An Airbus A380

Emirates has become the world’s largest operator of the A380 aircraft with a total of 12 in its fleet, which has been generating interest from around the world, a company spokesman said.

The airline’s expanding A380 fleet has been attracting attention from airports across the globe as Manchester became the latest city to be served by the superjumbo, Emirates Airlines said in a statement… MORE

Etisalat Wednesday announced a strategic partnership with Mobiqa, specialists in mobile content optimisation, to bring mobile phone ticketing to the region… MORE

Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn)

Authorities in Sharjah have announced plans to revamp the old areas of the city and give it a fresh and modern look while still retaining its picturesque appeal. Soon the city’s old quarter will not only be filled with museums, but will boast a hotel and a promenade too.

“Construction on the first phase of the plan includes reconnecting Saqr Souq with Al Arsa Souq, by rebuilding Al Shanasiah Souq, which disappeared as a result of building extensions in the 1970s,” Marwan Jasem Al Sarkal, chief executive officer of Shurooq, or Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, announced on Tuesday.

Construction of the ‘Heart of Sharjah’ project began last week, and the first phase is due to be completed in 2012.

As part of the first phase of the project, renovation work began last week at the Sharjah Art Foundation, in preparation for the Sharjah Biennale 2011… MORE

Gulf News observed a large number of pilgrims talking on mobiles while doing their tawaf (circumambulation) or sa’i (long walk between the mountains of Safa and Marwah).

The pilgrims take advantage of the time it takes to do sa’i to talk to their families and friends or send text messages. Some of them even discuss business projects while performing Umrah.

The use of mobile phones is particularly worrying when thousands of worshippers leave the mosque at the same time. Many insist on stopping to finish a chat while actually obstructing the flow of movement out of the Grand Mosque… MORE

The advantage of the new renewal system is that ID cardholders will not have to make an appointment or check the working hours of Eida centres, Dr Ali Al Khoury, Acting General Manager of Emirates Identity Authority (Eida), said.

“Instead they can visit any certified typing centre which mostly work long hours,” he said.

He said the new renewal system was expected to be operational by next month.

At present ID cardholders have to visit Eida registration centres for renewal with separate counters set aside for them… MORE

Virgin Blue Holdings Limited (ASX: VBA) and Etihad Airways PJSC today signed an agreement establishing a commercial partnership that will enable Virgin Blue’s international arm, V Australia, to launch direct services to Abu Dhabi in 2011 and the two airlines to offer a joint network of more than 100 destinations from October 1, 2010.

Together, Etihad and V Australia will move towards a total of 27 weekly services between Abu Dhabi and Australia – including double-daily services between Abu Dhabi and Sydney, daily Melbourne-Abu Dhabi flights and six frequencies per week between Abu Dhabi and Brisbane.

V Australia will operate three Sydney-Abu Dhabi services per week from February 2011 and three Brisbane-Abu Dhabi services per week by February 2012, using its new fleet of three-class Boeing 777-300ER and becoming the first Australian carrier to operate to the Middle East since 1991.

From October, Virgin Blue Group customers can access Etihad’s network of 65 destinations across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Subcontinent. All Virgin Blue services will be available to Etihad customers, opening up 45 destinations in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, and to Asia, South Africa and Los Angeles… SOURCE

The Coral Reef Restoration programme was launched in March this year in association with Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT) and Japan Oil Development Company (JODCO).

Scientists on the programme are interested in gathering information about two aspects — the reproductive cycle of coral reefs and information that would help in restoration of damaged reefs in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Experts have been diving into the waters close to Saadiyat Island and Al Dhabeiyah to install devices that would help them explore the world of corals… MORE

Up to 60 per cent of water applied on farms in Abu Dhabi’s Seih Al Kheir area is wasted by current irrigation practices, they said during the inauguration of the first Irrigation Demonstration Farm in the area.

The transition to the new system will eventually result in the reduction of water use for farming by 40 per cent in the next five years, said Rashid Mohammad Al Sharqi, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Farmers’ Services Centre and Director-General, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) who inaugurated the farm.

“We are living in an extremely dry region. Preserving water is like preserving life here. The developmental strategy of the Government of Abu Dhabi places great emphasis on the preservation of natural resources. It also aims to mitigate the harmful effects of certain agricultural practices on the environment,” he said… MORE

Jessica Bilson, a British apartment owner in Discovery Gardens, said, “I’ve seen a lot of people hanging their clothes out of windows or in balconies. This just ruins the look of the area and makes it scruffy and unkempt. It just looks like a badly-maintained housing estate,” she said.

Amanda Coles, an American tenant there, however, feels people should be allowed to dry their clothes in balconies. “I live in a studio, so there is very little space for me to put the clothes out to dry in my apartment…. MORE