Abu Dhabi GP track promises unique event

Roland Hughes -Last Updated: October 14. 2008 8:42PM UAE / October 14. 2008 4:42PM GMT 

 

An artist’s rendering Yas Marina Hotel at Abu Dhabi’s Grand Prix Yas Marina Circuit. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

 

 

ABU DHABI // Organisers of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix yesterday emphasised its importance by comparing it to hosting the World Cup or the Olympics every year.

They also revealed details of the Yas Marina Circuit, including artists’ impressions showing the racetrack snaking through a hotel and views from the grandstand.

The final design was announced last night by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, before more than 300 dignitaries, officials and media at Emirates Palace hotel.

Khaldoon al Mubarak, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority and of Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management (ADMM), which is organising the race, said he was convinced the event would put the capital into the world spotlight.

He said the track had been “conceived, designed and was currently being built according to the particular needs of the city in which it belongs”.

“I cannot emphasise enough the importance of this event for this country,” he said.

“This is the epitome of sports and I think that being part of this and launching this next year and having Abu Dhabi out there for the global audience is absolutely tremendous. It’s like having the World Cup or the Olympics every year.

“It is a lot of preparation and a lot of work, but we are going to be ready and we are going to deliver to the world a statement as to how we can organise and put together world-class events.”

Sekitar idul fitri di Abu Dhabi

Abi…Hensem tak umar??

seronoknya bila anak-anak ini bertemu di pagi raya

men behind the scene..En Fuad, Ustaz Isa dan Haji Jalil

Menjamu selera selepas solat sunat idul fitri

Ustaz Maulana tengah khusyuk mendengar taklimat daripada En Fuad

Eid Mubarak..!!

Kaum Hawa yang hadir

Takbir raya di rumah duta Malaysia di Abu Dhabi

Takbir Raya

 

Inflation in GCC to ease: IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday that record high inflation levels in the UAE and other GCC countries could be temporary as there were already signs of an easing in the price spiral in the wake of a dollar recovery.

In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, IMF’s director for the Middle East and Central Asia Mohsin Khan said with the US dollar gaining strength, there are signs that in some GCC countries the inflation was in fact slowing.

“While the depreciation of the dollar in recent years did contribute to inflationary pressures in the GCC, more important factors included supply bottlenecks, strong aggregate demand from infrastructure projects, and increases in international food prices. “To the extent that these factors are temporary, inflation is likely to be temporary.”

Asked if it was necessary that GCC countries abandon their dollar-peg to tame inflation as the greenback started to regain clout, Khan said: “With the dollar gaining strength, there is even less reason now for the countries to move off the peg.” He said a decision on the appropriate exchange rate regime should look at overall costs and benefits (not just inflation) over the medium term.

However, according to latest estimates by economists, inflation in the UAE would be headed for another record surge to cross 12 per cent this year despite serious efforts initiated by the Ministry of Economy to contain it at five per cent this year.

Inflation in the UAE rose to an all time high of 11.1 per cent in 2007. Inflation in Saudi Arabia accelerated to 11.1 per cent, its highest level in at least 30 years. – Khaleej Times

Abu Umar Says:
High inflation really hurts our pocket money. Hopefully its going down  by early next year..

 

New procedures for visit visas to start soon

Applications can be filed starting next Tuesday for new visit visas which were revamped under a Federal ruling last June, a senior residency department official said on Tuesday.

The new fee schedule for the visas, which range from visit visas to visas for medical treatment should have started August 1, according to an earlier announcement, but have been pushed forward due to the weekend holidays.

July 30 is an official government holiday. The rules apply to nationalities who currently have to get sponsorship before arriving in the country.

The Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) and the Economic Department will meet with representatives of hotels, tourist agencies, hospitals and educational institutions on Wednesday to brief them on how the changes will be implemented.

---

---

Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director-General of DNRD, reiterated the fact that all visitors should have health insurance cover and sponsors have to pay a Dh1,000 refundable deposit.

He said the visit visa holder will be allowed to enter the UAE once within two months from the date of issue of the visa. According to the amendments, there will be 16 new types of visas.

Residents can apply for a visa for their spouse or blood relative. Expatriates will not be allowed to sponsor friends. And sponsoring other blood relatives will require approval of a senior officer.

Under the new rules, expatriates cannot apply for relatives who wish to come to the UAE for medical treatment, only hospitals can.

‘No instructions given’

Typing centres still do not have a clue what applications to fill out when new visa rules come into effect.

“We are aware new visa rules will be implemented soon but we are still working on the same old visa and residency applications,” said Mohammad, an employee at a typing centre in Jafiliya, Dubai.

“So far everything in our system is the same, including the online fees. So far, we have no instructions on the changes,” said Ali at a typing centre in Sharjah.

The Federal authorities announced 16 types of visas and new fees under the revamped rules earlier in June. These include visas for medical treatment to entry visas for students.

Under the rules, expatriates are not allowed to sponsor friends to visit the UAE.

New visa fees in Dhs

 Short Entry (visit) Visa – 500 (1 month)

 Long Entry (visit) Visa – 1,000 (3 months)

 Multiple Entry Visa – 2,000

 Entry Visa for Study – 1,000

 Renewal of Study Visa – 500

 Entry Visa for Medical Treatment – 1,000

 Renewal of Medical Treatment Visa – 500

 Entry Visa for Expos and Conferences – 100

 Tourism Entry Visa – 100

 Renewal of Tourism Visa – 500

 Entry Visa for GCC State Residents – 100

 Renewal of GCC State Resident’s Visa – 500

 Entry Visa for GCC State Resident’s Companions – 100

 Renewal of GCC State Residents Companions’ Visa – 200

 Mission Entry Visa – 200

 Transit Entry Visa – 100

 

Price-check bulletins on everyday goods

By H Michael Jalili -The national

• Last Updated: July 12. 2008 11:38PM UAE / July 12. 2008 7:38PM GMT

 

Food shops throughout Abu Dhabi are to post regular price-check bulletins as part of plans by the Government to monitor price trends for essential commodities and help shoppers keep track of the cost of a basket of everyday goods, including bread, cereals, meat, fish, dairy products, cooking oil and fruits and vegetables.

The Department of Planning and Economy (DPE) said yesterday that its commodity prices index was “a vital project that would help create a positive and competitive climate for prices in Abu Dhabi emirate”.

Abu Dhabi buys New York’s Chrysler Building

The skyscraper at 405 Lexington Avenue, the world's tallest building until 1931, was acquired on Wednesday by the Abu Dhabi Investment Council for an undisclosed price.

By Bloomberg
Published: July 10, 2008, 00:04

New York: New York’s Chrysler Building, the Art Deco icon that helps define the New York skyline, was bought by an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, the second purchase of a Manhattan landmark by Middle East investors in many months.

The skyscraper at 405 Lexington Avenue, the world’s tallest building until 1931, was acquired yesterday by the Abu Dhabi Investment Council for an undisclosed price. Last month a Dubai fund, Boston Properties, and Goldman Sachs Group paid $2.8 billion for the General Motors Building.

Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and other Gulf countries flush with oil revenue have taken advantage of falling prices to invest in real estate and financial companies around the world.

Middle Eastern investors have spent $1.8 billion this year on commercial property in the US, more than other international buyers, according to Real Capital Analytics, a New York-based property research firm.

“We’re sending our money their way” to purchase oil, “and that money is coming back and buying our assets”, said Dan Fasulo, market analysis director at Real Capital.

Abu Dhabi Investment Council acquired the Chrysler Building from a fund managed by Prudential Financial, said Theresa Miller, spokeswoman for the Newark, New Jersey-based insurer. Rick Matthews, a spokesman for Tishman Speyer Properties, which owns a minority stake in the tower, declined to comment.Abu Dhabi Investment Council is prohibited by law from discussing its investments, an official said when contacted by telephone yesterday.

The Abu Dhabi fund was set to pay about $800 million for the building, said a person with knowledge of the transaction on June 11. The 77-storey tower, designed by William Van Alen, was completed in 1930 on behalf of then-owner Chrysler and its founder Walter Chrysler.

At 319 metres, the Chrysler Building was the world’s tallest skyscraper before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building a year later.

Abu  Umar : Entah apa lagi yang puak-puak emiratis ni akan beli pada masa hadapan. Mungkin dia akan beli negara pulak kut. Who knows…

Hope for Abu Dhabi housing crunch

 

Up and down: adding new buildings will mean 250 structures will have to be demolished. Andre Forget / The National

 By Bradley Hope

ABU DHABI // Abu Dhabi Commercial Properties (ADCP) is in the process of adding hundreds of new buildings to meet growing needs for housing.

That construction, however, will be accompanied by the demolition of 250 buildings, which will slow the impact that the new flats will have on the total housing market.

Dennis O’Connor, the chief executive of ADCP, said that the company is co-ordinating the construction of 750 new buildings to “reduce the increasing supply problem for places to live”,adding that there were only two vacancies in ADCP’s entire portfolio – the largest in the emirate – of 35,000 flats in 3,400 buildings. “The Government is ramping up its loans for new buildings,” he said. “They are trying to build up the housing stock as much as possible.”

The new buildings – which add up to about Dh2.9 billion (US$790 million) worth of development – will mostly be clustered in the Tourist Club area, Mussafah and Al Ain, he said. Supply will start coming online next year, with as many as three new buildings a week ready for occupancy starting in January.

The catch is that one-third of the buildings will replace older buildings, which the municipality had designated as no longer fit for habitation. The displaced people will be relocated by the Government to alternative housing until the new buildings are constructed.

“Most of the buildings are at least 20 years old, with structural issues,” Mr O’Connor said. “The Government has said that they must come down.”

Looking for a place to stay in 40 degrees weather

Subhanallah..what can i say!!

It is my first weekend here in Abu Dhabi City, so i took this free time to look for a place to stay somewhere around muroor area. What can i say, i think nothing is totally free in abu dhabi!! it cost me 100 dirham  just for viewing the said house. Lucky me, they brought me to 5 locations altogether, and that was quite a big relief though.

The most challenging part of the trip was not on the quick decision i have to make for the house. With more than 40 degrees outside temperature, it took me quite a while to familiarise with the situation. Now i really could see the advantages of not having ’so much whiter’ skin, and reason why Allah S.W.T create human with various skin color. So, having a ‘darker’ skin in abu dhabi is not so bad after all ( i guess)

Perhaps, 1 weekend is not enough for me (and all the newcomers i believe) to totally secure a 1 bedroom apartment/villa. I have basically found one during the trip, but still considering all the factors i.e parking lot, transportation wise, comfortability etc before deciding to secure one. i was quite shock that it cost me around 80-90k p.a thesedays just only to get a one bedroom villa inside or outside the city.

At this point of time, i am totally depends to Allah S.W.T. What can i say, i have nobody here in abu dhabi, and for 1 month or more, i really have to struggle before settling comfortably somewhere here.

Lets hope that luck will be on my side for the next couple of days..!!

Abu dhabi, here we go again…!!

The Journey begins…

Alhamdulillah, setelah melalui detik-detik yang sangat memenatkan pada hari sabtu yang lepas (28hb), akhirnya tercapai jua hasrat saya untuk mencari sesuap nasi di bumi Abu Dhabi. Pada 29hb Jun 2008 , penerbangan Etihad Airways EY411 yang saya naiki selamat mendarat di Abu Dhabi international Airport pada jam 0030 waktu abu dhabi.

Tercapai juga hasrat saya untuk bertemu dengan sahabat-sahabat seperjuangan sebelum menaiki pesawat yang dijadualkan pada pukul 9.30 malam.

Dengan izin Allah, seluuuuuruh keluarga saya menyambut pemergian saya ke abu dhabi di Penang Airport pada pagi 28hb itu.

Dengan izin Allah, sempat juga saya ketemu dengan sahabat-sahabat seperjuangan di lembah azwen, hulu langat sempena dengan muktamar sanawi pada tahun ni.

Dengan izin Allah jua lah, sempat juga saya memberi sepatah dua kata atas kapasiti sebagai Pengarah Sekretariat Muktamar.

Dan yang paling pentingnya, dengan izin Allah juga lah sempat saya menyelitkan ucapan mohon maaf kepada semua sahabat-sahabat yang  hadir pada hari itu. Hanya Allah taala yang mengetahui betapa sebaknya hati saya pada hari tersebut..

Setelah habis berucap, saya terpaksa bergegas bersama-sama dengan kereta nissan sentra abg awie (credit to abe awie n pokliah) ke KLIA untuk mengejar penerbangan ke abu dhabi pada pukul 9.30 malam.

Dengan izin Allah, tercapai juga hasrat saya untuk ketemu sahabat seperjuangan a.k.a pemuda pandan dan keluarga mentua di KLIA. Paling menariknya, saya dilayan semacam pak menteri yang nak meninggalkan negara atas urusan kerajaan. Abg nik dengan memegang camcorder panasonic nya, mat faisal dengan camera jamaahnya..Subhanallah, memang indah nilai ukhuwwah islamiyyah yang engkau kurniakan kepdaku Ya Allah..!!

Apapun, perjuangan harus diteruskan. Sempat juga naqib saya, Ust Zul membisikkan kepada saya semasa berpelukan memohon maaf sebelum melepasi imigresen, “Teruskan Perjuangan!!”, katanya.

Tidak kira di negara manapun, islam harus tetap dijulang dan dimartabatkan di muka bumi Allah Taala ini. Perkara yang pertama harus saya buat ialah untuk mencari Jemaah Islam yang ada di kota Abu Dhabi ini. Jika tidak ada, nampak gaya tugas berat menanti saya untuk nak memulakan gerak kerja islam ini.

Abu Dhabi, here goes nuttin’….!!

Visas in the UAE

Regulations in the UAE are complicated and subject to change. Check with your local UAE Embassy or travel agent prior to leaving to be sure. There are several different types of visa available. The most commonly used are Visit visas, tourist visas and residency visas for ex-pats.

Visit visa: Visit visas valid for 30 days will cost Dh500. This cannot be renewed. A person wishing to stay for an extended period must obtain a visit visa valid for 90 days that costs Dh1,000. Citizens of the certain countries (listed in the next paragraph) can get a 30-day visit visa free of charge upon arrival, entitling them to stay for 60 days: Britain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Finland, Malta, Spain, Monaco, Vatican, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.