Dubai Informer
Information about Dubai in all aspects
Friday, November 24, 2006
Pop diva Beyoncé Knowles looks likely to be performing in Dubai next year as part of her massive world tour.
The former Destiny's Child singer is set to come to the UAE midway through 2007, according to the Dubai-based firm that represents her in this region.
The 25-year-old is now riding high in the charts with her second solo album, B'Day.
Thomas Ovesen, general manager of Mirage Promotions, said no official announcement was possible yet, but added: "It's very likely she will be in Dubai now that she's announced she will be doing a world tour.
"She will be coming through the Middle East as part of her world tour and it would be unusual if she didn't perform in Dubai.
"I think the fans in Dubai would want to see her. There are only one or two other female artistes on a par with her in the world right now."
Beyoncé, who released her debut solo album Dangerously In Love in 2003, has scored hits with songs Crazy In Love, Baby Boy and Déjà Vu.
She has been to Dubai before, having performed at Dubai Media City in May 2005 with Destiny's Child as part of the girl band's Destiny Fulfilled … and Lovin' It tour.
The likely Dubai solo gig for Beyoncé next year comes in the wake of a deal announced yesterday for Mirage to distribute the singer's music in Africa and the Middle East.
This comes on top of a previous agreement to handle her bookings in the region and other "secondary markets".
Other artistes covered by the deal with Beyoncé's management firm, Music World Entertainment, include her Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
published and courtesy of Gulf News Dubai
The former Destiny's Child singer is set to come to the UAE midway through 2007, according to the Dubai-based firm that represents her in this region.
The 25-year-old is now riding high in the charts with her second solo album, B'Day.
Thomas Ovesen, general manager of Mirage Promotions, said no official announcement was possible yet, but added: "It's very likely she will be in Dubai now that she's announced she will be doing a world tour.
"She will be coming through the Middle East as part of her world tour and it would be unusual if she didn't perform in Dubai.
"I think the fans in Dubai would want to see her. There are only one or two other female artistes on a par with her in the world right now."
Beyoncé, who released her debut solo album Dangerously In Love in 2003, has scored hits with songs Crazy In Love, Baby Boy and Déjà Vu.
She has been to Dubai before, having performed at Dubai Media City in May 2005 with Destiny's Child as part of the girl band's Destiny Fulfilled … and Lovin' It tour.
The likely Dubai solo gig for Beyoncé next year comes in the wake of a deal announced yesterday for Mirage to distribute the singer's music in Africa and the Middle East.
This comes on top of a previous agreement to handle her bookings in the region and other "secondary markets".
Other artistes covered by the deal with Beyoncé's management firm, Music World Entertainment, include her Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
published and courtesy of Gulf News Dubai
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
The west coast received its first major downpour of the winter on Monday when rains lashed Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Residents welcomed the wet conditions, which meteorologists said were caused by a weak low pressure system.
And the forecasters warned that conditions may stay unsettled.
"The rain was short but beautiful. We all, including the kids, rushed to the rooftop to enjoy it fully," said Abu Dhabi resident A.K. Majeed, who comes from Kerala in India.
Cloudy
Clouds started gathering over the capital in the early morning and by noon the skies were covered with a thick, dark overcast.
The rain started shortly after 1.30pm and was accompanied by thunder and winds of up to 35 knots.
Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and thunder were also reported in Ras Al Ghanadha on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai highway.
In Al Khazna on the Abu Dhabi to Al Ain highway, the skies were cloudy but there were no reports of rain or strong winds.
Temperature drops
Dubai received its soaking later in the afternoon, although in northern parts of the city the rainfall was lighter.
At Dubai International Airport 0.2mm of rain was recorded.
The overcast and rainy conditions caused temperatures in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to fall temporarily by several degrees.
Clive Stevens, duty forecaster at Dubai International Airport, said this type of unsettled weather was 'something that happens in winter'.
He added: "It is typical of November with cooler air coming in over the warm sea, leading to unstable conditions.
"After Tuesday morning it will probably clear up and only be partly cloudy. By 10am it should have stopped raining."
The unsettled conditions could lead to slightly rougher seas with winds of more than 20 knots producing waves of three to six feet offshore.
Residents welcomed the wet conditions, which meteorologists said were caused by a weak low pressure system.
And the forecasters warned that conditions may stay unsettled.
"The rain was short but beautiful. We all, including the kids, rushed to the rooftop to enjoy it fully," said Abu Dhabi resident A.K. Majeed, who comes from Kerala in India.
Cloudy
Clouds started gathering over the capital in the early morning and by noon the skies were covered with a thick, dark overcast.
The rain started shortly after 1.30pm and was accompanied by thunder and winds of up to 35 knots.
Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and thunder were also reported in Ras Al Ghanadha on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai highway.
In Al Khazna on the Abu Dhabi to Al Ain highway, the skies were cloudy but there were no reports of rain or strong winds.
Temperature drops
Dubai received its soaking later in the afternoon, although in northern parts of the city the rainfall was lighter.
At Dubai International Airport 0.2mm of rain was recorded.
The overcast and rainy conditions caused temperatures in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to fall temporarily by several degrees.
Clive Stevens, duty forecaster at Dubai International Airport, said this type of unsettled weather was 'something that happens in winter'.
He added: "It is typical of November with cooler air coming in over the warm sea, leading to unstable conditions.
"After Tuesday morning it will probably clear up and only be partly cloudy. By 10am it should have stopped raining."
The unsettled conditions could lead to slightly rougher seas with winds of more than 20 knots producing waves of three to six feet offshore.
Labels: Dubai
The Global Gold Forum 2006 will be held at the Grand Hyatt, Dubai on November 27 and 28.
The event is being organised by Tefla's, a Mumbai-based Indian company engaged in dissemination of knowledge through conferences and events in the commodity sector, and supported by MCX, Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group, DGCX, World Gold Council and Gitanjali Group.
This international conference is an endeavour by Tefla's to create a neutral platform for the players in the bullion trade to come under one roof and put forth an agenda to take the bullion business to new heights, said a spokesman for the organisers.
The confirmed speakers in this international conference include Tawhid Abdullah, chairman, Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group, Dubai; Paul Walker, CEO, GFMS Limited, UK, Jignesh Shah, managing director & CEO , MCX, India; Colin Griffith, chairman, DGCX, Dubai; Moaz Barakat, managing director, Middle East, World Gold Council, Dubai; Ian Gordon, vice-president, Bolder Investment Partners, Ltd., Canada; Mark Lynch, CEO and managing director, Citigold Corporation, Australia; Manjunath Jyotinagar, president, Gitanjali Group; Neelesh Hundekari, director, KPMG; Marino Pieterse, editor, Goldletter International, The Netherlands; Bhargava N Vaidya; B N Vaidya & Associates, India; Martin Murenbeeld, president, M. Murenbeeld & Associates Inc, Canada; Jonathan Barratt, managing director, Commodity Broking Services, Australia; Simi Julka-Kohli, managing director, Resource Capital Ltd., UK; Pamela Aden, co-editor, The Aden Forecast, Miami; and Adam J Crown, vice-president, CPM Group, US.
The event is being organised by Tefla's, a Mumbai-based Indian company engaged in dissemination of knowledge through conferences and events in the commodity sector, and supported by MCX, Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group, DGCX, World Gold Council and Gitanjali Group.
This international conference is an endeavour by Tefla's to create a neutral platform for the players in the bullion trade to come under one roof and put forth an agenda to take the bullion business to new heights, said a spokesman for the organisers.
The confirmed speakers in this international conference include Tawhid Abdullah, chairman, Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group, Dubai; Paul Walker, CEO, GFMS Limited, UK, Jignesh Shah, managing director & CEO , MCX, India; Colin Griffith, chairman, DGCX, Dubai; Moaz Barakat, managing director, Middle East, World Gold Council, Dubai; Ian Gordon, vice-president, Bolder Investment Partners, Ltd., Canada; Mark Lynch, CEO and managing director, Citigold Corporation, Australia; Manjunath Jyotinagar, president, Gitanjali Group; Neelesh Hundekari, director, KPMG; Marino Pieterse, editor, Goldletter International, The Netherlands; Bhargava N Vaidya; B N Vaidya & Associates, India; Martin Murenbeeld, president, M. Murenbeeld & Associates Inc, Canada; Jonathan Barratt, managing director, Commodity Broking Services, Australia; Simi Julka-Kohli, managing director, Resource Capital Ltd., UK; Pamela Aden, co-editor, The Aden Forecast, Miami; and Adam J Crown, vice-president, CPM Group, US.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
A fantastic race event at the Dubai Autodrome was crowned with the victory of the Aston Martin DBR9 entered by Phoenix Racing and driven by Jean-Denis Deletraz and Andrea Piccini. Their first win of the season, after coming so close to winning the Proximus 24 Hours of Spa, also saw the Italo-Swiss duo claim second place in the GT1 Drivers Championship. GT2 saw victory go to Scuderia Ecosse's nr 63 Ferrari 430 GT2, driven by Tim Mullen and Chris Niarchos. They finished ahead of the two AF Corse cars. Melo and Vilander finished second, giving Jaime Melo the 2006 GT2 Drivers Championship, while Aguas and Salo, third today, were also third overall. The Dubai spectators filled the immense grandstand and the amphitheatre, and were treated to an action-packed GT race.
VICTORY FOR PHOENIX; SECOND PLACE OVERALL FOR PICCINI AND DELETRAZ
Deletraz and Piccini put in a superb performance today to win the tenth and final round of the 2006 FIA GT Championship, at the Dubai Autodrome. Their nr 5 Aston Martin DBR9 behaved perfectly throughout the race, and the two drivers crossed the line 49 seconds ahead of the nr 4 GLPK Carsport Corvette of Longin, Kumpen and Hezemans, with the nr 2 Vitaphone Maserati MC 12 of Davies, Biagi and Vosse third. "For a first year with a new team, it's fantastic. In some races, we have been really close to winning. It was very important for us and the partners to do the race this weekend. We're in a good position for the winter time."
A fuel problem and oversteer delayed the Corvette, which nevertheless put the most pressure on the winning Aston Martin; a last minute splash and dash put the GLPK car 49 seconds behind the nr 5 Aston Martin at the chequered flag. However, Mike Hezemans was pleased with the result : "The car was the best it had been all year, the tyres were fantastic. I must say congratulations to Jean-Denis Denis, because he won the race; I think they really did a fantastic job. The season was good, but we always have a problem, because we always start the seasons so badly. I hope we can compete well next year from the very beginning."
Third was an excellent result for Davies, Biagi and Vosse, especially considering the car carried 105 kg penalty weight in total. The podium was especially sweet for Vosse, who did not get to drive the car during his home race in the Proximus 24 Hours of Spa. The team's second car, with Champions Bertolini and Bartels and their Belgian team-mate Eric van de Poele, finished 11th overall after a long pit stop and a drive-thru penalty further to a collision with the nr 69 Porsche.
FOUR ASTON MARTIN DBR9 CARS IN TOP SIX
Dubai, which so nearly saw the first non-manufacturer win for the Aston Martin DBR9 last year, proved to be good for the Aston cars this weekend, with not only victory for Phoenix, but the three other cars finishing in fourth to sixth positions. Fourth place went to the Aston Martin Racing BMS DBR9, after a fine start from Babini, leading the race until lap eight. The team's second car, driven by Gollin and Ramos, finished sixth.
In the Manufacturers Cup, Aston Martin scored a total of 173 points this season, finishing ahead of Maserati, Corvette and Saleen.
The Race Alliance Aston Martin was delayed by an early puncture, but recovered to finish fifth for Karl Wendlinger, Philipp Peter and Jarek Janis. This was despite a problem for new Aston driver Janis, whose seat-belt came partially undone during his stint, giving him great problems. The points for fifth assured Jarek Janis of third position in the GT1 Drivers Classification, ahead of his former Zakspeed Racing team-mate Sascha Bert. The nr 9 Saleen had an unfortunate puncture in the early stages, causing damage which took a number of laps to mend. The car rejoined the race on lap 16, finishing 22nd overall and 8th in GT1.
MULLEN AND NIARCHOS VICTORIOUS IN GT2; MELO TAKES THE TITLE
The GT2 victory went to Mullen and Niarchos, in the nr 63 Ferrari 430 GT2 of Scuderia Ecosse. The new British GT Champions put in an excellent performance, and have really dominated the category all weekend. However, the ten points were not enough to promote Mullen to third in the Classification, as he was followed across the line by the two AF Corse cars. Jaime Melo and Toni Vilander finished second, giving Melo the GT2 title. Aguas and Salo were third today, struggling with a problem in their car, but it was enough to guarantee their third place and the AF Corse domination in the GT2 driver's top three.
The nr 79 Spyker Squadron C8 Spyder of Bleekemolen and Kane led the GT2 race, but eventually finished fourth. The nr 55 JMB Ferrari finished fifth, despite a collision with the nr 23 BMS DBR9, for which it received a drive-through penalty. The nr 75 Ebimotors Porsche put in an excellent performance despite starting on the penultimate row further to an engine change; it led the category for much of the middle hour of the race, but finally dropped back to sixth after developing power-steering problems.
The second Ebimotors car was seventh, ensuring Ebimotors third place in the GT2 Teams Classification behind AF Corse and Scuderia Ecosse. Eighth and final point went to Christian Ried and Horst Felbermayr Jr in the Felbermayr-Proton Porsche 996 GT3 RSR.
LARBRE COMPETITION FINISHES SEVENTH OVERALL
The Larbre Ferrari 550 Maranello, running in G2 and which set the best time in qualifying, was awarded 10 kg penalty weight by the GT Bureau, and also placed behind the GT1 cars on the grid. However, it drove a good race and finished 7th overall for Gardel, Zacchia and Makowiecki, who were pleased with the performance shown by the car, with its customer engine designed by Care Racing Development. The Gillet Vertigo stopped with a broken propshaft.
VICTORY IN G3 FOR SEILER AND PIRRI
The G3 category was won by Toni Seiler and Luca Pirri, in the nr 133 BMS Scuderia Italia Aston Martin DBRS9. Both drivers were pleased with the performance of their car, and saw it as a good preparation for next year's FIA GT3 European Championship, which should finish the season in Dubai.
courtesy of fia-gt and Motorsport.com
VICTORY FOR PHOENIX; SECOND PLACE OVERALL FOR PICCINI AND DELETRAZ
Deletraz and Piccini put in a superb performance today to win the tenth and final round of the 2006 FIA GT Championship, at the Dubai Autodrome. Their nr 5 Aston Martin DBR9 behaved perfectly throughout the race, and the two drivers crossed the line 49 seconds ahead of the nr 4 GLPK Carsport Corvette of Longin, Kumpen and Hezemans, with the nr 2 Vitaphone Maserati MC 12 of Davies, Biagi and Vosse third. "For a first year with a new team, it's fantastic. In some races, we have been really close to winning. It was very important for us and the partners to do the race this weekend. We're in a good position for the winter time."
A fuel problem and oversteer delayed the Corvette, which nevertheless put the most pressure on the winning Aston Martin; a last minute splash and dash put the GLPK car 49 seconds behind the nr 5 Aston Martin at the chequered flag. However, Mike Hezemans was pleased with the result : "The car was the best it had been all year, the tyres were fantastic. I must say congratulations to Jean-Denis Denis, because he won the race; I think they really did a fantastic job. The season was good, but we always have a problem, because we always start the seasons so badly. I hope we can compete well next year from the very beginning."
Third was an excellent result for Davies, Biagi and Vosse, especially considering the car carried 105 kg penalty weight in total. The podium was especially sweet for Vosse, who did not get to drive the car during his home race in the Proximus 24 Hours of Spa. The team's second car, with Champions Bertolini and Bartels and their Belgian team-mate Eric van de Poele, finished 11th overall after a long pit stop and a drive-thru penalty further to a collision with the nr 69 Porsche.
FOUR ASTON MARTIN DBR9 CARS IN TOP SIX
Dubai, which so nearly saw the first non-manufacturer win for the Aston Martin DBR9 last year, proved to be good for the Aston cars this weekend, with not only victory for Phoenix, but the three other cars finishing in fourth to sixth positions. Fourth place went to the Aston Martin Racing BMS DBR9, after a fine start from Babini, leading the race until lap eight. The team's second car, driven by Gollin and Ramos, finished sixth.
In the Manufacturers Cup, Aston Martin scored a total of 173 points this season, finishing ahead of Maserati, Corvette and Saleen.
The Race Alliance Aston Martin was delayed by an early puncture, but recovered to finish fifth for Karl Wendlinger, Philipp Peter and Jarek Janis. This was despite a problem for new Aston driver Janis, whose seat-belt came partially undone during his stint, giving him great problems. The points for fifth assured Jarek Janis of third position in the GT1 Drivers Classification, ahead of his former Zakspeed Racing team-mate Sascha Bert. The nr 9 Saleen had an unfortunate puncture in the early stages, causing damage which took a number of laps to mend. The car rejoined the race on lap 16, finishing 22nd overall and 8th in GT1.
MULLEN AND NIARCHOS VICTORIOUS IN GT2; MELO TAKES THE TITLE
The GT2 victory went to Mullen and Niarchos, in the nr 63 Ferrari 430 GT2 of Scuderia Ecosse. The new British GT Champions put in an excellent performance, and have really dominated the category all weekend. However, the ten points were not enough to promote Mullen to third in the Classification, as he was followed across the line by the two AF Corse cars. Jaime Melo and Toni Vilander finished second, giving Melo the GT2 title. Aguas and Salo were third today, struggling with a problem in their car, but it was enough to guarantee their third place and the AF Corse domination in the GT2 driver's top three.
The nr 79 Spyker Squadron C8 Spyder of Bleekemolen and Kane led the GT2 race, but eventually finished fourth. The nr 55 JMB Ferrari finished fifth, despite a collision with the nr 23 BMS DBR9, for which it received a drive-through penalty. The nr 75 Ebimotors Porsche put in an excellent performance despite starting on the penultimate row further to an engine change; it led the category for much of the middle hour of the race, but finally dropped back to sixth after developing power-steering problems.
The second Ebimotors car was seventh, ensuring Ebimotors third place in the GT2 Teams Classification behind AF Corse and Scuderia Ecosse. Eighth and final point went to Christian Ried and Horst Felbermayr Jr in the Felbermayr-Proton Porsche 996 GT3 RSR.
LARBRE COMPETITION FINISHES SEVENTH OVERALL
The Larbre Ferrari 550 Maranello, running in G2 and which set the best time in qualifying, was awarded 10 kg penalty weight by the GT Bureau, and also placed behind the GT1 cars on the grid. However, it drove a good race and finished 7th overall for Gardel, Zacchia and Makowiecki, who were pleased with the performance shown by the car, with its customer engine designed by Care Racing Development. The Gillet Vertigo stopped with a broken propshaft.
VICTORY IN G3 FOR SEILER AND PIRRI
The G3 category was won by Toni Seiler and Luca Pirri, in the nr 133 BMS Scuderia Italia Aston Martin DBRS9. Both drivers were pleased with the performance of their car, and saw it as a good preparation for next year's FIA GT3 European Championship, which should finish the season in Dubai.
courtesy of fia-gt and Motorsport.com
Labels: Dubai
Monday, November 13, 2006
GULFCOMMS in Dubai - The Middle East's Largest Telecommunications Technology Event covering Mobile, Fixed, IP and Satellite, in conjunction with GITEX 2006
GULFCOMMS is an all-encompassing telecommunications event, in conjunction with GITEX 2006. The event will showcase the latest in telecommunications networks, mobile communications and applications, next generation networks, IP technology, satellite communications, VoIP technology, infrastructure solutions and many more.
GULFCOMMS 2006 will be promoted exclusively to professional and trade visitors only through an extensive and carefully planned multi-media campaign. An extensive PR, advertising and direct mail campaign will be executed attracting key personnel who have the authority to buy, specify or recommend communications products and services.
Held in conjunction with GULFCOMMS 2006, is GITEX 2006 – Middle East Premier Information Technology and Communications Event. GITEX is among the world's top 3 IT exhibitions and continues to be the most important gateway to the Middle East market with over 1200 exhibitors representing 2274 Companies from 61 Countries during GITEX 2005. To find out more about GITEX 2006, please click here.
SHOW NEWS
Leading Global Telecom Majors at GULFCOMMS 2006
DWTC launches new telecommunications exhibition - largest ever launch in middle east
SHOW DATES
18 - 22 NOV. 2006
Zabeel Hall,
Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre
TIMINGS
18 NOV. 1 PM - 7 PM
19 - 22 NOV. 10 AM - 7 PM
The admission charges for GULFCOMMS 2006 are as follows:
One Day Ticket - AED 30.00
Five Day Season Ticket - AED 80.00
Visitors with a "Complimentary" ticket will have free entry into the exhibition.
GULFCOMMS Pre-Registration page
GULFCOMMS is an all-encompassing telecommunications event, in conjunction with GITEX 2006. The event will showcase the latest in telecommunications networks, mobile communications and applications, next generation networks, IP technology, satellite communications, VoIP technology, infrastructure solutions and many more.
GULFCOMMS 2006 will be promoted exclusively to professional and trade visitors only through an extensive and carefully planned multi-media campaign. An extensive PR, advertising and direct mail campaign will be executed attracting key personnel who have the authority to buy, specify or recommend communications products and services.
Held in conjunction with GULFCOMMS 2006, is GITEX 2006 – Middle East Premier Information Technology and Communications Event. GITEX is among the world's top 3 IT exhibitions and continues to be the most important gateway to the Middle East market with over 1200 exhibitors representing 2274 Companies from 61 Countries during GITEX 2005. To find out more about GITEX 2006, please click here.
SHOW NEWS
Leading Global Telecom Majors at GULFCOMMS 2006
DWTC launches new telecommunications exhibition - largest ever launch in middle east
SHOW DATES
18 - 22 NOV. 2006
Zabeel Hall,
Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre
TIMINGS
18 NOV. 1 PM - 7 PM
19 - 22 NOV. 10 AM - 7 PM
The admission charges for GULFCOMMS 2006 are as follows:
One Day Ticket - AED 30.00
Five Day Season Ticket - AED 80.00
Visitors with a "Complimentary" ticket will have free entry into the exhibition.
GULFCOMMS Pre-Registration page
GITEX celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2005 & continues to reflect the importance & phenomenal growth of the IT industry in the region by continually highlighting the latest technology & services from international manufacturers and suppliers.
In 2005, GITEX welcomed over 1,163 exhibitors representing over 2,724 companies from 61 countries. This turnout topped that of the past year by 48%. The record-breaking show covered over 30,227 sqm, 10% more than GITEX 2004.
GITEX 2006 looks set to surpass these figures as the IT Market strengthens and IT spending in the Middle East & North Africa region is predicted to continue to rise.
New for this year, DWTC is pleased to announce the launch of GULFCOMMS. This is an all-encompassing telecommunication event which will be held in conjunction with GITEX 2006. GULFCOMMS will showcase the latest in telecommunications networks, mobile communications and applications, next generation networks, IP technology, satellite communications, VoIP technology, infrastructure solutions and many more. To find out more click here.
SHOW DATES
18 - 22 NOV. 2006 - Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre TIMINGS
18 NOV 1 PM - 7 PM
19 - 22 NOV 10 AM - 7 PM
The admission charges for GITEX 2006 are as follows:
One Day Ticket - AED 30.00
Five Day Season Ticket - AED 80.00
Visitors with a "Complimentary" ticket will have free entry into the exhibition.
Gitex pre-registration page
In 2005, GITEX welcomed over 1,163 exhibitors representing over 2,724 companies from 61 countries. This turnout topped that of the past year by 48%. The record-breaking show covered over 30,227 sqm, 10% more than GITEX 2004.
GITEX 2006 looks set to surpass these figures as the IT Market strengthens and IT spending in the Middle East & North Africa region is predicted to continue to rise.
New for this year, DWTC is pleased to announce the launch of GULFCOMMS. This is an all-encompassing telecommunication event which will be held in conjunction with GITEX 2006. GULFCOMMS will showcase the latest in telecommunications networks, mobile communications and applications, next generation networks, IP technology, satellite communications, VoIP technology, infrastructure solutions and many more. To find out more click here.
SHOW DATES
18 - 22 NOV. 2006 - Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre TIMINGS
18 NOV 1 PM - 7 PM
19 - 22 NOV 10 AM - 7 PM
The admission charges for GITEX 2006 are as follows:
One Day Ticket - AED 30.00
Five Day Season Ticket - AED 80.00
Visitors with a "Complimentary" ticket will have free entry into the exhibition.
Gitex pre-registration page
Sunday, November 12, 2006
The soon to be world’s tallest tower is to be hit by curtain wall delays posing the question just how soon it will be finished. ‘Construction Week’ reported that cladding work has still not started on the tower, which has reached 81 storeys, meaning that the planned 2008 completion date could face delays.
The original timetable for the tower saw cladding, which makes sure that the basic concrete structure of the tower is not left exposed to the elements, beginning several months ago and to subsequently continue at the same rate as progress on the structure – currently rising at an impressive rate of one floor every three days. With just 115 weeks to run until the project is due to be completed, ‘Construction Week’ estimated that even if cladding work started tomorrow and was installed at a rate of 1.3 floors a week, the project would still miss its end-of-December-2008 deadline.
The 160-storey Burj Dubai is being built at a cost of around $900 million (dhs3.285 billion) and will form the central feature of the $20 billion Burj Dubai district being developed by Emaar Properties. The cladding delay, together with recent design changes affecting the overall height of the project, means that contractors Besix, Arabtec and Samsung might well seek a time extension in order to complete the work backlog.
According to experts, by the time a tower is as high as 70 floors more than half should have already been fixed with the curtain walling. However Emaar told the magazine that that work would be accelerated to keep the project on track. “We are still hitting for substantial completion by the end of 2008 or the early months of 2009,” a spokesperson said.
More Information about the Burj Dubai in our earlier report Burj Dubai Reaches Level Seventy
Labels: Burj Dubai, Construction, Dubai, Properties
Dubai Financial Market (DFM) said that its landmark initial public offering (IPO) is open for subscription as of today, UAE news agency WAM has reported. Dubai Government, the founder and main shareholder of DFM, intends to offer dhs1.6 billion (US$ 435 million), representing 20 per cent of the DFM share capital of dhs8 billion, through this IPO. The IPO starts today and closes on Thursday, November 23.
DFM has appointed Dubai Bank as the Lead Advisor, Manager, Arranger and Book Runner. The 1.6 billion shares on offer are divided into two offerings, the private offering of 720 million shares and public offering of 880 million shares.
DFM has appointed Dubai Bank as the Lead Advisor, Manager, Arranger and Book Runner. The 1.6 billion shares on offer are divided into two offerings, the private offering of 720 million shares and public offering of 880 million shares.
Labels: Dubai
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island off Dubai, is bracing for the arrival of its first residents, even as questions remain about the environmental impact of the mega-projects under way in the Gulf city state.
“These projects are a positive thing for the country” since they have propelled Dubai to world fame, said environmentalist Ibrahim Al Zu’bi.But “they are introducing more people, so it’s more pressure on the natural resources”, he told AFP.A few miles from Palm Jumeirah, shaped like a palm tree and the first of several artificial islands rising off the coast, work is continuing on “The World”, a cluster of some 300 islands looking like a blurred vision of the planet’s nations. “The World,” which is due to be completed end-2008, and three ”Palm” islands are the work of Nakheel, a government-controlled property developer.
Nakheel recently announced that it would hand the keys of 3,900 flats and villas on Palm Jumeirah to their owners by year’s end, some six months behind schedule. The last to take delivery of their properties on the five-by-five-kilometer (three-by-three-mile) island will be running more than a year behind schedule. Prices for the most luxurious villas on the island, whose construction kicked off five years ago, top four million dollars. “By early to mid-December, there will be people living right on the Palm,” a spokesman for Nakheel told AFP, asking not to be named.
The arrival of the first residents on the island will follow a publicity blitz starting November 9 in London, where a huge airship chartered by Nakheel will overfly the city’s landmarks in order “to show that the Palm is the world’s latest landmark”, the spokesman said. Repeats are planned in Paris, Milan and Rome, reflecting the key role played by European investors in the real estate boom in Dubai, which is a member of the United Arab Emirates. A similar publicity stunt will take place in Cairo.
Other projects
Work is meanwhile also continuing on two other palm tree-shaped islands even bigger than Palm Jumeirah. One, Palm Jebel Ali, is jutting out into Gulf waters to the west. The other, Palm Deira—planned to be 18 kilometers (11 miles) long and nine kilometers (five miles) wide but still in its early stages—is emerging to the east. In the case of “The World”, Nakheel’s task is confined to bringing the islands up from the Gulf’s shallow waters, leaving it to buyers to develop them within strict guidelines, chiefly in relation to the height of buildings.
Nakheel says 50 percent of the islands have already been sold, with price tags ranging from 15 to 40 million dollars. But several years after the launch of the island ventures, their consequences on the marine environment remain a matter of debate. “The environment is very important to us,” said Adnan Dawood, a Nakheel spokesman. Before the man-made islands began taking shape, the zone attracted migratory fish, Dawood said. Today “you have fish where there was no fish before, because now they have a habitat,” he said. “Fifteen new species of fish have made this (The World) their habitat... Today you can (even) see dolphins,” he added. Zu’bi, who serves as director of the Emirates Diving Association’s environment department, was sceptical about Dawood’s assertions.
While admitting that the ventures have positive aspects—“new beaches, new diving sites, dolphins” --, he chided developers for lack of communication. “We are open to work with them in a positive way (but) they ignore us,” he said.
“When it comes to the environment, you can’t be as fast as you want. You have to compromise things. Things are going fast here,” Zu’bi said in reference to the breakneck speed at which Dubai is growing. “What happened in Europe in 50 years is happening here in five years,” he said.
courtesy of Khaleej Times online - reported 04/11/2006
“These projects are a positive thing for the country” since they have propelled Dubai to world fame, said environmentalist Ibrahim Al Zu’bi.But “they are introducing more people, so it’s more pressure on the natural resources”, he told AFP.A few miles from Palm Jumeirah, shaped like a palm tree and the first of several artificial islands rising off the coast, work is continuing on “The World”, a cluster of some 300 islands looking like a blurred vision of the planet’s nations. “The World,” which is due to be completed end-2008, and three ”Palm” islands are the work of Nakheel, a government-controlled property developer.
Nakheel recently announced that it would hand the keys of 3,900 flats and villas on Palm Jumeirah to their owners by year’s end, some six months behind schedule. The last to take delivery of their properties on the five-by-five-kilometer (three-by-three-mile) island will be running more than a year behind schedule. Prices for the most luxurious villas on the island, whose construction kicked off five years ago, top four million dollars. “By early to mid-December, there will be people living right on the Palm,” a spokesman for Nakheel told AFP, asking not to be named.
The arrival of the first residents on the island will follow a publicity blitz starting November 9 in London, where a huge airship chartered by Nakheel will overfly the city’s landmarks in order “to show that the Palm is the world’s latest landmark”, the spokesman said. Repeats are planned in Paris, Milan and Rome, reflecting the key role played by European investors in the real estate boom in Dubai, which is a member of the United Arab Emirates. A similar publicity stunt will take place in Cairo.
Other projects
Work is meanwhile also continuing on two other palm tree-shaped islands even bigger than Palm Jumeirah. One, Palm Jebel Ali, is jutting out into Gulf waters to the west. The other, Palm Deira—planned to be 18 kilometers (11 miles) long and nine kilometers (five miles) wide but still in its early stages—is emerging to the east. In the case of “The World”, Nakheel’s task is confined to bringing the islands up from the Gulf’s shallow waters, leaving it to buyers to develop them within strict guidelines, chiefly in relation to the height of buildings.
Nakheel says 50 percent of the islands have already been sold, with price tags ranging from 15 to 40 million dollars. But several years after the launch of the island ventures, their consequences on the marine environment remain a matter of debate. “The environment is very important to us,” said Adnan Dawood, a Nakheel spokesman. Before the man-made islands began taking shape, the zone attracted migratory fish, Dawood said. Today “you have fish where there was no fish before, because now they have a habitat,” he said. “Fifteen new species of fish have made this (The World) their habitat... Today you can (even) see dolphins,” he added. Zu’bi, who serves as director of the Emirates Diving Association’s environment department, was sceptical about Dawood’s assertions.
While admitting that the ventures have positive aspects—“new beaches, new diving sites, dolphins” --, he chided developers for lack of communication. “We are open to work with them in a positive way (but) they ignore us,” he said.
“When it comes to the environment, you can’t be as fast as you want. You have to compromise things. Things are going fast here,” Zu’bi said in reference to the breakneck speed at which Dubai is growing. “What happened in Europe in 50 years is happening here in five years,” he said.
courtesy of Khaleej Times online - reported 04/11/2006
Labels: Construction, Dubai, Palm Dubai, Properties
Dubai traffic is sometimes really bad. Speeding is one of the reasons and speed bumps are trying to reduce speeding in Dubai. Jumeirah Beach Road is known in Dubai as a show-off road for flashy sports cars and also for speeding up and down at nighttime.
In February this year Dubai Government installed a new speed bump at Jumeirah Beach Road, but unfortunately forgot to install the appropriate road signs for the speed bump. The result of this, especially at night, can be seen in this video about a Dubai crazy speed bump. What do you think about it?
In February this year Dubai Government installed a new speed bump at Jumeirah Beach Road, but unfortunately forgot to install the appropriate road signs for the speed bump. The result of this, especially at night, can be seen in this video about a Dubai crazy speed bump. What do you think about it?
Labels: Dubai
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
A warning on Dubai property prices has been issued by Standard Chartered Bank, which is predicting both residential sale prices and rents will fall back by 5 per cent next year. It reasons that with a stream of developments coming to completion, that even though demand currently outstrips demand, this situation will soon be reversed.
The bank suggests prices, which by its reckoning are still rising at 18.8 per cent per annum, will peak in the first half of next year. However, while Dubai will feel the heat, Abu Dhabi may move ahead on the back of recently liberalised investment rules.
A Prime Group report cited by Standard Chartered estimates that around 52,000 new Dubai residential units will be completed next year, with a further 63,000 set for release in 2008. Given ‘a reasonable assumption’ of 7 per cent population growth for the emirate, this suggests supply will exceed demand by around 6,000 units in 2007 and 33,000 units in 2008. The result is likely to be that property prices and rents will slip for the next two years.
‘We have argued before that residential property prices are likely to come down around 20 to 30 per cent in the next two to three years and we believe that we are getting close to the peak in residential property prices’, said Steve Brice, regional head of research for the bank for the Middle East.
‘While demand is likely to remain strong in the coming years, as Dubai continues to focus on diversifying its economy away from oil, the key is supply’.
The Bank said prices jumped by an ‘extraordinary’ 12.9 per cent in October after a 1 per cent fall between July and September. This ‘may have come from a realisation that estimates for the release of properties reported for the second half of the year are unlikely to be attained. Indeed, one developer at one point suggested it would be releasing 60,000 units onto the market in the second half of 2006 and Prime Group now estimates the full year market figure will only be 40,000. There may also be a seasonal effect at play here’.
The bank suggests prices, which by its reckoning are still rising at 18.8 per cent per annum, will peak in the first half of next year. However, while Dubai will feel the heat, Abu Dhabi may move ahead on the back of recently liberalised investment rules.
A Prime Group report cited by Standard Chartered estimates that around 52,000 new Dubai residential units will be completed next year, with a further 63,000 set for release in 2008. Given ‘a reasonable assumption’ of 7 per cent population growth for the emirate, this suggests supply will exceed demand by around 6,000 units in 2007 and 33,000 units in 2008. The result is likely to be that property prices and rents will slip for the next two years.
‘We have argued before that residential property prices are likely to come down around 20 to 30 per cent in the next two to three years and we believe that we are getting close to the peak in residential property prices’, said Steve Brice, regional head of research for the bank for the Middle East.
‘While demand is likely to remain strong in the coming years, as Dubai continues to focus on diversifying its economy away from oil, the key is supply’.
The Bank said prices jumped by an ‘extraordinary’ 12.9 per cent in October after a 1 per cent fall between July and September. This ‘may have come from a realisation that estimates for the release of properties reported for the second half of the year are unlikely to be attained. Indeed, one developer at one point suggested it would be releasing 60,000 units onto the market in the second half of 2006 and Prime Group now estimates the full year market figure will only be 40,000. There may also be a seasonal effect at play here’.
Labels: Dubai, Properties
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
The gap between Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the most favoured place to do business in the GCC (and, by extenion, the UAE) is widening, with Dubai destined to go further ahead over the next 12 months, according to a survey of business leaders in the Middle East. The ‘Leaders in Dubai Business Forum – 2006 Doing Business in the GCC’ survey questioned more than 400 senior executives from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt and Syria, about their plans and attitudes towards doing business in the GCC.
The report from the survey found that Dubai was the undisputed business capital of the GCC with more than half (52 per cent) of the companies represented doing most of their GCC business in the emirate and 23 per cent wanting to do more. By comparison only 4.4 per cent did most of their business in Abu Dhabi and although 13.5 per cent of all of the companies said they wanted to increase their business in the capital it meant Abu Dhabi would continue to slip further behind Dubai.
Only Saudi Arabia appears able to challenge Dubai, with 25 per cent of companies doing most of their GCC business there and 31 per cent wanting to do more. However, Saudi Arabia was voted the most difficult to do business by some margin while the UAE was overwhelmingly the easiest. Overall, business confidence in the GCC is among the highest in the world. The survey found that a massive 92 per cent of the companies surveyed expect to increase the amount of business they do in the region over the next 12 months.
The report from the survey found that Dubai was the undisputed business capital of the GCC with more than half (52 per cent) of the companies represented doing most of their GCC business in the emirate and 23 per cent wanting to do more. By comparison only 4.4 per cent did most of their business in Abu Dhabi and although 13.5 per cent of all of the companies said they wanted to increase their business in the capital it meant Abu Dhabi would continue to slip further behind Dubai.
Only Saudi Arabia appears able to challenge Dubai, with 25 per cent of companies doing most of their GCC business there and 31 per cent wanting to do more. However, Saudi Arabia was voted the most difficult to do business by some margin while the UAE was overwhelmingly the easiest. Overall, business confidence in the GCC is among the highest in the world. The survey found that a massive 92 per cent of the companies surveyed expect to increase the amount of business they do in the region over the next 12 months.
reported by and courtesy of 7days Dubai
Labels: Dubai
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