Dec 23, 2016 10:30 am IST Sri Lanka is getting ready to join dozens of other countries that have broken festive records by building the world’s tallest artificial Christmas tree. A Wall Street Journal article explains why the tree nearly didn’t get made. Below are a few other holiday records that remain unbroken, according to the Guinness World Records. Tallest artificial tree Sri Lanka looks set to […]
Although students at Abu Dhabi’s Future Rehabilitation Centre achieve varying degrees of independence after they graduate, the ideal is to land a job. One such graduate to have achieved this is Eid Al Shamsi, a 21-year-old Emirati who is now working at the Ministry of Interior’s human rights department. When he was a boy, Mr Al Shamsi had initially been enrolled in a private school, where he […]
For Lindsay Lohan, adopting new roles and changing her image seems to have become as much a part of her personal life as it was in her acting career. Following well-documented struggles with addiction, turbulent relationships and a somewhat chequered history as an actress, the 30-year-old is embracing her latest real-life role. She has become a self-proclaimed humanitarian campaigner for Syria and Turkey, in addition to reportedly […]
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for December 23, 2016, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. newslide Abu Dhabi Festive fun Visit Al Maryah Island for the Winter Wonderland, featuring cosy winter cottages hosting activities including bauble-decorating, cracker-making and gingerbread-house-decorating. A skating rink and snow park offer a wintry feel, while […]
Two illegal immigrants planning to enter the UAE by hiding in a truck have been arrested, according to a news report. Officials in Mezyad Customs Centre in Abu Dhabi pulled over an Arab truck driver and conducted a search. They found two people hiding in the spare tyre compartment, Khaleej Times reported. Mohammed Khadem Al Hameli, acting director of Abu Dhabi’s general administration of customs, said that […]
ZURICH Swiss biotech group Actelion’s (ATLN.S) shares rose by more than 3 percent on Wednesday following a report that talks with Sanofi (SASY.PA) are making progress, increasing optimism that the two will strike a deal. Reuters reported late on Tuesday that discussions between the Swiss and French companies are progressing, despite investors’ fears that the Swiss biotech firm’s chief executive and founder might not want to sell. […]
ABU DHABI // Forecasters warned of fog and mist over most of the Western Region on Wednesday morning. The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology in the capital said satellite images indicated much of Al Gharbia, including the Al Dhafra and Al Hamra areas, were affected by fog formation in the early hours. The rest of the country is expected to have fair to partly cloudy weather […]
DUBAI // A total of 80,710 traffic violations were booked by We are All Police, a community-driven police initiative, between January and November this year, official figures show. Brig Saif Al Mazrouie, Director, General Directorate of Traffic, Dubai Police, said 28,180 violations were caught by camera, 52,280 violations were registered by military personnel and 38,163 were registered by individual volunteers, state news agency, Wam reported. “May has […]
ABU DHABI // A Canadian teacher working at a private school in the capital was one of the 34 people injured in Sunday’s attack in the southern Jordanian city of Karak that left 10 people dead. Christopher Vatcher, a teacher at Abu Dhabi Grammar School (Canada), sustained a bullet wound to the shoulder and is expected to make a full recovery, a family friend told CBC News. […]
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for December 20, 2016, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. newslide Abu Dhabi Fitness event Women can enjoy exercising outdoors in the cooler weather every Wednesday at GoYas. Daman Activelife presents the ladies-only event that lets you walk, jog or bike around the shortened 3km […]
The UAE’s Federal National Council on Tuesday endorsed the budget for 2017, set in late October by the Cabinet at AED48.7 billion ($13.3 billion), with a prime focus on education, social development and health. The budget is a marginal rise on the AED48.5 billion budget set for 2016, suggesting UAE authorities remain cautious about spending as low oil prices pressure state finances. The approval came at a […]
It’s that time of the year again when all manner of weird, wacky and wonderful gifts appear in the UAE’s malls to temp Christmas shoppers. From remote control cars, to pine scented candles and fur covered flip-flops, there’s something for young and old, shy and bold this season. Flick through our slideshow to see more. newslide Bags of fun Kids familiar with The Gruffalo character will relish […]
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for December 20, 2016, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. newslide Abu Dhabi Art exhibition No White Walls continues at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, where you can see works created by professional artists in the UAE as part of an initiative to develop the art […]
A last-ditch attempt by Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the struggling Italian bank, to raise up to €5bn in capital was thrown into doubt after the country’s private bank rescue fund expressed “strong reservations” over the terms of a bridge loan that is key to the deal. On Monday, MPS said in a statement that it was “in contact” with Quaestio Capital Management — which manages the […]
Christmas is a time that centres around family, friends, fun and an abundance of food. Nearly every restaurant across the country is offering at least one celebratory meal this weekend in honour of the festive tradition, so there is no shortage of options. While there are plenty of good options from established venues, why not treat yourself to something new – and try a Christmas feast at […]
A medical programme has launched in Sudan to provide treatment to children suffering from congenital heart diseases. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives programme aims to treat children in their home country so they do not have to be separated from their families. Hamad Al Junaibi, the UAE Ambassador in Sudan, praised the Nabadat team, saying it would further ties of brotherhood between the two […]
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for December 19, 2016, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. newslide Abu Dhabi Film screenings Catch two film screenings as part of the Cinema Space series. The Patience Stone (pictured), a film in Dari (Afhgan Persion) with English subtitles, is about a young woman in […]
Air Marshal Mark Binskin, chief of the Australian Defence Force, on Sunday visited Wahat Al Karama (Oasis of Dignity) memorial in Abu Dhabi to honour the UAE’s heroes who had died for their country. Mr Binskin inspected the guard of honour, laid a wreath at the Martyr’s Memorial and visited the Pavilion of Honour, where he was briefed on the martyrs’ names. He said the national landmark […]
It’s been a big month in theme parks in the UAE, with the official opening of Dubai Parks & Resorts in Dubai Sunday, news that IMG Worlds of Adventure are opening yet another venue, Legends, and Miral announcing that SeaWorld is coming to Abu Dhabi. By the time the Expo comes to the UAE in the year 2020, almost every popular movie and animation brand you can […]
ABU DHABI // The UAE increased foreign aid by 43 per cent in 2015, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation revealed on Saturday. In its report, UAE’s Foreign Aid In 2015, the ministry said the UAE spending on humanitarian, charitable and developmental forms rose to Dh32.34 billion, up from Dh22.64bn in 2014. The goal was to help improve the living standards of individuals, regardless of […]
ABU DHABI // The fifth batch of female national service military recruits has graduated at a ceremony at the Khawla Bint Al Azwar Military School. The ceremony was attended by Major General Sheikh Ahmad bin Tahnoun, Chairman of the National and Reserve Service Authority, who praised the graduates, state news agency Wam reported. Colonel Afra Al Falasi, commander of the military school, said National Service sought to […]
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for December 18, 2016, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. newslide Abu Dhabi Festival tickets Buy tickets for the Abu Dhabi Festival, which runs from March 14 to 31 and features artists across a variety of genres and nationalities, opening with Saudi singer Mohamed Abdo. […]
When the first commercial solar photovoltaic panel was unveiled in 1954, it was only capable of converting into electricity six per cent of the Sun’s light. Efficiency has increased since then, making solar a viable option for homes and power plants alike. The gains started plateauing in the 1990s and today’s panels, which convert about a quarter of the sunlight they capture into electricity, are only slightly […]
The UAE is close to being self-sufficient in producing generic drugs as 16 pharmaceutical facilities are manufacturing up to 1,000 such drugs, according to a senior official from the Ministry of Health and Prevention. Dr Ameen Hussain Al Amiri, the Ministry’s Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Health and Licensing said in comments published by news agency WAM that the country is also planning to increase the number of […]
