Tag Archives: sports
1,000 Dubai govt services to go smart in three years
1,000 Dubai govt services to go smart in three years (Wam) / 6 March 2014 A strategy to transform Dubai into a ‘Smart City’ was launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday. Shaikh Mohammed, Shaikh Hamdan and senior officials during the launch of Smart Dubai Strategy at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre on Wednesday. — KT photo by Shihab The strategy features six key pillars and 100 initiatives on transport, communications, infrastructure, electricity, economic services, urban planning. Under the strategy, 1,000 government services will go smart in the next three years. Shaikh Mohammed affirmed: “Our country is today ushering into a new era for the improvement and development of quality of life through this gigantic project which got underway through an unprecedented public-private partnership to make a new reality for all and change the concept of city which the human being lives in so as to live with him through his smart phone and who will be its key pivot.” “Our ambition is that this project touches the life of everyone in our country, or every mother in her house, or every employee in his work, or every investor in his project, or every child in his school, and doctor in his clinic. Our goal is to bring about happiness to all. May Allah help us in achieving this end,” Shaikh Mohammed said. The launch ceremony was attended by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and General Supervisor of Dubai Smart City Project; Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group; Shaikh Hasher bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Information Department; Shaikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Dubai Smart City, and a number of senior officials. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Longest bridal veil at Sharjah wedding show
Longest bridal veil at Sharjah wedding show Lily B. Libo-on / 6 March 2014 Fashion shows, bridal couture, hairstyling main attractions World’s longest bridal veil measuring 5-km in length, weighing about 7kg, and embellished with crystals and pearls at its first 5 metres, was unveiled at the ninth edition of Perfect Wedding Show, which opened on Wednesday at the Expo Centre Sharjah. The veil by Rozana Hospitality broke the four-year Guinness Book of World Records held by Sandra Mechleb of Lebanon, who wore a 3.358-km long bridal veil when she married Chady Abi Younis in Arnaoon, Lebanon on October 18, 2009. World’s longest bridal veil on display at the Perfect Wedding Show in Sharjah. — Supplied photo This year’s Perfect Wedding Show, which is open daily from 3pm to 10pm, is also presenting a mega prize of a fully paid ‘royal wedding package’ comprising a five-star ballroom for the winning couple and their guests, a bridal beauty package, Kosha decoration and a honeymoon trip to Istanbul. To participate in the royal wedding package, the couples due to get married are urged to register at the website of the Perfect Wedding Show 2014 at www.sharjahweddingshow.com and they will be automatically entered in a raffle draw to be done on Saturday (March 8), the last day of the event. Shaikha Aisha bint Mohammed Al Qasimi opened the four-day Perfect Wedding Show, which features a wide range of perfumes, ouds, cosmetics, jewellery, gifts and accessories, health and beauty products, cards and stationery, and related materials and accessories for weddings apart from designers, couturiers, décor specialists, wedding planners and caterers. A play area is also available for children under 12 years since they won’t be allowed inside the exhibition halls. The fair is also organising a 45-minute fashion show that will be performed daily and will feature local, regional and international design houses and designers, including Fouad Sarkis, Dar Mona Al Mansouri, Dar Sara, Amato and Emirati designer, Aisha Al Muhairi. The Perfect Wedding Show has a special section for Egyptian furnishings sponsored by the Egyptian Trade Centre, special bridal couture shows, cultural parades, live demonstrations of hair-styling and make-up and dance performances. “The increasing popularity of the show can be attributed to the emergence of the UAE as a leading wedding destination, lavish wedding ceremonies and engagements taking place here,” said Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah. National Bureau of Statistics shows that the number of marriages registered in the UAE has gone up from 6,475 in 1995 to 14,934 in 2012. But, this figure excludes the multiple wedding receptions and other related functions that are taking place in UAE. Al Midfa said that even though the number of marriages has remained stagnant for a few years, wedding planners are doing a brisk business due to the rising demand for wedding receptions and related functions. “This is because though several expatriates prefer to tie the knot in their home country, however, they hold their engagements and receptions here since they work and live in UAE,” he added. With the industry observers putting a tag of $80,000 as average wedding expense and close to 15,000 weddings taking place annually, the wedding sector here could be conservatively be valued at $1.2 billion. lily@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain recall envoys from Qatar
UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain recall envoys from Qatar Mustafa Al Zarooni / 6 March 2014 Qatar, while expressing regret for the decision, said it would not resort to tit-for-tat action by withdrawing its envoys to the countries. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on Tuesday accused Qatar of interfering in their internal affairs and pulled out their ambassadors from Doha. Qatar, while expressing regret for the decision by its fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, said it would not resort to tit-for-tat action by withdrawing its envoys to the countries. Earlier, in a joint statement, the three countries said they had “exerted massive efforts to contact Qatar on all levels to agree on a unified policy… to ensure non-interference, directly or indirectly, in the internal affairs of any member state”. Doha was asked not to support “any party that threatens the security and stability of the GCC countries whether organisations, or individuals, either through direct security work or by political influence, and not to support the hostile media”. Qatar’s Amir His Highness Shaikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had made the commitment during a mini-summit in Riyadh last year with Kuwait’s Amir and the Saudi monarch. Kuwait’s Amir His Highness Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, now recuperating from surgery in the US, tried to calm tensions between the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, and Shaikh Tamim back then. Responding to the diplomatic action by the three countries, Doha said it was linked to “differences over issues outside the Gulf Cooperation Council”, meaning policies on Egypt, and its support of the Muslim Brotherhood. The decision by the UAE, Saudi and Bahrain follows a UAE Federal Court verdict on Monday jailing Qatari national Mahmud Al Jidah to seven years for links to the Muslim Brotherhood. Dr Abdul Khaleq Abdullah, Professor of Political Science at UAE University, said the diplomatic action was unprecedented and added that the “ball was now in Qatar’s court”. “Part of actions which Qatar should take to prevent the situation from getting worse is to silence Yousouf Al Qaradawi, who attacked the UAE from a mosque in Doha while delivering a sermon. Qatar should abandon the Muslim Brotherhood card, and change the editorial policy of Al Jazeera,” he said. On why the Sultanate of Oman and Kuwait did not withdraw their envoys from Doha, he said, “Oman has taken its own stand while Kuwait can play the role of a mediator as it has good relations with all GCC states.” Moanis Al Mardi, Chairman of the Bahrain Journalists Association, said Qatar had gone so far, and relations had reached tipping point. “The Kingdom of Bahrain has endured much and Al Jazeera was making the situation worse with its unfair reporting. Qatari ties with the GCC were deep and Doha should work towards a common goal,” Al Mardi said. “It should review its policies on the Brotherhood, failing which economic ties with the GCC could be snapped.” malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
