Abu Dhabi tourism making ties Down Under

            Abu Dhabi tourism officials launched a roadshow last week to encourage more Australians to visit, emphasising the strong UAE links with pop singer Dannii Minogue, swimmer Ian Thorpe and others

The Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority took the show to Brisbane and Melbourne over the past three days. Latest figures show a 24 per cent jump in Australians booking hotels in Abu Dhabi in May, compared to the same month in 2011. More than 3,500 Australians stayed this year, the ADTCA figures showed.

            Etihad Airways last month bought more than five per cent of Virgin Airline’s Australian subsidiary as the emirate focuses on attracting tourists from Down Under.

            The airline operates 21 weekly flights to Abu Dhabi and hired Minogue as an ambassador.

V Australia flies three times a week to Sydney from the UAE capital.

            The TDIC and Abu Dhabi hotel groups on the roadshow highlighted the close sporting and cultural ties between the UAE and Australia.

            Ties with the emirate include Olympian Thorpe, who trained in Abu Dhabi and golfer Adam Scott, who has bought a villa on Saadiyat Island. Australian football captain, Lucas Neil played for local side Al Jazeera last season, while leading triathlete, Nikki Butterfield, was winner of the US$250,000 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon. Masterchef Australia’s George Calombaris took part in the 2012 Gourmet Abu Dhabi food festival, while Minogue, is a spokeswoman for Etihad Airways.

The roadshow comes as a major University of Queensland study of Australian tourists found that most see Abu Dhabi’s neighbour Dubai as a safe, secure and low-crime holiday destination. The study, undertaken by the university’s tourism department, found that most of the Australian focus group also complained that Dubai lacked historic and major cultural sights to see.

            Those surveyed also found that it was “too western” and not as immersed in Arabic culture as other parts of the Middle East. – 7Days

 

UN-NGO lauds UAE Pavilion main film Turtle

            Yeosu - Amidst widespread report that "Turtle," one of films being showcased at the UAE Pavilion at 2012 Yeosu Expo is gathering a legion of fans on YouTube, the IAEWP, UN-NGO (ECOSOC) has sent a letter lauding good set up of UAE Pavilion here.

            "On behalf of the International Association of Educators for World Peace, I want to congratulate you for your good set up of the UAE Pavilion at 2012 Yeosu EXPO in Korea," Dr. Charles Mercieca, president of IAEWP said in his letter addressed to the National Media Council (NMC) of UAE and staff.

            "We are quite confident in your capabilities to reach out to audiences at 2012 Yeosu Expo with such a wonderful film as Turtle for the 2012 Expo's main theme of "The Living Ocean and Coast" visualising the most desirable future for the ocean, " he said.

            "We did not hesitate to select "Turtle" as the best film at 2012 Yeosu Expo. I take this opportunity to congratulate you for a good job done. Your dedicated team at UAE Pavilion in 2012 contributed toward environmental protection with metric results and performance," Dr. Mercieca said adding a plague of commendation to that effect will be made and presented to NMC staff at 2012 Yeosu Expo UAE Pavilion in due course.

            IAEWP(http://iaewp.com) is a not-for-profit, non-political, and a non-governmental organisation geared towards the attainment of international understanding and world peace through education. IAEWP operates as an NGO under the mandate of the United Nations. It has more than 100 chapters established throughout the world with its headquarters in Alabama, U.S.

            In 1973, the Association became a non-governmental organisation of both the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It also became a part of the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI) for several years.

            In 1990, we became officially linked with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Conference on Environmental Development (UNCED) both for many years.

            The basic dimensions of its philosophy are a firm belief in peace and confident steps to achieve a new era of world peace. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Irish Prime Minister receives Emirates Heritage Club sailing team

            Galway - Irish Prime Minister Enda Kennedy received the Emirates Heritage Club's sailing team who is participating in the activities of "The Maritime Heritage Cultural Exchange" between the club and the Irish city of Galway during the last stage of the Volvo Ocean Race. Also present was UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland Khalid Nasser Rashid Lootah.

            During the meeting, Kennedy emphasised the importance of Emirates Heritage Club's participation in this celebration hailing the efforts of UAE's delegation in giving a good image for the maritime heritage of the state.

            For his part, Saeed al Qubaisi, head of UAE's delegation said that this participation comes in implementation of the directives of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President's Representative and Chairman of the Emirates Heritage Club and the follow up of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to emphasise the importance of cultural and heritage exchange along with achieving a kind of cultural convergence between the people. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

BP says its still in talks with Abu Dhabi on oil-production rights

            BP Plc said it’s still in talks with Abu Dhabi about renewing rights to produce oil, after a report indicated the London-based crude producer had been excluded from negotiations.

            “Constructive discussions are taking place at all levels,” David Nicholas, a BP spokesman, said July 6. “This is all part of doing business.”

            An official at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, the state-run producer known as Adnoc, had no comment on the report when contacted by Bloomberg on Sunday, asking not to be identified in line with company policy.

            Adnoc excluded BP from the list of companies it asked to bid for production rights at onshore fields, Petroleum Intelligence Weekly reported last week, without identifying where it got the information.

            Exxon Mobil Corp, Total SA, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Statoil ASA and Occidental Petroleum Corp received invitations to prequalify for bidding, PIW said in a newsletter dated July 9.

            Abu Dhabi and Adnoc pumps crude and natural gas from onshore and undersea deposits in joint ventures with international partners.

            One of the ventures, Abu Dhabi Co. for Onshore Oil Operations, known also as Adco, manages the main concession for the emirates’s largest onshore fields.

            The agreement will expire in 2014, and Adnoc is in discussions to renew it or reach separate accords with new partners.

            Adnoc director-general Abdullah Nasser Al Suwaidi said in April that the producer was shortlisting the companies it would ask for bids to help pump and expand on Adco’s 1.4 million barrel-a-day of output.

            BP, Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total and Partex Oil & Gas — or their predecessor companies — have been producing oil in Abu Dhabi since 1939.

            Adnoc joined them as a partner in the 1970s, creating the Adco concession, which holds rights for six deposits until 2014. – Bloomberg

 

UAE aiding the fight against pirates

            When the UAE-funded Coast Guard base opened at Ile Perseverance in Seychelles in November last year, officials from both countries applauded the nations' "mighty wall of friendship".

            The Dh55 million, 30,000 square -metre base comes complete with sophisticated coastal radar surveillance systems and a helipad, and took just a year to build.

            It was the Emirates' gift to a nation which has struggled with a growing Somali pirates problem.

            The UAE's funds also purchased five patrol ships, doubling Seychelles' fleet.

            "We are a small country with limited resources," said Dick Esparon, the ambassador of Seychelles to the UAE. "We appreciate our brother helping us to tackle the scourge of piracy."

            The Republic of Seychelles, a 115-island archipelago north-east of Madagascar in the western Indian Ocean, whose economy is primarily driven by tourism and fishing, has been particularly hard hit by piracy in the region.

            All maritime tourism activities - including cruise ships and catamaran rentals - are restricted to the inner islands because of the risk of piracy. The resulting added costs of freight and insurance have caused the prices of imported food and fuel to skyrocket.

            Seychelles officials estimate the country lost €8m (Dh37m) in tourism revenue and €4.1m from fisheries in 2008 and 2009 because of piracy.

            Joel Morgan, the nation's minister of home affairs, environment, transport and energy, and the chairman of the high level committee on piracy, said Seychelles has failed to capitalise on economic opportunities because of the threat of piracy.

            "The cost of the defensive measures Seychelles has had to take are more than US$5m per year - money that could have been used to further invest in education, health and social development," Mr Morgan said in London in February.

            In 2009, when attacks in Seychelles sea territory began to escalate, 10 vessels were hijacked and 10 Seychellois were captured.

            Since 2010, four fishing boats have been hijacked, with three rescued by military intervention.

Mr Esparon said the new Coast Guard base's cutting-edge technology would allow Seychelles to closely monitor the traffic in its waters and more easily respond to calls for assistance.

            "We will be able to give valuable information to the ships passing through our waters," the ambassador said. "This is critical, because, most of the time, hijacking happens because of a lack of information-sharing.

            "Seychelles would like to position itself as the hub in terms of gathering and disseminating information dealing with piracy in the Indian Ocean."

            Mr Esparon said it was premature to discuss future collaborations with the UAE, which has had strong diplomatic relations with his country since 1984. The two nations are teaming up on training of military personnel and efforts on the ground in Somalia to attack the root causes of piracy.

            "Be assured that we have a concrete and elaborate plan in terms of how to deal with piracy - we know we have to be better prepared than they are," he said.

            The base is just one example of the extensive foreign aid and other support the UAE has heaped upon Seychelles. In 2010, the UAE gave Dh64.1m to the republic, the 10th largest recipient of foreign aid funds that year.

            Nearly all was in the form of a government grant for general budget support. Another Dh33.1m was given to Seychelles for infrastructure development by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.

            The Khalifa Foundation also donated Dh60,000 for charitable purposes in 2010.

Seychelles and the UAE share an extraordinarily close bond. Seychelles has only eight embassies in the world, and one of them is in Abu Dhabi.

            Sheikh Khalifa, the President of the UAE, has recently completed a seven-storey palace on Seychelles' largest island, Mahe. – The National

 

etisalat maintains strong credit ratings with three international credit rating agencies

            etisalat, the leading telecommunications company in the Middle East, Africa and Asia with operations in 16 countries, has maintained one of the highest credit ratings in the telecom sector following rigorous evaluations by the three international credit rating agencies: Standard '&' Poor, Fitch and Moody's.

            The three international Credit Rating Agencies reviewed etisalat's existing Credit Rating during the second quarter of 2012, and affirmed their credit ratings on etisalat as following: etisalat has been rated AA- by S'&'P, A+ by Fitch, and Aa3 by Moody's, maintaining its ranking across all three agencies.

            etisalat is now the highest overall rated telecommunications company in the GCC and the 4th highest rated telecommunications company in the world.

            Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, etisalat Group Chief Executive Officer, said: "etisalat has maintained its strong credit score due to our sound financial policy and financial flexibility, along with solid generation of cash flow and a strong portfolio of local and overseas assets that have yielded consistent increased value.

            "etisalat is proud of the recognition of our financial success which we look forward to maintain with strong underlying operating performance that will sustain our stable rating and assist in diversifying our funding sources and provide strong liquidity and financial flexibility." – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Telecoms regulator denies Anonymous hacked UAE netfilter system

            Claims that a group of hackers have penetrated the country's proxy server and extracted a list of blocked website addresses are incorrect, the telecoms regulator has said.

            In a statement, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority denied security had been compromised.

            The vigilante 'hactivist' organisation Anonymous, who have previously targeted credit card companies and antipiracy organisations, claimed it had hacked into the UAE's netfilter system which censors websites.

            "Recently there have been many rumours about hacking and intrusion attempts to UAE's ISPs (proxies)," the TRA said.

            "The TRA's main responsibility is to set the policies. On the other hand the ISPs are fully responsible for operation of the proxy.

            "As all proxy under the full control and operation of the ISPs, TRA approached both ISPs to confirm that there were no attempts of any kind of breeches to the proxy systems and they have both confirmed that the systems are not affected nor hacked or breeched."

Anonymous leaked a list of 24,000 blocked URLs last week under the code name Operation GodFather.

            "We managed to get into the Netfilter server and are leaking this data we extracted from their [database]," the group said.

            The TRA did not comment on whether the list was accurate.

            One computer forensics expert based in Dubai, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of fears of reprisals from Anonymous, said last week that many companies operate their own proxy servers and provide lists of inappropriate websites to du and etisalat.

            "Just because they have been able to identify which websites are blocked, this isn't any amazing achievement," the expert said. – The National

 

Dubai trading sector vibrant

            A Dubai traders’ outlook survey for 2012 conducted by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) pointed to an increase in the overall performance of the trading sector in comparison to the year 2011 but slightly lower than the pre-crisis levels.

            The survey, organised at the end of 2011 and based on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 representing the highest rating, showed the average expectation rating for 2012, which was 5.8, increasing by only 0.1 from the corresponding score of 5.7 for 2011, and remaining lower than the pre-crisis levels by almost a point.

            Highlighting the factors affecting the expectations, the survey revealed that despite the positive growth signals from Dubai’s foreign trade and tourism data, experiences of last year and the recent downgrading of forecasts for global economy and international trade seemed to weigh heavily on expectations for the current year.

            Outlook for trading of basic necessities brighter. Citing the reasons for the positive outlook of traders of basic consumer items, the survey pointed out to the growing population of Dubai, which resulted in a score of 6.2. The strong demand for consumer electronics in the country as well as the region and the on-going thrusts for expansion of the industry sector had lifted the outlook of traders of machinery and equipment, leading to the second highest rating of 5.8 for the group.

            On the other hand, traders of household appliances, of industry inputs, and of construction materials were found to be less upbeat. Job losses during the financial crisis and slow growth of employment had negative impact on disposable income of households, leading to postponement of purchases of household durables.

            Meanwhile, the cautious stance of banks and other lending institutions had narrowed access of SMEs to additional capital, greatly affecting their capacity to sustain their level of operations as payment defaults remained common and competition grew keener.

            The survey further indicated that the size of businesses was determined by the number of employees as traders employing less than 10 workers were found to be the least optimistic group, giving an average rating of 5.5. The other two groups had nearly the same average ratings, with the medium sized traders being slightly less optimistic than the large traders. Respective ratings for the two groups of traders were 6.15 and 6.25.

            The survey informed that net expectation scores for market demand, or the weighted difference between the positive and the negative expectations, reflected an overall positive outlook at 42 per cent, suggesting that those expecting at least ‘Good’ demand in 2012 outnumbered those with negative demand expectations.

            Variations in demand expectations across type of goods traded in the market and by employment size followed the same pattern as noted for overall expectation.

            Market demand is directly determined by the consumer preferences, which are shaped by many factors in the market. Foremost of these are product availability and differentiations, price variations and purchasing power/capacity of customers. 

            Leading the factors that contributed positively to quality of supply was the growing competition, giving rise to more exciting marketing campaigns aimed at making the products appealing and accessible to consumers and buyers. Additionally, the market becomes more exciting with the expected expansion in product variety and choices offered to the consumers. Expected improvements in availability of skilled manpower, inventory, and supply procurement also contributed positively to demand expectations.

            On the other hand, there were some factors that were expected to exert negative impact on demand expectations including the growing difficulty of access to additional capital, limiting capability to expand supply. Allied to these factors was the expected worsening condition for access to financial support and services. However, these factors can be addressed by relevant policies and issuance of amendments to current procedures, the survey revealed.

            Fortunately, the negative impact of factors weighing down demand expectations may be addressed through the issuance of policy measures that would ease access to additional capital and make doing business much easier.

            Issuance of such policies is expected to turn around the negative market demand expectation of about 7 per cent of traders, leading to a rise of 13 percentage points in the overall average net expectation score, to a level of 55 per cent, a level that would be comparable to the global pre-crisis period. – The Gulf Today

 

Rents in Sharjah fall 6% in Q2

            Rents in Sharjah fell six per cent on average in the second quarter 2012 due to strict regulations on sharing apartments and poor utility connection after a positive start to the year, according to Asteco.

            “New regulations regarding shared accommodation have been introduced with tenants in Sharjah required to disclose their salaries and confirm that people living together are family members only. Subsequently, we have seen tenants who previously shared accommodation, move independently to more affordable smaller units, prompting a decline in rental rates,” Elaine Jones, CEO, Asteco Property Management, said in the Northern Emirates Q2 2012 report.

            Buildings along Mina Road and in Al Yarmouk, which were previously at the top end of the rental market, have seen the largest drops at 21 per cent and 12 per cent, respectively, for all unit types. The large amount of vacant units in the area, coupled with a lack of parking and facilities has seen residents seek better value for money elsewhere in the emirate.

            The commuter belt of Al Khan (Mamzar) and Al Nahdah faired better, with only a 1 per cent drop, while the more desirable Corniche area, which has the highest rents in Sharjah ranging from Dh22,000-Dh54,000 for studios to three-bedroom units, saw a marginal gain of two per cent. Elsewhere in the emirate, rents for a three-bedroom apartment ranged between Dh28,000 and Dh63,000.

            The Sharjah villa market reported little change quarter-on-quarter, with rental rates for three-bedroom properties in Al Khan (Mamzar), Shargan and Al Quz remaining in the Dh70,000-Dh77,500 bracket.

            Neighbouring Ajman also saw a slight downturn in Q2 with decreases in apartment rental rates for studio and one-bedroom units, particularly in the Al Naimia area and new buildings on the Corniche. While there was no change in rental rates along major - thoroughfares such as Sheikh Khalifa Road, Al Quds and Al Nakheel in Q2, both Sheikh Hamid Road and Corniche Road rents fell by an average of 6 per cent.

            “Ongoing issues with utility connections, especially those in new buildings, is still a major issue for prospective tenants who are placing generator-powered buildings firmly at the bottom of their housing wish lists,” said Jones.

            The apartment market in the other Northern Emirates, namely Umm Al Qaiwain and Fujairah, have seen little or no movement in rental levels in the last quarter, while Ras Al Khaimah saw a slight dip in Q1 but began to stabilise by the end of Q2.

            Transaction volume in the Sharjah office market followed Q1 trends with limited movement and rents remained static across the major commercial hubs, with the exception of Al Wahdah, which dropped by 5 per cent to Dh484 per square metre. The Corniche area is still commercial market leader at Dh592 per square metre, mirroring the popularity of the residential rental market. – Emirates 24|7

 

Dh250 million: Dubai’s costliest property ever advertised for sale

            A 45,000-square feet mansion, built on four plots (60,000 square feet) at the tip of one of the fronds on the Palm Jumeirah, is up for sale.

            The mansion, the Dubai-based agency appointed to sell the villa, says it is “the costliest property ever advertised for sale in Dubai” with the asking price being Dh250 million, or  Dh5,555 per square feet. And it is non-negotiable.

            The mansion, currently owned by a high profile businessman, has 10 en-suite bedrooms, a 20-seat private cinema room of 1000 square feet, a gymnasium, four majlis rooms, two study rooms, 2 family rooms, steam, sauna and spa rooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, production kitchen, separate family and private dining rooms, storage rooms and garage for six cars.

            Myles Bush, owner of Power House Properties, told Emirates 24|7: “We are the ‘chosen’ selling agent and this is, of course, the costliest properties sold in Dubai. We are making sure that we show the mansion only to high profile clients.”

            Such custom-made mansions are very few and mostly built by high net worth individuals. These are built at the tip of the fronds and rarely do come up for sale in the market.

            Emirates 24|7 reported earlier prices of Signature and Garden Home  villas on the Palm Jumeirah have gone up, registering average increases of 11 to 25 per cent in first half of 2012 compared to same period last year. Depending on their location and view, a few Signature villas are now listed at prices 50 per cent more than last year.

            Data provided by Edwards and Towers, which specialises in sales of Palm properties, reveals that on average, Signature villa prices rose seven per cent to 50 per cent in H1 2012 compared to same period last year.

            A Frond K and Frond E high number were now selling for Dh30 million and Dh28 million, respectively, compared to a Frond P and F high number for Dh18 million, respectively, and a Frond C high number for Dh15 million in H1, 2011.

            A Frond A mid number villa was selling at Dh17 million compared to a Frond D mid number at Dh16 million in H1, 2011.

            Statistics provided by propertyfinder.ae reveal prices for seven-bed Signature villas on average rose by 10.79 per cent to Dh18.78 million in H1, 2012 compared to Dh16.95 million in H1, 2011.

            Average price for six bed jumped 19.63 per cent to Dh21.02 million from Dh17.57 million, while five-bed villa went up by 17.45 per cent to Dh20.66 million from Dh17.59 million.

            According to Dubai Land Department records, total transactions in Palm Jumeirah reached 719 and were valued at Dh3.42 billion in the first half of 2012.

            In April, Nakheel Chairman Ali Rashid Lootah said that property prices on Palm Jumeirah were higher than the pre-crisis level with properties selling for Dh15,600 to Dh16,150 per square metre. He added they had managed to sell plots on Frond N at prices 30 per cent higher than last year and 70 per cent of the frond had been sold. – Emirates 24|7

 

Abu Dhabi residents assured over safe gas lines

            Abu Dhabi’s main gas supplier has reassured residents that pipelines transporting gas to key consumers do not pose any threat to their safety on the grounds they are far enough from residential areas.

            The government-controlled Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Ltd (Gasco) said it was reacting to reports circulated on social networks and mobile phones that gas lines passing near some areas in the emirate are dangerous.

            “Residents should fear anything….all our pipelines are safe and built according to international standards…all the pipelines are at least 300 metres away from residential areas,” Gasco’s CEO Mohammed Al Suwaidi said.

            “Gasco has a large gas network supplying to many areas for years, including Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, the Western region and Jebel Ali…there has been no leakage or any other accident,” he told the Arabic language daily Emarat Alyoum.

            Suwaidi said Gasco’s gas network is on par with those in advanced countries, adding that fears by residents, mainly Khalifa and Mohammed bin Zayed cities, are unfounded…there are fences around those pipes that pass near residential areas so no cars or any other machinery will come near them.”

Emirat Alyoum said Gasco controls nearly 2,600 km of gas pipelines supplying thousands of clients from its processing facilities on Das Island. – Emirates 24|7

 

Adac to host Orbis Flying Hospital

            The Abu Dhabi Airports Company (Adac) announced on Sunday that it will host the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital during Abu Dhabi Routes 2012, which is scheduled to take place from September 29 to October 2 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).

            The converted DC-10 aircraft and the world’s only ophthalmic surgical and training hospital with wings will be on display and available for invited tours at Al Bateen Executive Airport.

            Orbis is a non-profit, global development organisation whose mission is to decrease the rate of avoidable blindness in developing countries. Orbis prevents and treats blindness by providing the tools, training and technology necessary for local partners to develop their own capabilities in providing quality eye care services that are affordable, accessible and sustainable.

            Ahmed Al Haddabi, Chief Operating Officer at the Adac, said: “As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, Adac is committed to playing an active role in supporting such a global initiative to combat preventable blindness. The Adac will work alongside Orbis to demonstrate its commitment to support communities and philanthropic goals, by creating awareness and exposure to the cause and its operations.” – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

10th Abu Dhabi International Hunting Exhibition to kick off on Sept.5

            The 10th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting & Equestrian Exhibition (Adihex 2012) will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from Sept.5 to 8.

            Abdullah Al Qubaisi, director of Adihex Abu Dhabi 2012 stressed that the exhibition which enjoys extensive national and regional participation has become a rare opportunity on both the regional and international levels to promote sustainable hunting and has turned into a forum for the advocates of environmental conservation, hunting enthusiasts, poets and artists. He announced the competitions organised annually by Adihex with total rewards worth more than Dh500,000 include the competition of making and preparing Arab coffee on the traditional way.

            Besides, the other contest are competition for the finest Nabati poems on falcons and their loss and hunting, two competitions for the finest painting and for the finest hunting and equestrian photograph, competition of the biggest and finest hybrid falcon in captivity of the types of gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon and male gyrfalcon and the competition of the finest greyhound (saluki dog) of the two types. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Supermarkets on Ramadan price alert

            Officials from Ministry of Economy and Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADED) met yesterday with representatives of retail outlets to discuss about Ramadan promotions ahead of the holy month. The meet also focused on the best mechanisms that could help in price control.

            Director of Trade protection at the Ministry of Economy Dr Hashem Al Nuaimi said the ministry is conducting a series of coordinating meetings with local authorities across the emirates to ensure sound arrangements and delivery of consumer commodities at affordable prices.

            He warned retailers against seizing the glorious occasion of the fasting month to tamper with prices, emphasising that the ministry would impose penalties on price manipulators as per consumer protection law.

            Representatives from Carrefour, Lulu, Abu Dhabi Co-operative Society, Spinneys and Fatima Supermarket were among the retailers who met with the government officials to review their Ramadan basket plans. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Abu Dhabi students excel

            Abu Dhabi students did very well at the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) annual Grade 12 examination this year despite lack of representation of the emirate in the top-10 list for the science and literary streams.

            “We missed by a very small fraction, being on the top 10 list, only by about .001 and .005 per cent. We haven’t failed,”

            Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) said on Sunday. His response came following the MoE announcement last week of the Grade 12 exam toppers from the public and private (following the MoE curriculum) schools, in which only one student was from the emirate.

            Shaima Abdel Mahmoud, an Egyptian, from Al Safwa Private School in Al Ain ranked fourth at 99.5 per cent for the Literary section. Despite this, the Adec was pleased with the overall results of the examination, with average student results increasing by 2.3 per cent annually for the past three years. High-achieving students have also risen significantly.

            “We’ve done much better this year, with 65 students scoring 99 per cent and above compared to 35 students last year. This translates to 71 per cent increase,” Dr Al Khaili pointed out.

Those achieving 95 per cent and above have also gone up by 30 per cent, from 851 in 2010-2011 to 1,109 this year, while those with over 90 per cent have increased by 18 per cent, reaching 2,801 compared to 2,365 last year.  He noted that the Adec’s ‘stringent’ continuous assessment, which makes up 40 per cent of the students’ total grade (60 per cent from MoE exams), may have affected student’s grades from reaching the top 10. “Our student toppers have complained that our continuous assessment is much more difficult than that of the other emirates,” he said.

            There are 12,451 students from the emirate who sat for the Grade 12 exams this year, compared to 11,575 in 2010-2011.  Of this 2,921 are from private schools (MoE curriculum) and 9,530 from government schools. Of these, 81.6 per cent passed (compared to 74.4 per cent last year) while 13.1 per cent went for a re-test a decrease of 6.1 per cent from 19.2 per cent last year.

Failure rate this year has also gone down to 5.3 per cent from 6.1 per cent last year. “This year’s general success percentage in the literary section rose to 82 per cent compared to 79 per cent last year, and in the scientific section it increased from 84.5 per cent to 85 per cent,” said Dr Al Khaili.

            Compared to last year, results also showed significant improvement in student achievement in subjects that depend on communication, problem solving and creative thinking such as English, Math, Arabic, Physics, Economy and Biology.  The general average went up from 81.2 per cent last year to 83.9 per cent.

            “The road is long and we have more distance to go, but we are on the right track,” concluded Dr Al Khaili. – Khaleej Times

 

Air, water quality good in Dubai

            Despite the heavy dust experienced in Dubai last year, the quality of air in the emirate remained good, without any major air pollution, according to its civic body.

            The Dubai Municipality’s Environment Department made this statement in an analytical report of the environmental conditions in 2011. The analysis is based on the existing systems to categorise and examine air types.

            The report closely analyses various aspects of environment as well as diagnoses challenges so as to support policy-makers in framing steps to pursue sustainable policies, Director of the Department Hamdan Al Shaer said in a Press statement.

            The report has also given a clean certificate to the sea water and Creek water in the emirate and said that more projects and efforts to better the water quality were under way. It added that the municipality has many projects that use internationally accepted technology and best practices to develop the waterways and coastal zones. “The municipality has the technology to examine oceanic climate conditions early.”

            More steps to develop wildlife sanctuaries and wetlands are also being initiated while the existing wild life sanctuary in Ras Al Khor is listed under the Ramsar Convention. With most of the industries abiding by the regulations and meeting the requirements regarding environment, the report said, waste generation in Dubai is one of the major environmental challenges.  “Hopefully, new methods and technologies adopted by the municipality will be compatible to tackle the issue,” it was noted.

            Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Dubai Municipality who released the report, said it was mainly intended to present before authorities concerned to help them frame policies and make laws and regulations accordingly.

            He said the report includes facts and figures regarding water, air and soil of Dubai as well as close analysis of waste management, sewage, coastal zones and waterways, biodiversity, marine environment and climate of the region.

            “It also points to the possible threats to the environment emerging with the advancement in various fields like urban planning, tourism, industrial development, and increase in the number of vehicles, pollution and the like.”

            Various efforts that the Dubai Municipality has rendered to make Dubai environment sustainable are also detailed in the report.

            Al Shaer said the report was made in cooperation with various other departments and is put before decision making bodies for further consultation. – Khaleej Times

 

Thunderstorm and rain hit parts of UAE

            Al Ain: Heavy rain and thunderstorm pounded some parts of eastern UAE, flooding valleys, while some areas suffered from dust and sand storm on Sunday afternoon.

            Residents of Showka, a town on Sharjah-Kalba Road, said rain was heavy that flooded Wadis in the surrounding area. Flash water was running down in streams from mountains bringing along with it mud and stones.

            “The entire area was soaked in water within few minutes,” said Arjun Lal, a grocer in Showka. Traffic was stopped on the main Sharjah-Kalba Road due to flood water and falling stones, he said. Heavy rain and thunderstorm were also reported from Fili, another Sharjah town located in the south-west of Showka.

            The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) said the rain was heavy and was caused by clouds that came in from over Oman. The conditions were also cloudy in Al Ain, Al Showaib, Hatta, and some other eastern and mountainous areas.

Some 0.4mm rain was recorded in Hatta, and 6mm in Khatam Al Shikla, a town in Al Ain. Light to moderate rain was also reported from several villages and towns located between Al Ain and Al Hayer on Al Ain-Dubai Road.

            The centre has advised motorists to exercise caution in the rainy and dusty areas. People have also been advised to stay away from wadis in the Hajar mountain range due to danger of flash floods.

            When people in the eastern areas were enjoying rain, dust storm and hot winds were blowing in the western desert areas. High temperature and humidity made life miserable out in the open and people took refuge in homes and offices in the afternoon.

            Fresh southerly and south-easterly winds also made the sea rough and unsafe for small boats and fishing trawlers all along the eastern coastal areas. Forecasters said the waters in the Gulf of Oman were particularly rough with waves several feet high.

            According to the NCMS, chances of towering clouds in the afternoon still exist on Monday in the eastern mountainous areas that are likely to extend over some desert areas. The weather will be hot during the daytime, becoming hazy at times and partly cloudy. Winds are likely to be light to moderately rough that might blow up sand and dust in the open areas. – Gulf News

 

Emirati man cycling 5500-km to Madina

A 5500-km expedition to experience new ways of life

            A young Emirati man is on a month-long cycling expedition to Madina in an effort to experience different ways of life in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

            Fadhel Al Khoury, 33, will randomly visit homes during his 5,500-km road trip to Madina and back, which will cover all the seven emirates in the UAE.

Al Khoury says two similar expeditions last year helped him learn about his country’s hidden natural treasures and gave him new insights about himself and life in general.

            During his journey that started Saturday evening, Al Khoury will knock on the doors of unknown people and request them to dine with him. “I have heard that food in each village is different as is the way of life,” Al Khoury told Gulf News yesterday in an interview.

            He started the journey from Sheikh Zayed grand mosque in Abu Dhabi and plans to ride 100-150 kilometres a day from 5pm to 5am. He will rest during the day to avoid the scorching sun.

            The expedition named Karam Khalifa (Kindness of Khalifa) has two purposes. It is Al Khoury’s way of expressing his gratitude to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other rulers for their kindness towards citizens.

            “Sheikh Khalifa’s initiatives to assist debt-ridden Emiratis and impoverished people in Yemen touched me. I will highlight the cause of Yemenis during the trip,” he said.

            Al Khoury would also like to spread the message of doing something for less–privileged people. “While walking and biking under the sun during my previous expeditions, I realised the hardships of people who toil under the sun. I also thought of people who don’t have the luxury of air-conditioned cars and walk or wait for public transport under the sun.”

            Al Khoury also set aside a portion of his daily expenses for charity. “I would like to talk about the need of developing such a habit to everyone I meet during the trip,” he said.

            In his first expedition in March last year, Al Khoury walked about 350 kilometres from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah in five-and-a-half days through the other five emirates. From Fujairah, he purchased a mountain bike and rode back to Abu Dhabi in one-and-a-half day.

            Inspired by the experiences during his first trip, Al Khoury took a second trip in June last year. He walked 740 kilometres within two weeks through the seven emirates.

            He met different sorts of people and had enjoyed the experience. “I learned a lot of new things about life in general,” Al Khoury said. He was, however, assisted by friends in some place — something he does not intend to fall back on this time.

            “I want to know how a family treats a stranger travelling with a purpose. I will carry the ‘Gulf News’ report about my trip to prove my credentials,” he explained.

Al Khoury thinks dining with an unknown family at their home will help him know more about their lives. He will shoot videos of his experience on his mobile phone.

            Initially, Al Khoury planned a biking expedition across Asia, Europe and Africa, but a lack of sponsors prompted him to scale down his plans and choose Madina. “Although I approached many institutions, there was no positive response,” he says. His original plan was to bike more than 110,000 kilometres within 960 days through more than 80 countries on three continents.

            He does not expect much expenses for biking to Madina. “I may rarely use hotels as I may take shelter in mosques and assistance from local people on the way.”

            Al Khoury works as a special services officer at Abu Dhabi Distribution Company. His mother is little bit worried about his lone expedition despite his success previously. “But she knows that I can’t relax till I accomplish it!” Al Khoury says. – Gulf News

 

UAE Olympic team face Gabon in warm-up for London 2012

            The UAE Olympic team is due to face Gabon on Sunday in their fourth friendly of the ongoing training camp in preparation for this month’s London Olympics.

            Mahdi Ali’s men have played three matches so far. They beat Switzerland’s FC Sion 1-0 in their first warm-up match, before suffering a 4-2 beating by Shakhtar Donetsk last week. In Linz, Austria, this week, they overcame Romania’s FC Vaslui 1-0.

            After the Gabon match, the Emirates are scheduled to play three more friendlies against Romania’s Olympic team, Honduras and New Zealand.

            The UAE has been housed alongside hosts Great Britain, Senegal and Uruguay in Group A, while the Hondurans and Kiwis are also part of the Olympic programme.

            New Zealand are in Group C with Belarus, Brazil and Egypt, while Honduras were drawn in Group D along with Japan, Morocco and Spain.

UAE U-19s

            Meanwhile, the UAE U-19s, who are currently training in Morocco, drubbed local side Al Ittihad 5-0, with Yousuf Ahmed scoring a second half hat-trick for Eid Baroot’s side.

            Skipper Fahad Hadeed opened the scoring for the Emirates in the 15th minute, but the session after the break belonged almost solely to the UAE as Faraj Jumaa added a second before a goal blitz saw Yousuf complete his impressive hat-trick.

            Baroot’s boys will play five friendlies in Morocco in preparation for the GCC Youth Championships in Doha and the AFC U-19 Championships, which the UAE will host from November 3-17.

            Under-19 team manager Jamal Bu Hindi said: “The training programme has been tailored carefully to suit the challenges ahead.” – Sport 360°

Moving to Abu Dhabi beat in Galway

            Galway, Ireland - Tens of thousands of fans in Galway, Ireland, danced to the Abu Dhabi beat last Thursday as the final stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race, the gruelling nine-month round the world sailing odyssey, celebrated the emirate with a wealth of activities, competitions and heritage displays.

            Getting into the groove, a troupe of traditional Emirati Al-Ayala dancers, chanting national songs of the United Arab Emirates, of which Abu Dhabi is the capital, teamed up with six local dancers who were showing off their intricate and fast paced footwork, to blend the best of Arabian and Irish moves, wowing crowds outside Abu Dhabi's specially-built Race Village pavilion.

            Drawing on centuries of history, the Al-Ayala represents Abu Dhabi's deep-rooted horsemanship past and the notion of bravery in battle - all set to the beat of drums. The troupe launched Galway's Abu Dhabi day, as the emirate rolled out the red carpet to woo Irish visitors.

            Being spearheaded by Abu Dhabi Tourism '&' Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), which backs Volvo Ocean Race contesting outfit, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, and is the first Official Destination Partner for the Everest of Sailing, a wealth of on ground activities took place around the village.

            Two traditional Arabian sailing dhows were flown into Galway to take part in the celebrations. Travelling with them were 10 Emirati sailors as part of the UAE-Ireland Maritime Heritage Cultural Exchange to highlight social and cultural ties between the destinations. The project was a joint venture by the Galway Hooker Association, which promotes the use of Ireland's traditional Hooker fishing boat and the Emirates Heritage Club.

            Calligraphy artists were also on hand to turn names into works of art, whilst henna specialists painted intricate designs on visitors. Fans of the traditional Arabian falcon, which is Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's emblem, also got up close to the majestic birds.

            TCA Abu Dhabi is also handing lucky competition winners luxury holidays to the UAE capital at the end of the race, which finishes on 7th July with the final In-Port Race of the series. The VIP breaks will see the winners fly to the emirate with Etihad Airways, the award-winning airline of the United Arab Emirates, which now flies ten times a week from the Irish capital, Dublin, and stay in a luxury five-star hotel.

            Trips to see the 2012 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November are also up for grabs, as fans battle on a state-of-the-art simulator in the pavilion to clock up the best lap times.

            Over the course of the stopover, it is expected that 3,600 calligraphy names, 2,000 henna deigns, 1,000 photos with Fern and Ying, the two Abu Dhabi falcons, and 600 simulator rides will be done.

            And local fans have been queuing throughout to get a glimpse into the emirate's rich heritage.

            Seamus and Teresa Campbell said: "So lovely and warm. It's friendly, festive and warm. It's wonderful to see all the nationalities coming together." And echoing that, Melvin McGowan, added: "The Abu Dhabi tent is fantastic. It's great to have it in Galway. Abu Dhabi sets as example of how to give back to the public. It'd wonderful to have to have the art, calligrapher and falcons offering so everyone can get involved."  – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Abu Dhabi's Times Square promotion spurs US business

            Last May major Abu Dhabi activation in Times Square New York, mounted by Abu Dhabi Tourism '&' Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) to mark the official launch of its US office, is beginning to bring business dividends.

            The promotion saw the authority mount, over four days, an Abu Dhabi tent in the famous pedestrian thoroughfare - one of the world's busiest - giving over 6,000 visitors, including more than 120 media, trade and stakeholder guests, a taste of the emirate through a number of heritage-influenced activities.

            "Immediate results included brand exposure to two million people that walked through Times Square generating over 4.5 million impressions, according to the Times Square Alliance," explained Mubarak Al Nuaimi, International Promotions Manager, TCA Abu Dhabi.

            "We certainly created a buzz with our launch - with news of it being picked up by over 350 news outlets in the States delivering media impressions topping 538 million worth some US$2.3 million in advertising terms." TCA Abu Dhabi supported the Times Square activation with a month-long promotion which saw its destination brand being carried atop 400 of New York City's distinctive yellow cabs generating approximately 11,000 impressions per taxi each day, amounting to nearly 4.5 million daily impressions per day and 123 million over the campaign's duration. A TV advertisement which ran on screens inside the taxis generated 1.5 million impressions.

            In conjunction with the taxi top promotion, TCA Abu Dhabi ran a television promotional ad inside 1,200 taxis generating 1.5 million impressions while a digital campaign directed users to a specially-designed destination micro-site.

            Five major US tour operators had developed 3-4 '&' 5 night Abu Dhabi packages for the campaign and created dedicated destination micro-site pages with different Abu Dhabi product and price points.

            "Two of these operators - Abercrombie '&' Kent '&' Ritz Tours have reported receiving approximately 15 FIT and group enquiries from travel agents on the new Abu Dhabi packages in particular for pre/post cruise clients and special interest groups," explained Al Nuaimi.

            "Our New York office has also received a number of requests from high-end leisure travel agencies in New York '&' Florida, including Courtyard Travel, Journey Corp and ProTravel International which have all requested destination training for their sales staff . A number of other travel agencies have requested quantities of sales brochures and DVDs to promote Abu Dhabi to their clients.    "Four operators - Group IST, African Journeys, AESU and Tauck World Discovery - that previously had no Abu Dhabi offering have also contacted us to develop new product for their fall and 2013 brochures.

            "We've also received much positive feedback from trade partners. For instance the President of the US Tour Operators Association has requested that we recreate our tent at its annual conference and media outlets and journalists have been calling asking for more information on Abu Dhabi. Overall the promotion met our initial targets - our job now is to keep this momentum going as Etihad Airways, our national airline, heads towards the launch of its planned Washington DC service next Spring." – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

UAE women prove competency in military

            The UAE’s supreme leadership has given great attention to UAE women so as to empower them to be on an equal footing with their male counterparts in all fields, including military, said Lieutenant Colonel Afra Saeed Al Falasi, Commander of Khawla Bint Al Azwar Military School.

            She made her remarks in a speech to the “Dira’ Al Watan” magazine, Nation Shield, the journal of the Armed Forces.

            Lt. Col. Al Falasi said Emirati women proved their competence and capability of working in all fields, including military, thus deserving the trust bestowed upon them by the supreme leadership.

            Speaking about Khawla Bint Al Azwar Military School as the Gulf region’s first military college for women, Al Falasi said: “Since 1991, women have also played a role in the defence of the nation, when the Khawla Bint al Azwar Military School was founded in line with the directives of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan to prepare young women for careers in the military.”

            The most significant accomplishment towards gender equality in the UAE, and even the region, is most visible through women’s participation in the military. Pursuant the 1991 Gulf War, Emirati women expressed a desire for preparation in defending their country. Subsequently, the Gulf region’s first military college for women – the Khawla bint Al Azwar Training College was established along with women’s corps within the Armed Forces. Females are granted the same training and responsibilities as their male counterparts, and also play a major role in humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping operations to countries in need, she added.

            Al Falasi praised the efforts and support extended by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the UAE General Women’s Union.

            She noted that the Khawla Bint Al Azwar Military School (KBAS) realises the interest the UAE leadership takes in the role UAE females can play in serving and defending the UAE’s interests as well as in the UAE’s contributions to the protection of international peace around the world and providing humanitarian aid to countries in times of crises and disasters. – Gulf News

 

National students get unique opportunity

            Two Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) scholarship students have been selected as part of an elite group of individuals to study at a world-leading centre for scientific research.

            Emirati students Abdulla Abdulaziz Alhajri and Ali Ibrahim Al Nuaimi will undertake internships this summer at Cern, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research in Geneva, Switzerland.

            The Cern Summer Student Programme offers undergraduate students of physics, computing and engineering such as Abdulla and Ali a unique opportunity to join in the day-to-day work of leading research teams participating in experiments at Cern.

            It is the first time students from Enec’s “Energy Pioneers” scholarship programme have been selected to study at the prestigious Cern research centre, which is among the largest and most respected in the world.

            The students, who are majoring in mechanical and nuclear engineering at two of the highest rated universities in the United States, will be among some of the most talented industry professionals from Europe, the US, China and emerging markets such as South America. “I feel very honoured and proud to be chosen for this Cern internship and am looking forward to the opportunities it will bring not only professionally, but also on a personal level,” said Ali, 21, who is studying at Penn State University.

            “I’ve grown to be very passionate about nuclear engineering and this will be a chance to broaden my knowledge and gain exposure to world-class research. I’ve heard a lot about Cern through my professors so I’m expecting this to provide an incredible life-long learning experience that will help to serve me greatly in my career as a nuclear engineer.”

            The students, who were chosen based on their academic achievements, will work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment, one which offers first-class scientific value and an enriching personal experience over eight weeks during summer. It’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make valuable and long-lasting contacts with other students and scientists from all over Europe.

            “It will be a privilege to be there,” said Abdulla, 20, who is studying at the University of Wisconsin and is considering doing a PhD. “It’s going to be a great opportunity to meet and learn from people who come from all walks of life. There will be over 120 people on this internship and I hope to make friendships that will last forever.”

            In addition to the work in the experimental teams Abdulla and Ali will conduct, Summer students attend a series of lectures specially prepared for them. Several scientists from around the world will share their knowledge about a wide range of topics in the fields of theoretical and experimental particle physics and computing.

            Visits to the accelerators and experimental areas are also part of the programme, as well as discussion sessions, workshops and a poster session. Students are also required to prepare a short report on their work at Cern which they will submit at the end of their stay.

            “It is a particular pleasure for me to welcome for the first time students from Enec to the Cern Summer Student programme,” said Professor Felicitas Pauss, head of Cern’s International Relations and professor of particle physics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich). “About 180 students from 70 countries worldwide will participate in this year’s programme.

            “CERN is a laboratory devoted to fundamental research, pushing forward the frontiers of human knowledge. Basic science has been a primary driver of innovation throughout Cern’s history. However, research in Fundamental Physics is just one of the organisation’s four key missions, the others being training, advancing technology and international collaboration. The Summer Student Programme is one of the special training programmes offered by Cern for young physics and engineering students,” added Professor Pauss.

            Enec recently announced the opening of the 2012 intake for its UAE Nuclear Energy Scholarship Programme. The scholarships are part of Enecís Energy Pioneers programme which aims to attract and train the country is most talented science students and experienced professionals, whilst providing them with an opportunity to become pioneers of the emerging nuclear energy sector. – The Gulf Today

 

Emirati students at NASA continue training

            Director General of the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) Dr. Abdul Latif Al Shamisi made an inspectional visit to the training camp at NASA in Houston where twenty five Emirati students are undergoing intensive training in space technology.

            Al Shamisi was accompanied by Eng. Abdul Rahman Al Hammadi Director of Services and Support at the Abu Dhabi Education Council. The Emirati students from the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) were sent to NASA to spend a week-long training at Space Centre in Houston. The trip was organised by Space Ed-Ventures, which runs international-based technology and science courses for students.

            The students are given training in various space technology areas and machines including the robotic Mars Rovers - which retrieve rock samples from the planet. They will also receive training as astronauts and hear tales from space first-hand from mission-control personnel and NASA astronauts. Al Shamisi asked the students to concentrate well on their lessons so that they can benefit from the training. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Abdullah Bin Zayed urges international community to change strategy to stop crimes perpetrated by Syrian regime

            Paris - UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed that the international community has to change its strategy to stop what is happening in Syria under the current regime, which continues its crimes against the Syrian people.

            Addressing the '3rd Friends of Syrian People Meet' held in Paris, Sheikh Abdullah wondered how many Syrians more must give their lives until we change our strategy about what is happening in Syria.

            "Some spoke today about the imposition of more sanctions, but the question is whether these penalties will change the behaviour of the Syrian regime and put an end to its crimes and massacres against the Syrian people?", asked Sheikh Abdullah.

            He went on: "All countries gathered here and which have economic relations with Syria have imposed the maximum extent of sanctions on that country, yet it could not make any change in the behaviour of the Syrian regime that continues to kill and commit atrocities".

            He expressed surprise and denunciation over the absence Kofi Annan in the conference and asked: "Where is Mr. Kofi Annan, why didn't he attend the conference and talk to us?".

            It is shameful that a person in the status of Kofi Annan is absent at this meeting. I express utmost regret about the presence of Annan in Geneva. Is there any better place than this for Mr. Annan to be present in this circumstance, lamented Sheikh Abdullah.

            Addressing the international community and the delegates participating in the Paris meeting Sheikh Abdullah asked: "How many more Syrians must die for us to move to stop the killings and massacres?".  He went on asking whether how long we will wait letting the Syrian regime to continue lying and ridiculing us and giving us false pretexts.

            Sheikh Abdullah concluded by asking: "When will we say to the Syrian regime, enough of the killings, destruction and massacres? When will we stop just watching and talking?"  – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

UAE President's gesture: 44 villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa get drinking water

            Swat Valley - Acting upon the directives of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to help hundreds of thousands of Pakistani people to get access to drinking water, the UAE project to help Pakistan has announced the launching of water distribution networks that will serve 44 villages in Pakistan.

            The ceremony for handing over the water pumping stations to the provincial authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was attended by Director of the UAE project to help Pakistan Abdullah Khalifa Al Ghafli, senior Military officers and other officials and the people from the villages.

            The projects were chalked out as per directives of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to alleviate the sufferings of the victims of the devastating flood that swept across many villages and towns in Pakistan in 2010.  It has been estimated that one third of the entire Pakistani population suffer from the lack of pure drinking water and over 46 percent among them have no access to proper sanitation facilities.

            The directorate of the UAE project to help Pakistan had announced that a total of 64 projects for distribution of drinking water will be completed. The projects included digging of water wells, establishment of water purification stations and construction of pipelines to carry pure drinking water into around 64 villages in various provinces in Pakistan.

            Officials said that the remaining 20 projects will soon be completed and handed over to the local authorities A report released by the directorate noted that the development projects focused mainly on the provision of basic needs such as clean drinking water and sanitation, in the absence of which life threatening diseases like hepatitis and malaria will spread.  The villagers who attended the ceremony expressed their gratitude to this great humanitarian initiative and rose their hands in prayer. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Khalifa Foundation aid workers in Jordan to provide assistance to Syrian refugees

            Amman - UAE Ambassador to Jordan Dr. Abdullah Nasser Al Amri received on Thursday top aid workers from the Khalifa bin Zayed Humanitarian Foundation (KZHF) who arrived here to supervise distribution of humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees in Jordan. During the meeting, they discussed with Jordanian Red Crescent best mechanisms of coordination and delivery of relief to the Syrian refugees in Jordan.

            The aid programme will be overseen by the UAE Embassy in Jordan and be carried out in coordination with Jordanian Red Crescent.

            Initially, the Foundation will distribute next Week about 5000 food parcels and 2000 hygiene kits to refugees within and outside the capital, Amman.  – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Emirates first to serve US with twice daily A380 flights

            New York -  Emirates airline is set to become the first airline in the world to serve a US city with a second-daily A380 service.

            Having been the first airline to offer an A380 commercial service to the US in 2008, Emirates will increase the capacity on one of its daily flights from Dubai to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), starting January 1, 2013. The service, currently operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, will be replaced by the ultra-modern A380 aircraft, offering almost 1,000 additional seats in both directions every week.

            “Emirates is experiencing very high demand for its New York flights and the start of twice daily A380 service to JFK will enable us to offer more choice for our customers to benefit from the Emirates A380 experience,” said Thierry Antinori, executive vice-president of Passenger Sales Worldwide.

            “Given the popularity of this giant aircraft, known for its quietness, spaciousness and award-winning on-board product, we are confident that this news will be well-received by our customers travelling to 17 destinations in the Middle East, 21 African destinations including major hubs in east Africa, 20 destinations in the Far East and Australasia and 10 destinations in India.”

            “We have continued to invest in our services by increasing our capacity to build on the resurgent demand for air travel within the United States and we are seeing this strategy pay dividends. Further investment in our hub, with the opening of the world’s first dedicated A380 concourse — C3 — will coincide with the second JFK A380 service,” continued Mr Antinori.

            Spread over two decks, the extraordinarily quiet aircraft provides 399 seats in Economy Class, 76 flat beds in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites — next to two Onboard Shower Spas. Available to all premium class passengers on the upper deck is a luxurious Onboard Lounge, offering space to unwind, relax on one of the plush sofas, while taking in the view from one of three onboard cameras on a 42” LCD screen.

            Amongst its 175 aircraft in operation, Emirates has the world’s largest fleet of A380s with 21, which currently serve Auckland, Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, London Heathrow, Manchester, Munich, New York JFK, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney and Toronto. – Reuters

 

Etihad Airways wins Airbus’ excellence award

            Etihad Airways has been awarded Airbus’ Top Operational Excellence Award for its fleet of Airbus A340 aircraft. This is the second time the UAE flag carrier has received the prestigious award.

Airbus found that Etihad Airways outperformed other airline fleets across a number of criteria for operational excellence over a two-year period. The winning criteria included: the number of revenue take offs over the last two years, the number of revenue flight hours during the same period, chargeable operational interruptions, and how quickly the airline recovered from any delays.

            Etihad Airways chief operations officer, Captain Richard Hill, said: “We are delighted to receive this award for the second time for top operational excellence of our Airbus A340 fleet.”

            Philippe Gourdon, Airbus vice-president A330/A340 Programme Customer Services, said:  “Etihad Airways has shown a remarkable determination and commitment to ensure that the fleet is maintained at a level to support the airline’s goals of service perfection.” – Khaleej Times

 

Etihad Cargo flying high on impressive H1 2012 results

            Etihad Cargo, the cargo division of the UAE flag carrier, carried a record 175,000 tonnes of cargo in the first six months of 2012, a 21 per cent increase over the same period last year.

            The jump represents an extra 30,000 tonnes compared to H1 2011, with revenues 13 per cent higher. Etihad Cargo operates to 87 destinations internationally. Last week Etihad Cargo reported strong second quarter results for 2012, with tonnage up 22 per cent to 90,000 tonnes, contributing to revenues of US$183 million, up 11 per cent.

            Kevin Knight, Chief Strategy and Planning Officer at Etihad Airways, said: "On the back of strong passenger network growth, freighter fleet expansion and an increase in the number of cargo routes, Etihad Cargo experienced an all-time record first half of 2012.

            "Cargo traffic into and out of Asia and the subcontinent remained particularly strong for us over the period, and we are pleased to have maintained a performance lead there and elsewhere at a time when many cargo carriers are cutting capacity." June in particular was an exceptional month for Etihad Cargo, when the airline achieved eight of its ten best ever performance days for transporting cargo through its Abu Dhabi hub - on average over 2,000 tonnes per day being processed.

            Four freighter destinations were added in the first half of the year, including: Benghazi, Dammam, Djibouti and Tripoli, bringing the total freighter network to 27 in 20 countries.

            Knight added: "H1 saw us deliver impressive results for commercial cargo, but we also coordinated humanitarian disaster relief shipments to Somalia with the international Women and Health Alliance International (WAHA), UAE Red Crescent and Shelterbox France in addition to sending vital medical supplies to Nepal as part of our membership of the UAE's Care by Air charity. "Elsewhere, we carried an unusual shipment of Dhow sailing boats to Ireland as a part of a Volvo Ocean Race maritime cultural exchange programme.

            "Despite geographical, political and economic headwinds in many challenging areas, we remain focussed on executing our strategy of continuing to grow our cargo business in the months and years ahead." Earlier this year, Etihad Cargo announced orders for two more Airbus A330-200F freighters, bringing its total new freighter order book to four. Two Boeing B777Fs were ordered in 2011 and all new freighter deliveries are scheduled over the next two years. Etihad Cargo currently operates a fleet of six freighters, consisting of one Airbus A300-600F, two Airbus A330-200F, one McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, one Boeing B777F and one Boeing B747-400F.  – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

‘Dubai Frame’ to take shape by 2013 end

            Visitors and residents will be able to watch Dubai’s iconic buildings and skyscrapers from atop a 150-metre-high glass bridge by the end of 2013 with the government approving the construction of a much-awaited project on Thursday.

            His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has directed to implement the Al Berwaz Tower project ‘Dubai Landmark’ at Zabeel Park, WAM reported.

            The Berwaz or the Frame Tower is popularly known as the “Dubai Frame,” a window-shaped 150X105-metre structure, the concept model of which won the ThyssenKrupp Elevator International Architecture Award in 2009.

            Meant to add more sparkle to the new urban face of the emirate, and promote tourism and other recreational, scientific and cultural activities, the tower’s design aims to build a “vacuum” frame overlooking the developments and the current and future changes taking place in Dubai.

With a total cost of Dh120 million, it is a promising tourism project and expected to attract about two million visitors and tourists, WAM quoted Director-General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah as saying.

            After briefing Sheikh Mohammed about the project, Lootah said the project’s work will start within four months and will be completed by the end of the next year.

            The conceptual design proposal of the tower by Fernando Donis of the Netherlands was among 926 entries for the 11^th ThyssenKrupp Elevator Award and had won US$100,000. Established in 1988, the award is an international architecture competition which takes place every year in a chosen city.

            The Dubai Municipality, which hosted the award, is supervising the design, implementation and management of the project, which will be a new addition to the distinctive Dubai landmarks.

            As per the conceptual plan, the proposed building will have facilities to host cultural activities, exhibitions and conferences on the ground floor.

Each side shaft will have lifts that will take the visitors to the top of the structure where a cafe will offer breathtaking 360-degree view of the entire city. The cross beam is designed to have a glass bridge with an observation deck.

            The Mexican-born architect has also designed London Gate, a large door frame for the London Olympics, based on a similar design in Dubai. – Khaleej Times

 

MoFT's study: trade robust growth in 2011

            A new study by the Ministry of Foreign Trade (MoFT) said the UAE's trade in 2010 grew 14.2% year-on-year and 23% in 2011.

            The value of the UAE's non-oil exports and re-exports in 2011 grew by 20.8% year-on-year while imports grew by 24.2% reflecting the growth of the country's sectors such as construction and manufacturing industries, according to MoFT's new study.

            India, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia maintained their rankings in 2010 and 2011 as the UAE's top three markets of the UAE's non-oil exports with India having 31.9% or US$ 9.9 billion of the total UAE's exports, followed by Switzerland with 12.6% or 3.9% and Saudi Arabia with US$1.5 billion, the study showed. Iran advanced one place to become in 2011 the 4th largest importer of the UAE's non-oil commodities receiving 4.2% of the total UAE's exports, according to the study.

            In 2011, five new countries joined the list of the UAE's major trading partners with Canada advancing from the 62th place in 2010 to the 8th place in 2011, Singapore from 17th place to the 5th, Turkey from 20th place to 7th, Thailand from 33rd place to the 10th with its imports from the UAE growing 500% in 2011.  – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

DEC releases new study on UAE banking sector

            The Economic Policy '&' Research Centre (EPRC), the operational arm of Dubai Economic Council (DEC) recently conducted an economic policy study titled "Soundness of UAE Banking Sector and Macroeconomic Conditions".

            The study focused on macroeconomic conditions and how they may affect soundness of UAE banking sector. The empirical investigation consisted of panel data comprising of 19 national banks operating in UAE during the period 2005-2010, data from the world economic outlook and the UAE central bank.

            The study concludes that favourable macroeconomic environment is associated with lower probability of default and better loan repayments while adverse conditions are likely to increase non-performing loans and threaten bank solvency. The study proposes various policy recommendations targeted at the banking and financial sector to enhance the overall economic sustainability of the UAE/Dubai post-recession.

            A brief overview was provided of the 2008-2009 global economic crises which adversely affected the UAE economy in various key sectors such as oil and gas, real estate and the financial industry. In order to combat the flagging economy, a number of measures (Expansionary fiscal policy, liquidity injections, cuts in interest rates) were adopted to prevent further worsening of economic conditions.

            The macroeconomic indicators shows that the UAE economy started to slow down in late 2006 with real GDP growth rate declining from a high of 8.9% in 2006 to 5.3% in 2008 in the pre-crisis period. This trend worsened in 2009 whereby the UAE experienced negative real GDP growth rate of 3.3% However, with various government intervention measures outlined previously, the UAE growth rate recovered in the second quarter of 2010, rising from 0.9% in 2010 to almost 5% in third quarter of 2011. Similarly, due to slowing down of the economy, the UAE's inflation begun to dissipate, from a high of 12.3% in 2008 to 1.6% in early 2009 before declining further to 0.9% in 2011.

            On soundness of the UAE commercial banks, in its assessment, the study uses three measures; capital adequacy ratio (CAR), percentage of nonperforming loans and returns on assets (ROA). Several findings can be discerned from the above figure; Banks tend to hold low capital ratios during the boom and higher ratios during the downturns. In 2005, the CAR was 17.4%, declining to 13.3% at the height of the real estate and construction boom. However, in the post-crisis period, the CAR rose from 19.2% in 2009 to 21.2% in 2011. The exposure of banks to the real estate sector is strongly correlated with the level of non-performing loans. In 2008, the percentage of nonperforming loans was 2.3%, however, due to the deteriorating economic conditions in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, with the percentage almost tripling to 6.2% in 2011.

            Higher leverage ratios tend to decrease banks' profitability as it raises the cost of borrowing. Due to the exposure to the real estate and construction sector, the bank's profitability declined from 2.7% in 2005 to 1.5% in 2011. The EIBOR rate does not seem to have a significant effect on the banks' soundness indicators, according to the study.

            According to the findings of the study, a conclusion was determined that states that there is indeed evidence of a relationship between financial soundness indicators and macroeconomic variables. In order to achieve a sound and stable banking sector further research is need to understand the macroeconomic environment in which it operates. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Abu Dhabi's GDP at current prices above Dh800 billion, says SCAD

            The Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) on Saturday released preliminary figures shedding light on the key developments in Abu Dhabi economy over the last year. These are the first detailed figures confirming that the Emirate's economy has evidently overcome the repercussions of the global financial crises, posting significant growth all activities and sectors, both oil and non-oil. Growth in the GDP at current prices during 2011 surpassed all the forecasts and estimates made by local and international parties.

            According to SCAD's preliminary data, Abu Dhabi GDP at current prices grew by 29.9 percent from DH 620 billion in 2010 to Dh806 billion in 2011, exceeding all earlier forecasts and estimates in this regard. These results demonstrate that the emirate's economy has bounced to levels above those that dominated prior to the global financial crisis, giving it a huge competitive advantage and boosting its appeal to local and foreign investors.

            Abu Dhabi economy overcomes the repercussions of the financial crisis According to SCAD this robust growth presents unequivocal proof that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has fully recovered from the impacts of the global economic crisis, with data indicating record gains of Dh 186 billion during the year 2011, which saw the GDP at current prices grow to Dh806.031 billion, up from Dh620.316 billion in 2010.

            Supported by its remarkable resilience, huge financial surpluses, strong growth in non-oil sectors and activities, high oil prices, along with several other factors, the economy of the emirate was fast to overcome the consequences of the global financial crisis, regain stability and, interestingly, achieve some benefits from it. For instance, inflation retreated to only 1.9 percent during 2011. In addition, the crisis gave impetus to non-oil activities, which achieved strong growth rate of approximately 7 percent during 2011.

 

Diversification of the economy

            A thorough review of the economy of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi will confirm that it has made vast strides and achieved a high level of development and diversity in a short span of time, making continuous gains under a wise management that learned from past experience in its endeavour to take best advantage of available opportunities. This is reflected in the fast-paced economic progress the Emirate has experienced over the past years, in the course of which major projects were undertaken, translating a practical vision and an insightful outlook on the future. This impressive growth enhanced the attractiveness of the national economy to investors worldwide and established the Emirate as a hub for concluding major business deals.

            In recent years Abu Dhabi economy has advanced in leaps and bounds towards the establishment of a solid infrastructure, founded on economic diversity and comprehensive development. It has become the most dynamic economy in the region and the third largest economy in the Arab world. Breaking through from an economy depending almost entirely on public spending, which is directly affected by fluctuating oil revenues, to a diversified economy that has evolved into regional financial, commercial and tourist centre.

            Despite the importance of oil to the economy of Abu Dhabi, the Emirate pursues an ambitious strategy that seeks to expand and diversify the economy in order to fortify it against volatile oil prices. In this regard, it can be seen from the figures announced by SCAD, that oil accounted for only 58.5 percent of the GDP of the Abu Dhabi in 2011, despite the considerable rise in oil prices during the same year. This confirms that the Emirate's plans to expand the economic base and diversify the sources of income are progressing successfully.

            On the other hand, the figures released show that non-oil activities/sectors contributed 41.5 percent of the emirate's GDP in 2011, achieving a relatively high growth rate of 7 percent during the same year.

            A glance at historical trends shows that the relative share of the various non-oil activities and sectors in the GDP at current prices has doubled 3.4 times from Dh 99264 million in 2001 to Dh 334256 million in 2011, making such activities a major contributor to the Emirate's economy.

            These developments demonstrate that the Emirate's programs to expand the economic base and diversify the sources of income are progressing successfully with non-oil sectors emerging as key components of the GDP as depicted in the diagram below.

 

Non-oil activities 2001-2011 (N.B.: 2010 and 2011 data are preliminary figures).

            In parallel with this, the private sector has achieved impressive growth and gained numerous competitive advantages in the fields of production and exports, enabling it to play a more effective future role in facing up to the economic uncertainty on the horizon, both regionally and internationally. Particular attention is therefore paid to empowering the private sector in the economic diversification process through continuing to create the right investment climate to strengthen the role of the private sector in the economic development process.

 

Positive growth in all activities and sectors in 2011

            Preliminary data on the GDP of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi over the past year included indicate that all the activities and economic sectors achieved positive growth rates at varying degrees in 2011, most notably the mining and quarrying activity, which grew by 53.2 percent, fuelled by the sharp rise in oil prices in world markets. The transport, storage and communications also recorded a high growth rate (22.4 percent), while manufacturing grew by 21.5 percent, financial corporations and insurance by 13.6 percent, real estate and business services by 11 percent, "electricity, gas and water " and "education" by 10.5 percent each. Furthermore, non-oil sectors and activities achieved positive growth rates, ranging from 1 percent for agriculture, livestock and fisheries to 9.6 percent in health and social services.

 

GDP at current prices 2001-2011

            N.B.2010 and 2011 data are preliminary figures As can be seen from the graph above, the GDP of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi at current prices has increased by more than fourfold over the past decade, from Dh 185.7 billion in 2001 to Dh 806 billion in 2011.

 

A success story

            The economic performance in the course of the past 10 years tells the success story of Abu Dhabi in harnessing natural resources to serve a sustainable development process, in order to ensure that the people enjoy one of the highest living standards in the world. The per capita GDP has increased proportionally and this development with the Emirate of Abu Dhabi today boasts the second highest rate in the world. However, the economic success story is only one aspect of providing a decent living for citizens and expatriates, which would not have been possible without the progress that has been achieved in other walks of life. This achievement can be attributed to the economic policies pursued by the Emirate, which aim to diversify sources of income by diversifying the economic base.

            Non-oil sectors now contribute the largest share of the GDP. The impressive economic growth experienced by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in recent years has been characterised by the rapid growth of the non-oil economy, with the pace of moving away from dependence on oil being the fastest in the region.

 

Investment and fixed capital formation

            SCAD notes that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, recognising the paramount importance of investment to economic development and productivity, has charted out several plans and programs for comprehensive development in order to encourage investment in various fields and attract national savings to invest in the exploitation of national resources. The Emirate worked on establishing the infrastructure necessary to facilitate economic activity in general and to encourage businessmen to venture into areas of investment that contribute to development and diversification and enhance the competitiveness of local products in the world markets.

            In light of the massive structural and geo-economic transformations in the world economy over the past few years, and with the increasingly intertwined economic interests among the nations of the world, which have opened geographical borders for movement of capital and energy sources, bringing about a corresponding openness in several markets, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi moved strongly towards economic restructuring and reform, empowerment of private sector and upgrading the performance of government bodies to deliver better services and a higher level of transparency. The outcomes of these measures were tangible in Abu Dhabi's investment experience in recent years, which saw the Emirate evolve into a haven for major international companies, as government policies aligned with private sector efforts to strengthen this partnership.

            In this regard, a number of important initiatives have been launched, focusing on economic development and supporting local and foreign private investment.

            During the last decade the economy of Abu Dhabi Emirate experienced an unprecedented boom in terms of its scale, profundity of impact and sustainability. It was triggered by the rise of oil prices in world markets, the revenues of which helped to expand fixed investment in all economic activities in recent years, enabling them to grow at record rates.

            The key features of the Abu Dhabi development plans consist in enhancing economic performance through the optimal utilisation of the financial resources available to achieve structural balance and diversity in the local economy, increase productivity, improve the of quality services, improving performance in institutional, legal and executive bodies regulating the economy to support openness and transparency, encourage the private sector and enable it to participate in all economic activities; and encourage partnerships between the local and foreign private sectors.

            In recent years, economic development in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has been characterised by huge investment in commodity and service activities, in a manner that was conducive to the diversification of national income sources and the creation of an economic base to support financing operations. The size of fixed investments has increased from Dh 47.3 billion in 2005 to Dh 199 billion in 2011, of which non-oil activities accounted for 75.5 percent.

            The Government of Abu Dhabi has successfully expanded the participation of the public sector in productive development, providing services that contribute to the growth of the economic activity, enabling the private sector to play the role it is best suited for in this regard.

            Also, the plans recently adopted by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, cater to an increasing role for local and foreign investment in future development in projects.

            Several factors must combine to form a conducive business environment that can contribute effectively towards building a broad and diversified economic base. One can confidently say the current progress and prosperity in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi were in large part the product of this environment.

            SCAD pointed out, there are several underlying factors behind the Emirate's attractive investment climate, including a strategic geographic location, highly developed infrastructure, qualified manpower, the numerous bilateral, regional and international agreements in force that facilitate the flow of capital and merchandise between the emirate countries party to such agreements, free zones and industrial cities promoting local and foreign investment, very low tax where applicable, abundant and low priced energy sources, with oil fuelling economic growth, optimal utilisation of oil revenues, a highly developed network of financial institutions facilitating the flow of capital and serving local and foreign investors.

 

Price stability

            During the past three years prices in the Emirate Abu Dhabi have been markedly stable. The highest annual inflation rate during this period never exceeded 3.1 percent. The Emirate's inflation rate had hit an all-time high of 14.9 percent in 2008, but bounced to the lowest level ever (0.8 percent) in the following year, responding to a set of direct measures taken by the Government of Abu Dhabi stabilise prices. In 2011 the inflation rate was 1.9%. Interestingly, easing inflationary pressures is seen as one of the favourable outcomes of the global financial crisis.

 

Preliminary data

            SCAD stressed the need to treat the 2010 and 2011 data released as preliminary data, adding that more accurate estimate will be made in Q4 of the current year, following the analysis of the results of the economic surveys presently in progress, given the significance of these results in assessing the performance of the economy. SCAD further remarked that the preliminary 2011 GDP data released attest to the robust and stable standing of Abu Dhabi economy, enhancing prospects for sustained economic growth and stability.– Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Campaign to avoid tyre blowouts during summer

            The Ministry of Interior is organising an awareness campaign to reduce instances of tyre blowouts this summer after 31 people were killed last year.

            About 243 people were injured in 96 accidents caused by tyre blowouts in 2011, said a press release issued by the ministry yesterday. The awareness campaign titled ‘Summer without accidents’ will run until August. This is part of the strategy to maintain the safety and security on the roads, said Brigadier Gaith Hassan Al Za’abi, Director-General of Traffic Coordination at the Ministry of Interior.

He said traffic accidents remain one of the major threats to the safety and security of UAE society.

            Citing the 31 deaths and 243 injuries in 96 road accidents caused by tyre blowouts last year, the official said government will strictly deal with traffic offenders. There will be strict penalties for those who violate speed limits on highways and roads in the city.

            Al Zaabi said the ministry would use all media such as newspaper, radio and television to ensure the success of the campaign.

            Last week, the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence called upon motorists to ensure that their vehicles were safe to travel in.

            Colonel Mohammad Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Acting Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence advised travellers to perform required maintenance, and ensure that tyres and electric wires in vehicles were in a good condition. He also urged motorists to keep a fire extinguisher inside the vehicle, in addition to a first aid kit, a woollen blanket to put out the fire, and a torch. He also advised drivers to take a break if they are feeling tired

            He commended the efforts made by civil defence in spreading the awareness about careful driving among drivers and travellers through brochures, handbook, leaflets, awareness posters, courses, and lectures organised by the department to reduce accidents. – Gulf News

 

Audi driving experience at Yas Marina Circuit

            What could be better than being behind the steering wheel of an Audi. Based in the UAE since early 2008, the Audi driving experience has already allowed hundreds to challenge and improve their driving skills in a safe environment under the supervision of qualified instructors.

            Now, for the first time ever Audi Abu Dhabi (Ali & Sons Motor Division) took over the Yas Marina North Circuit for their clients to experience the Audi driving experience on Abu Dhabi’s cutting-edge motorsports venue.

            Behind the wheel of an Audi TT and an Audi R8 V10, Audi fans were able to test pure Vorsprung out on the track in a tailor-made course. Upon request and demand, courses by Audi driving experience can be offered at Yas Marina Circuit. – Khaleej Times

 

UAE officials in London for Olympic registration

            Three officials from the UAE ate in London to attend the final Delegation Registration Meeting to be held on Sunday, at which the UAE Olympic squad list will be submitted.

            The trio is led by Mohammad Al Kamali, Secretary-General of the UAE National Olympic Committee (UAE NOC), along with officials Nasser Gareeb and Hani Abdullah.

            During the course of the meeting, the UAE NOC has the unconditional right to nominate or de-select any athlete who does not fulfil the necessary fitness or performance standards.

            Gareeb and Abdullah will remain in London to prepare for the arrival of various members of the UAE squad starting on July 20, while Al Kamali will return home.

            A major portion of the UAE squad will be present for the raising of the UAE flag at the Olympic Village on July 21, including the 18-member football team, three shooters, two athletes and one competitor each from swimming, judo and weightlifting. – Gulf News

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing completes Volvo Ocean Race Global Odyssey

            Galway -  Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, the Abu Dhabi-backed Volvo Ocean Race outfit, sailed into yachting history books last night as it became the first Arabian entry to complete the gruelling, nine-month round the world odyssey, after placing sixth in the final short sprint from Lorient, France to Galway, Ireland - the event's 10th and last stopover.

            Having battled across some of the world's most treacherous seas in the punishing 39,000 mile global circumnavigation, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - which also fielded the first Gulf national to contest the race - 23-year-old Olympian Adil Khalid - finished the event in the early morning, sailing into Galway's waters to a rapturous applause.

            It was a fitting end to Abu Dhabi's debut campaign in the Everest of Sailing, returning to the same waters on which the team made its global competitive debut a year ago, when - sailing its sleek black race yacht, Azzam (determination) - it smashed the iconic Rolex Fastnet Race monohull record.

            The final leg, despite its relatively short length, was no easy task for the Volvo Ocean Race fleet. Having to contend with The Irish Sea, which is notorious for strong winds and big seas churned up by the Celtic continental shelf, the fleet closely battled it out before facing a strong westerly breeze and huge seas as it passed Blasket Island on the south-west tip of Ireland.

            And it was all to play for in the pitch-black final straight run up to the three Aran Islands, which mark the entrance to Galway Bay.

            Despite the wet and cold conditions, tens of thousands braved the weather to welcome the fleet in the early morning, and it was Abu Dhabi's Khalid - who donned a hand-made traditional Emirati khandoora, in the green, orange and white of the Irish flag - that roused a special cheer.

            Almost lost for words, the young UAE national - who has made waves in the race since beating 120 of his countrymen for a spot on the Abu Dhabi Tourism '&' Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi)-backed team - was clearly overjoyed to complete the back-breaking journey, which began in Alicante, Spain last October and has rounded five continents, including making its first stop to the UAE capital - another feather in the cap for Abu Dhabi.

            "I thought I would be prepared for this, but you can never be. Knowing that you have completed this unbelievable test of human endeavour is a life changing thought. Yet it is bitter-sweet, as you also know this is it, the end. You are so focused on finishing, when the time comes, it almost comes too soon," said the UAE Olympian, who represented his country in the Beijing Games four years ago.

            "It is amazing to be back in Ireland; this was my training ground ahead of the Olympics so it is a neat end to my remarkable journey. There are many similarities between Ireland and Abu Dhabi, the warm hospitality, the strong sailing heritage and the friendly people. In some ways it is almost like a homecoming."

            For Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's skipper, the double Olympic medal winning Briton, Ian Walker, and the team's talismanic bowman, Justin Slattery from Cork, it was a welcome return, as both were part of the Chinese-Irish entry, Green Dragon in the last race.

            Both hardened veterans, this campaign has been a rollercoaster of emotion for the duo, from the dizzying highs of victory, including three In-Port trophies and winning the blue ribbon Trans-Atlantic Leg 7, the first for Walker, to the lows of dismasting in the early stages and retiring from the Southern Ocean.

            "In many regards this feels like the closing of the loop the moment you have actually made it around the world. The last 200 miles of the race were both exciting and sad. Exciting because you knew a long awaited break for mind and body was not far away, but sad as the Volvo Ocean Race becomes a way of life and will always leave a void," said Walker.

            "It has been a remarkable experience being part of this team. To have seen firsthand the powerful impact this race, and the work that the Abu Dhabi Tourism '&' Culture Authority, has done to create a lasting legacy is inspiring." For Slattery - a 2005/06 race winner - the return to home shores was a welcome one, and marked the 37-year-old's third full Volvo Ocean Race campaign, making him one of the most capped Irish sailors in recent history.

            "It's been long and tough but worth it every step of the way. Every time you do this race, you see it from a different angle and to part of a campaign that is young and full of energy gives you a whole new set of experiences to take away from it," said Slattery.

            After a few days recovery, the teams will battle it out in the last points scoring opportunity of the 2011/12 campaign - the stadium-style Galway In-Port Race on July 7th.

            In the build up to the finish, TCA Abu Dhabi is pulling out all the stops in Galway to celebrate the emirate's debut showing in Ireland's third largest city. A wealth of on-ground activities will take place in an Abu Dhabi pavilion in the Galway Race Village throughout the stopover.

            Traditional Emirati Al-Ayala dancers, chanting national songs of the United Arab Emirates, of which Abu Dhabi is the capital, will play daily for crowds. Drawing on centuries of history, the Al Ayala represents Abu Dhabi's deep-rooted horsemanship past and the notion of bravery in battle - all set to the beat of drums.

            Calligraphy artists will be on hand to turn names into works of art, whilst henna specialists will paint intricate designs on visitors. Fans of the traditional Arabian falcon, which is the team emblem for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, will also be able to get up-close to the majestic birds.

            TCA Abu Dhabi will also hand lucky competition winners luxury holidays to the UAE capital. The VIP breaks will see the winners fly to the emirate with Etihad Airways, the award-winning airline of the United Arab Emirates, which now flies ten times a week from the Irish capital, Dublin, and stay in a luxury five-star hotel. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

UAE wins medals at Indonesia 2012 world stamp championship

            Jakarta - The Emirates Philatelic Association's members have won medals for their entries at Indonesia 2102 World Stamp Championship, held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 18-24 June 2011.

            Abdullah Khoury won Large Vermeil medal for his collection "Abu Dhabi Trucial States to the UAE". Ahmad Bin Eisa Al Serkal won Large Vermeil medal for his collection "A Postal History Study of Airmail from Iraq 1919-1948" and Vermeil medal for "Abu Dhabi Stamps", while Mohammad Aktar Sayeed won two Large Vermeil medals for his collections "Hyderabad 1869-1950" and " "The Evolution and Application of the Universal Postal Studio Union", Ferose Sayeed also won Large Vermeil for her collection "India Postal History 1750 - 1900". Omar Mohd Ahmed, Mohammed Javaid and Jamal Al Barazi won Vermeil medals for their collections. EPA young member Naseer Bin Ahmad Bin Al Serkal won Large Silver medal for his collection "Sharjah Postal History" and Bronze medal for his literature exhibit. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Vote on UAE's logo extended to 15 September

            The duration for vote by the public to select one of five logos that best "reflects the UAE's global economic and political status and its diverse and attractive cultural and business environment has been extended to 15 September.

            The move aims to give a chance to as many voters as possible to engage in the process and provide their feedback and suggestions to eventually select the nation's brand.

            Residents can go to the official website (www.uaepm.ae) of Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and select from five varied designs celebrating, diversity, dynamism, leadership and heritage among others. The winning design will become the nation's brand as it will be used to promote the UAE, its simplicity and evolution and the unique aspects that distinguish it from other countries.

            Earlier, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum invited the public to select one of five logos that best "reflects the UAE's global economic and political status and its diverse and attractive cultural and business environment.  – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Abdullah bin Zayed stresses UAE's interest in historical, fraternal relations with Egypt

            H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister said that the United Arab Emirates looks forward to strengthening the deep-rooted fraternal relations and cooperation with Egypt in the future.

            "We are keenly interested in bolstering these fraternal and historical relations in the coming period on political, economic and investment levels", Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed said. Sheikh Abdullah added "the bilateral relations between UAE and Egypt thrive on solid ground, and there is a genuine desire to develop them for the benefit of the two countries and their peoples. "Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed further said that he was optimistic that the presidency of Mohammed Mursi would witness concrete achievements in the sphere of bilateral relations and important phases in the various avenues.

            He praised President Mohammed Mursi's speech at the University of Cairo which, he said, "contained the solid principles of Egypt's foreign policy and expressed in particular Egypt's clear commitment to the pan-Arab national security and its dedication to activate joint Arab action." He added that "Egypt's strong, balanced and effective role will reflect positively on the Arab world to become more influential on the global stage and prevent any regional interventions in the Arab Affairs." The Minister also praised the indications by President Mohamed Mursi that Egypt will not interfere in the internal affairs of others nor will it export the revolution.

            "This approach truly belongs to a capable statesman and to Egypt, a country which all Arabs want to see stable and prosperous", he said adding that the vitality of the Egyptian role at this particular juncture in the history of the Arab world and the challenges it currently faces represents a strategic demand that strengthens the role the Arab nation plays," Sheikh Abdullah further said.

            The Minister of Foreign Affairs concluded his statement looking forward to cooperating with the new Egyptian government in every way that will strengthen the established bilateral relations between the two countries. He also expressed his best wishes of further development and prosperity on all levels for Egypt and of security, prosperity and progress for the people of Egypt. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

UAE ranked 1st on Arab level as the Innovation-based Economy

            The World Economic Forum placed UAE first on the Arab level and 23rd on global level for the sixth consecutive year in the category of the Innovation-based Economy.

            The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012 released yesterday assessed the ability of the world countries to promote innovation and knowledge in order to push their economies to compete globally. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

UAE spends US$40b on oil and gas projects through 2014

            The UAE is spending US$40 billion on oil and gas projects between 2010-2014 and gas projects in the emirate of Abu Dhabi is taking the lion's share of the package with US$25 billion.

            With this, the UAE ranks first in the GCC region where the value of oil and gas projects between 2010-2014 total US$75 billion, according to Mohammed Sahoo Al Suwaidi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Ltd (GASCO) in a press briefing to announce that Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) will become an annual event from 2013.

            "The Habshan-Fujairah pipeline to export Abu Dhabi's oil to the world bypassing the Strait of Hormuz will be operational on the end of the current month.. The construction of the pipeline has been completed and the construction of some of its facilities is being finalised in the meantime," Al-Suwaidi added.

            Al-Suwaidi also announced plans by the government of the emirate of Abu Dhabi to build an LNG (liquefied natural gas) bunker station in Fujairah to meet 15% of the UAE's increasing demand on gas as a result of industrial expansion.

            The new station will be built by an alliance between the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) and Mubadala.

            Through these projects, Abu Dhabi seeks to provide gas supplied to Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) and Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) as well as to cities in the northern regions, Al-Suwaidi noted adding that between 75 to 80% of the current domestic demand on gas is met by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) through its operating companies as the remaining 20% is provided by Dolphin Energy Limited from the Qatari Ash-shamal Field.

            The Habshan-Fujairah pipeline, owned by an investment arm of the government of Abu Dhabi, to secure flow of crude oil from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to the world. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

ADIPEC to become annual event from 2013

            Key players representing the region's oil and gas sector announced that the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), the largest event for the industry in the Middle East, will become an annual event from 2013.

            The announcement was made Tuesday at a press conference held yesterday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) in presence of key industry figures, including Ali Al Jarwan, CEO of ADMA-OPCO and Chairman of ADIPEC 2012; Mohammed Sahoo Al Suwaidi, CEO of GASCO; Humaid Al Dhaheri, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for ADNEC; and Geoff Dickinson, President, dmg :: events Middle East and Asia, organisers of ADIPEC.

            As Event Chairman for ADIPEC 2012, Ali Al Jarwan has been instrumental in the development and growth of ADIPEC, and is tasked with overseeing the significant responsibility of staging the biggest Oil and Gas industry event in the Middle East.

            In his speech, Al Jarwan highlighted the history and growth of the event, stating: "ADIPEC began as a biennial event in 1984 as a platform for oil and gas professionals to come together to network, discover new ideas, and debate our core industry issues. Over the years we have witnessed ADIPEC grow in stature, significance and size with every exhibition since." "This growth and demand is unabated. We continue to have a waiting list of exhibitors and require yet more space, and therefore there is a need for an annual platform," he added.

            Mohammed Sahoo Al Suwaidi of GASCO, who has been appointed as Chairman for ADIPEC 2013, said: "Understandably, with the oil and gas industry in the region growing rapidly and with an increasing focus on best practice, there has been a demand to make ADIPEC an annual event from 2013." ADIPEC 2013, taking place in November 2013, will have a strong focus on gas, reflecting its increasing share of the global energy mix and heightened regional demand for gas for power generation.

            Al Suwaidi continued: "With the growth of gas projects in the region, the focus on gas for the conference programme will help aid business in the region. I am honoured to be appointed Chairman for ADIPEC 2013 and look forward to building on past success." Abu Dhabi is at the heart of the oil and gas industry, and ADIPEC has played a significant role in positioning Abu Dhabi as a key destination for this sector.

            "ADNEC is looking forward to welcoming the next edition of ADIPEC", said Humaid Al Dhaheri, ADNEC's Chief Sales and Marketing Officer. "Just as the show has become established internationally, so has ADNEC. As the show has grown, our venue has grown as well, matching the needs of the event with the most modern facilities and technology." In concluding the press conference, Geoff Dickinson from dmg::events, said: "On behalf of dmg::events, I'd like to thank both Ali Al Jarwan and his team at ADMA-OPCO, as well as Mohammed Sahoo Al Suwaidi and the GASCO team for their ongoing support. Dmg is proud to be associated with such an important event, which is supporting the growth of the industry as well as business and tourism within the city of Abu Dhabi." Held under the patronage of the President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and organised by dmg:: events, ADIPEC is the largest exhibition for the Middle East oil and gas industry. Supported by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and the UAE's Ministry of Energy, it hosts over 1,600 exhibitors and attracts more than 45,000 attendees and is considered the event where oil and gas industry professionals get together to experience, discover, network, discuss and debate core industry issues. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Money Supply M0 reaches Dh53.8 billion at the end of May 2012, says UAE Central bank

            The UAE Central Bank announced that money supply M0 (currency in circulation + currency at banks) increased by 0.4% from Dh53.6 billion at the end of April 2012 to Dh53.8 billion at the end of May 2012.

            Money supply aggregate M1 (currency in circulation plus monetary deposits, i.e., current accounts and call accounts at banks) decreased by 1.5%, from Dh286.1 billion at the end of April 2012 to Dh281.7 billion at the end of May of the same year.

            Money supply aggregate M2 which comprises of M1 and quasi-monetary deposits (resident time and savings deposits in Dirhams, commercial prepayments in Dirhams and resident deposits in foreign currencies), decreased by 3.2%, from Dh859.2 billion at the end of April 2012 to Dh832.1 billion at the end of May of the same year.

            Money supply aggregate, M3 (M2 plus government deposits at bank operating in the UAE as well as at the Central Bank) decreased by 1.3%, from Dh1,069.8 billion at the end of April to Dh1,055.7 billion at the end of May of the same year.

            Total bank deposits decreased by 1.2% during the month of May 2012 to close at Dh1,125.1 billion. Meanwhile, total bank loans and advances (net of provisions and interest in suspense) increased by 0.2% to reach Dh1,074.7 billion. However, total bank assets decreased by 0.9% to reach Dh1,725.8 billion, at the end of May.

            During the first 5 months of 2012, intermediary monetary aggregate M2 increased by 0.8%, while bank loans and advances increased by 0.3% and bank deposits by 5.2%. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Inaugural Etihad flight to Lagos touches down

            The inaugural flight of Etihad, the UAE’s flag carrier, to Lagos touched down at the Murtala Muhammed Airport yesterday.

            The inaugural flight EY671 painted in Manchester City Football Club’s famous colours was greeted with a water canon ceremony amid a fresh welcome of a light afternoon rain. The Etihad delegation led by Peter Baumgartner, chief commercial officer of Etihad Airways, was welcomed by Dr. Harold Demuren, director general of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.

            The new route to Lagos is part of Etihad’s expansion plans to Africa, making the Nigerian city the airline’s first destination in West Africa.

            “This new service is a hugely significant next step for us in expanding our presence in Africa,” Baumgartner said. “Looking to the future, the relationship between the UAE and Nigeria is stronger than ever before. Commercial and business interests between the two countries continue to grow an impressive growth.”

            Nigeria, the world’s eighth biggest oil exporter, has become one of the fastest growing economies of the world. It receives the largest foreign direct investment in Africa, with the US as its largest contributor.

87th destination

            The flight marked the airline’s 87th destination in Etihad’s global network that will create a new link between Nigeria, Africa’s third largest economy, and the UAE. It will also provide seamless connections to 35 popular North and Southeast Asian destinations and markets in the Indian Subcontinent and Australia.

            “This new development will, of course, lead the promotion and development of the equitable and sustainable partnership between UAE and Nigeria,” Rashid Nasser Al Daheri, UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, said. “The flight between Lagos and Abu Dhabi is one of the ways to expand trade, platforms of fresh strategic partnership, and explore new business opportunities for both countries.”

Etihad is flying its two class A330-200 aircraft on the route, offering 22 Pearl Business Class and 240 Coral Economy seats.

            The service will operate passenger and cargo services six times a week. EY671 departs Abu Dhabi at 10am on Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday and arrives in Lagos at 2.45pm. The return flight, EY672, departs at 8pm and lands in Abu Dhabi at 6.55am the following day. On Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 7.10am, EY673 will depart Abu Dhabi and will land in Lagos at 2.25am. Its return flight, EY674, leaves at 8.50am and touches down Abu Dhabi at 7.45pm.

            Etihad currently has flights to Kenya, Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Sudan, Libya, and the Seychelles. Plans of launching a new route to Ethiopia in November are already being discussed.  – Gulf News

 

Hello tomorrow

            The new Emirates Airline terminal to open at the Dubai International Airport in January is another testament to Dubai's focus on investing in the future through infrastructure projects that will contribute to long-term growth and overall social and economic welfare, commented a UAE daily.

            The phenomenal growth of the Dubai International Airport has its add-on effect not only on the aviation sector of the Emirate but also across various other growth sectors including hospitality, retail and logistics, the "Khaleej Times" said in its yesterday's editorial.

            These sectors, often described as the traditional building blocks of the economy, have been a prime driver of Dubai's growth, and have enabled the city to underline its growth credentials, despite the global financial challenges. The commendable growth achieved by the Dubai International Airport and Emirates Airline is indeed one of the most compelling success stories in the Gulf region. The airport is poised to become one of the world's busiest airports, having already clocked about 51 million passengers in 2011.

            Emirates Airline, likewise, has set industry benchmarks, adding new destinations, and strengthening its fleet, especially at a time when several established global players are facing an uncertain future. The new terminal, developed at a cost of Dh12 billion, will further enhance the convenience of visitors to Dubai. With an annual capacity of 19 million passengers, the terminal will feature several advanced amenities including an Automated People Mover and a special Sky Train for vertical transportation system. The success of Emirates and the airport is a model for every enterprise in Dubai. Operating in a competitive environment and yet finding its definite niche calls for clear thought leadership and determination.

            As His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, observed, "Emirates airline is a development success story and a national accomplishment. It serves our children and the future generations." What lessons can enterprises draw from the success of Emirates? The first and most important insight is the need for enterprises both in the public and private sector to establish clear brand differentials, which are defined by service and quality. The airline company has been investing in strengthening its fleet with the most-modern carriers; simultaneously, it has also upped the service standards to ensure that flying the airline is an experience than another journey, the paper commented.

            The growth of Emirates and the airport is owed to the visionary guidance of Dubai's leadership. Every investment made by Dubai for the future is an investment for the city's future generations.

            "The infrastructure investment on the new terminal will further contribute to the passenger experience. As airports globally have learnt the hard way, passengers not only demand a comfortable airline, they also need on-ground service. The new terminal will mark the beginning of another new era of growth for Dubai's aviation sector," the Dubai-based paper concluded. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

DP World sells Adelaide port to Flinders

            Port operator DP World handed over its 60 per cent holding in Adelaide’s container terminal to Flinders Port after the Australian firm exercised its right to buy the stake, DP World said on Tuesday.

            The stake sale was triggered by a transaction entered by the state-owned Dubai firm last year to sell 75-percent of its Australian operations to private equity firm Citi Infrastructure Investors (CII) for US$1.5 billion.

            Flinders, which owned the remaining 40 per cent in the terminal, received the rights to acquire the DP World stake following that deal. – Khaleej Times

 

SIB launches ATM for visually-impaired

            Sharjah Islamic Bank announced the launch of the first visually impaired-friendly Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in the country and the region on Tuesday.

            The new ATM features a large Braille keypad, high-resolution screen, wide keys, a headphone and external speaker to ensure the user’s privacy. The system has fewer options than the normal one for greater user convenience. The machine is designed for the visually impaired, but can also be used by others.

            The ATM is located in the Emirates Association for the Blind in Sharjah’s headquarters where the visually impaired people will be trained to use it by a team from the bank.

            The launch announcement was made during a Press conference held at the Emirates Association for the Blind in Sharjah, under the patronage of Shaikha Jamila bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director of the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS), and in the presence of  Mohammed Abdullah, CEO of Sharjah Islamic Bank; Adel Al Zamar, vice-chairman of the Emirates Association for the Blind in Sharjah; a number of senior directors of departments and branches and representatives of the IT solution provider. 

            The launch is consistent with the country’s intention to meet the needs of people with special needs and is in line with the eagerness of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to remove all obstacles which stand in the way of carrying out projects in aid of the visually impaired.

            The Sharjah Ruler recently ordered banks to offer facilities to the blind in response to a telephone call made by Manar Al Hamadi, a blind lawyer, to Al Bath Al Mubasher Programme. SIB has opened a bank account for her and soon after announced the launch of the new ATM.  – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

UAE business activity growth eases in June

            The growth of private sector business activity in the UAE eased to a three-month low in June, a purchasing managers’ survey showed on Tuesday.

            The HSBC UAE Purchasing Managers’ Index dropped to 53.2 points in June from an 11-month high of 53.8 in May, but was still indicative of a solid improvement in operating conditions.

            The index measures the performance of the manufacturing and services sectors. The survey was conducted on 400 companies in the private sector.

            “I’m not troubled by the modest easing in the June PMI reading which points to a non-oil economy still firmly in growth territory. I suspect there are further declines to come, but the positive new orders numbers suggest that the economy is managing to maintain some momentum despite the weak global backdrop and falling energy prices,” said Simon Williams, chief economist for the Middle East and North Africa at HSBC. Last month, UAE Minister of Economy Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri revised his expectations for UAE GDP growth to around three per cent from 4.2 per cent in 2011 as the global economy remains weak.

            UAE firms saw output growth slow to 54.6 points in June, the weakest level in three months, from 54.8 in May. New orders edged down to 58.4 from an 11-month high of 59.1.Employment across the UAE’s non-oil private sector rose for a sixth month in a row, the survey showed.

            Output prices slipped below the 50 mark in June, the first such fall in 10 months, while input prices dropped to a five-month low of 55.2 points. Consumer price inflation in the UAE, the world’s No. 3 oil exporter, remained at 0.8 per cent on an annual basis in May. It is forecast to climb to 2 per cent this year from 0.9 per cent in 2011 and 2010.

            The PMI was again largely supported in June by a steep rise in new order volumes. Panellists reported positive operating conditions, with efforts to secure new work supported by marketing and advertising. Foreign sales also continued to increase during June, with the rate of growth reaching a four-month high, the survey revealed.

            “Faced with another steep increase in order volumes, non-oil private sector companies upped their production in the latest survey period. Although a three-month low, the rate of growth remained marked as companies tried to deal with higher workloads,” the report said.

            Rising workloads encouraged companies to take on extra staff during June; employment rose for the sixth successive month, with the rate of expansion the steepest since last July. Despite an expansion of capacity, backlogs of work continued to rise modestly, stretching the current run of growth to four months. As business requirements increased further during June, UAE non-oil private sector companies raised their purchasing activity for a twenty-third month in a row. According to the latest data, growth of input buying was the sharpest since June 2011. This also enabled companies to add to their inventories; stocks of purchases rose for a second successive month, with the modest increase reflective of positive forecasts for sales and production over the coming months.

            June’s survey indicated that sales were in part supported by a marginal drop in output charges, the first reduction since August 2011. There were reports from panellists of strong competitive pressures encouraging the use of discounting.

            Finally, input costs rose further in June, although the rate of inflation moderated to a five-month low. Purchase prices rose at a pace that was only slightly above April’s near one-and-a-half year trough, but with suppliers trying to take advantage of the positive demand environment, inflation remained marked. Salary costs rose modestly in June. – Khaleej Times

 

Earth Hour saves tonnes

            Earth Hour, a DEWA initiative, achieved a saving rate of 216,000 KW/h and cut carbon emissions by an estimated 130,000 kilograms in 2012. The figures represented a 6 per cent increase in savings compared to Earth Hour 2011.

            The UAE also has a vision to become the lowest-carbon emission producing economy in the region by creating an environmentally friendly and sustainable energy policy, according to the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030.

            Current scenarios forecast an expected annual growth rate of 5 per cent over the next 20 years. To address the challenge of managing the increased demand for energy, Al Tayer stressed that it is vitally important to implement a more efficient and sustainable energy policy that incorporates a diversified energy mix. This will be achieved by complementing still-dominant gas usage with a fair share of clean coal, nuclear and renewable energies, he added.


Enough reserves


            “DEWA has enough reserves of electricity and water until 2020,” Al Tayer said. “Moreover, the completion of one of DEWAs biggest projects, the M station, will increase the power generation capacity from 8,700 megawatts to 9,600 megawatts, while desalinated water capacity would increase to 470 million gallons per day, compared to 330 million gallons per day last year.”

Al Tayer noted that the utility is building a large water reservoir in Al Gafat, capable of storing of 170 million gallons for emergency cases.

            “This capacity represents the consumption of water for two days but would be enough for 30 days in an emergency, he added. – Gulf News

 

Ramadan first day likely on July 21 in UAE

            The Islamic Crescent Observation Project (ICOP) has announced that most Islamic countries may begin the Holy Month of Ramadan on Saturday, July 21st after moon sighting.

            Mohammad Showkat Awda, chairman of the project said most Islamic countries have started the month of Sha'ban on the same day in a rare phenomena, therefore these nations would start monitoring the Ramadan Crescent on Thursday, July 19 which is Sha'ban 29 however the moon day would not be possible in all northern and some middle regions of the world.

            He noted that the new moon of Ramadan in the rest of the Arab world will not be possible on Thursday due to the reason that moon will set along with sun or after a few minutes which doesn't not allow to see the moon even with the powerful astronomical telescopes, and so these regions should complete the month of Sha'aban with 30 days and the beginning of Ramadan would be on Saturday July 21st.

            Awda said that Ramadan could be on Friday 20 of July in both Saudi Arabia and Egypt, because they are adopting the sighting of the moon on Thursday.

            He added: “Then it is expected that both Saudi Arabia and Egypt will announce the beginning of fasting on Friday, July 20, and most of the Arab countries will follow Saudi Arabia.”

Therefore, it is possible to see the moon on Thursday with telescope from the far south of the continent of Africa and South America only. – Emirates 24|7

 

Study shows which UAE schools have most motivated students

            Nawaf Abdullah is leaving secondary school with a clear plan for his future: join a mechanical engineering programme then take up a managerial position in the country's nuclear-energy industry.

Nawaf, 18, who spent the past three years at an Applied Technology High School (Aths), said his drive and ambition came from learning how important his contribution was to building the UAE.

            "We are always reminded that nationals must be at the forefront of various sectors in sciences and engineering," said Nawaf. "We have to work harder."

            About 3,000 pupils attend technology schools and share his views. The trend is captured in a newly released research paper, Building Citizens for the Arab Knowledge Economy - Evidence from the UAE.

            The report details the research findings of Yale doctoral candidate Calvert Jones, who spent a year interviewing pupils from all seven Aths campuses in the UAE, and 2,265 pupils from 13 government schools in Dubai, Hatta and Ras Al Khaimah.

            "My evidence shows the Aths campuses are attracting highly motivated students and maintaining that motivation," said Ms Jones.

            "The other thing they have managed to accomplish is creating national pride and this is what policymakers are interested in."

            Pupils at mainstream state schools displayed significantly lower levels of pride in the UAE, the study showed.

            "While those in Aths schools showed an upward trend in these attitudes, pupils in the other schools showed a downward trend, a difference that may require policy attention," Ms Jones said.

Aths pupils regarded "contributing to the UAE society" as more important when choosing a career, while money was a more prominent factor for those at regular schools.

            Abdullatif Al Shamsi, managing director of the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT), which runs Aths schools, said a rigorous selection process ensured only the most determined join. Pupils must pass an entrance test and an interview before being chosen.

            "Still, one can never guarantee pupils' behaviour and that is where our campus initiatives kick in," Mr Al Shamsi said. "Lessons in citizenship are a systematic part of pupils' life from day one."

            The IAT was set up in 2005 on the orders of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, who wanted to create a career-based technical education system to produce scientists, engineers and technicians.

            At Aths schools, classes are taught in English so pupils are prepared for university by the time they leave.

            Pupils must complete 100 hours of community volunteering to graduate and take part in the Al Bayariq, or "The Flag", course designed in collaboration with the Armed Forces and police to make pupils more responsible and impart civic virtues.

            Pupils receive Dh500 a month for attending classes and an extra amount for good discipline, which can be taken away if they misbehave.

            Ms Jones, who conducted her study with the support of the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, said there was indication that pupils' values were made increasingly stronger by such practices.

            The longer pupils studied at an Aths, she said, the more they valued "love for the country" and "determination and perseverance".

            But Ms Jones said an unintended consequence of those motivations was the dulling of personal passion.

            "Extrinsic motivation can crowd out the intrinsic drive," she said.

            And a steady diet of leadership training could also set them up for failure, Ms Jones said.

"They are being steered into careers in the nuclear sector and semi-conductor [industry] where they envision themselves as leaders," she said. "It might be creating a super-entitled citizen."

            Mr Al Shamsi disagreed, saying all of the pupils were made aware that things would not be handed to them without hard work.

            "Gone are the days when Emiratis would get jobs because of their nationality or status," he said. "Now they have to start at the bottom, roll up their sleeves and work. They have to gain the right experience to climb that success ladder." – The National

 

Five Masdar students learn from Japan's sustainability concepts

            Each of the five students from Masdar Institute of Science and Technology currently visiting Japan has a different research subject and their internship is being offered by four major corporations in Japan. But they have one objective - learn the benefits of sustainability from all walks of life.

            Four weeks into the internship, they have been captivated by the Japanese people who give importance to politeness, hospitality, respectful approach, harmony with others, hard work, punctuality, teamwork, planning ahead and 'Kaizen' - a Japanese philosophy which refers to continuous improvement that has a big impact on their corporate vision.

            Apart from these aspects of Japanese life, it is the sustainability measures, the government initiatives to implement clean energy technologies and the diverse projects that have impressed the students from Masdar Institute.

            So far, they have visited the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) in Daiba-Tokyo, Shibya Incineration Plant, Machiya - traditional Japanese house, the biomass power generation plant of Japan Novopan Industrial Co, and the City Water Distribution Facilities and Heat supply Centre in Osaka. More specifically, they have experienced the effectiveness of PASMO - a handy rechargeable smart card that is used on public bus, trains and subways.

            The five students are keen to bring back to Abu Dhabi and the UAE valuable lessons on sustainability learnt during their internship in Japan. More specifically, they aim to deliver their experience to clean energy projects in the UAE.

            Sultan Al Kaabi, Master's Student in Electrical Power Engineering, has started his internship with Chiyoda Corporation, and has been assigned to the Green Device Project Unit for the first two weeks. Currently, he is currently working on preparing an EPC project for the PV plant in the UAE, which involves Engineering, Procurement and Construction parts. Overall, such projects involve intensive practical experience in Planning and Optimisation of PV power plant, considering various details and specifications that could be helpful when designing a project or a case study for his thesis.

            He believes his internship will personally enable him to offer value to the community.

            Al Kaabi says: "Overall, such projects involve intensive practical experience in planning and optimisation of PV power plant, considering various details and specifications that could be helpful when designing a project or a case study for my thesis. Furthermore, the training also includes the use of some new software for the first time, which in turn, could provide me with an effective tool on simulation case studies for my thesis." Sustainable transportation is part of Abu Dhabi's long-term economic and social objectives. Japan has a well-developed and highly advanced public transportation system. Taking a cue from the Abu Dhabi Government initiatives, Masdar Institute students are keen to contribute to these projects. One of them is Reem Al Junaibi, student in Engineering Systems Management.

            Reem Al Junaibi has started her internship with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Reem's advisor at Masdar Institute has helped her understand the different types of modelling, the science behind energy management in the transportation sector, and the process of creating a model that will help simulate Abu Dhabi's traffic as well as energy demand.

            Reem says: "I plan to make good use of my time in Japan by learning how to use the necessary tools to simulate Abu Dhabi's traffic and create a model that will support the future development of sustainable transportation in the UAE." Both Mohamed Al Hadhrami, an Engineering System and Management student, and Reem Al Junaibi are doing their internships at the Kobe facility of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, though their subject areas differ. The 'simulation of the electrification of transportation in Abu Dhabi' is the focus area for Al Hadhrami while 'clean mobility simulator' is the area of interest for Reem Al Junaibi.

            Al Hadhrami says: "This internship is closely related to my thesis-- almost tailor-made for me. I am a student of the ESM program and my research focuses on the feasibility of sustainable private transportation in Abu Dhabi. As Mitsubishi is a pioneer in the field of sustainable transportation, it is a great opportunity for me to learn from their expertise and find ways to bring benefit to my home country." The advantages of doing this internship in Japan include learning new technology from pioneers such as Mitsubishi, and an enriching cultural experience, he adds.

            Each Japanese corporation is an established industry leader. JGC is a leading builder of gas processing and liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants worldwide, while Chiyoda is engaged in the integrated engineering business. Toray Industries is a global leader in the production of carbon fibber. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is an international leader in the design and supply of energy, aerospace, machinery, transportation, as well as environmental systems and equipment.

            Mozah Zeyoudi, Master's student in Water and Environmental Engineering, now interning at Toray's Shiga prefecture facility, has her research focused on water treatment. She says: "The topic of my project is the use of water resources in the UAE that includes desalination of seawater and treatment of wastewater. Working at Toray is linked to my project because the company is one of the leaders in water treatment technology." The Emirati students are learning how intuitively the Japanese have devised several sustainable methods. For example, Japan's City Water Distribution Facilities and Heat supply Centre in Osaka stores water below a football stadium - underground. The plant uses the water to generate electricity while supplying the water to residential areas. The Heat supply centre at the Nakanoshima district heating and cooling (DHC) plant is another example of efficient use of water to generate power.

            The Masdar Institute students have additionally visited the Urban Design Centre Kashiwa-no-ha (UDCK), which aims to change Kashiwa into a smart city for 26,000 people. One of the key components of the concept was how smart cities would address environmental and energy issues. The city will have sustainable transportation system including electric cars, bicycles and public transportation (bus and train). Energy conservation will be integral to the city that will also have clean energy (water, wind and solar). It already uses an area energy management system (AEMS) and aims to optimise local power generation.

            Sustainability in Japan is similar to what Masdar Institute is propagating. Waste is being recycled, rooftops are covered with solar panels, efficient appliances are used and electric vehicles are seen everywhere. The difference between sustainability in Abu Dhabi and Japan may be the public acceptance and incentives that promote sustainability, points out Al Junaibi.

            Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow. With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

UAE Olympic National Football Team finishes training camp in Crans-Montana, Switzerland

            The UAE national football team has finished its training camp in the Swiss Alps ahead of taking part in the London Olympics.

            From June 17th to July 2nd, the UAE national football team settled in the Swiss Alpine resort ahead of the 2012 London Games, set to kick off from July 26 to August 9.

            Landed last Sunday June 17th in Geneva, the team from the Emirates was officially welcomed by Philippe Rubod, CEO of Crans-Montana Tourism: "We in the resort are very proud to have been chosen by the UAE national team for their preparation of the next Olympic Games".

            The Hotel Royal in Crans-Montana, which welcomed the Swiss National team before the World Cup 2010, has the pleasure to accommodate the "boys in white" during their stay in the resort.

            Renowned since 1893 for its extreme pure air, Crans-Montana enjoys a Mediterranean climate facing south and blessed with sunlight 300 days a year. In addition, with five professional football pitches FIFA approved, the Swiss alpine resort offers excellent conditions for the preparation of football teams. This training camp is organised by MSM Football Crans-Montana in collaboration with Matchworld Football SA in Pully (VD).

            A friendly game was also held on Thursday, June 28th against FC Sion, the best football team in the Valais region.

            Mohammed Obaid Hammad, national team's manager said the boys are in their best form from all respects and showed great determination to do pride for their nation. "We are doing our best to provide the players with all means of comfort and readiness to prepare them for the challenge ahead. The warm up clashes will earn the players the required international exposure and the experience of tackling big games. UAE have been drawn in a tough group against Latin Americans Uruguay, hosts Britain and Africans Senegal. Each of the said teams have professional players with the leading European and Latin American clubs and a win against Uruguay in the opener will give the players the required push to excel against Britain in their second start," he added.

            Official delegation included Mohammed Obaid Hammad (national teams manager), Adnan Al Talayani (national team supervisor), Mutrif Al Shamsi (team's manager), Mahdi Ali (coach), Patrice K. (fitness coach), Hassan Ismail (keepers' coach), Salem Al Naqbi (media coordinator), Lars Walters (matches analyser), Jalal Al Ghali (doctor), Mohsen Balhouz (nutrition doctor), Yousuf Sahnoon (physiotherapist), J. D'Silva (masseur), Julius K. (masseur), Adel Al Nuaimi (photographer), Kailani Abdul Moniem (equipment officer).

            The players are Ismail Matar (Al Wahda), Saud Saeed and Rashid Essa (Al Wasl), Khaled Essa, Ali Mabkhout, Ali Khusaif, Khamis Ismail (Al Jazira), Ali Al Amri and Habib Fardan (Al Nasr), Saad Suroor, Abdul Aziz Haikal, Ismail Al Hammadi and Ahmed Khalil (Al Ahli), Abdul Aziz Sanqoor (Sharjah), Omer Abdul Rahman, Dawood Sulieman and Mohammed Ahmed (Al Ain), Amer Abdul Rahman, Mohammed Fawzi, Haboush Saleh, Ahmed Ali and Mohammed Jaber (Bani Yas), Hamdan Al Kamali (Lyon). – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Abu Dhabi’s Al Sultan digs deep for Ironman victory

            Hot pre-race favourite, Faris Al Sultan – the enigmatic leader of Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team, the emirate’s specialist endurance outfit – justified his star billing to romp to a resounding victory in the Kärnten Ironman Austria.

            With crippling morning temperatures in Klagenfurt, the race venue, hovering around the 35°c mark, Al Sultan ignored the stifling heat to stay among the top three positions through the crucial opening swim and cycle stages, before a herculean effort on the closing marathon leg wrapped up the win.

            Al Sultan passed then-leader, Briton Philip Graves, a mere five kilometres into the 42-kilometre run and eventually crossed the line in a time of 8 hours, 11 minutes and 31 seconds – a staggering nine minutes clear of Italy’s Daniel Fontana and 15 ahead of Portugal’s Pedro Gomes, who rounded out the Klagenfurt podium.

            “I reaped the benefits of warm-weather winter training in Abu Dhabi, that’s for sure,” said Al Sultan. “It’s a great feeling standing on the start-line and knowing the heat isn’t going to burden me as heavily as some of my rivals. 

            “Things worked pretty well in the water,” he added. “The bike performance wasn’t my best ever, so completing the run in under three hours was key. Being favourite is a compliment but tags mean little to me. You win nothing unless you hit the line first – thankfully I managed it.”

            An emphatic sixth full Ironman career title marks the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) backed stalwart’s third consecutive summer race triumph – following previous victories in last July’s Ironman Frankfurt and Ironman Regensburg in 2010.

            “It is no accident that the summer races seem to be my most prosperous. These victories are the result of tremendous amounts of early season conditioning and a year-long strategy to be in optimum physical shape for the end-of-season world championship in Hawaii,” said Al Sultan, the 2005 world champion.

            For more information on the team and Abu Dhabi as a training destination, visit www.abudhabitriathlonteam.com – Sport 360°

Emirati students arrive in Houston for space training

            A total of 25 Emirati students arrived in Houston on Saturday to participate in a space science training programme.

            The students from the Institute of Applied Technology, aged between 12 and 18, will learn about rocket design and the launching process.

            Engineer Hussain Al Ansari, Chief Executive of Space Adventures, a company that organised the training programme, told Emirates News Agency (WAM) that the students will also undergo training in astronaut duties and get the chance to meet and speak with a number of experts in the field. – Gulf News

 

Emirati teens log on to stay connected

            Emirati teens are more Internet savvy and superb virtual multi-taskers compared to teenagers from other countries of the Mena region, revealed a study.

            According to the 2012 AMRB TRU teens study, Internet is here to stay — be it searching for information, keeping in touch with friends and family or grooving to the new beats. 

            The survey report revealed that Emirati males are more Internet savvy than Emirati girls and they are involved in a lot more online activities than girls, like playing games online and visit news and sports websites. 

            Looking for information via search engines is the top activity among teens at a global, regional and country level. Visiting social networking sites is almost unanimous — at least nine out of ten have logged on to their social networking account; the number is even higher among older teenagers. 

            Facebook, Google and Yahoo are unbeatable among the Emirati teens. While Google serves as their window to the world, Facebook and Yahoo help them build bonds, which are considered a much valued commodity. Yahoo was a hit among Emirati girls as 32 per cent claimed it as their most favourite website. 

            Correspondences (e.g. e-mail, chatting and instant messaging) are also very popular online activities more so among older teens probably because they interact with more friends than the younger ones.

            However, the report also revealed that most of Emirati teens use Internet only for fun. As per the finding, only 40 per cent of the Emirati teens claimed to have used Internet to research for their school project or work, while the global average was 71 per cent.

            As per the report, virtual multi tasking is at its peak in the UAE as 46 per cent of Emirati teens eat while surfing the Internet. Another 46 per cent watch TV. There is a high probability that they do all three activities together — surfing the Net and watching TV while eating. 

            Using location based services is something which is very commonly used by an Emirati teen as compared to a global teen. Watching TV shows or movies online is also a popular Internet activity — especially high among Emirati females.

            A big number of Emirati teens, 91 per cent, use Smartphones to go online and treat them as style enhancers, revealed the report.

            Mena teenagers are more tech savvy and engage in more online activities compared to the average global teens. They do maximise each and every single service available on the net — from using search engines, to social networking, to watching music videos, to playing games. 

                        The findings were revealed in a study conducted by AMRB — a Dubai based market research agency and TRU, the pioneer in global teen research. Emirati male and female teens aged 12-19 years across all socio-economic classes were surveyed.

            It was the third edition of the extensive report on the lifestyle, opinions, views, and perceptions etc of teens from the UAE as it was focused on the UAE teens vis-à-vis global teens across 35 countries. – The Gulf Today

 

UAE, Bahrain begin joint military exercise

            UAE Armed Forces and Bahrain Defence Force began yesterday a pre-scheduled joint military exercise, codenamed 'Hawks Union 1/2012'.

            The exercise which involves personnel from UAE Air Force '&' Air Defence and Bahrain's Royal Air Force, is carried out as part of a joint strategy aimed at strengthening military cooperation and to improve capabilities of armed forces. It will continue for several days.

            The exercise entails several joint defence scenarios, in addition to practical applications, tactical manoeuvres, joint air operations, command '&' control and fire support.

            The exercise comes as part of the joint military cooperation between the GCC armed forces to upgrade operational planning capabilities, to improve skills and to enhance combat readiness among different units of the armed forces.  – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Vice President inaugurates aviation services

            His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, yesterday (Sunday) inaugurated the Pilots and Aircrew Electronic Licences service.

            Sheikh Mohammad inaugurated the service during a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre in Abu Dhabi.

            Following the inauguration, Sheikh Mohammad received his pilot e-licence from Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, Director General of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

            Sheikh Mohammad was briefed by Al Suwaidi on the strategy prepared by the authority to keep pace with the UAE Government Strategy and Vision 2021.

            Al Suwaidi also spoke about the role of the authority, which includes regulating aviation activities and ensuring the safety of the civil aviation environment, providing air navigation services, in addition to facilitating international cooperation and flight connection operations, investigating aviation accidents, and representing the UAE in international events.

            Sheikh Mohammad was accompanied by Sheikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group; Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; and other senior officials. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Etihad airways' latest Boeing 777 boasts first class

            Etihad Airways' first three-cabin Boeing 777-300ER aircraft has departed on its maiden EY11 flight, from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow.  The new aircraft is configured with eight Diamond First Class Suites, 40 Pearl Business lie-flat beds, and 282 seats in Coral Economy.

            The aircraft will be deployed on Etihad Airways' ‘blue-ribbon' Abu Dhabi-London route, predominantly the EY11 and EY12 flights, boosting capacity by 13 per cent. The additional business class capacity will cater for the high demand of business travellers taking the early morning flight from Abu Dhabi to London.

            Etihad Airways will continue to operate its four other flights to and from London - EY17, EY18, EY19 and EY20 - with the airline's already established three-class Airbus A340-600s.

            Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, said: "Our guests on the Abu Dhabi-London route and elsewhere on our network of 87 destinations expect the very best product experience when flying with Etihad Airways, the world's leading airline.

            "The existing two-class Boeing 777-300ERs first introduced in 2006 have proven themselves to be a favourite with our guests, and as the airline has gradually expanded, it has always been our intention to go three-class with this magnificent machine.

            "During the next 18 months, we will take delivery of seven more Boeing 777-300ERs, taking our total number of passenger 777s to 18. Six of these will be three-class, and we look forward to unveiling more routes on which they will be deployed." For the last two years, Etihad Airways' Diamond First Class Suite, now available on the Boeing 777-300ER for the first time, has been awarded World's Best First Class' in the annual Skytrax awards.

            The Suite features a luxurious Poltrona Frau leather seat that converts to an 80-inch fully flat bed, a large wood-finished dining table, Arabic-styled sliding doors offering complete privacy, a 23-inch screen with Etihad Airways' E-box on-demand entertainment, a personal wardrobe with mirror, personal minibar, four individual lighting options with dimmers, in-seat power points and USB connections. The Diamond First Class cabin also includes a spacious and comfortable changing room with a leather fold down seat and full length illuminated mirror.

            Key culinary features of the Diamond First Class experience include the new Mezoon Grille and Taste of Arabia menus, prepared and served by the airline's fully-qualified and classically-trained First Class Chefs.

            Hogan, concluded: "Using the 777 on our busy EY11 and EY12 services will not only be great for premium travellers in our Diamond First Class cabin, it will also mean a 25 per cent increase in the number of Pearl Business Class seats we are able to offer our guests. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Emirates marks 10th anniversary of Japan service with introduction of its flagship A380

            Emirates, one of the world's fastest-growing international airlines, yesterday ensured its 10th year of operating in Japan will be one to remember as its flagship Airbus A380 touched down in Tokyo, marking the introduction of the aircraft to its daily non-stop service to Dubai. EK318 was welcomed by a water canon salute to celebrate Tokyo Narita International becoming the 19th airport on Emirates' global network of 123 destinations to be served by the most comfortable and environmentally advanced commercial aircraft in the skies.

            The Emirates A380 service will provide a 38% increase in capacity, equivalent to an additional 135 seats on every flight to Dubai, while all passengers will be able to enjoy Japanese cuisine, movies, music, newspapers and magazines, as well as on-board Wi-Fi. For those travelling in both premium cabins, the spacious on-board lounge is a highlight, while passengers in First Class have the added luxury of being able to freshen up in the shower spa. And, with at least six Japanese cabin crew on every flight, every passenger is guaranteed a warm welcome.

            "Many Japanese travellers already know what a great aircraft the Airbus A380 is, but the Emirates A380 is a different proposition," said Richard Jewsbury, Emirates' Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Far East '&' Australasia. "We have redefined air travel with amazing features such as an on-board lounge and shower spa and, as the only A380 operator in the market to offer passengers these services, the Emirates A380 truly is an unrivalled flying experience. Combine this with ice, our award-winning in-flight entertainment system which includes 40 Japanese channels, world-class service and gourmet cuisine, all tailored to Japanese passengers, as well as a network spanning six continents, and you have a product which I am sure will be extremely popular," added Mr Jewsbury.

            With a three-class configuration of 399 seats in Economy Class, 76 fully flat-bed, mini-pods in Business Class and 14 First Class private suites, the growing demand for the premium cabins on the route can be met and almost 3500 Japanese passengers a week will have the opportunity to fly on the A380 and connect - via one seamless stop - to 31 destinations in Europe, 22 in Africa, 16 in the Middle East and 11 in North and South America.

            Emirates - with 21 A380s in its 175-strong fleet, as well as an additional 69 on order - is the largest A380 operator in the world, enabling passengers from Tokyo to continue on the aircraft to London, Sydney, Auckland, Bangkok, Toronto, Paris, Seoul, Jeddah, Beijing, Manchester, Hong Kong, New York, Shanghai, Munich, Rome and Johannesburg, as well as Amsterdam from August and Melbourne from October.

            "It is with great pride that we are strengthening our commitment to Japan in the same year as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of operations," continued Mr Jewsbury.

            "Although travel and trade was severely impacted by the Great East Japan Earthquake, Emirates believed in Japan's ability to recover quickly and while other operators scaled back services, we kept faith in our growth strategy and increased the frequency of our Narita-Dubai flights. Now, with the addition of our A380, Japan can look forward to trade and tourism being further stimulated between destinations across our network.

            "The aviation authorities of Japan and the UAE recently met and agreed on a liberal framework that will permit Emirates to progressively add services to Japan. We are very grateful that the Japanese Government has recognised our commitment. We also value the longstanding partnership that we have with Japan Airlines. We have a code share agreement with JAL on both our Osaka and Tokyo services and look forward to building on this." Narita International Airport is also looking forward to building closer links with the Middle East.

            "As a representative of Narita International Airport, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Emirates Airline for choosing the Narita route among the numerous destinations within its international network to introduce the Airbus A380, the latest and largest aircraft in the world," said Mr Makoto Natsume, President '&' CEO of Narita International Airport Corporation.

            "I'm expecting that the Emirates A380 on the Narita-Dubai route will be the bridge between the Middle East and Japan and further promote interactions between the regions. We intend to strive to make our airport greater to welcome more customers." Joining Mr Jewsbury in the VIP delegation on the inaugural A380 flight were: Saeed Ali Al-Nowais, UAE Ambassador to Japan; Isao Kishi - Deputy Consul-General, Consulate-General of Japan; Yasuyoshi Matshunaga - Managing Director, Toshiba; Mutsumi Kitai - President, Hitachi Construction and Machinery; and Eyad Ali - Executive Director - Media Relations Business Development Sector, Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

etisalat: RIM restores BlackBerry services

            etisalat has announced that BlackBerry services have returned to normal after the partial delay in messaging services and browsing yesterday (30 June). As stated yesterday by Research in Motion (RIM), the global BlackBerry services and device provider, the delay was caused due to RIM's service issues, but the BlackBerry service has now been restored. Etisalat apologises to its BlackBerry customers for the inconvenience caused due to disruption. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

EMMC rolls out long-awaited UAE official Television Audience Measurement System: tview

            The Emirates Media Measurement Company (EMMC) has announced that the UAE's long-awaited television audience measurement system or people-meters is ready to be deployed to broadcasters and advertisers in the UAE.

            A staged rollout of the system will start from July 1st before the official launch in October 2012.

            The people meter system will be known in the UAE as tview' and the objective is to advance the TV media industry by generating transparent, accountable and reliable ratings that will be used as a currency of trade. 

            This viewing research data will enable broadcasters, media agencies and advertisers to improve TV programming, scheduling and advertising. 

            tview's unique proposition is that it provides minute-by-minute viewing data delivered the following day. The data includes additional demographic information such as nationality, gender, location, age and socio-economic status for viewers aged 4 and above, although all data is reported anonymously and individuals are not identified. 

            "tview is a major step forward for the TV and advertising industry in the UAE, providing in-depth, objective data which can be used to make better programmes, improve TV schedules and help advertisers reach the people who are most interested in their products," said Christopher O'Hearn, EMMC's General Manager.

            EMMC is a joint venture of leading broadcast entities, Abu Dhabi Media, Sharjah Media, Rotana Media, and Etisalat, and is also supported by DU.

            The project was the result of a Federal Cabinet initiative and has been led by the National Media Council and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. 

            The Director-General of the NMC, Ibrahim Al Abed, is the chairman of EMMC and the TRA's Director-General Mohamed Al Ghanim sits on the board.

            Welcoming the launch Mr Ibrahim Al Abed said: "This is the first project of its kind in the Gulf and I am very pleased that the UAE, with its thriving media sector, is leading the way. I look forward to the success of the system and encourage its adoption by broadcasters and advertisers." The project has been underway since January 2010 and was endorsed by the Ministerial Council for Services in March 2010, with the first steps being large scale surveys and the setup of the sample panel representing the UAE population. 850 homes have been chosen to take part and become the tview panel and have the people meter boxes installed in their homes and connected to the television screens.

            Key industry players have been consulted and recent detailed technical discussions with media buying units have led to changes in the tview panel setup.

            "Inevitably, there are concerns with any change and we have done our best to engage with the industry to address any issues. While it has caused some delay, it has also helped to deliver an even more robust and credible system, which the industry can have complete confidence in," said Mr O'Hearn.

            In addition to the data provided in full to subscribers, EMMC will make extracts of the tview ratings information publicly available on its website www.tview.ae and will distribute summaries to trade and press. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Nakheel signs Dh27.5m contract for Jumeirah Park Community Centre

            Nakheel has signed a Dhs27.5m contract for the construction of Jumeirah Park Community Centre, a new, 10,600 sqm facility in the company's growing retail portfolio. Construction of Jumeirah Park Community Centre is expected to be completed in 12 months.

            The Company has appointed Parkway International Contracting as main contractor for the community centre, which will primarily serve 4,200 homes in Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Village Triangle and Jumeirah Park. It will include a Geant supermarket, cafes, a pharmacy, dry cleaner, salons and other everyday convenience stores.

            The Company has already leased most of retail outlets at the centre, with anchor tenant Geant taking 2,400 sqm - almost a quarter of the available space.

            Sanjay Manchanda, Acting CEO of Nakheel, said: "Neighbourhood malls are a key part of our business plan. We are enhancing our communities with convenient, local facilities that people want and need." Confirmed tenants for Jumeirah Park Community Centre include Geant, Early Learning Centre, Bin Sina Pharmacy, Barakat Optical, Gloria Jeans, Pizzaro, Burger Fuel, Cafe de Roma, Photo Magic, Geekay Games and Holland and Barrett. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Dubai realty rebounds

            Dubai’s real estate market is showing robust signs of resilience with both rents and prices of quality properties recording an upturn after remaining in the doldrums for years, a new study revealed on Sunday.

            “Quality residential developments in Dubai bounced back during the second quarter after a stable first quarter, with average rent increases of six per cent for apartments and nine per cent for villas,” said Asteco, a leading UAE property management company, in its report. Sales prices recorded double-digit increases in three developments, with rises of six-eight per cent elsewhere, it said.

            “After three years of declining rates and limited sales activity, the real estate market is on the way to recovery, with established quality communities showing increases in values and higher transaction volumes,” said Elaine Jones, chief executive at Asteco. Towards the end of first half in 2012, rentals in established quality communities achieved average increases of six per cent.

            Apartments in Dubai Marina and Downtown Dubai were the most sought after witnessing a 10 per cent increase, with a two-bedroom apartment fetching between Dh90,000 and Dh120,000 per annum. “Tenants are relocating in search of value-for-money, one- and two-bedroom apartments as well as three- and four-bedroom villas are the preferred unit types. In terms of rates, quality well-managed developments, will continue to set the pace,” commented Elaine Jones.

            Dubai’s safe haven status and its upcoming investment protection rules have significantly helped reviving global and regional investor confidence in the emirate, particularly in the aftermath of Arab Spring, property analysts said. Even some of the leading property developers started to sell residential units, especially premium quality, over the past few months, underscoring this resilience, they said.

            Asteco said leasing rates for villas followed a similar trend, stable throughout first quarter with an average increase of nine per cent through the latter part of second quarter. Mirdiff showed the largest increase with rent for a three-bedroom house increasing to Dh90,000 per annum a 13 per cent jump. Arabian Ranches recorded 11 per cent ruse, with a three-bedroom villa now costing Dh140,000 per annum.

            Prices for one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, and Palm Jumeirah recorded price increases of nine per cent, eight per cent and eight per cent respectively during the first half. Elsewhere in Dubai prices remained relatively stable, with apartments in JBR seeing a three per cent increase.

            Asteco predicted that sales prices would continue to rise for quality developments, especially villas. “The number of owner-occupiers rose steadily in line with improved financed options offered by banks, which we expect to continue. Further demand will also be evident from overseas buyers escaping economic woes in the Eurozone and political instability in other parts of the region,” said Elaine Jones.

            It was a different picture for commercial space which, despite an increase in leasing enquiries in the first half of 2012 as the regional situation improved, creating renewed interest in Dubai as a hub for business, was hampered by oversupply and tenant-dictated contract terms. – Khaleej Times

 

Registration of students in Emirates ID must before October 01, 2012

            The Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) has called on the parents of UAE national and resident male and female students to register their children under 15 years in the ID card before October 1, 2012, in line with the Cabinet's decision no. 25 for 2011, and in a bid to avoid delay fees.

            The EIDA thanked the Ministry of Education, Abu Dhabi Education Council and Knowledge and Human Development Authority, as well as all educational districts and government and private schools across the UAE for their ongoing co-operation and support of the EIDA towards achieving its national mission and serving the top interest of the UAE and the vision of its prudent leadership for developing the population register system and the ID card project.

            The Ministry of Education, Abu Dhabi Education Council and Knowledge and Human Development Authority previously interacted with the Emirates ID's call to forward circulars to the UAE government and private schools with reminders of children registration deadline attached to their academic certificates in which the children registration procedures as well as the required documents are shown in both Arabic and English.

            The EIDA reminded the people concerned that the procedures for issuing an ID card for a child require the dedicated e-form to be filled out at a typing centre without the need for the child's presence, noting that the required documents for registering UAE national children are an original passport, an original summary of civil status, father's or mother's ID card and a personal photo of the child with a white background, while the registration of resident children requires an original and individual valid passport, residence visa, father's or mother's ID card and a personal photo with a white background.

            The EIDA pointed out that in case of applying for an ID card for a child who had previously been registered in the population register, an ID number certificate should be presented with the other required official documents, noting that this certificate can be obtained by visiting any EIDA-affiliated registration centres.

            However, in case of applying for renewing the child's expired card, the old ID card should be presented, while a person who has completed 15 years of age and seeks to renew his/her ID card should visit a registration centre for fingerprinting and photographing. 

            The EIDA has recently announced that the resident children under 15 years across the UAE, whose residences expire before December 31, 2012, are excluded from the children's registration deadline, provided that registration of this category should be made by the time of their residence renewal procedures before the end of this year.

            The EIDA called on the parents of UAE national and resident children across the UAE to register their children under 15 years in the ID card before October 1, 2012 and not to wait until the last minute.

            It affirmed that the UAE population registration deadline decision was aimed at speeding up the completion of the population register system and the ID card project towards achieving its mission as embodied in contributing to enhancing the national and individual security, supporting decision-makers and providing innovative electronic services that support the eGovernment and the UAE Vision 2021.

            The EIDA pointed out that the decision to exclude children with expired residences in 2012 from the registration deadline set for children is not inconsistent with the decision to adopt the ID card as a condition for benefiting from the services of both the public and private sectors for all age categories, now that the ID card is gradually becoming the most valuable official card in the UAE. 

            It announced last January that residents above 15 years whose residences would expire before December 31, 2012 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah would be excluded from the ID card registration deadline so that this category would be registered by the time of residence renewal procedures. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

UAE continues providing assistance to Yemen

            Sana'a - The United Arab Emirates, in implementation with the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, continued providing its assistance to address the urgent humanitarian crisis across Yemen. This also comes in the framework of the ongoing humanitarian initiatives of the State to support brotherly people of Yemen.

            The UAE Red Crescent office in Yemen began last night, the distribution of humanitarian aid on a number of families in the capital Sana'a in the framework of ''Sanadhom'' campaign which began last Friday in different UAE's emirates to support the humanitarian conditions in Yemen.

            In a statement to the Emirates News Agency "WAM", Director of Red Crescent office in Yemen Khalfan Al-Kindi said that the UAE RCA's teams in coordination with the Yemen Red Crescent began their activities last night targeting needy families, through the distribution of food baskets for each family, including "sugar, flour, rice and cooking oil." He stressed that the drive comes in line with the implementation of the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, H.H. Gen. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and the follow up of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region and Chairman of the UAE Red Crescent Authority.

            The beneficiaries expressed gratitude to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the generous support which is a continuation of the humanitarian approach led by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan.  They expressed best wishes of good health for Sheikh Khalifa and more prosperity and progress for the people of the UAE. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Emirati businesswomen to offer meals to workers at work sites

            Emirati businesswomen here have launched a humanitarian initiative to support workers at Ain Al Faidah Project. Hamda Al Daraei, a businesswoman, said this initiative, which is the third, reflects the UAE and its people have tender heart to the vulnerable categories as part of the norms of community. The initiative includes distribution of meals to workers at the work sites. The first initiative focused on children suffering with cancer at Tawam Hospital. Al Daraei said the third initiative is in line with the UAE's humanitarian initiatives, indicating that 14 humanitarian projects will be implemented in Al Ain City, and other parts of the UAE. She called on women to participate.  – Emirates News Agency, WAM

 

Dubai celebrates 3rd UAE Social Media Day

            Scores of social media savvy residents gathered to celebrate the UAE Social Media Day (UAESMDay) on Saturday at Arjaan by Rotana with a particular focus of connecting small businesses with the community through social media.

            Social Media Day is a global event first introduced by social networking news site Mashable.com in 2010. It is held in 275 cities worldwide every June 30 to celebrate the ‘Connected generation around the world.’

            Now in its third year, the UAESMDay is an event by the community for the community whereby no money exchanges hands, only business cards and ideas. The event provided a platform for small businesses to interact and network with the community to learn how to harness the benefits of social media and utilise it fully.

            “When you’re starting out, your cash is not that big, but you do have a lot more time to do it. So what happens is you invest that time to make sure the social media works for you,” Mita Srinivasan, event organiser, told Gulf News.

            “Corporations or companies are capable of reaching out to their customers in a much better way if they can speak their language [through social media],” Zaid Al Adham, marketing and communications executive at Arjaan by Rotana, said.

            Through social media, the old school word of mouth is given a facelift to suit the needs of the community.

            “This is just a more sophisticated way of word of mouth. It’s using social media where the word of mouth is just magnified a little bit more,” Srinivasan added.

            “Social media is the best way to get feedback on our products and services and we find that there’s a direct involvement between the customers rather than going to a third party,” Rony Dominic, a marketing executive, said.

            This reliable mode of getting consumer feedback is also relatively economical.

            “It has a very strong role as a very economical way to generate awareness [on your business]. If you can turn clients from Facebook, then you have spent zero dirhams to promote your events or whatever your services are and you’ve made a deal out of zero expenses,” Livia Anzaldo, a lifestyle coach who took part in the event, said.

Social media in recent years has increasingly reshaped the world and how we do things. In the fourth edition of the Arab Media Outlook, social media has grown significantly in the Arab World, with Facebook reaching up to 80 per cent of the population in 2011. – Gulf News

 

Indoor fun, games captivate capital kids

            The temperatures are for sure rising and even as outdoor activities for children and adults begin to dwindle, stifled by the heat, the capital’s kids have found a perfect escapade within the city.

            The Summer in Abu Dhabi festival at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, spread over four sprawling halls, has kept hundreds of children and adults occupied with a fine mixture of fun, frolic, music, art, culture and sport activities.

            One of the feature additions is the Sea Lion Show with Swammy, Songa and Still enthralling the kids in daily live 20-minute shows.

            Apart from the family-centric activities and award-winning international acts and shows, including the Ice Age Zone - a themed park based on the popular movie Ice Age, the Adventure World — a Telematch style area, and the Galactic Academy — eight different challenges and fun activities there is also a whole section for the sport-lovers.

            The Abu Dhabi Sports Council is hosting a range of activities and workshops as part of its Sport & Games Festival open to visitors from five to 35 years of age with judo, basketball, soccer, table tennis, tennis, badminton and golf games on offer.

            The Summer in Abu Dhabi festival kicked off on June 21 and will be running until July 19 so for those who are yet to unwind after a hard academic year you can head to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. – Gulf News

 

Bringing latent talents to the fore

            Shaima Al Sayed is gifted in making people laugh. “I’m the first female to do stand-up comedy in the UAE and specifically the first one in a sheila and abaya,” Al Sayed said.

            She was one of several Emiratis either performing or showcasing their work at ‘UAE Are You Game’, an interactive game and talent show held on Friday at Meydan IMAX Theatre. Although her gift is rare, Al Sayed said she’s sure there are other Emiratis in the UAE with their own talents to share.

            “What happens is, there are talented people. It’s not like the country does not have talent, but the thing is, we are a very young country and we’re still building up. “I keep telling everybody, we went from tents to Burj Khalifa in 40 years,” Al Sayed said, adding that many talented Emiratis have gone unnoticed in the entire process. That’s where Saleh Al Braik comes in.He’s the founder of ThinkUp GCC, a PR agency that gives Emirati and GCC nationals a chance to showcase their skills through events like, UAE Are You Game

            “We have comedians, musicians, artists, videographers, any skill that has commercial value that we believe can launch into a career, we help it grow,” Al Braik said.

            One of the individuals who has seen his talent grow with help from ThinkUP GCC is Rashid bin Hussain, an 18-year-old Emirati who plays the oud, or Arabian guitar. He performed a rendition of the Super Mario video game soundtrack during UAE Are You Game. He’s also the first Emirati selected to play in the Youth Orchestra of the Middle East. For those locals out there looking to develop their talents, bin Hussain has some advice.

            “There are a lot of Emiratis who have talent but they don’t have a place to showcase it. I would like them to join ThinkUp GCC because it helps expose these talents,” he said. To get in touch with ThinkUP GCC, email: talent@thinkup.ae. – Khaleej Times

 

World's most expensive cupcake goes on sale in Dubai

            Let them eat cake - but only if they can afford it! The world's most expensive cupcake is now on sale for a princely cost of Dh3,700 (US$1,007).

Made using 23-carat edible gold sheets, the Golden Phoenix went on sale on Thursday to celebrate the opening of the cupcake franchise Bloomsbury's in the Dubai Mall.

            Other high-end ingredients include organic flour and butter, imported from the UK, Italian chocolate and vanilla beans from Uganda.

            For added decadence, the costly cupcake is presented on a 24-carat gold stand, alongside a golden spoon, topped with chocolate icing, strawberries dipped in edible gold, and various other adornments.

            "We are really excited to have unveiled the most expensive cupcake in the world," said Vinay Lall, the general manager of Tablez Food Company, which owns the concept of Bloomsbury's.

            "We have seen people attempt expensive cupcakes before, however, those are not edible as they are incrusted with diamonds and other components.

            "That is why we decided that we would take the realistic approach and present the most expensive edible cupcake in the world."

            The cupcake is available to order from the Dubai Mall's Bloomsbury's outlet. Each order is expected to take 48 hours to complete. – The National

 

FIA Vice President Ben Sulayem to receive honorary doctorate

            Mohammed Ben Sulayem, a role model for young people across the Arab world, is to receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Science from the University of Ulster in recognition of his services to sport, civic leadership and charity at a graduation ceremony in Belfast.

            H.E. Abdulrahman Ghanem Al Mutaiwee, UAE Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and H.E. Khaled Nasser Lootah, UAE Ambassador to Ireland, will accompany Sulayem to the awards ceremony which takes place in Belfast’s famous Waterfront Hall auditorium.

            Sulayem is President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, the first Arab to be elected to the FIA World Motor Sport Council and the first to be named an FIA Vice President.

            In a record-breaking rally driving career he won the FIA Middle East Championship 14 times before retiring from the sport in 2002. He has been a major contributor to charity and pioneered education within the FIA, motor sport’s world governing body. He has also been a leading instigator and supporter of safe driving initiatives in the Middle East over many years.

            Sulayem said: “I am very grateful to the University of Ulster for honouring me in this way. It is something I never expected.

            “I’m humbled by recognising the many distinguished individuals I will be joining in receiving my Honorary Doctorate”.

            He added: “The UAE has developed strong links with Ireland, many of these forged through sport, and I am delighted that our ambassadors to the UK and Ireland will be joining me to accept this honour on behalf of our country.”

            Sulayem is among leading figures in the world of education, science, business, the arts and sport who are being honoured at the University of Ulster graduation ceremonies this summer.

            In awarding his honorary doctorate, Ulster University said it was recognising his “outstanding leadership in the field of international sport, as well as his remarkable civic and charitable contributions,” in the UAE and across the GCC region.

            The University added: “He commands the respect of drivers past and present, officials, manufacturers, sponsors, sporting and government bodies, not to mention other stakeholders and contemporaries across the globe.” – Sport 360°

 

Dubai racecourse saga takes a turn with Dh3.5 billion Meydan legal suit

            Meydan has launched a Dh3.5 billion (US$952.8 million) legal claim against the UAE builder Arabtec and the Malaysian contractor WCT over the construction of the racecourse that hosts the Dubai World Cup.

            It is the latest legal twist in a dispute sparked by the cancellation of the original construction contract three years ago.

            WCT, which won the order to build the development with Dubai-based Arabtec Construction, dismissed the claim as "frivolous and without merit".

            The pair originally won the contract to construct the lavish horse-racing development in September 2007 at the height of Dubai's six-year construction boom. But Meydan cancelled the contract 16 months later, saying the contractors had not kept to the construction timetable.

            The joint venture subsequently launched an arbitration action against Meydan, alleging breach of contract. That claim currently stands at Dh2.8bn.

            Meydan has now responded with its own civil suit in the Dubai Courts, arguing that the original arbitration had expired. Arbitration is a legal process often used as an alternative form of dispute resolution in the construction industry.

            WCT said it would continue with arbitration and vowed to fight the civil suit brought by Meydan.

            "There is a valid and binding arbitration agreement between Meydan and the joint venture and any dispute between the parties must be resolved by way of arbitration," WCT said in a regulatory filing to the Malaysian stock exchange.

            Arabtec was unavailable for comment yesterday. A Meydan spokesman said officials could not be reached.

            The Malaysian builder said the tribunal hearing its case at the Dubai International Arbitration Centre had on June 9 "rejected conclusively Meydan's submission that the arbitration proceedings have expired".

            The Meydan racecourse, which hosts the US$27.2m Dubai World Cup meeting, is one of the most ambitious equestrian projects ever designed. It incorporates a 60,000-seat grandstand and a five-star trackside hotel.

            The Dubai World Cup has grown to become the world's richest horse race since its first running in 1996. Traditionally held on the last Saturday of March, it is one of the biggest draws on the international racing calendar.

            The Meydan contract was one of the largest ever awarded to the Malaysian builder, which also helped to construct the Formula One circuit in Abu Dhabi as well as the Bahrain City Centre shopping mall in Manama.

            The collapse of property prices in late 2008 in the Emirates produced a rash of legal disputes between builders and developers over delayed projects as financing dried up and investors withdrew. – The National