2m passengers on 2 weekends… DXB’s guide for travellers’ convenience

The annual summer travel peak is here and Dubai International (DXB) airport is gearing up to welcome nearly two million passengers over the two weekends of June 30 and July 7.

With schools across the UAE closing for the summer break, over 900,000 passengers are anticipated to pass through DXB from June 30 to July 3 and a similar volume of travellers is forecast on the following weekend from July 7-10 around the Islamic festival of Eid Al Fitr.

To ensure that the summer rush of travellers flows smoothly through its facilities while they have a great time eating, relaxing and shopping, operator Dubai Airports is launching the Hangout@DXB campaign to encourage departing passengers to get to the airport early.

“Nearly a quarter of a million passengers will be passing through our facility every day during the two weekends. While we are very happy with the ongoing growth in traffic, we want to make sure that our customers can make the most of the wide range of food, spa & relaxation, shopping choices available at DXB, and have a comfortable and memorable start to their vacation,” said Anita Mehra, Senior Vice President of Communications and Reputation, at Dubai Airports.

Like every year, Dubai Airports, in collaboration with airlines and other partners at DXB is taking a number of measures, including a public awareness campaign and the deployment of additional resources across the airport to ease passenger flow through the facility.

Dubai Airports has also issued summer travel tips to support passenger convenience during the travel peak.

Smart Travel Tips

* Be sure to check which airport and terminal you are departing from/arriving into beforehand. Passengers can confirm with their airline or check www.dubaiairports.ae

* Arrive early at the airport. It is best to leave a minimum of three hours for check-in and passport control. Take into consideration daily rush hours and available routes in calculating your commuting time to the airport.

* Leave extra time for your journey to the airport as the roads will be very busy. Please say your goodbyes at home.

* Check with the airline in advance for information on your baggage allowance. Irrespective of the allowance, a single unit of baggage weighing more than 32kgs will not be accepted at check-in. You should expect to be charged for baggage in excess of the limit set by your respective airline.

* It is always simpler to pack liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs) in your check-in baggage. However, if you have to carry LAGs in your hand luggage, make sure they are in a clear re-sealable plastic bag. Each item should not be more than 100ml and the total content of all items should not be more than one litre.

* Beat the queues by checking-in online or using the self-service check-in kiosks in the departures hall. Customers with baggage can make use of the quick-baggage drop counters, while those carrying only hand luggage can proceed directly to Immigration.

* Remember to put anything metal – watch, jewellery, mobile phone, coins, belt – into your hand luggage well before you arrive at the X-ray machine. This will save time at security screening.

* Using the e-Gate card helps avoid queuing at passport control, both while arriving and on departure. An eGate Card can be obtained from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner Affairs (immigration) for a fee. GDRFA have eGate offices in the departure areas of all terminals.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

2m passengers on 2 weekends… DXB’s guide for travellers’ convenience

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Dubai International Airport wins top award

Dubai International Airport (DXB) has been named the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ at the Asian Freight, Logistics, and Supply Chain Awards (AFLAS) held in Shanghai recently.

The awards, which were organised by Asia Cargo News, recognised leading air and shipping lines service providers, air and sea ports, logistics and other associated industry professionals.

The nomination and voting process involved more than 15,000 readers and e-news subscribers of the publication to first determine the leading companies in the market, and then determine the winners, making the results the opinion of service users.

Dubai International is currently the second busiest airport globally for international air freight volumes having handled 2.5 million tonnes in 2015.

“We are very pleased to have been chosen as the best airport in the region particularly because the award is given based on the choice of thousands of readers, many of whom have experienced the state of the art facilities, service quality and efficiency of Dubai International,” said Anita Mehra, senior vice president of Communications and Reputation at Dubai Airports.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

Dubai International Airport wins top award

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Food safety contest at Dubai hypermarkets

Dubai Municipality launches ‘Best Awareness Hypermarket Awards’ to promote healthy and safe buying habits

Shugufta Zubair and Rasha Ali Al Suwaidi, senior food inspection officer at Dubai Municipality, with the ‘Mr Safe’ mascot at the LuLu Hypermarket in Al Ghusais yesterday.

Dubai: Besides competing with special offers and discounts during Ramadan, hypermarkets in Dubai are also participating in a contest to raise food safety awareness among customers, officials said on Monday.

Dubai Municipality this week launched the ‘Best Awareness Hypermarket Awards’ to promote healthy and safe buying habits as food consumption and shopping increase during the month, said Noura Al Shamsi, head of the Food Permits and Applied Nutrition section at the municipality’s Food Safety Department told Gulf News. “There are a lot of iftars and a lot of offers as well… people buy food in bulk during Ramadan.”

“So, it is good to know what to buy, how to buy and how to handle food safely so that people don’t end up suffering from cross contamination and other food safety concerns,” Al Shamsi added.

Shugufta M. Zubair, Food Awareness Officer at the department, said hypermarkets are the prime location for shoppers to buy food products during Ramadan.

“We thought of collaborating with hypermarkets to reach out to the residents. Since this is a contest for the awards, most hypermarket chains have come up with their own awareness initiatives. We urge people to visit these hypermarkets to learn from these food safety tips,” she said.

At the LuLu Hypermarket in Al Ghusais on Monday, the municipality officials and customers were greeted by the municipality’s ‘Mr. Safe’ mascot, which handed over food safety flyers.

Suraj Parakkat, hygiene and food safety manager at Lulu said the chain is disseminating food safety messages to customers through shopping bills, cut-outs and giant screens. “We are also organising painting competitions for children on safe shopping,” he said.

The contest will run till July 3 and the awards will be based on the overall performance of the hypermarkets which will be judged by a special panel of judges.

Activities

Hyper Panda to distribute 400,000 food safety leaflets.

Geant hypermarket will host a kitchen tour for customers. It will teach customers to check temperature of food items.

Union Co-op will host talks by health and food safety inspectors.

Hypermarkets will also display food safety messages.

How to buy food correctly

1. Buy chilled and frozen foods at the end of your shopping. Take them home and put them in the fridge or freezer as soon as you can. Buy hot foods at the end of your shopping too and consume them as soon as possible. This will keep the food safe and wholesome.

2. Bacteria can grow faster in all ready-to-eat foods, milk, raw meat, poultry and fish that are kept at room temperature. Such items should be purchased at the end of your shopping.

Buy cans and jars that look physically fit. Avoid foods in torn packages and check that safety seals are intact. Also, avoid canned foods that are dented, bulged or rusty and those, which have loose lid.

3. Always read labels properly. Pre-packed foods have expiry date, list of ingredients and handling instructions printed on the labels.

4. Whenever carrying food outside (whether shopping, for barbecues or picnics) avoid putting it in warm places, e.g. inside the car or under the sun. It’s best to use a cool box for perishable foods.

5. Do not buy hot foods if they are sold less than 60 degrees Celsius. Food from take-away outlets should be eaten within two hours.

6. Keep raw meat/poultry or ready-to-eat food or food that can be eaten raw in different shopping bags to prevent the juices of the raw food from cross-contaminating the ready-to-eat food/food to be eaten raw.

7. Do not store food and chemicals (sanitizers, disinfectants, soaps etc) together.

8. Slime formation, bad odor, and color change (such as grey or brown) and sticky texture or very dry meat surface are indicators of quality deterioration. Do not buy meat if you notice any of these indicators.

9. When buying eggs, make sure to check that none of them are cracked.

 

Source:: Gulf News

Food safety contest at Dubai hypermarkets

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

UAE’s Ministry of Economy inspects Emirates Cooperative Society for food prices

The UAE Ministry of Economy today organised an inspection of the Emirates Cooperative Society-Al Twar branch in Dubai as part of its ongoing program of declared visits to various markets in the UAE during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The inspection was led by Dr. Hashim Al Nuaimi, Director of the Ministry’s Consumer Protection Department, in the presence of Abdullah Al Shehi, Director of the Consumer Protection Division, Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai. Representatives from the Emirates Co-operative Society – Al Twar and media members were present as well.

During the visit, the Cooperative’s management announced that it has prepared a Ramadan basket for this year that contains eight (8) basic food items – including sugar, rice, flour, oil, tomato paste – collectively priced at Dh50 which is 30 per cent cheaper compared to individual purchases.

Dr. Al Nuaimi said that the prices were reasonable and that the price cuts launched by the Emirates Cooperative Society cover a wide range of goods, including food staples that consumers need in large quantities during the month of Ramadan.

Dr. Al Nuaimi said: “The Ministry of Economy has conducted around 210 inspections of the various markets around the country since the beginning of the holy month, and will continues its visits to monitor the market and prevent any monopoly, exploitation, commercial fraud, or unjustifiable price increases.”

Dr. Al Nuaimi has urged consumers patronizing the state’s various markets to communicate with the Ministry’s Consumer Protection Centre by calling 600522225 should they have any complaint, comment or proposal for consumer protection or if they have witnessed any improper business practices.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

UAE’s Ministry of Economy inspects Emirates Cooperative Society for food prices

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Saudi Arabia top GCC destination for Dubai non-oil trade

Reflecting Dubai’s strong economic ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the emirate’s trade within the region, especially with Saudi Arabia accounting for 45 per cent of Dubai’s total trade within the region, is witnessing higher pace of growth, stated a recently-released report by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The report pointed out that in 2011 Dubai’s trade with GCC countries recorded 20 per cent growth rate to a value of Dh74 billion, and it rose further to 28 per cent in 2012 to a total value of Dh94.8 billion.

Although the growth rate slowed down in 2013, it remained high at 20 per cent to a value of Dh113.8 billion. With oil prices declining in the global market, the slowdown in growth became more defined in the following year, growing by only 3 per cent, to Dh117.5 billion. However, it recorded 8 per cent growth in 2015, with the total trade value reaching Dh126.6 billion.

The report showed that Oman and Kuwait followed Saudi Arabia with 19 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively. While Qatar’s GDP at $210.1 billion was larger than of Oman land Kuwait, at respective values of $81.8 billion and $163.6 billion, its share of trade with Dubai was lower at 12 per cent. Being the smallest economy, with GDP of $33.9 billion and population of 1.36 million, Bahrain accounted for the lowest share of 8 per cent of Dubai’s trade in the region.

Hamad Buamim, President and CEO, Dubai Chamber, said: “The latest Dubai Chamber report highlights Dubai’s leading status as the regional commercial hub with state-of-the art infrastructure and a world class business environment. Over the years, Dubai Chamber has been the main engine of trade growth in Dubai, and contributed to the development of the emirate’s economy by creating a favourable atmosphere for investment and business. Dubai’s robust trade ties with the GCC countries highlight its key role in enhancing business and trade activities in the region and beyond.”

According to the report, Dubai’s non-oil trade has maintained a pace of sustained growth in recent years and achieved significant growth of 18 per cent in 2011 to Dh1.06 trillion, and of 16 per cent in 2012 to Dh1.23 trillion, with a decreased growth of 8 per cent in 2013, to a total value of Dh1.33 trillion. The following year’s performance was just about the same at a value of Dh1.33 trillion, while in 2015 it was Dh1.28 trillion.

The report said that trade with all the GCC countries in 2015 had been favourable to Dubai, leading to a total net trade of Dh87 billion during the year. Highest net trade resulted from trade with Saudi Arabia, for a share of 51 per cent of the total, while net trade with Oman contributed 18 per cent. Trade with Kuwait and Qatar both led to shares of 13 per cent to total net trade, while trade with Bahrain accounted for 5 per cent.

Products contributing to net trade

According to the report, mineral products dominated Dubai’s imports from GCC countries. The 2015 total import value of the product group of Dh10.5 billion accounted for a share of 53 per cent of the total imports from the region. Meanwhile, Dubai’s export of pearls, precious and semi-precious stones and metals as well as jewellery to the region reached Dh13.8 billion, or 51 per cent of the total export value. Machinery and electrical and electronic equipment and parts dominated re-exports, with the Dh46.7 billion re-export value accounting for 59 per cent of total re-exports to the region, it said.

Although Dubai’s trade on machinery and electrical and electronic equipment and parts as well as on pearls and precious stones and metals and jewelleries was responsible for the largest contributions to Dubai’s trade surpluses from all GCC countries, the intensity varied from country to country. For instance, Dubai’s trade with Saudi Arabia on machinery and electrical and electronic equipment and parts led to a trade surplus of Dh30.5 billion, overshadowing all other product groups that contributed to trade surplus such as pearls and precious stones and metals and jewelleries and transport equipment, the report stated.

Dubai’s trade on the two products groups with the other GCC countries also resulted in large trade surpluses. However, it was notable that in the case of Dubai’s trade with Bahrain, the trade surplus from machinery and electrical and electronic equipment and parts came second to the trade surplus from pearls and precious stones and metals and jewellery.

Dubai’s trade with Kuwait yielded significant trade surplus in chemicals and allied products, while transport equipment led to trade surplus from trade with Saudi Arabia. In Oman, transport equipment and base metals and articles yielded significant trade surpluses for Dubai, the report said.

The report pointed out that Dubai’s trade on mineral products with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain led to major trade deficits, while in the case of Qatar the trade deficits were attributed to base metals and articles as well as on chemicals and allied products. Concerning Dubai’s trade with Oman, the trade deficit was on animal fats and oils.

The recently-released World Trade Organisation (WTO) global trade forecast for 2016, pointed to an expected 2.8 per cent growth for the year, the same level of growth noted for 2015. Pushing up growth prospects are the rising demands of the developing Asian economies, as demands in developed countries are expected to remain moderate.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

Saudi Arabia top GCC destination for Dubai non-oil trade

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

This is How To Rocket!

Do you want your business to ROCKET? Well we do too!

Come along to our free-to-attend THIS IS How To Rocket event and check out the awesome SME solutions!

Connect with outstanding regional brands who offer high quality products and services designed to support your start-up / small business across 6 unmissable Business Zones:

Concept & Set-up Zone

Brand & Creativity Zone

Money & Finance Zone

Leadership & Growth Zone

Strategy & Performance Zone

Balance & Wellness Zone

Join engaging presentations to pick up practical tips, and hands-on workshops hosted by industry experts to arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make YOUR business succeed.

Taking place at Almas Conference Centre in Almas Tower, JLT on Tuesday 10th May from 8.30am until 5pm followed by a special speed networking session 5.30pm – 7.30pm, this is your chance to make 2016 THE year for YOUR business!

Find out more details on www.howtorocket.com

Perhaps you are a killer brand that gets its ‘rocks’ off by supporting start-ups and SMEs? Want to get face-to-face with a highly targeted market inexpensively? Why not exhibit your business and raise awareness of YOUR awesome brand, oh and get some serious brownie points for getting involved with the entrepreneur community! Simply email us on info@howtorocket.com for more information.

This is How To Rocket!

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

The Gathering at The Change Initiative

THE GATHERING!

You are invited to a fashion and lifestyle exhibit event, THE GATHERING in its second edition at The Change Initiative on Tuesday May 10th from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

This one day event is a ‘gathering’ of a carefully curated selection of regional talents and emerging designers in fashion, jewelry, home and crafts.

THE GATHERING will be collaborating with the culinary explorer Yasmine Idriss of PETITES CHOSES to feature her incredible tasting sessions.

In the second edition of THE GATHERING, we will be hosting an emerging non profit fashion brand, BLESSED, which focuses on supporting individuals whose lives have been affected by cancer.

We are looking forward to seeing all of you there in another great exhibit filled with unique fashion, design and entertainment!

The Gathering at The Change Initiative

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

When Anton Yelchin filmed ‘Star Trek’ in Dubai

The actor, who died in a freak accident on Sunday at the age of 27, spoke of feeling ‘so fortunate’

TAB_150929_PRESS CONFERENCE-(L TO R)-Producer Jeffrey Chernov, Director Justin Lin, Screenwriter Doug Jung, Chris Pine, Actor and Screenwriter Simon Pegg, Zachary Quinto, Idris Elba, Anton Yelchin, Karl Urban and John Cho,during the Press Conference of Star Trek Beyond at Burj Al Arab Photo- Arshad Ali

Anton Yelchin, who died on Sunday at age 27, was in Dubai in 2015 to film Star Trek Beyond. In the franchise reboot, he reprised the role of young navigator Pavel Chekov.

“I’m so fascinated by this city and so excited to be here,” he said during a press conference in September, held by Dubai Film and TV Commission.

“This going to sound so pretentious — as a student of architecture, I’m fascinated. It’s magical. I feel so fortunate to be here with friends, to be in a new place with people you care about and love.”

He was joined by Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Idris Elba, Karl Urban, Jeffrey Chernov (producer), Justin Lin (director), Doug Jung (screenwriter) and Simon Pegg (actor and screenwriter).

Quinto, who plays Spock, spoke of how close the cast were on set.

“It felt like a summer camp kind of experience for all of us, being away from home and finding more time to connect with each other,” he said. He paid respects to Yelchin on Instagram, calling him “our dear friend, our comrade, our Anton.”

Yelchin died on Sunday when his car rolled down his driveway and pinned him to a brick mailbox pillar.

He has been described by friends and colleagues as kind and curious, both traits that were visible during his UAE visit. After the press conference, he explored the lobby of the Burj Al Arab hotel alone, wearing a baseball cap and a shy smile.

Star Trek Beyond filmed in Dubai for two weeks and wrapped in October. It is set to release on July 22 in America.

 

Source:: Gulf News | Entertainment

When Anton Yelchin filmed ‘Star Trek’ in Dubai

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

UAE Central Bank: Total deposits increased by Dh6.3bn in May

The Central Bank has announced that the Money Supply aggregate M1 decreased by 0.9 per cent from Dh493.4 billion at the end of April, 2016, to Dh488.9bn at the end of May, 2016.

The Money Supply aggregate M2 decreased by 1.4 per cent, from Dh1203.1bn at the end of April, 2016 to Dh1186.4bn at the end of May, 2016.

The Money Supply aggregate M3 also decreased by 0.2 per cent, from 1373.9bn at the end of April, 2016 to Dh1371.3bn at the end of May, 2016.

The reduction in M1 was mainly due to a decrease of Dh4.8bn in Monetary Deposits. The decrease in M2 was mainly attributed to a reduction of Dh12.2bn in Quasi-Monetary Deposits. However, the increase in Government Deposits by Dh14.1bn mitigated the reduction in M3.

Gross bank assets, including bankers’ acceptances, increased by 0.6 per cent, going from Dh2491bn at the end of April, 2016 to Dh2506.1bn at the end of May, 2016.

Gross credit increased by 1 per cent, rising from Dh1516.3bn at the end of April, 2016 to Dh1531.8bn at the end of May, 2016.

During May, 2016, total bank deposits increased by Dh6.3bn due to Dh2bn and Dh4.3bn increases in Resident Deposits and Non-Resident Deposits, respectively.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

UAE Central Bank: Total deposits increased by Dh6.3bn in May

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

World’s biggest Apple Store in travel retail opens in Dubai… where is it?

Apple last week unveiled its largest travel retail stores in Dubai, just in time to cash in on the expected summer vacation rush at the airports.

On June 14, Dubai Duty Free (DDF) officially opened two Apple store programmes at Dubai International T3, with the stores representing the largest Apple experience in travel retail.

According to DDF, the 86sqm and 70sqm units are located close to gates B15 and A12, respectively.

DDF sold close to 50,000 iPhones and iPads in 2015 (38,057 iPhones and 10,657 iPads), and the world’s largest retailer in terms of sales announced sales of Dh6.892 billion ($1.888 billion) for 2015.

The retailer’s iPhone sales made up for almost 30 per cent of its overall mobile phones sales while iPads accounted for almost 35 per cent of all tablet PCs sold by Dubai Duty Free in 2015.

Two big dedicated stores, therefore, make perfect sense for DDF, with the retailer saying it believes Apple brand’s sales could contribute as much as Dh220m ($61m) in sales by the end of this year, according to Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO.

“With the Apple shop programme in Concourse B being the largest in any travel retail in the world, this is a very exciting development for Dubai Duty Free and our customers,” said McLoughlin.

“They will enjoy the design, layout and products, along with a first-class customer experience and product knowledge,” he said, adding that the brand’s stores will be manned by Apple-trained employees.

In the first three months of 2016, DDF sold another 11,000 units of Apple devices (8,951 iPhones and 2,071 iPads) while the brand’s new stores will also house Apple TV, Apple watch, the MacBook range as well as accessories.

In October last year, Apple opened its first two stores in the UAE – one in Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates while the other in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Mall.

 

“Between the two stores, there will be 150 employees who speak 40 different languages and come from 30 different nationalities,” Wendy Beckman, Apple’s Head of Retail – Europe and Middle East, had then said.

The opening of the Dubai and Abu Dhabi stores on the same day last year marked the first time Apple opened two stores in the same country outside the US on the same day.

Tim Cook, Apple CEO, had confirmed his company’s intentions to expand its presence in the UAE during his visit last month.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

World’s biggest Apple Store in travel retail opens in Dubai… where is it?

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid meets martyrs’ families

UAE Vice-President extends condolences at mourning tents

HH Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, extends condolences on Sunday to the family of Emirati martyr Abdullah Mohammad Al Yamahi.

FUJAIRAH: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Sunday extended condolences to the families of Emirati martyrs, Ahmed Mohammad Al Zeyoudi and Abdullah Mohammad Al Yamahi, who fell while participating in the Saudi-led Arab Coalition’s ‘Operation Restoring Hope’ in Yemen.

During two visits to the mourning tents of Al Zeyoudi in Hala area and Al Yamahi in Marbadh area, Shaikh Mohammad expressed his sympathies and condolences to the families of the martyrs. 
He said all Emirati martyrs are immortal in Heaven, and their memory is perpetuated by the leaders and people of the country. He also noted that the UAE heroes are working to bolster their country’s regional and global stature, and to protect its gains from those seeking to destabilise regional peace and security.

Shaikh Mohammad prayed to Allah Almighty to protect the UAE and its people and bless the martyrs with mercy. 
Shaikh Mohammed was accompanied by Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director-General of Dubai’s Department of Protocol and Hospitality.

 

Source:: Gulf News

Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid meets martyrs’ families

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Alabbar-led Dubai group buys majority stake in Americana for Dh8.44 billion

An investment group led by prominent Dubai businessman Mohamed Alabbar has agreed to buy a majority stake in Kuwait Food Co (Americana) from the Kharafis, a wealthy Kuwaiti merchant family, for about $2.4 billion (Dh8.44 billion).

Under a legally binding agreement with Al Khair National for Stocks and Real Estate, controlled by the Kharafis, all of Al Khair’s Americana shares will be bought at 2.650 dinars each, the group, named Adeptio, said on Saturday.

That represents a 26 per cent premium over their last market price.

Al Khair had been offering a 69 per cent stake in Americana, which owns the Middle East franchises for fast food chains KFC and Pizza Hut and also produces branded consumer foods.

The deal appears to end one of the region’s longest running acquisition sagas. The stake had been up for sale since early 2014. Adeptio originally agreed in February to buy the stake, but that agreement collapsed at the end of May. Reuters reported last week that talks had restarted.

After Adeptio completes the purchase of the stake from the Kharafis, it will launch a mandatory takeover offer to remaining Americana shareholders at the same price under Kuwaiti securities rules, Adeptio said.

“We look forward to building on Americana’s success and taking advantage of the growth potential of the business going forward,” Alabbar, also chairman of Emaar Properties, Dubai’s top real estate firm, said in a statement.

To help finance its initial deal, Adeptio aimed to secure a $1.5 billion (Dh5.5 billion) bridge loan from a group of banks including Standard Chartered, Credit Suisse, Emirates NBD and First Gulf Bank. Sources familiar with the agreement said the same banks would be involved in financing any new deal.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

Alabbar-led Dubai group buys majority stake in Americana for Dh8.44 billion

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Adnoc opens Motor World Service Station in Abu Dhabi

Adnoc Distribution announced opening of Motor World service station in Shamkha area of Abu Dhabi.

The station is the largest within the company’s network of stations and petroleum services, which spreads over a 51 thousand square meters area.

Saeed Mubarak Al Rashdi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Adnoc Distribution, said: “This opening comes as a new step in our expansion plan in various regions of the UAE, and a testament to the success of the joint efforts made by Adnoc Distribution and its partners in order to support the efforts of the Government of Abu Dhabi to implement its urban plan and Abu Dhabi vision 2030.”

Al Rashdi added: “At Adnoc Distribution, we are committed to keep up with the economic and urban growth movement being witnessed in UAE and we are keen to meet the great demand for our services and products. Therefore, we have studied the location of the service station to identify the size and type of services that will meet the needs and aspirations of the operators of motor showrooms and customers of the city. We have also employed all our capabilities and expertise to make this possible, leading to the opening of this service station today to include a very distinct variety of services.”

Motor World service station contains nine islands to fill various kinds of fuel; allocating six islands (containing 12 pumps) to fill vehicles with the three types of E-Plus 90, Special 95 and Super 98. Another two islands (each containing 1 pump) are for the Green Diesel and one island (containing 2 pumps) is for Natural Gas for Vehicles (NGV) which will be available in the near future.

Like all Adnoc Distribution service stations, Motor World service station provides service a range of products and integrated services; including refuelling services, the Adnoc Oasis store, fast food restaurants, bakery, ATM services and a mosque. In addition, the station offers one manual lane and two automated lanes for car wash services, ten lanes for lube change as well as the distribution of LPG cylinders with a capacity of 400.

Due to the strategic location of Motor World service station, the future implementation plan for the station includes the completion of necessary requirements to operate a fully integrated center for vehicle inspection and licensing comprising of four inspection lanes.

It will also include licensing offices, insurance and printing companies as well as many other facilities. An Autoserv will also be established at the station as well as the service to obtain Rahal E-Gas cards.

It is worth mentioning that Adnoc Distribution continues its expansion strategy that seeks to increase the total number of its service stations to more than 450 in UAE by 2017.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

Adnoc opens Motor World Service Station in Abu Dhabi

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Ramadan is not a holiday time, expert says

Productivity expert says worshippers should maintain same level of activity at work and at home

Dubai: Lack of sleep, hunger and thirst experienced during Ramadan present huge challenges to faithful worshippers seeking higher spiritual attainment in the holy month.

But enduring the discipline and hardship in the journey towards a closer relationship with God does not dismiss the duties of Muslims around the world to honour every day work and family commitments, says an expert.

In short, Ramadan is not an excuse to be lazy.

Contrary to those who subscribe to any suggestion that Ramadan is a time to focus only on the spiritual side of life at the expense of remaining productive at work and at home, an expert who has studied the issue for seven years says the holy month is not a time to relax and take a holiday.

Mohammed Faris, founder of ProductiveMuslim.com and author of ‘The Productive Muslim: Where Faith Meets Productivity’ told Gulf News that despite the physical, spiritual and mental challenges of the holy month, worshippers should maintain the same levels of activity.

Productive Muslim is an organisation with volunteers around the world dedicated to helping Muslims reach their fullest potential.

“The Quran states that the purpose of prescribing fasting to the believers is to achieve “Taqwa” or Righteousness. Allah says in the Quran: “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous” (Surah Al Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verse, 183),” Faris said. “Many Muslims believe that righteousness is restricted to only acts of worship, so they focus on acts of worship at the expense of performing their duties. However, personally I argue, that righteousness is fulfilling the rights of all those around you including Our Creator. So in effect, Ramadan is a test of our human capacity to see how we’ll perform our best despite the challenges of fasting and Ramadan rituals.”

A big aspect of staying on top of daily demands while fully adhering to the expectations of Ramadan, Faris said, is planning.

“It’s all about preparations — plus divine help I must admit,” he said. “Start by changing your mindset that Ramadan is a lazy month or nothing gets done in Ramadan. Set the right intentions and plan Ramadan very carefully including how you’ll spend your energy, focus, and time during the month of Ramadan.”

In 2011, Faris’s organisation released a study in partnership with New York-based Muslim business media firm Dinar Standard which found that countries in the region which mandate a six-hour working day during Ramadan witnessed falling productivity.

At the time, Saudi Arabia lost $2.4 billion (Dh8.81 billion) in productivity during the holy month, according to the report titled ‘Productivity in Ramadan, Strategies for the Modern Muslim Work Environment’.

By comparison, the UAE lost an estimated $1.4 billion (Dh5.14 billion) in gross domestic product (GDP) due to reduced daily work hours.

Combined, the six GCC countries lost $5.8 billion (Dh21.3 billion) in GDP due to reduced work hours. Estimates are based upon the last recorded annual GDP per country.

“For those countries who average two-hour workday reduction (GCC, Pakistan, Egypt), the total hours lost are approximately 40, which is essentially equivalent to one week of economic productivity.”

The study, based upon 1,524 Muslims surveyed around the globe, said that loss of productivity was not due to a lack of performance by workers who were observing Ramadan.

The study reported that 77 per cent of Muslim professionals said they made every attempt to maintain the same level of workload during Ramadan as they do during any other time of the year and believe work should continue in a normal fashion.

Sidebar

‘It’s about time management’

Dubai: Muslim residents living in the UAE who spoke with Gulf News agree that Ramadan is not the time to slack up regarding spiritual, family or work commitments.

In fact, residents said observers should work harder to improve their lives in all areas.

Nahla Fadhlani, 36, is a PhD candidate at UAE University writing her thesis on work engagement across three generations.

Fadhlani said she is very productive and splits her time between worship, family and work commitments.

“We spend long nights in the mosque, especially between June 20 and 29. We also have strong family commitments. Work is also a way to offer prayers to God, it is a tool you can give back to your country. Spirituality is my number one priority,” Fadhlani said. “It’s about how balanced you are. Ramadan is about time management.”

Christina Curciur, a Romanian national, converted to Islam when she was 16 and said that she feels stronger in spirit during Ramadan because she is active and productive across many areas of her life.

“Fasting shouldn’t stop us from doing what we do on a daily basis. I have more energy and I have more time to organise myself because I don’t have to prepare lunch for the children. It gives me time to do other things,” Curciur said. “Being compassionate means to give more, to think of others more. This is a special month to really recollect ourselves, reconnect with God and people. Let’s do good.”

Bader Al Ali, an architect with Dubai Municipality, said working five hours instead of eight each day for Ramadan means he puts more effort into his workday to feel productive.

During the holy month, Al Ali said: “I am working a normal day. It’s a good time to work, not to sleep or take a holiday or vacation. You don’t have lunch so you are free.”

Eating less during the day gives him more energy, he said, because he is not sluggish after consuming a large midday meal.

“I am not eating so I have good power,” Al Ali said.

 

Source:: Gulf News

Ramadan is not a holiday time, expert says

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Dubai wins bid to host World Real Estate Congress in 2018

Dubai Business Events, the city’s official convention bureau and a division of Dubai Tourism, in partnership with the Dubai Real Estate Institute, DREI, the education arm of the Dubai Land Department, DLD, has announced that the emirate is to host the 69th World Real Estate Congress in 2018.

The annual event, organised by the International Real Estate Federation, FIABCI, will be making its debut in the Middle East with the event, and is expected to attract more than 1,000 real estate professionals from over 60 countries to explore the ‘Future of Cities’.

Jointly led by DBE and DREI, and supported by host venue, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, among other local industry partners, the successful bid to host another influential world congress underpins Dubai’s strong international reputation as a vibrant and diverse destination for business events. The announcement also boosts the city’s growth as a leading global hub for investment, and contributes towards its maturing real estate market that thrives on innovative developments and a healthy regulatory environment.

The win marks another milestone for DBE in bidding for and bringing leading business events to the emirate, acting as platforms for the exchange of ideas, information and expertise, which is helping transform the city into a global knowledge hub. Having grown into the world’s most cosmopolitan city, and currently implementing one of the most promising smart city agendas in the world, Dubai offers a unique perspective on the ability to effectively drive economic growth and embrace a higher quality of life through smart and efficient initiatives, a pressing need in today’s rapidly urbanising world.

Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “Dubai being chosen to host the prestigious World Real Estate Congress, and as the first Middle East country to do so, is testament to the city’s ambition both as a dynamic real estate market as well as an established destination for staging high-profile conferences. Our successful bid reflects the country’s acclaimed top ranking as a global investment haven and the emirate’s strengths in attracting and hosting international business events of the highest calibre.

He continued, “This success again demonstrates the strong collaboration with our local partners, first and foremost the Dubai Real Estate Institute, to deliver a competitive and attractive bid that showcased the holistic leisure and business offering in Dubai. We look forward to welcoming the real estate world to Dubai in 2018.”

Director General of Dubai Land Department, Sultan Butti Bin Mejren, said, “Winning this acclaimed event is a testament to the significant strides taken by the Dubai real estate market in recent years, in addition to the continuous efforts made by the government to promote and build a strong commercial environment with the express intention of projecting a prosperous and welcoming image to visitors and investors from overseas. The fact that the Emirate has been chosen as the first city in the Middle East to host this event demonstrates how Dubai has emerged as the pre-eminent real estate hub for the region.

“This World Real Estate Congress 2018 will strengthen Dubai’s economy through attracting business and leisure visitors, and inward investment into the emirate not only from the region, but from across the world, further building towards a continued maturation of the Dubai property market. Today’s announcement also bolsters the Dubai Plan 2021, which aims to build a smart and sustainable city with strong infrastructure capable of supporting economic and social life and contributing to the Emirate’s future growth.”

The FIABCI World Real Estate Congress connects real estate professionals from around the world to discuss themes and trends that are driving the real estate market. It also provides a unique platform for sharing best practices in addressing evolving needs, sharing information and conducting international business. Delegates and FIABCI members represent all industry sectors, including commercial, residential, luxury, retail and industrial.

This year’s World Real Estate Congress was held in Panama City, Panama, from 21st-26th May, under the theme, ‘Connecting Development for a Better World,’ which focused on topics including affordable housing, real estate opportunities through globalisation, smart cities and international property ethics.

FIABCI has been working closely with the United Nations since 1954 and is considered to be the only International Real Estate Association to hold NGO special consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

Dubai wins bid to host World Real Estate Congress in 2018

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

A chance for non-Muslims to learn about Islam in UAE

Mosques brimming with worshippers is a beautiful sight for Sara Gabbrallah who can’t appreciate it enough

Abu Dhabi: Despite her Sudanese origins, Sara Gabbrallah has spent 23 Ramadans out of her 24 years in the UAE.

The diversity of nationalities residing in the UAE means that different cultures spend the month differently.

In Sara’s eyes, this makes Ramadan in the UAE a celebration of a unique nature.

“Ramadan in the UAE is actually very distinctive due to the multiculturalism in the country which allows people (have) diverse experiences,” she said.

Seeing the mosques brimming over with worshippers is a beautiful sight that Sara cannot appreciate enough.

However, because only her immediate family lives with her in the UAE, Sara sometimes misses the bigger gatherings that usually take place in Sudan where extended family members come together to end their fast.

It is also a month for Muslims and non-Muslims to learn more about the Islamic faith.

“I have noticed that non-Muslims like to observe Ramadan as well and they enjoy learning about our practices, try different foods, wear Emirati attire, Moroccan Jalabiyas etc,” she added.

Due to the large number of Muslims ready to answer questions, Sara feels that Ramadan provides an insightful opportunity for others to learn from.

“I think the month provides great exposure to the Islamic faith, because it could correct some misconceptions about Islam and allow people to see the peacefulness and greatness of this religion,” she added.

She said she is often asked questions on various practices of Ramadan including how the long hours of fasting are observed, the health challenges and so on.

She is always happy to answer these questions, she said.

The PR executive has also seen people change their lifestyles during the month as many use the no-smoking rule during fasting to break the habit altogether.

For Sara, the month’s first day is the most awaited and she looks forward to the daily Taraweeh prayers (performed after night prayers) during Ramadan.

 

Source:: Gulf News

A chance for non-Muslims to learn about Islam in UAE

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

WhatsApp rumours in Dubai: Now call this number to check if true

Just don’t believe or forward those WhatsApp rumours any more.

Now, you have a dedicated number from Dubai Municipality that will revert to your query on a WhatsApp message.

The civic body said on Sunday that public needs to send any doubtful news or rumours with regard to the area to the mobile number # +971501077799, or through its social media pages.

“We have adopted the principle of transparency and believe in the importance of eliminating the rumors and contain them quickly and logical, and that’s for sure from news sources and community awareness through multiple channels,” it said.

A report published by UAE’s Ministry of Interior’s 999 magazine said earlier that people spreading false information on the Internet should be aware that such acts are considered criminal offenses under the UAE laws, especially if they cause public panic.

Under Federal Legal Decree No. 5 for 2012 on combating cybercrimes, spreading rumours “damaging social peace and public order” and causing damage to “national peace” empowers the UAE government to prosecute concerned individuals.

Article 29 of the law states those proven guilty face imprisonment and a civil fine not exceeding Dh1 million.

A number of rumours have been spread on WhatsApp and on several occasions the municipality has come out to quash these reports.

Toxic apple seeds

This month, the Food Safety Department of Dubai Municipality has affirmed that it ensures safety and quality of all imported foods – including juices.

Its remark came in the context of a response to the rumours circulating in the social media that apple seeds contain a high proportion of toxic cyanide.

Municipality rejected the rumours, saying that the apple seeds are not eaten by people because they have a bitter taste.

Vimto safe to drink

In May 2016, the Food Safety Department had debunked the rumour that claims the existence of carcinogens in Vimto.

Source:: Emirates 247

WhatsApp rumours in Dubai: Now call this number to check if true

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Why UAE will 'dial' for these 10 phone numbers this week

Emirates Telecommunications Group Company (Etisalat Group) and Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (Du), on Saturday reiterated their sustained support to the Reading Nation charity auction to take place on June 21 at Madinat Jumeirah, under the directive of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Etisalat and Du have announced that they will put up ten distinguished telephone numbers for sale at the auction in support of the Reading Nation Ramadan campaign, which aims to provide five million books to underprivileged children in refugee camps and schools around the world in addition to establishing 2,000 libraries in schools globally. Proceeds from the sale of the numbers will be allocated to the ongoing fund-drive in support of the campaign.

Distinguished numbers

Etisalat is offering the telephone numbers: 056 5555555, 056 8888888, 0544444441, 0544444443, and 0544555554 for sale to the highest bidders at the auction. Du is supporting the auction by putting up numbers 0523333333, 0525222222, 0522222223, 0525555554, and 0524444442. The charity auction is to be curated and conducted by Emirates Auctions.

Saleh Al Abdooli, CEO, Etisalat Group, said: “The support that organisations nationwide from both the public and private sector are offering to Reading Nation is truly gratifying. This reflects the philanthropic values that the UAE society lives by and the importance of humanitarian and charity work in the country. It is the responsibility of every one of us to support this spirit of giving and work hand-in-hand with the leadership to fulfill its noble objectives.”

He added: “Etisalat has always supported and will continue to partner humanitarian initiatives for the good of communities within and outside the UAE. We draw inspiration from the noble values of the UAE that were instilled by our founding fathers at the time of the establishment of the federation.”

Othman Sultan, CEO, Du, said: “We continue to support the Reading Nation Ramadan campaign as part of our commitment to the campaign’s important message and goals that will positively impact the future of countries in the region. Helping children gain access to knowledge that will empower them for a better future is a cause that is close to our heart and in line with our social responsibility mandate.”

Sultan added: “This campaign sends out a clear message that knowledge is the best way to improve lives. Du’s participation in this humanitarian effort that enables access to learning and education complements our leading role in providing advanced telecommunications infrastructure and connecting communities.”

Art works and number plates

Announcing the Reading Nation auction last week, Sheikh Mohammed initiated preparations for the auction by donating items from his official collection that includes a 106-year-old piece of the Kaba cover (Kiswa), embroidered with gold and silver threads. This is part of the cover presented by Abbas II Hilmi Bey, Khedive of Egypt in 1331 Hijri. Sheikh Mohammed also donated a number of items including paintings and works of art.

The auction will include five distinguished licence plate numbers contributed by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

At the launch of the Reading Nation Campaign, Etisalat and Du donated Dh3 million each. They also dedicated toll-free numbers through which individuals can make donations to the campaign in addition to sending SMS messages to encourage their subscribers to contribute generously.

5 million books

The Reading Nation Ramadan campaign has drawn the wide-scale participation of government entities, public and private sector organizations in the UAE, educational and retail establishments and the community at large. The campaign will continue until the 19th day of Ramadan that coincides with Zayed Humanitarian Day.

The goal of the campaign is to provide five million books to students-in-need in refugee camps and underprivileged students in schools around the world. Two million books will be provided to children and students in refugee camps. The campaign will also facilitate the supply of two million books to some 2,000 school libraries around the world. In addition, Reading Nation will support the foreign educational program of Emirati humanitarian organizations through donating one million books to this cause.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

Why UAE will 'dial' for these 10 phone numbers this week

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Etisalat and du to auction distinguished telephone numbers

Du, etisalat Put up 10Distinguished TelephoneNumbers for Sale toHighest Bidders as Part ofReading Nation Auction

Dubai

Telecom service providers Etisalat and Du on Saturday said they will auction ten distinguished telephone numbers to support Reading Nation, a campaign to donate five million books to poor and refugee children and hundreds of libraries worldwide.

Etisalat is offering the telephone numbers: 056 5555555, 056 8888888, 0544444441, 0544444443, and 0544555554 for sale to the highest bidders at the auction. Du is supporting the auction by putting up numbers 0523333333, 0525222222, 0522222223, 0525555554, and 0524444442. The charity auction, to be held on June 21 at Madinat Jumeirah, is to be curated and conducted by Emirates Auctions.

Saleh Al Abdooli, CEO, Etisalat Group, said: “The support that organisations nationwide from both the public and private sector are offering to Reading Nation is truly gratifying. This reflects the philanthropic values that the UAE society lives by and the importance of humanitarian and charity work in the country. It is the responsibility of every one of us to support this spirit of giving and work hand-in-hand with the leadership to fulfill its noble objectives.”

He added: “Etisalat has always supported and will continue to partner humanitarian initiatives for the good of communities within and outside the UAE. We draw inspiration from the noble values of the UAE that were instilled by our founding fathers at the time of the establishment of the federation.”

Similarly, Othman Sultan, CEO, Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company (du), said: “We continue to support the Reading Nation Ramadan campaign as part of our commitment to the campaign’s important message and goals that will positively impact the future of countries in the region. Helping children gain access to knowledge that will empower them for a better future is a cause that is close to our heart and in line with our social responsibility mandate.”

Sultan added: “This campaign sends out a clear message that knowledge is the best way to improve lives. Du’s participation in this humanitarian effort that enables access to learning and education complements our leading role in providing advanced telecommunications infrastructure and connecting communities.”

Announcing the Reading Nation auction last week, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, kicked off preparations for the auction by donating items from his official collection that includes a 106-year-old piece of the Kaba cover (Kiswa), embroidered with gold and silver threads. This is part of the cover presented by Abbas II Hilmi Bey, Khedive of Egypt in 1331 Hijri. Shaikh Mohammad has also donated a number of items, including paintings and works of art.

The auction will also include five distinguished license plate numbers contributed by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

At the launch of the Reading Nation Campaign, etisalat and du donated Dh3 million each. They also dedicated toll-free numbers through which individuals can make donations to the campaign in addition to sending SMS messages to encourage their subscribers to contribute generously.

The Reading Nation Ramadan campaign has drawn the wide-scale participation of government entities, public and private sector organisations in the UAE, educational and retail establishments and the community at large. The campaign will continue until the 19th day of Ramadan that coincides with Zayed Humanitarian Day. The goal of the campaign is to provide five million books to students-in-need in refugee camps and underprivileged students in schools around the world. Two million books will be provided to children and students in refugee camps. The campaign will also facilitate the supply of two million books to some 2,000 school libraries around the world. In addition, Reading Nation will support the foreign educational program of Emirati humanitarian organizations through donating one million books to this cause.

For more information about the Reading Nation Ramadan campaign or for contact numbers, please visit www.readingnation.ae.

 

Source:: Gulf News

Etisalat and du to auction distinguished telephone numbers

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Culture of giving in UAE has a home-made flavour

In Islam, offering food to a fasting Muslim is a rewarding deed and Emirati hospitality and generosity stand out in this regard

Dubai: If you meet a person doing charity work, chances are they have learnt it from their mothers.

For example, if you see an Emirati distributing food for the needy or for fasting people during Ramadan, do not be surprised to hear the food was due to the mother personally cooking the meals.

“Until today, my mother believes in this and follows that system,” said Khalid Qasim, Chief of the Board of Directors of Tarahum Charity Foundation.

“If we tell her we can order the food from the restaurant, she would say, ‘No, what about my work? I want to put the effort and feel I did something’,” Qasim told Gulf News.

“She has maids helping her. Yet, she likes standing in the kitchen cooking and supervising, and she likes to distribute the food in her own way,” he added.

After cooking, his mother would ask the drivers to send the food to needy families she knows in Dubai. The rest of the food would be sent to a mosque built by the family. More food would be ordered from a restaurant to fulfil the demands of nearly 350 fasting people at sunset.

In Islam, offering food to a fasting Muslim is a rewarding deed.

Umm Mohammad Al Mansouri is another Emirati woman who used to prepare biryani every day during Ramadan for many years before she stopped because of health and age reasons.

“I, by myself, used to buy quantities of chicken every day for my mother to cook, with househelp. By late afternoon, the meals are ready, and those would like to have food can leave their pots at the front gate. The maids would bring them in and my mother would fill them before returning them to the spot to be picked up,” said her son, Ahmad Al Mansouri.

The vast majority of Emiratis, like Qasim and Al Mansouri, were brought up in a culture of giving and with a sense of helping the needy.

Until today, in mainly Emirati-dominated neighbourhoods, each household is expected to send an item for iftar for the needy to the mosque in the area. Some might send “thareed” (soaked bread in meat or chicken sauce), or harees, or biryani, or laban or even water.

“Fathers would ask their children to send the food and drinks to the mosque, so the children will learn the habit since an early age and start appreciating the value of giving,” said Al Mansouri.

Almost every mosque in Dubai offers iftar meals during Ramadan.

“We need to distribute values and not money, we want to have a new generation with the sense of giving, a generation that appreciates the principle of sharing with others and production,” added Qasim.

“I always say that giving is a feeling, and we want the younger generations to feel the urge to contribute to society, whether it is money, or time or effort, so they can be active and produce in any place they are in. If the drive is within you, you could keep giving around the year, or for life,” and not just during Ramadan.

Because of that, Qasim accompanies his children, boys and girls, in his charity errands, so they will appreciate what they have and learn to be part of the culture of giving.

In many cases, looking at the abundantly stacked trolleys in supermarkets can also be misleading. For all we know, the trolleys would be filled so that food can be cooked for others, outside of the family.

A recent campaign by Du and Tarahum Charity Foundation was a good example of how people are willing to give.

The campaign was initially targeting backing 12,000 boxes of food items from June 1 to 14 to distribute to needy families in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. However, thanks to the massive public voluntary reaction, the campaign concluded in one week.

“I was expecting this to happen,” said Humaida Al Khalfan, Director of Corporate Communication Projects and Sustainability at Du.

“Since we opened the door for registrations in the last week of May, we noticed that the reaction was huge. When we reached the 5,000 registered volunteers to assist in the campaign, we closed registration,” she told Gulf News.

The campaign, which is totally financed by Du from its Emirati Plan revenues to serve the community, is the second of its kind.

Last year’s campaign was equally successful and attracted volunteers from different nationalities and age groups.

Earlier, Du used to have “Mawaed Al Rahman” for nine years where food will be offered at mosques across the UAE for needy people.

“In 2015, we changed the model. We would distribute food items that would be enough for a month instead of feeding one person for a day.”

Last year, Khalfan took her six-year-old son with her. His experience was rich enough to ask her this year to join her along with his younger brother.

“My son invited all his cousins to join him this year without asking me. I went to the campaign site with a car loaded with enthusiastic children,” she said.

 

Source:: Gulf News

Culture of giving in UAE has a home-made flavour

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Dubai Public kitchens go into Ramadan overdrive

Dubai/Sharjah: It is another blistering summer day in Dubai but Pakistani chef Piran Ditta appears cool and composed as he supervises the preparation of enormous pots for mass iftar meals.

The 45-year-old has been cooking up giant Ramadan feasts for the past 12 years in the UAE. The meals are sponsored by residents and companies, to be served for free at iftar at mosques and labour accommodations.

Every Ramadan, donors, who wish to remain anonymous, spend millions of dirhams to sponsor tonnes of iftar meals in the UAE, as is the tradition in the wider Muslim world as well.

“Yes, it’s hot and I’m fasting, surrounded by tonnes of food that I cannot eat. But the thought that I’m part of this tradition of sponsored iftar meals brings me solace and contentment in what I do. So many hungry fasting people will have a warm, tasty meal at the end of the day,” Ditta, who used to be a schoolteacher in Pakistan, said.

Ditta works at Al Mamzar Kitchen in Al Qusais, one of many “public kitchens” in Dubai. These establishments are not dine-in, but rather prepare a very limited menu of traditional food for pick up or delivery.

During Ramadan, public kitchens go into overdrive as they take bulk orders to be delivered at mosques, where worshippers gather at sunset to end their fast together.

Ditta, who hails from a village near Multan, a city in Pakistan’s Punjab province, said he learnt cooking under a seasoned chef after his teaching career became stagnant. His colleagues call him Ustad Ji, meaning ‘dear teacher’ in Urdu.

“Muslims believe that if they feed a fasting person when he or she ends his fast, they earn the same spiritual reward of fasting of that person. Imagine the rewards of feeding thousands everyday in Ramadan — you can’t comprehend it,” Ditta said.

Despite the cautious business sentiment prevailing these days, a manager at Al Mamzar said orders are actually increasing.

“People who sponsor iftar with us keep on sponsoring meals no matter what. The population is also rising, so we get more orders every year,” Tanwir Ijaz said.

He explained that a “small order” means food for around 20 people, which costs around Dh170 per day. Many donors pay a monthly rate for food delivery to mosques for the entire Ramadan. Orders can be as big as feeding 2,000 people every day.

“The sponsors get nothing in return except spiritual rewards and the good wishes of people. I cannot tell you who the donors are, they are modest about their work and don’t like to be identified,” Ijaz added.

In neighbouring Sharjah, at Al Shan Public Kitchen, manager Mohammad Ashiq Hussain echoed those remarks.

“This whole process in Ramadan is meant for the sake of brotherhood. Our donors are almost exclusively Emiratis who are really keen on ensuring their fellow residents have a decent iftar every day. I commend them highly,” Hussain, from Pakistan, said.

Every day in Ramadan, the multiple branches of Al Shan prepare and deliver food for 30,000 people across the UAE, he added.

“I’ve been here for 10 years and there’s been no decrease in orders. In fact, they keep going up, regardless of the economic situation,” Hussain said.

According to Ijaz, public kitchens during Ramadan prepare the equivalent of six months’ worth of orders, on average. The most popular food is biryani, a meat with rice dish. Bundles of water, dates, juice, milk, and fruits are also packed and delivered.

 

Source:: Gulf News

Dubai Public kitchens go into Ramadan overdrive

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Sharing iftar and reflecting upon personal values

The spirit of Ramadan is palpable everywhere, says Pullyard, who is of half-Yemeni descent

Abu Dhabi: Despite completing her university education in Bulgaria, US citizen Heidi Pullyard has always made sure to spend Ramadan with her family regardless of the country they were residing in at the time.

To Heidi, 23, the Ramadan atmosphere is unparalleled, especially in GCC countries.

“You can literally feel the Ramadan spirit [in the air] when you step outside your house or drive down the road,” she said.

This is Heidi’s second Ramadan in the UAE.

“Ramadan is marked by iftar tents, busy mosques, warm wishes and greetings written on street decorations.

Additionally, Heidi enjoys the sense of community represented in the knowledge that a large segment of society in the UAE is fasting. However, for Pullyard, who is half-Yemeni, what stands out in Ramadan are the rituals of sharing meals with others in an atmosphere of pure conviviality.

“I personally love Umm Ali [Arabic dessert ] and only have it during Ramadan. After finishing my iftar meal I always have traditional Arabic coffee ‘gahwa’ with my mother and watch Ramadan series. Even though I do not completely understand Arabic, I feel a certain amount of bonding with my mother when we spend it together watching the shows,” she said.

Since starting her new job as an associate producer in broadcast media, Heidi has met many people with whom to share the essence of the month with. Her working hours neccesitate that she ends her fast in the presence of colleagues before heading home.

“Ramadan is always a an amazing time to reflect [upon one’s thoughts and deeds]. This year stands out for me because I have met many more people with whom I will be sharing my iftar. To me, Ramadan is about appreciating the people in your life,” she added.

 

Source:: Gulf News

Sharing iftar and reflecting upon personal values

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

UAE to step up 2018 World Cup qualification hopes in Spain

Mahdi Ali names 25-man squad for training camp ahead of start of Group B campaign in September

The UAE football team.

Abu Dhabi: Mahdi Ali, the UAE coach, had in March vowed to improve the Whites’ preparations for major games after his side had progressed to the third and final qualification phase for the 2018 Russia World Cup.

True to his word, Ali took an experimental squad to the King’s Cup in Thailand earlier this month in a bid to increase competition for places and has now named a 25-man squad for a Spanish training camp from July 10 and August 11.

Ali’s men will play five friendlies against Spanish sides during this time, ostensibly ample preparation for the third and final round of Asian World Cup qualifiers which begin on September 1 with a trip to Japan and which lasts a year.

The UAE, who are in Group B with Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Thailand, will be without the injured Esmail Mattar, Mahmoud Khamis and Majid Hassan for their Spanish sojourn.

Otherwise, all their first-team regulars are available alongside exciting youngsters such as Al Jazira’s 19-year-old midfielder Sultan Al Shamsi, who scored a spectacular strike on debut in a 3-1 defeat against Jordan in the King’s Cup in Thailand, and the Al Wahda duo of Mohammad Al Akberi and Khalid Bawazir.

UAE SQUAD

Majid Naser (gk), Abdul Aziz Haikal, Abdula Aziz Sanqour, Walid Abbas, Khamis Esmail, Habib Al Fardan, Esmail Al Hammadi, Ahmad Khalil (Al Ahli); Khalid Eissa, Esmail Ahmad, Mohammad Ahmad, Mohannad Salem, Mohammad Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Fawzi, Omar Abdul Rahman (Al Ain); Ali Khaseif, Fares Juma, Sultan Al Shamsi, Ali Mabkhout (Al Jazira); Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Al Akberi, Khalid Bawazir (Al Wahda;) Amer Abdul Rahman (Bani Yas); Hassan Ebrahim (Al Shabab); Salem Saleh (Al Nasr).

Coach: Mahdi Ali.

 

Source:: Gulf News | Sports

UAE to step up 2018 World Cup qualification hopes in Spain

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Pull over, if you are drowsy: Dubai Roads and Transport Authority tells motorists

Dubai Roads and Transport Authority calls on motorists to be extra cautious during Ramadan

Dubai: Exhaustion and drowsiness are the two leading causes of accidents during Ramadan, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has said as part of its awareness campaign.

“As concentration rate drops while fasting due to changes in the body, motorists should be extra careful,” Maitha Mohammad Bin Adai, CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency.

Safe distance

She said that most traffic accidents that take place during Ramadan are attributed to not maintaining safe distance between vehicles.

About 182 accidents took place during Ramadan last year, resulting in 13 fatalities and 98 injuries, according to Dubai Police statistics.

“Motorists are urged to leave sufficient distance between vehicles and ensure that the air-condition is effective as the hot weather contributes to the feeling of fatigue and exhaustion. Moreover, the driver has to keep his or her back in an upright position with the head up during driving,” added Maitha.

She called upon drivers of light and heavy vehicles to take sufficient rest before driving, and park once they feel exhausted, drowsy or yawning.

“A short rest would help the driver complete the journey safely,” she noted.

She also called on motorists to park on the roadside when they hear the call for Maghrib prayer, and take a light breakfast, before resuming their journeys.

Sudden swerving

Maitha alerted against the risks of sudden swerving, as it is the biggest factor responsible for serious and fatal accidents.

Statistics and studies clearly indicated last year that sudden swerving had caused 572 accidents in Dubai, constituting 19.5 per cent of the total number of traffic accidents.

Truck movement ban

Heavy truck movement is banned during the month of Ramadan on Al Ittihad Road, Shaikh Zayed Road from interchange 7 till the link with the Shaikh Rashid Road (from Zabeel Tunnel to Al Garhoud Tunnel).

Changes have also been made to the timing for the ban in truck movement in Deira and Bur Dubai. Heavy trucks would not be allowed in these areas from 7am to 11pm instead of the regular prohibited hours of 6am to 10pm.

Truck movement ban is also modified by one hour in the morning period in on the other roads in the emirate from 7.30am to 9.30am instead of the usual timing of 6am to 8.30am.

Truck movement is banned throughout the year in Shindagha Tunnel, Al Maktoum Bridge, Floating Bridge, Al Garhoud Bridge, Business Bay Crossing and the Airport Tunnel.

Tips for motorists

Take sufficient amount of rest before driving. When you feel tired or drowsy, stop driving immediately. Driving while feeling exhausted is like driving under the influence of drugs.

Ensure that the vehicle is properly air-conditioned as a hot interior makes you feel tired.

Avoid reclining on the seat more than needed, and try to keep your back straight and head up while driving.

When iftar time sets in while driving, stop over and take a light breakfast, even if water and dates, before resuming your journey.

Always anticipate a sudden movement from the vehicle in front of you, especially cyclists and motorcyclists.

Most accidents that take place during Ramadan are attributed to the lack of leaving sufficient distance. Therefore ensure that a safe distance is maintained between your vehicle and that in the front.

 

Source:: Gulf News

Pull over, if you are drowsy: Dubai Roads and Transport Authority tells motorists

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

Dubai International 2nd fastest growing airport in Middle East, Africa

Dubai International was the second fastest growing airport in April in the Middle East and Africa after Doha, Airports Council International (ACI), the worldwide association of airports, said.

“Passenger traffic in the UAE and Qatar grew by 7.5% and 20.2% respectively. Doha (DOH) has continued to maintain momentum, and is the fastest-growing airport in the region (+20.2% or +507,000 passengers), followed closely by Dubai (DXB, +7.2% or + 468,000 passengers),” ACI said in its monthly bulletin.

Dubai airport strengthened its position as world’s number 1 international airport with annual traffic of 78 million passengers in 2015. DXB became the world’s number 1 airport for international passengers in 2014 with passenger numbers totalling 70.4 million.

In the Middle East, all major aviation markets demonstrated robust growth, it noted.

In terms of freight traffic also, Dubai achieved noticeable growth in April.

“Despite the robust air freight growth of 4.9% of the (MEA) region as a whole and impressive growth of 19.1% (+22,600 tonnes) at Doha (DOH), growth at Dubai (DXB, +4.8% or +9,700 tonnes) was offset by air freight declines at Sharjah (SHJ, -19.9% or -3,200 tonnes) and Abu Dhabi (AUH, -10.8% or -7,900 tonnes),” it added.

 

Source:: Emirates 247

Dubai International 2nd fastest growing airport in Middle East, Africa

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬

How Dubai achieved its first cadaver kidney transplant

Precise coordination by authorities and medical skill combined to make it a success

Dr Amer Ahmad Sharif briefs the media on the ‘Journey of the first kidney transplant surgery in Dubai’ at the MBRU auditorium in Dubai yesterday. Present are (from left Christian Schuhmacher, hospital director, Mediclinic City Hospital; Dr Farhad Janahi and Dr David Hickey.

Dubai: The formation of a national kidney disease registry with a proper cadaver organ donation in place is inevitable, after the successful completion of the first kidney transplant which also marks the first-time cadaver organ transplant in Dubai, Dr Ali Abdul Kareem Al Obaidli, chairman of UAE’s National Organ Transplant Committee, told Gulf News in an exclusive chat.

Dr Al Obaidli said: “For over 2,500 patients on dialysis in the UAE, the news of the first cadaver organ transplant in Dubai was a great relief. The logistics of the successful transplant surgery were arranged with the UAE’s own resources. It was a result of perfect coordination between many stakeholders and it demonstrated the willingness of the community and significant support from our multicultural society. A recent survey conducted by the Mohammad Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) indicated that nearly 68 per cent of the respondents were willing to donate organs after their death. This shows the strong culture of donation that is present in the country. Our transplant team is ready and undergone rigorous training on simulators and through other resources,” said Dr Obaidli.

Logistics of organ transport

Dr Amer Ahmad Sharif, CEO of the education sector of the Dubai Health Care City Authority (DHCA), hailed this medical milestone and termed it a community coordination feat achieved by the transplant team at the Mediclinic City Hospital that included Dr David Hickey, a transplant surgeon and former director of National Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Programme in Ireland, and Dr Farhad Janahi, assistant professor at MBRU and consultant urologist at Mediclinic City Hospital, as all others who were involved in the process.

“From the deceased individual to the Saudi Centre for Organ Transplantation (SCOT) to Dubai via a medical emergency evacuation plane, the journey took six hours,” said Dr Sharif. “Once it arrived at Dubai Airport, to avoid tissue damage, the organ could not be scanned, so the Dubai Airport and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs cooperated to get the organ in without scanning and with those accompanying it. It was transferred by the Dubai Ambulance within six minutes to the hospital where the transplant team could conduct the four-hour operation. The operation concluded at 7.25am on June 8.

“This is just the beginning in the story of organ transplant. This surgery proves our capacity for kidney transplant.“ Dr Sharif added.

He said that SCOT followed the international best practices in selecting the donor and recipient and keeping their identities confidential as per the Istanbul Declaration of 1995.

Emphasising on the importance of transplants to take the burden off dialysis systems available in the country, Dr Hickey provided an international overview. “On an average, in any country around the world, about 100 patients per million population undergo dialysis. About 30-40 of these patients on an average undergo kidney transplant. This is important, otherwise the dialysis facility of any country would be overwhelmed. Right now in the US, about 1.7 per cent of the total health budget is spent on renal therapy. People with acute kidney disease account for 0.04 per cent of the US population which indicates that less that one per cent of the population is utilising nearly two per cent of the health care budget,” said Dr Hickey, drawing parallels between the UAE kidney disease students and their US counterparts.

Pre- and post-operative care

Pre- and post-operative care is extremely important, said the experts. First, the recipient has to undergo antibody tests as per international transplant protocol to avoid tissue rejection. The doctors choose the recipient judiciously. After the surgery, the patient has to be on immunosuppressant protocol and must not miss the prescribed dosage. In addition, he or she should keep all other health parameters such as blood pressure, blood sugar, obesity under check. “The life expectancy of kidney transplant patients is nearly 90 per cent for the first year; it is 80 per cent for the next five years and 75 per cent for the next 10 years. A cadaver kidney can last up to 14 to 15 years or more, and the recipient experiences a surge of energy and is free of the painful dialysis that he or she requires every three days,” said Dr Hickey.

Insurance and costs

Worldwide, insurance companies willingly cover a kidney transplant surgery as increasing life expectancy by 15 years saves millions in terms of dialysis costs that the patient would have otherwise incurred, said Dr Hickey.

Dr Sharif said that in Abu Dhabi, insurance companies are covering costs of transplants and at the Dubai Health Care City, talks have been initiated with insurance companies for possible coverage. “One year of the cost of dialysis which is somewhere around Dh250,000 is equivalent to the cost of the surgery. After that, there is only the cost of immune suppressants which is far less than the cost of dialysis. So insurance companies are looking at covering the cost of the transplant. Besides the monetary savings, there is enormous economic and social benefit as the patient experiences increased productivity and participation in the community.”

How to register

Kidney disease patients who may be potential recipients for transplant organs can contact the transplant committee at the Mediclinic City Hospital in the Dubai Health Care City (DHCC), said Christian Schuhmacher, hospital director. “Our transplant coordinator will study the case and screen the patients and coordinate with MBRU for potential transplant opportunities.”

Timeline of organ transport conducted on June 8 in Dubai

• Medical evacuation plane leaves Saudi Arabia at 12.48am on June 8.


• Plane arrives at Dubai International Airport at 1.30am.


• A Dubai ambulance with the kidney on board leaves the airport at 1.38am.


• The ambulance reaches Mediclinic City hospital at 1.44am and the surgery starts immediately.


• Surgery concludes at 7.25am.

UAE’s first cadaver kidney recipient narrates her experience.

It was in 2013 that Fatima S., then a 24-year-old, received the first-ever cadaver kidney in a surgery conducted by the transplant team of the Shaikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) and the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, that began the kidney transplants in the UAE. So far, SKMC has conducted 168 transplants since 2007 of which 167 were live donor organs.

Saeed, 27, who is now in the second year of Business Administration at a college in Al Ain, spoke exclusively to Gulf News: “In the last three years, my life has undergone a 360-degree improvement. The freedom from pain of dialysis — that I bore for 16 long years — is too dear to me. I have resumed my life, have friends, and am studying to join the human resource team of any organisation one day after I graduate … something I could not even imagine at 21.

“I do not know how I contracted kidney disease as no one else in my family had such a problem. From the age of seven, I was undergoing dialysis and had underwent the pain of dialysis for 16 years. I have suffered so much pain that it is surprising that I survived those years. I had to undergo so many surgeries for catheter placements that very often as I was wheeled into the operation theatre, I would tell doctors, ‘Let me die, at least I will be free of this pain’.

“I will forever be indebted to my Saudi donor who they say was a young man who perished in a traffic accident. I am so grateful to the Rulers of this country who chose me for the transplant and the transplant surgeons of SKMC who achieved the impossible for me. I have a surge of energy and am happy to get back my life.”

 

Source:: Gulf News

How Dubai achieved its first cadaver kidney transplant

‪#‎Dubai‬ ‪#‎MyDubai‬ ‪#‎DXBplanet‬ ‪#‎LoveDubai‬ ‪#‎UAE‬ #‏دبي‬