Tourists visiting the Burj Khalifa have told how dozens of people “began to cry” after being stranded on the building’s observation deck for over an hour.
At the Top, a visitor attraction located on the 124th floor of the world’s tallest building, is temporarily closed to the public following “technical issues with the power supply” but is scheduled to reopen on Sunday, February 14.
A senior Dubai Civil Defence official confirmed to Gulf News on Monday there was an incident at the Burj Khalifa on Saturday evening.
The official said: “This is a minor case; it was not serious at all. Staff members at the Burj Khalifa handled the situation perfectly. Our role was to ensure the safety of the public. It is absolutely normal for a new building to face minor issues such as this, which involved one of the Burj Khalifa’s elevators.”
Gulf News spoke on Monday to several tourists who were stranded on the observation deck for over an hour on Saturday.
Michael Timms, a 31-year-old telecommunications engineer from the US, said: “I was walking around the observation deck when I heard this really loud noise and what looked like smoke or dust coming out from one of the elevator doors. There were at least 60 people on the deck at the time. Employees and security staff were telling people that everything was ok. But once it became clear we were not being allowed back down, some people got really angry while others started crying.”…SOURCE
Talmiz Ahmad, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, told XPRESS that under the revised guidelines issued in November 2009, “US nationals can be granted long-term, multiple-entry tourist visa of up to 10 years with the stipulation that their stay during each visit will not exceed 180 days.”…SOURCE
Ras Al Khaimah: The Ras Al Khaimah Police have arrested scores of young people in shopping malls for violating decency laws. The police summoned their parents and made them sign pledges to make their children dress in a decent manner.
Sources said that complaints have been made by families visiting malls regarding the clothes as well as the unusual hair styles of the youth. Authorities organised a campaign in which several youngsters were caught.
Revealing dress
Young people were apparently wearing trousers and shirts showing parts of their bodies thus violating norms of decency.
The sources said that police gave haircuts to some of the youngsters and summoned their parents who were instructed to sign an undertaking to monitor their children and stop them from visiting malls in indecent clothes…SOURCE
I wasn’t expecting much when we entered the Fratelli la Bufala restaurant in the Arabian Center in Mirdif, Dubai, however I was more than pleasantly surprised by what I found when we stopped in on a whim. As a general rule here in the UAE, most mall restaurants and hotel restaurants are mediocre at best. You can basically toss out any fawning
Pizza from Fratelli la Bufala
reviews of 5 star venues that you find.
Fratelli la Bufala is located in a non-foodcourt section of the mall and takes a little bit of searching to find. The decor is rather simple and typical of UAE restaurants, but in the end that is not why you come here. What you will find are numerous Italian dishes featuring water buffalo. Water buffalo essentially tastes like beef that has some of the fat removed, which is essentially what it is being much leaner than ordinary beef.
My first trip there I had the buffalo steak which was quite tasty and enjoyed sampling the other dishes ordered by my party, including dishes that incorporated buffalo mild, cheese, and cream. On my second trip, I enjoyed on of the pizzas on offer with buffalo ham and artichoke hearts. Their pizza was done exactly right and tasted fantastic.
In short, Fratelli la Bufala’s unique take on a unique ingredient earns it a place close to the top of the UAE’s Italian restaurants.
Tip for travelers: avoid your hotel’s Italian fare and make a bee-line for Fratelli la Bufala.
The world’s tallest skyscraper, Burj Dubai, will open on December 2, the project developers have said in a commitment of date. The opening coincides with the 38th National Day of the United Arab Emirates.
“We are shooting for the National Day,” Emaar Properties Chairman Mohammed Alabbar told CNN on Friday. “I think it is achievable; lot of challenges, but we will get there.”
Speaking about the last-minute touches, he said, “We have about 12,000 people inside the building and outside trying to achieve the December 2 opening.”
Construction of Burj Dubai, which shoots 800 metres into the skies over Business Bay, began on September 21, 2004 as part of the $20-billion Downtown Burj Dubai real estate development.
The opening of Emaar’s flagship project has met with delays. It was originally scheduled to open last September. Since then there has been suspense over whether it would, in fact, open by the end of 2009… SOURCE
“Misuse” of the Metro by some commuters had led to intermittent service with delays at stations and causing inconvenience to commuters during the first two days of the Metro operation, an RTA official said.
Peyman Younes Parham, an RTA spokesperson, said: “Some passengers on board pushed emergency buttons to open or close the doors or just for fun and this led to delays in the train service,” he said, adding that most of the commuters do not yet know how to use the train… SOURCE
Long before the first train of the day, it was clear that the Dubai Metro’s debut weekend would provide the biggest challenge of its short history.
Crowds of would-be passengers descended on stations beginning early in the morning, unaware that no train would run until 2pm. The crush threatened to overwhelm both staff and the system, with officials estimating that 30,000 passengers passed through the turnstiles in the first two hours of operation yesterday.
Last night, several stations were briefly closed and service was suspended after reports that some passengers had been hitting the emergency stop buttons on the crowded trains.
At the Mall of the Emirates station, where some of the biggest crowds congregated, Metro employees used a megaphone to urge passengers to stay calm and not push. Workers were later joined by transport police after the queuing system threatened to break down as dozens of men tried to push their way through to platforms.
Nakheel Station was also closed for a while in the evening, with staff saying that a train had broken down, halting service for at least an hour. Trains were stationary at Al Rashidiya as well, at the end of the Red Line, for more than an hour, forcing some passengers to abandon their journeys.
Mohammed Sageer said he boarded a train with his family at 6pm and was still waiting to leave an hour later. There was no air conditioning and lights were flickering on and off at the station.
“There was no information, people were getting very confused and women and children were getting upset,” he said, adding that Metro staff were unable to offer refunds.
Services were due to be extended past the official closing time of midnight to 2am so passengers could return home…SOURCE
Dubai makes history with the opening of the Metro system at 9pm on Wednesday. The world’s largest automated driverless Metro system has been built by 30,000 workers at an unprecedented pace and will serve around 1.2 million passengers every day.
Dubai seriously needs to reconsider what it wants to be. No one will visit the equivalent of Saudi Arabia on a vacation.
Dubai’s shopping malls don’t just combine the awesome collections of international brand labels, but go further to enlighten newcomers on Emirati cultural rules and what’s the acceptable general behaviour.
The rules are on signs at the main entrances and distributed by security personnel as well.
It includes no smoking in the mall, wearing of respectable clothing and no kissing or public displays of affection, no consumption of alcohol in the mall and few other don’ts.
Sabina Khanvwani, Head of Public Relations and Marketing Department at Burjuman Centre, said despite the signs, there are still visitors who still need to be reminded of what is and what is not acceptable.
“Burjuman has already fixed stickers on the main entrances in order to deliver the message directly to them, some of them adhere and others don’t. We cannot enforce them to comply but we keep reminding them that Dubai is part of the UAE and it’s a Muslim country with a conservative society and must be respected.”
Most expatriates Gulf News spoke to say they didn’t do things on purpose or to annoy the Emirati community. They just grew up dressing that way.
Tania N. a 29-year-old Russian businesswoman, said she got confused when a security guard at the Mall of the Emirates handed her a brochure on how to dress appropriately.
“I respect Dubai, its religion, culture and people, I come here frequently for business and pleasure, and I was never asked to cover my shoulders or my knees until recently,” she said.
“I used to wear a sleeveless short gown or miniskirt and according to my background it is a decent outfit and doesn’t cause any kind of embarrassment. But lately a security approached me and in a polite way handed me a brochure that includes the mall’s courtesy policy regarding dress code and general behaviour.”
Asked whether she will adhere to the mall’s dress code, she said: “I really don’t find it necessary, besides I don’t have long or covered outfits, and the most importantly I didn’t do something bad to Dubai or its people.”
Katayoon Tahmoress M, an Iranian writer based in Dubai agrees with Tania.
“I love Dubai and I like its style. But the way I dress is completely a personal matter and I don’t allow anybody to educate me on what to wear and what not to wear.”
Gabriel and Elena, both Americans, said the visitors and expatriates should’ve been informed of the dress and behavioural rules before they fly into the country.
“Such instructions should be informed before we enter the country not while we are shopping. Besides the weather in Dubai is truly hot,” they said.
Mariam Al Salem and her Emirati companions said visitors and expatriates should tow the line.
“Our rules must be strictly followed,” Mariam said… SOURCE
Dubai Airports has won the Newsweek Award of Excellence, achieving the accolade ‘The Single Largest Development in Aviation History in the Region’.
It was chosen for the award by senior correspondents and writers of the Newsweek (Arabic) editorial board.
Dubai Airports chief executive officer Paul Griffiths said the growth and development of Dubai city and Dubai Airports were closely inter-linked.
“As the city has grown, Dubai Airports has seen an increase in the number of its client airlines and their passengers, bringing more business, industry and professional expertise to enhance Dubai’s business acumen and standing in the world community,” he said in remarks made available here…SOURCE
04/11/2009 10:54 PM | By Mariam M. Al Serkal and Dina El Shammaa, Staff Reporters
Dubai/Abu Dhabi: Beaches were on the alert last week as the red tide passed through the Gulf waters, stirring the curiosity of residents as to where it was going to hit next.
The Environment Agency at Abu Dhabi (EAD) said that the red tide did not affect the capital, as its usual life cycle is about 3 to 4 days.
Last week red tide was spotted along the Dubai coastline, which prompted Dubai Municipality to close the beaches near the Burj Al Arab and Umm Suqueim Park.
Residents were also warned to avoid eating seafood that had been collected from the algal bloom area since it may be contaminated. City Talk took to the streets and asked residents if they are worried about the red tide and how this has affected them.
Mohammad Al Taweel, 27-year-old sales developer, Saudi Arabia, said: “I was planning to go to the beach [at] the weekend but have cancelled the plan now just to be safe. I read about it in the newspapers and am aware of the red tide phenomena, although I am not exactly sure what side effect it has on humans. But that has not stopped me from eating fish.”
Sibtain Hirji, real estate manager from the United Kingdom, 48, said: “The red tide is supposed to be harmless but it does give you rashes. I have seen that many beaches are empty now but think that people are only scared about it this week, and people will start going to the beach again soon. I have read that it is dangerous to eat fish that are affected by it, so I am not eating it and will wait a couple of weeks before buying it again.”
Jelena Bundesmann, German manager, 45, said: “I spend a lot of time on the beach, and have noticed that the water is milky and that there is less visibility and marine life. There are also more algae on the shores but that is not going to stop me from going to the beach and swimming, unless I see that reddish-brownish colour around me in the water. I will not stop eating fish unless they prove to me that the red tide has an impact on it until then, I have to assume that they only catch fish in good areas in the sea since fish only survive in good water conditions.”…
Sharjah International Airport tripled in size during reconstruction, which finished in 2007, but it maintains a certain wildness, especially compared to the gleaming concourses of Dubai International Airport.
Jeevan Bahadur Thapa and Chunna Bahadur Thapa board bus 99, the so-called Airport Express, at Sharjah’s Al Jubail bus station. Natives of Pokhara, Nepal, who work in Dubai’s Gold Souk area, they are heading to Sharjah airport to meet their brother who’s arriving on the 10pm flight from Kathmandu. It’s a direct distance of just over 20km, yet it takes Jeevan and Chunna more than three hours to reach their destination on a three-leg bus journey that costs Dh11 (US$3) each. The only other option, a taxi, would have cost up to Dh70 ($19). “Too much money!” says Chunna.
Sharjah International Airport has emerged as the UAE’s preferred airport for passengers on a budget. The airport tripled in size during reconstruction, which finished in 2007, but it maintains a certain wildness, especially compared to the gleaming concourses of Dubai International Airport. About 5.3 million passengers passed through Sharjah airport last year, up 22 per cent on the year before (some nine million passed through Abu Dhabi and 37 million through Dubai). It’s a safe bet that many of them took a taxi, for as I learnt the hard way, getting there by bus straddles the line between impractical and downright senseless.
In the entry hall, travelling families congregate, stacking luggage trolleys with boxes wrapped in twine. The departures board flashes the names of destinations that, let’s just say, aren’t all global aviation hubs. Sure, you have the staid Frankfurt, Brussels and Copenhagen listed, but these are slotted in between the likes of Calicut, Cochin, Kathmandu, Khartoum, Krasnodar, Trivandrum and Tashkent. And where else would you expect to catch the next flight to Makhachkala or Mogadishu?…SOURCE
04/07/2009 11:48 PM | By Rayeesa Absal and Sunita Menon, Staff Reporters
Abu Dhabi/Dubai: Beaches of Abu Dhabi are on “red tide” alert, officials said on Tuesday, while those in Dubai were clear of the menace.
Dubai residents and tourists were seen having a good time on the beaches yesterday.
Civic officials in both cities are keeping a constant watch of the waters for the potentially poisonous algal bloom.
“We are monitoring the situation closely. So far it has not entered the capital but it depends on factors like wind direction and water salinity”, said Thabit Al Abdessalaam, Director of Biodiversity Sector – Marine Environment at Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD). “It is unlikely that it will spread to Abu Dhabi because today it [red tide] is very much dissipated and was not seen in its original intensity. Its usual life cycle is about 3 to 4 days”, he noted.
EAD, along with the Dubai authorities, inspected water bodies on Monday to find that the red tide had spread until the Jebel Ali area. “The fact that it stopped raining is also helping us, because rain would cause draining of more nutrients into the sea which triggers red tide.” The winds are also not in the easterly direction, he added.
EAD is coordinating with the Abu Dhabi Municipality as well as authorities in Dubai to make sure all precautionary measures are taken, Abdessalaam said.
The last time the emirate witnessed a major red tide problem was in 2003, when fish kills were recorded in Mussafah Channel.
04/06/2009 10:41 PM | By Shakir Husain, Staff Reporter
Dubai: Defying the economic downturn, Dubai on Monday launched a new low-cost airline, flydubai, which will start flights in June with Beirut and Amman as initial destinations.
The move to launch flydubai as scheduled is expected to boost Dubai’s tourism sector and help residents travel at low cost. The airline will also bolster the emirate’s plans to become a hub for international air traffic as it begins to fly to more regional destinations…
04/06/2009 09:48 PM | By Ashfaq Ahmed, Chief Reporter
Dubai: After pink taxis and air conditioned bus shelters, Dubai will also become the first city in the region to introduce buses for female passengers.
“The ladies-only bus service will start on April 10 to accommodate the increasing number of female passengers,” said Mohammad Abu Bakr Al Hashimi, director of Planning and Business Development at the Public Transport Agency of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
He said seven buses would operate on one route from Muhaisnah (near Lulu Village) to Satwa via Muraqqabat Road, Deira City Centre, Karama and World Trade Centre Interchange….
clear of the menace.
