Presented by du and supported by Coca – Cola: The ’One’ Marquee attracts soccer fans as World Cup finale nears

As the 2010 FIFA World Cup enters the final week, soccer fans are crowding the ’One’, a luxurious marquee built especially for the World Cup. Presented by du, and supported by Coca-Cola as the Official Partner, the high-end venue is one of the main attractions of the ongoing Dubai Summer Surprises 2010.

Fully-equipped with state-of-the-art 35 LCD screens in addition to two 2×3 metre giant screens, the marquee offers its visitors a great menu of food and beverages in addition to shiesha to set the mood of excitement and cheering across the two-floored venue. Cooled by air conditioning units, the marquee can accommodate around 600 spectators. 

Info2cell.Com To Create New Niche Markets With 3.5G-Enabled Services As UAE’s Mobile Subscription Rate Hits 235 Per Cent

Info2cell.com, the leading mobile application service provider in the Middle East, has announced that it is expanding its portfolio of mobile services to enable subscribers to take advantage of significant advancements in the UAE’s mobile phone sector, particularly the arrival of 3.5G technology that delivers unprecedented broadband services to mobile users. The new range of offerings is expected to help develop new niche markets and boost Info2cell.com’s client base, in tune with the dramatic increase in mobile subscription in the UAE, which is expected to reach 235 per cent by end of 2009 and 251 per cent by 2010.

Info2cell.com pointed out that industry experts are particularly bullish about the long-term prospects of the 3.5G technology, expecting 3.5G mobile handsets to account for up to half of all global handset sales by 2013, an exceptional increase from just 7 per cent in 2008. Info2cell.com further revealed that it has tailored its new range of services and mobile solutions to correspond to the new demands of subscribers, delivering a more satisfying experience when video streaming, receiving TV signals, playing music or sending large files through their mobile phones or PDAs.

Bashar Dahabra, Founder and CEO of Info2cell.com said: "The advent of 3.5G technology has totally changed the direction of the mobile sector. We are now able to deliver increased voice capacity and higher speed data rates, giving mobile subscribers greater control and a much better range of choices. Info2cell.com has developed and enhanced our broad selection of services to complement the transformation of the mobile sector into a much more ubiquitous and significant lifestyle tool, particularly in the UAE, which in 2008 alone was estimated to have nearly 10 million mobile subscribers."

Info2cell.com has been a leading provider of mobile applications and content in the highly competitive MENA markets, managing more than half a million subscribers and accommodating up to 100 mobile requests per second. The content provider uses advanced mobile messaging technology to offer a wide range of services such as the new News Alerts via SMS or MMS, the advanced Mobile Value-Added services, personalized information services such as Alwan, GPRS, GSM, Edge services and the interactive mobile services for TV channels.

Aswaaq Launches ’Thimaar’ As A New Fruit And Vegetable Supplier

Aswaaq has announced the launching of ‘Thimaar’, a subsidiary under aswaaq’s umbrella, as the new supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables. The announcement comes in line with recent statistics showing a 40% increase in the imports of fruits and vegetables in the years 2007 and 2008, and aims to ensure aswaaq’s strive to provide high quality and healthy products to its various customers.

Officials at aswaaq have revealed that Thimaar will start supplying fresh produce to aswaaq’s supermarkets in July and will be directly responsible for the consolidation, processing and pre-packaging of fresh produce. Thimaar will also source superior products through direct import as well as contribute to the local economy by supporting local farmers in the region.

“We are pleased to welcome Thimaar onboard as our main fruit and vegetable supplier and we look forward to maintain our growth as a company with them by our side. By further raising our standards, Thimaar will play a key role in increasing customer satisfaction levels and ultimately the development of aswaaq as a whole in Dubai,” said Abdul Al Basset Al Janahi, CEO and Board member of aswaaq

Located in Ras Al Khor Industrial Area 2, Thimaar will be sourcing and selecting superior products from the local market, local suppliers, local farms and direct import. The company will operate under International procedures and processes, where fresh produce will be handled with extreme care and under the strictest hygienic conditions. Thimaar’s highly experienced team will develop concepts, packaging and a variety of products for the retail sector and will be working with the latest technology to ensure quality and maintain freshness of the produce.

In addition to supplying aswaaq supermarkets with fresh produce Thimaar also plans to distribute fruit and vegetables to various government bodies, hotels and restaurants in the UAE. To ensure the freshness and quality of the fruit and vegetable sector in Dubai, the Thimaar Distribution Centre will use some of the highest technology systems available to guarantee freshness and a higher level of quality.

“We are currently implementing the latest technologies available to ensure the elimination of every type of airborne bacteria, mould and fungi is essential for quality and freshness. With the recent HACCP certification that we received and the installation of the AiroCide system, we are looking forward to ensure maximum control of health and food safety standards in aswaaq and its subsidiaries like Thimaar,” said Affan Al Khoori, the assigned member for Thimaar

Kids Olympic Games Exhilarates Excitement in Dubai Marina Mall as Children Compete for Sports Glory

Dubai Summer Surprises 2009 brought back its much-awaited signature event, the Kids Olympic Games at the Dubai Marina Mall, a member of the Dubai Shopping Malls Group. The event, that began on July 16 and being held until July 22, sees children as young as 8 months and teenagers vie for physically and mentally challenging activities such as baby crawling, basketball race, stacking race, clown race, toy retrieving race, balloon race, tricycle race, frog race, sack race, and car race, among many other categories. The Games is being held this year in cooperation with Dubai Marina Mall.

Hundreds of families with thrilled parents and children alike gathered in the mall to witness and compete in the fun-filled activities at the Kids Olympic Games for the past two days, the weeklong affair had received an overwhelming response from the families that registered their children to participate in the competitions.

The contests are held in 3 zones where Zone 1 is dedicated to infants and toddlers, Zone 2 is for young children and Zone 3 is for teenagers. The safety of these zones is secured through sports mats to avoid any possible injuries. The pretty balloons, toys, lively music and the roaming DSS character clowns add to the festive atmosphere in Dubai Marina Mall. Winners are awarded with certificates, medals and gift vouchers.

In the Baby Walker Race on July 17th, Naoki Isohi took the first place and Rukiyya Mohammed secured the second place. In the Puzzle Race, Fatima, Mohammed, and Maleha, won the first, second, and third places respectively.

In contests in Zone 2, the Baby Marathon saw Hamad, Naseer Al Bana, and Naqiya take the first, second, and third prizes respectively. In the Balloon Race in the same zone, Anoushka secured the first prize, Lana Al Bana won the second, and Mahiba won the third prize.

In the Car Race held at zone 3, Tarekh Al Jarah won the first place, Mohammed Naseer took the second place, and Omar secured the third place.

Interested participants should visit Dubai Marina Mall where the daily on-site registration is administered. However, pre-registered children would be given priority in the selection process. For details on contests, please call Ahlan Dubai on 600 54 5555.

Rain of Surprises as Dubai Shopping Malls Group Announces Weekly Winners at BurJuman

Flowers rained on excited shoppers gathered at BurJuman on Thursday, July 16, as the mall hosted the Dubai Shopping Malls Group’s weekly raffle draw to select ten lucky winners, each of who received AED 50,000 in cash and gifts.

An entertaining theatrical act set the stage for the raffle draw. The draw was followed by a rain of flowers as rose petals were showered on shoppers who soon turned the venue into a playground by throwing petals at each other for fun.

Lucky shoppers who won at the raffle, couldn’t hide their excitement.

Egyptian Michel Sabry, one of the lucky winners, was overjoyed when informed of the winning: “I am getting married soon and this win has happened at the right time. I obtained the coupon when shopping for my wedding. Now that I am a winner, I am going to shop more.”

To receive the raffle coupons and enter any of the weekly draws as part of Surprising Millions, shoppers only need to spend a minimum amount of AED 200 at participating malls in Dubai. They can also double their chances of winning by using their MasterCard credit cards for which they receive an additional raffle coupon.

Rod Coffin, one of the recent winners, said: “This is the best surprise ever! I had decided to buy my wife a ring, for no particular reason. I can’t believe I am a winner now, my wife is going to be surprised!”

Surprising Millions campaign has participation from twenty three malls in Dubai including Al Bustan Centre, Al Ghurair City, Al Manal Centre, Al Mulla Plaza, Arabian Center, Bur Juman, Century Mall, Dubai Festival City, Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai Marina Walk, Dubai Outlet Mall, Gold & Diamond Park, Ibn Batutta Mall, Lamcy Plaza, Mazaya Center, Mercato Mall, Oasis Centre, Reef Mall, Souk Al Bahar, The Dubai Mall, Town Centre, Time Square Centre and WAFI Mall.

Arts Oasis Extended Till July 21 As Wafi Sees Popular Demand For DSS Signature Event

Arts Oasis, the DSS 2009 Signature Event that was supposed to conclude on July 15, will culminate on July 21 owing to popular demand. Over 30 Dubai-based artists are showcasing works of art including paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs, and even a video. The event has gained prominence this year with the theme ‘Green Vision’ that aims to highlight the importance of environment conservation.

Initiated in the summer of 2006, Arts Oasis has enjoyed overwhelming popularity since its inception and is today regarded as a platform for artists locally and regionally to reach out to a wider audience.

Arts Oasis took on a different perspective this year with around 10 multi-national artists going in for an intensive artist residency programme where participants had the opportunity to explore questions on sustainability through their own media and practices.

The artists were in regular discussions with well-known curators Beth Carruthers and Elizabeth Monoion to come up with works aligned with the Green Vision theme. These works are currently being displayed in Arts Oasis. The works of three artists, Zain Mustafa, Robert Ferry, Haseena Sakhri, were chosen and awarded for their ability to incorporate the ‘Green Vision’ theme successfully.

The presence of multi-national participants aims to add to the diversity of the event with artists from UAE, India, Philippines, UK, US, Ireland, Canada, Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan. Arts Oasis will go on till July 15th at the Eye of Horus in Wafi from 10am to 10pm.

New ’Queen Elizabeth’ Will Touch Dubai As Part Of 103-Night Epic Maiden World Voyage

Dubai will be one of the high-profile ports of call of the new ‘Queen Elizabeth’ when it undertakes its 103-night epic maiden world voyage on January 5, 2011, from Southampton.

The luxury liner will touch Dubai on March 31, 2011, after covering cities like Los Angeles, Auckland, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore, and then proceeding to Lisbon.

On July 2, a ceremony to mark the keel laying of Cunard Line’s new Queen Elizabeth was held at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near Trieste, Italy. The second largest Cunarder ever built, Queen Elizabeth’s keel is the third Cunard has lain in the space of seven years. When she enters service in October 2010, she will join Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria as not only the most famous ocean liners in the world but also the youngest fleet in passenger travel.

The keel laying involves the placement in the dry dock of the first section of the ship’s hull. This section is made up of six pre-manufactured blocks, weighs 364 tons and is fitted with 104 tons of pipes, cables, insulation and other equipment.

The ceremony followed an intensive period of design and development. Fifty-three sections will be used in the construction of Queen Elizabeth and she will take to the water for the first time at her float out in December.
‘Queen Elizabeth’ is already making waves before she enters service. Her October 2010 Maiden Voyage which was placed on worldwide sale to past guests was sold out in a record 29 minutes – easily making this the fastest selling voyage in Cunard’s 170-year history.

“This is an impressive record set by what will be the an impressive ship and speaks volumes about the Cunard brand as well as for the resilience of the cruise sector in these challenging times” said Ashok Kumar, Business Development Director, Cruise Master Middle East agent of Cunard Line in the Middle East.

Queen Elizabeth will feature the unique Cunard traditions linking her with her sisters Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria and their predecessors, together with all the modern day luxuries Cunard’s guests have come to expect and some exciting features that will give the vessel her own style and personality.

Named after the first Queen Elizabeth, one of Cunard’s greatest ships, the new Queen Elizabeth will reflect her predecessor in interior grandeur, décor and style, but with a modern twist. From the outside, her distinctive black and red livery will hint at an experience that differentiates a Cunard liner from a modern-day cruise ship. This will be most evident in the ship’s adherence to liner traditions, with elegant double and triple height public rooms on a grand scale, luxuriously endowed with rich wood panelling, intricate mosaics, gleaming chandeliers and cool marbles. Art Deco features will pay homage to the original Queen Elizabeth and will allow the new ship to reflect a more civilized era of travel.

In addition to the extensive Cunard entertainment programme on board, Queen Elizabeth will offer some unique strands inspired by the era of the first Queen Elizabeth, such as country house parties at sea, evening piano sing-a-longs and period dancing, from traditional ballroom to the jitterbug and the jive, all within the setting of this 21st century ship.

As successor to Queen Elizabeth 2, the new ship will also reflect this great liner through artworks and memorabilia and its very own “Yacht Club.”

Before the epic Maiden World Voyage, the new Queen Elizabeth will depart on her Maiden Voyage on 12 October 2010 — a voyage that sold out in a record-breaking 29 minutes 14 seconds in April 2009 – for a 13-night celebration.

Queen Elizabeth will be in great company as her sisters will be present on several occasions during the voyage: she will sail in tandem to New York with Queen Victoria before all three Queens will meet for a Cunard Royal Rendezvous in New York on 13 January 2011; and then she meets with Queen Mary 2 in Sydney and Civitavecchia and Queen Victoria again in Aruba. Full World Voyage fares aboard Queen Elizabeth start from $19,995; Queen Elizabeth’s Segment World Voyage fares start from $2,545. Fares are based per person, double occupancy.

Retail Sector Responds Positively As DSS Attracts Over 4000 Registrations For Summer Promotion

Over 4000 retail outlets have registered so far to be part of the promotion organized during this year’s Dubai Summer Surprises. The overwhelming response from the retail sector is part of a positive economic wave being felt across all sectors in Dubai this DSS.

Suhaila Gobash, Events Manager and Retail Registration Supervisor of Dubai Shopping Festival Office said, “The registration number is a clear indication that retail outlets across Dubai wait for DSS to generate more footfall and sales. It is not only the registrations that are notable; sales figures from across malls indicate that DSS has had a positive impact on the retail industry.”

The Dubai Shopping Festival Office had held a meeting with over 125 representatives of leading retail entities in Dubai to discuss and chalk out plans for shopping promotions being organized over the summer from June 1 to September. The initiative is the first and longest single shopping promotion to be held in the region, spanning four months.

Keen on supporting the retail sector, the DSF Office had made it clear that retailers would need to only pay registration charges for four months this year that were, in previous years, applicable to a two-month period during DSS.

Promotions and shopping deals are currently being done through Dubai Summer Surprises, the Back-to-School season, Ramadan, and ‘Eid in Dubai’ (Eid Al Fitr). Retailers can look forward to numerous options to be part of the promotions with the ‘Surprising Deals’ package to be organized throughout Dubai Summer Surprises from June 11 to August 14, 2009. This will be followed by the ‘Back-to-School Season’ from August 9 to September 10, 2009. The third package is titled ‘Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr Offers’, running from August 9 to September 30, 2009. Retailers also have the option to organize raffle draws during the four-month period subject to approval from DSF Office.

DMI To Highlight Contemporary Social Issues In Arab World As Part Of Ramadan Programming

Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI), one of the pioneering media organizations and creative services group in the Middle East, will delve into the core of Arab societies during the Holy Month of Ramadan to unravel the intricate fabric of modern life through its two channels Dubai TV and Sama Dubai TV.

While showcasing contemporary issues and challenges, DMI will highlight the mismatch that stems from the rapid rhythm of life in the Arab world. The two TV channels from DMI will capture these issues through several genres such as comedy, intricate social drama, and specialized programmes that will invite experts to the studio and seek their professional recommendations.

The social series Zaman Al A’ar (Era of Shame) will demonstrate the quantum leap in the history of Syrian drama through a series of sharp confrontations against the values in the current Arab way of life and the mixed concepts under the label of ‘modernity’. It will seek to address inherent questions such as shame, its psychological origins, source, and how it impacts our lives. From the first few minutes of the series, viewers will appreciate the exhaustive creativity and excellence demonstrated by the authors Hassan Sami Yousuf and Najib Nasseir.

Through his crisp directorial calibre, Rasha Sharbatji has attempted to embody the beauty of his artistic vision. Effectively complemented by actors such as Tayyem Hassan, Bassam Kousa, Mona Wasef, Khalid Taja, Solafa Memar, and Dima Bayya’a, the series offers a comprehensively captivating plot and leaves an enduring impression as a true representation of regional life.

Focusing on social life, Dubai TV will also offer Haqqi Berqabti (I Will Take My Rights) – a comedy with an Egyptian flavour. The stars Hassan Husni and Majida Zaki, who represent Sayyed and Samia, are old classmates from law school. Both fall in love and get married. They own a law firm, but each of them operates independently due to their highly competitive characteristics.

Rash marriages and the consequences on children, resulting in a generation that carries the burden of social issues, will be the focus of the Khaleeji series Omr Al Shaka (Age of Burden) on Dubai TV, starring Hayat Al Fahad and Ahmed Al Salman.

Sama Dubai TV, on its part, will air programmes that highlight diverse social issues. Viewers will find the children of Shaikh Al Jalil struggling to outdo each other’s properties in the drama Hadeel Al Layl (Nightfall), one of the largest productions in the GCC region. Shahd, Khalid Al Breiki, Hussan Rajab, Saif Al Ghanem, Aisha Abdul Rahman, and a host of regional stars will showcase their acting prowess in the series.

Another drama Al Jeeran (Neighbours) will present the relationship among the neighbours in light of the sudden social and economic changes in the Gulf community. The series is designed as a warning against the beginning of disintegration of the ‘neighbourhood’ concept, and its inability to withstand foreign influence that nurture selfish tendencies such as love of material ownership and accumulation of wealth, as well as class status – all at the cost of social relationships.

In the comedy section, Sama Dubai TV will air Sawalef Taffash (Stories of Taffash) with its independent tales for each episode and stable characters, embodying the general life environment in the GCC region between the ‘40s and the ‘50s.

The social comedy Hanna Wa Ranna will take us back to the era prior to oil discovery and the economic boom. With his spontaneity and wit at home and in the neighbourhood, Halloum will highlight the trials and tribulations of daily life of the bygone era.

Over the years, DMI has consistently brought its vast viewership base an eclectic choice of programming during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The bouquet comprises something for every member of the family, in line with the spirit of the season that draws people together for moments of shared brotherhood.

Young Athletes to Compete For Glory as DSS 2009 Kids Olympic Games Begins July 16

Dubai Marina Mall, a member of Dubai Shopping Malls Group, will host the 2009 edition of the DSS Signature Event – Kids Olympic Games. The week-long event, held in cooperation with Dubai Marina Mall, will begin on July 16 and go on till July 22 featuring a host of competitions for toddlers and children.The Games this year will feature 20 contests and different age categories to cater to all age groups of children. Tshering Idnani, Senior Events Coordinator of DSF Office said, “Kids Olympic Games is into its seventh consecutive edition and over the years, the popularity of the event as a sporting and entertainment activity has only increased. This year sees more competitions, new additions, and certainly more fun.”Parents who wish to register their children can do so at the venue from 4pm to 5pm. The contests will begin at 5pm and will be held across three zones with five contests being held every day. Competitions for this year’s Olympics include Baby Crawling, Tricycle Race, Frog Race, Sack Race, Remote Control Car race, and One-legged Race to name a few. Apart from medals, winners will take home gift vouchers.Contestants as young as 8 months can participate in this year’s Olympics with the Remote Control Car race open to teenagers as old as 18. Information on the registration process, the contests, and age categories can be had from Ahlan Dubai on 600 54 5555.