed and result in a net gain in marine biodiversity. Further, ecologists fear that standardizing of the marine environment will alienate native species and encourage the likely introduction of new, foreign and possibly destructive species.

Environmentalists' concerns about the present state of Dubai's waters are not without warrant. Coral reefs and their associated mangrove and sea grass habitats function on varied levels, providing a number of integral services. Among these values are the provision of food and shelter for a wide range of marine species, the protection of coastal regions from storms, the prevention of coastal erosion and the support of commercial fishing and recreational activities--namely scuba diving and sport fishing.

Troubled waters are nothing new for Dubai or any other marine region. The health of the coral reefs has been in a state of continuous decline over the past 50 years. The Arabian Gulf is one of the most grievously affected areas, with recent estimates of habitat loss pegged at 35 percent. Increases in temperature and salinity have previously been attributed as the leading factors in reef habitat degradation, but the new pressure from dredging serves only to exacerbate the declining state of the environment.

Nakheel concedes that its various artificial archipelago projects have indeed buried reefs and changed the environment, but argues that the company will try to alleviate and even reverse some of the detrimental effects by building artificial reefs upon completion of the islands. What is more, the company has employed a marine biologist to monitor and rehabilitate damaged reefs. Imad Haffar, the research and development manager of Nakheel predicts local fauna will flourish in the newly constructed environment, but ecologists fear otherwise.

Environmentalists and scuba divers alike report that so much silt has been stirred up from dredging that organisms and the reef itself are slowly being choked by the sediment particles. The current activity has essentially destroyed Dubai's diving industry even if temporarily, and enthusiasts have left the area for clearer waters. Once dredging and construction are complete, the waters should clear, but will anyone recognize what has been left behind?

Artificial Reef Project in Dubai International Waters

2005-11-15T01:37:00.000+04:00

Dubai is set to become a surfers paradise with plans in place to build an offshore reef that will produce major breaking waves.The contractors have already submitted bids to Dubai Municipality for the innovative project that is also being designed to encourage the growth of marine life off the Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim coastline.The firms hoping to land the project are Waagner Biro Gulf and Overseas AST.

The massive reef will be constructed using more than 130 geosynthetic containers and tubes that are filled with sand or stone and sunk to form a horseshoe shape on the seabed.

It will sit just below the low tide level and is designed to channel the flow of water and magnify the height of waves hitting the coast to up to 1.5 m. The company built the first sand filled structure on Australias Gold Coast in 1985, which extended for 100 m and produced waves of up to 6 m in height.

The 73,000 million structure planned for Dubai is likely to extend across 200 m and will be made up of containers that will be 25 m long and 3 m wide.

Trials undertaken so far have shown that the containers increase the number and diversity of marine fauna. The plan is set to be unveiled later this month when the worlds leading marine engineers descend on Dubai for the Arabian coast conference. This type of unit is increasingly being used as a replacement for rock and concrete because of the rising cost of these more traditional materials. A significant number of structures in the Australasian region have been constructed using sand-filled geosynthetic containers over the last 20 years.

Dubai rent inflation restricted

2005-11-15T01:30:00.000+04:00

General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, UAE Defence Minister and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, ordered yesterday that rent increases in all leased properties in Dubai must not exceed 15 per cent annually.

The order came into effect yesterday and will remain in force until the end of 2006. The order says that if property leasers or landlords decide to increase the rent for any property, it cannot exceed 15 per cent of the annual amount.

Shaikh Mohammad instructed authorities to implement the order, which came in line with his keenness to preserve social stability and reduce pressure on all sections of society. The decision also aims to reduce the burden on tenants.

Dubai residents welcomed the order and urged its strict implementation. Real estate agents told Gulf News that the decision will prevent tenants from "being exploited". They said the 15 per cent increase limit was "a fair thing" to impose on landlords.

he Rent Committee at Dubai Municipality will be the authorised body to to design a mechanism for swift implementation of the order, according to WAM.

A property market survey found that rents for one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in Dubai rose by an average of 38 per cent over the last 12 months.

Rents for office space have also soared by an average of 29 per cent since October 2004.

Qasim Sultan, Director General of Dubai Municipality, told Gulf News that Shaikh Mohammad's order was timely.

"The maximum limit of 15 per cent rent increase will serve both landlords and tenants, and both have welcomed the decision. This step will help curb the 'rent race' being followed by some property owners to make money," he said.

Sultan said the decision is based on a study of the rent market in the emirate and it reflects Shaikh Mohammad's vision, which takes into consideration the interests of all parties.

Sultan said the Rent Committee would be an independent body to devise a proper mechanism to implement the order from the date of issuance.

Saeed Mohammad Al Kindi, chairman of the committee, said the decision would reflect positively on the property sector.

He said the committee would receive complaints regarding rent increases. "We respect the interests of both tenants and landlords and try to resolve rent disputes amicably," he said.

Internet Service disrupted in UAE

2005-08-03T03:11:00.000+04:00

Imagine not being able to log on to the Internet and being able to check your email or even surf the web casually ? Something of that severity has come upon UAE.

Underwater cables acting as a telecommunications link and Internet backbone was damaged somewhere between Mumbai on the west coast of India and Penang in Malaysia.

The nation's leading telecommunications company Etisalat commented that a ship might have ruptured the cable and it had no idea when the matter would be resolved.

However complete suspension of services is not expected as only some pathways would be affected. Eg. An end user could visit a site located in USA but service to an Asian site might be interrupted.

Reduction in total bandwidth has not been estimated as well.

68 Million Dirahms in Foot Bridges

2005-08-02T16:22:00.000+04:00

Several road projects summing up to a massive sum of Dirhams 68 million have been launched.

Seven pedestrian bridges will be built around the city at Abu Hail Street (close to the Grand Mosque), Al Nahda Street (near Union Cooperative Soceity), Abu Baker Al Siddique Street (near Al Gaz mosque), Al Maktoum Street (close to Al Khaleej Palace Hotel), the Airport Road (near Cargo Village underpass), Casablanca Street (Dubai Tennis Stadium), and the Baniyas Road (near Sheraton Hotel).

The foot bridges are proposed to be completed by the end of the year 2006.

Additionaly an 8km road network is being layed down at Al Warqa 4, and intersections on Al Khawaneej Road will be improved.

Week of Mourning in UAE

2005-08-02T16:07:00.000+04:00

Following the sad demise of King Fahad bin Andul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, who died yesterday the President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered seven days of mourning.

Flags at all government departments and the UAE embassies abroad will fly at half mast during the period.

The Saudi monarch had been in and out of the hospital in recent months, most recently suffering from pneumonia-like symptoms. Fahd yielded day-to-day control of the kingdom a decade ago after suffering a stroke, with Crown Prince Abdullah serving as the de facto ruler since then.

Fahd assumed the throne on June 13, 1982, becoming the fifth king of Saudi Arabia. He was the son of King Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Saud, the founder of the modern Saudi Arabia.

However he was known to be a very lavish person and is featured in the book Daughters and Daughters of Arabia (a definite read) and was known to spare no expense for his personal leisure. A small example can be seen from the picture below of his guest salon at his palace,

Virtual Tour of Dubai in 3D

2005-07-22T01:27:00.000+04:00

The citizens of Dubai and potential tourists will soon be able to roam freely across the city from the comfort of their home without having to bare the sun.

Sounds like a dream come true ? With the help of Dubai Muncipality GIS Center anyone with an Internet Connection and a Web browser and prefferably a fast broadband internet connection can acccess a Three Dimensional modelling representation of the entire city.

Each building and 3D object will be clickable and interactive.

This type of visual medium offers unlimited advertising potential and is sure to attract a large number of sponsors.

"The guide will offer an interactive 3D view of Dubai. Virtual movement within the emirate, through the internet site www.dubai3d.net will also be possible," said Mohammad Al Zaffine, director of the Municipality's Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Centre.

Seat belt regulations tightened by Dubai Traffic Police Department

2005-07-22T01:15:00.000+04:00

Under a statement released by Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Director of the Dubai Traffic Police Department several new stringent regulations have been put across to the drivers of the Emirate.

The statement is directed to drivers carrying children as passengers. It stated that drivers allowing children under the age of 10 to sit in the front seat of the car would be fined Dhs. 100 and be given four black points on their license. The proposed addition of the black points is considered to be a further step to discourage this violation.

Incurring twelve black points on a license will cancel the license and not suspend it as per standard beliefs.

Sheikh Zayed Road accident hurts two

2005-07-22T00:56:00.000+04:00

After a speeding driver crashed his car into the middle of the temporary construction works taking place on Sheikh Zayed Road the driver and his passenger had to be rushed to Rashid hospital.

The accident is said to have taken place after the interchange near the Al Barsha Traffic Department. The cause of the accident is confirmed to have been nothing but rash and reckless speeding.

Whale Shark spotted in Dubai

2005-07-22T00:36:00.000+04:00

(Seems like Dubai has become a tourist spot for other creatures also, u get to see on land reptiles (Pythons) and now water reptiles....hmmm.... lets wait and see maybe an Alien and predator from other planets could be next ?)

Dubai: A whale shark remains trapped at Dubai Marina since early yesterday morning after various attempts to guide it back out to the Gulf failed.

Authorities have thus decided to let it find its own way home.

Security staff at the marina spotted the shark at around 7am swimming in the waters close to Spinneys.

Police and coastguard boats created sound barriers with their launches to try and drive the shark away but after a few attempts, it was decided to try and put the shark in a net and drag it out to sea.

The net was deemed too small, however, and Dubai police have now decided to let the whale shark finds its own way out.

Harmless but biggest fish in the world.

According to marine scientist Laura Bates, who is working in Dubai and saw the shark yesterday at Dubai Marine, the whale shark can grow to about 14 metres.

"The one today was a juvenile. Whale sharks are the biggest fish in the world and are harmless to humans. Usually they're about half a metre in length at birth, so this one wasn't that young, but certainly not as big as some of the adults that have been seen.

It had a couple of large remora under its belly sucker fish that attach and cruise along for the ride."

Bates said the mouth extends the whole width of the flattened head.

Whale sharks feed on plankton and small fish.

Palm Jumeirah completion Severly Delayed

2005-07-17T18:35:00.000+04:00

Bad news has surfaced for investors of Palm Jumeirah. Nakheel the company undertaking the project that had promised completion and handing over of properties by the end of this year has announced that work on the project will not be completed for another year.

Nakheel seems to be losing its reputation and scaring away investors with the completion of only one project to date on time, The Gardens (something that is of inferior quality as a personal opinion).

The delay has been announced only four months from the completion date and as per a statement released by Nakheel no compensation will be paid.

“Property owners have been informed of a revised payment schedule, which has been restructured to the benefit of owners, with remaining payment spread out over the period up until completion,” said Nakheel.

Along the same beach where the Palm Deira where work is being completed 50 million cubic metres of sand, equivalent to 50 per cent of that used on the Palm Jumeirah has been excavated thus far. The 14 kilometre long coastline being built is being billed by Nakheel as a new city within the emirate of Dubai, and will house upwards of 500,000 people when it is completed sometime during 2008, according to figures released by Nakheel. Will Nakheel be able to keep up to the estimate this time ? Only time can tell.

Snake show at Ibn Battuta

2005-07-15T04:27:00.000+04:00

The Snake Oasis show at Ibn Battuta Mall features one of the most rare species of snakes and has recently been a great attraction to the visitors of the mall. Visitors are given the opportunity to hold these snakes and take photographs with them.

Being a featured attraction of the Dubai Summer Surprises 2005, Ibn Battuta Mall is hosting a specially designed forest in China Court, showcasing 17 rare varieties of snakes.

Man run over on Emirates Road

2005-07-15T04:03:00.000+04:00

A pedestrian crossing the road was run over by a white Nissan Patrol (registration details witheld) while crossing the Emirates Road earlier last evening.

Police blame the pedestrian who escaped with average injuries and the driver of the vehicle has been released from custody.

Construction work on Jumeirah Beach Road

2005-07-15T03:48:00.000+04:00

Since construction work began at the Jumeirah Beach Road since over a month the residents and shop owners in the area have been exposed to great inconvinience.

The lack of parking spaces that previous existed that are now replaced by plastic cones and construction pits cause motorists to park on the hard shoulder and footpaths.

Small businesses such as groceries and sheeshas are losing out on customers due to the road works such as road broadening and cable laying.

Rolls Royce Anyone ?

2005-07-15T00:41:00.000+04:00

Burj al Arab the pride of Dubai with its fleet of Rolls Royce Silver Seraphs lined up in all its glamour

Modern divorce law to give women Divorce Rights

2005-07-14T23:50:00.000+04:00

Quoting a Feminist Ethics Project by the Brandeis University,

A woman has almost no grounds for obtaining a divorce provided her husband has consummated the marriage. She cannot be divorced from him even if he fails to support her, abuses her, or is imprisoned for life. If he is declared missing, she may indeed have the marriage dissolved (on grounds of presumed widowhood) at the time when he would have turned 90. Maliki law, by contrast, allows her to seek divorce for non-support, abandonment, and the broad charge of “injury” (darar), which can be physical or otherwise.

Of course with the advent of technology and modern times Women have been gaining more rights and the honourable courts of law have been more lenient in the case of granting divorce.

Rapidly advancing societies and their goverments such as UAE plan to implement laws that give rights to women to end their marraiges after paying suitable compensation (and dowry) to their husbands.

Until now only Tunisia and Egypt were the only Islamic states to have such laws. But such a move by the government of United Arab Emirates should serve as inspiration to other GCC states to put in action similar laws.

The draft law contains 363 articles and is divided into five chapters on marriage, legal competence, guardianship, will, inheritance and endowment.

UAE to set free Expats from Sponsorship Bonding laws

2005-07-14T23:06:00.000+04:00

UAE along with most GCC member countries has long been notorious and been known to bond its expatriates in a vice like grip not letting them change jobs at will.

Over the past few years improvement has been seen and job positions such as Managers and Computer Professionals have been exempted from such a requirement requiring them to leave the country and be enforced a job ban before changing employers and hence their visa.

Recently the UAE Government is considering allowing exapts from all job categories to have open sponsorship transfers.

Just when this sounded too true to be good they put forth a further condition requiring a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before such a sponsorship transfer can be formed. This requirement would not give the party at concern in no significantly different position as the employer holds the final say on as to whether to release the employee or force them to quit (which leaves them with a six month ban in any case).

This law would however benifit scores of workers that fall under the unskilled labour category such as labourers which have in the past not been allowed to perform such a job change.

At present the transfer facility is open an unlimited number of times to certain graduates and post graduates, who must remain at least one year with the original employer and must obtain its approval.

SPONSORSHIP TRANSFER FEES
Category	Number of transfers	Minimum service period	Charges
PhD/Master's	Unlimited	One year	Dh1,500
Bachelor's	Twice	Two years	Dh3,000
Labourers	Once	Three years	Dh5,000

Think it is a good idea to ensure and encourage educated professionals to have more priviliges after all it serves as an initiative for youths to pursue their education.