DUBAI AIR SHOW SITE TO GET THIRD HALLMOVE TO GIVE SHOW ADDITIONAL 10,000 SQUARE METRES
Click image for expanded view
DUBAI Thursday, July 22, 2004.Airport Expo Dubai, the purpose-built home of the Dubai air show, is to get a third hall to cope with increased space demand for the world’s fastest growing aerospace exhibition.
Details of the expansion were unveiled at the Farnborough International air show today by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai and Chairman of the Emirates Group.
“This development lives up to the commitment of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, given at the Dubai 2003 air show, to expand the air show site to prepare for future demand,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed.
“Foundation work on the new facilities will begin in October this year and will be completed in time for Dubai 2005.”
The planned new Central Hall will link the existing East and West halls and the Airport Expo’s expansive reception building and will bring an additional 10,000 square metres of space to the Dubai air show.
“The design allows for integral expansion of the current East and West halls creating visitor free-flow through all three halls,” explained Virginia Kern, Chairman, Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E), which organises the Dubai air show. “The additional space will also allow us to create new meeting and seminar rooms within the halls.”
The Airport Expo Dubai, the permanent home of the Dubai air show since 1999, has been hailed by the international aerospace industry as a world-class venue. However, growth in the Dubai air show – Dubai 2003 was the largest to date with 12% additional contracted floor space than Dubai 2001 – led to the expansion demand.
“The 2003 show was a sell-out, and already we have many new companies signing up and existing exhibitors looking to grow, hence the additional space is vital to meet 2005 demand,” said Clive Richardson, Chief Executive, Aerospace Group, F&E. “Now with detailed site plans, the stand allocation for Dubai 2005 starts in earnest.”
Dubai 2005, which will be held from November 20-24, will also feature a series of initiatives likely to drive demand even further.
“We have for the first time introduced an unmanned aerial vehicle arena and are actively pursuing the feasibility of a training and simulation pavilion,” explained Alison Weller, Project Manager, F&E. “We are also considering the introduction of special zones for small-to-medium-size exhibitors which will be deliberately located within the halls to increase visibility of this exhibitor segment.”
Focus on Your World
UNEP Launches International Photographic Competition on the Environment 2004 - 2005
Barcelona/Nairobi 22 July, 2004 - Professionals and amateurs alike are today being urged to unclip their dust caps and load up their cameras for the world's biggest environmental photo competition.
As part of the annual World Environment Day celebrations in Barcelona, Spain, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is launching its fourth International Photographic Competition on the Environment, sponsored once again by Canon Inc.
Nineteen parallel launches in addition to Barcelona are planned in key cities and centres around the globe including Beirut, Buenos Aires, Dakar, New York and Tokyo. (See notes to editors)
The UNEP International Photographic Competition on the Environment 2004 - 2005 will run until 24 October, 2004 and is open to all nationalities and ages.
Also supporting the competition are Japan Airlines (JAL), TIME Magazine, National Geographic Society, and Earth Report/Television Trust for the Environment.
A Gold Prize of US$20,000 will be awarded to the winner of the General category, which is open to applicants aged 25 years or over. There are also separate categories and cash prizes for "Youth" and "Children".
Klaus Toepfer, UNEP's Executive Director, said: "The previous three competitions have proved highly successful, generating huge interest within the photographic world and significant public awareness of environmental issues globally. We are again extremely grateful to Canon for its sponsorship and those companies and organizations who will be promoting this important event."
Fujio Mitarai, president and CEO of Canon Inc., said:"Our corporate philosophy is kyosei, which means living and working together for the common good. In accordance with this philosophy, we believe that a harmonious coexistence with nature and the environment is essential for society to achieve sustainable development. I hope that the photographers participating in this competition, through the images they have captured, will be able to share the kyosei philosophy ideal with the world."
The fourth competition has, as in the previous ones, secured the full support of the United Nations family through the United Nations Department of Public Information and more than 20 agencies who are members of the United Nations Communications Group.
To restore Planet Earth, its people, wildlife and ecosystems back to health requires sound science, assessments and policies, suggested Mr Toepfer. "But it also requires an unleashing of the human spirit with its capacity for compassion, fairness and respect. Images have, since primitive times, been sources of inspiration and contemplation able to reveal the joy and tragedy of our place in the world," he added.
"I hope the pictures submitted for the fourth competition will, like those from the previous ones, help catalyze the political and social changes needed to reach our goals and targets on issues from water and sanitation to wildlife, waste and poverty reduction. I hope they will also delight and illuminate, while bringing to the notice of the global public new names and a new generation of talented photographers," he said.
Notes to Editors
The UNEP International Photographic Competition on the Environment 2004 -2005 will be awarding Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes in each of the General, Youth and Children's categories.The Youth category is open to young people aged 15 to 24 years old. The Children's category is open to anyone aged 14 or younger.
The new competition will not distinguish between different technologies, with analog and digital submissions judged side by side.
The distinguished panel of judges, headed by Takeyoshi Tanuma of Japan, will include Sebasti?o Salgado of Brazil, Raghu Rai of India, Susan Meiselas from the U.S.A., and Enny Nuraheni of Indonesia, all world famous photographers.
Cities Launching the Competition
Africa: Dakar, Nairobi, Pretoria
Asia Pacific: Bangkok, Beijing, New Delhi, Seoul, Sydney and Tokyo
Europe: Barcelona, Geneva, London, Moscow, Paris, Sofia
Latin America and the Caribbean: Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro
North America: New York
West Asia: BeirutFull details of the competition's rules and regulations; information on how to submit photographs in both hard and electronic formats and an application form can be read and downloaded at www.unep-photo.com
World Environment Day (WED), commemorated each year on 5 June is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.WED was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Another resolution, adopted by the General Assembly the same day, led to the creation of UNEP.
Information on the day, logos, posters, fact sheets and ideas on how to celebrate WED can be found at www.unep.org/wed/2004
National Falcon Centre at Nad Al Sheba area at a cost of Dhs16 million
Dubai, 20 July 2004
Final touches being given to the National Falcon Centre building.
Dubai Municipality has completed the construction of National Falcon Centre at Nad Al Sheba area at a cost of Dhs16 million. Eng. Mattar Al Tayer, Assistant Director General for Roads and General Projects Affairs said the project, which took seven months to complete, will become a land mark in the city of Dubai as a centre for specialized trade and tourism.
He said that the National Falcon Centre will also be an urban and heritage land mark of Dubai and will be the only such place in the UAE and the Middle East.Set in a good environment, the building, is an ideal place for all activities related to falcon including falcon hunting.
Al Tayer said the centre has a falcon Souq for falcon traders and falcon breeders that comprises of 20 shops of 7x11 metres for selling falcons.
Built in the traditional architectural pattern, the shops surrounding an area are covered by a huge tent. The Souq also has a model of a traditional well and is distinctively attractive due to the provision of different characteristics of a traditional market.
The Souq also comprises of a small mosque, which is a replica of the old Masjid Bin Suroor in the Shindagha area, a cafeteria, gift shops, in addition to an area outside the Souq for training in falconry. The entire area, including the courtyard, which is covered by a tent and the public area are centrally air-conditioned.The Centre will also include an exhibition and a museum featuring the history of falcons in three halls and another hall for light and sound show and 3D shows.
The first hall will be used to showcase falcon sporting and its history as it was the sport practised by kings in the Arabian Gulf. The second hall is dedicated for the life of falcons, its breeding and variety of falcons used for hunting. The 3D film hall will focus on the modern and traditional methods of falcon hunting in the UAE, its heritage, and training. The fourth hall would provide information about falcon hatching, caring the health of falcons and bringing them up in cages.
The entrance of the National Falcon Centre, spread over an area of 27,500 square metres in Al Markadh area, is located on Muscat Road near the Camel Race track and Camel Souq.Al Tayer said that while designing the Centre, the traditional architectural patterns were taken in to consideration in all the aspects of the structure. There are three Barjeels (wind towers) with a height of 27 metres each.
He said that the shops in the Souq have already been rented out. A veterinary doctor is also made available at the Souq, which has been provided with a large car parking area, besides, the visitors can also use the parking area of the Camel Souq, said Al Tayer.
NEW AUTOMATIC “SLIM WATCH” FROM BMW LIFESTYLE
22/07/04 -Sporty and stylish with sophisticated technology and modern design, are the characteristics of the new BMW automatic watches – Slim Watch - for men and women.The Slim Watch is ultra slim, features an ETA automatic mechanism and echoes the classic BMW design. The BMW Z4 Roadster’s clear and precise outline and flawless style, was the source of inspiration for the watch design.The BMW watches boast matt-brushed steel casings, leather straps and clearly structured dials with the peerless BMW logo replacing the digit 12.BMW watches and other BMW Lifestyle products are available at BMW Group importers across the region.
Ice Skating Becomes a Dangerous Game in Dubai Leisureland
Adobe Systems Reports Strong Q2 Revenue and Earnings
Record Adobe Creative Suite and Adobe Acrobat Revenue Drive 28 Percent Top Line Growth
July 21, 2004 Adobe Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: ADBE) has reported strong revenues and earnings for the year's second quarter that ended June 4, 2004.In the second quarter of fiscal year 2004, Adobe achieved revenue of $410.1 million, compared to $320.1 million reported for the second quarter of fiscal 2003 and $423.3 million reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2004. On a year-over-year basis, this represents 28 percent revenue growth. Adobe's second quarter revenue target range, revised upward on May 3, 2004, was $390 to $410 million.
"Continued strong demand for the Adobe Creative Suites and the Adobe Acrobat product family, combined with solid execution across our business, highlighted another exceptional quarter," said Bruce R. Chizen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Adobe Systems Incorporated. "Our strategy of delivering comprehensive platforms to our customers is driving greater revenue than anticipated. As a result, we expect to exceed our previous full year financial targets."
GAAP diluted earnings per share for the second quarter of fiscal 2004 were $0.44. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share, which does not include an investment gain from the company's venture program, also were $0.44. Adobe's revised GAAP and non-GAAP second quarter earnings target range was $0.39 to $0.44 per share.
GAAP net income was $109.4 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2004, compared to $64.2 million reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2003, and $123.0 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2004. On a year-over-year basis, GAAP net income grew 70 percent.Non-GAAP net income, which does not include investment gains and losses, was $108.8 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2004, compared to $66.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2003, and $123.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2004. On a year-over-year basis, non-GAAP net income grew 63 percent.
GAAP diluted earnings per share for the second quarter of fiscal 2004 were $0.44 based on 247.0 million weighted average shares. This compares with GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.27 reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2003, based on 239.2 million weighted average shares, and GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.50 reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2004, based on 246.1 million weighted average shares.
Adobe's GAAP and non-GAAP operating income was $141.8 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2004, compared to $91.5 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2003 and $163.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2004. As a percent of revenue, GAAP and non-GAAP operating income in the second quarter of fiscal 2004 were 34.6 percent, compared to 28.6 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2003 and 38.6 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2004.
Company Provides Third Quarter Financial Targets
For the third quarter of fiscal 2004, the Company announced that it is targeting revenue of $360 to $380 million, a gross margin range of approximately 93 to 94 percent, and GAAP and non-GAAP operating margin ranges of 28 to 31 percent.As a percent of revenue, Adobe is targeting third quarter expenses as follows:Research & Development - approximately 21 to 22 percent
Sales & Marketing - approximately 32 to 34 percent
General & Administrative - approximately 9 to 10 percent.
In addition, Adobe is targeting its share count range to be between 247 and 249 million shares in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. The Company also is targeting other income in its third quarter to be approximately $4 million, and a tax rate of 26 percent. These targets lead to third quarter GAAP and non-GAAP earnings per share target ranges of $0.31 to $0.36.The Company currently believes targeted non-GAAP earnings per share and non-GAAP operating margin results will not differ materially from targeted GAAP results. The Adobe Board of Directors declared this quarter's cash dividend of $0.0125 per share, payable on July 13, 2004 to stockholders of record as of June 29, 2004.
Fujitsu Siemens Computers opens NetWeaver Solution Centers in Europe
Focus on FlexFrame for mySAP Business Suite
July 19, 2004 As part of Fujitsu Limited's announcement to open four NetWeaver Solution Centers across the globe, Fujitsu Siemens Computers announces it will establish a NetWeaver Solution Center in Walldorf, Germany as one of the four centers. With this announcement Fujitsu Siemens Computers is reinforcing its leadership as innovator in the SAP field and particularly with SAP NetWeaver. The Walldorf center will be in operation within the third quarter of the calendar year 2004.
The NetWeaver Solution Center in Walldorf will support customers by providing in-depth information to help them deploy SAP NetWeaver, SAP's open integration- and application platform in conjunction with IT Infrastructure solutions from Fujitsu Siemens Computers. A variety of scenarios will be on display to offer potential customers a close-up look at SAP NetWeaver in action. Specially trained experts will hold workshops to help those interested develop deployment scenarios tailored specifically to their needs, as well as to work on advance technology and concepts.
FlexFrame™ for mySAP™ Business Suite: background
FlexFrame for mySAP Business Suite is an early incarnation of grid technology. It is also the first worldwide IT Infrastructure realization of SAP Adaptive Computing capabilities and a joint project of the technology partners Fujitsu Siemens Computers and Network Appliance. It allows a significant reduction in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for entire IT environments by reducing outlay for internal integration. FlexFrame for mySAP Business Suite thus enables an organization to pursue a growth strategy and quickly react to changes in its business environment.SAP Adaptive Computing Capabilities and its adaptation on IT Infrastructure level with FlexFrame for mySAP Business Suite bring about substantially increased IT infrastructure flexibility by simplifying the implementation and execution of business applications and cutting operating costs. These enhanced results are achieved via the full virtualization of mySAP Business Suite solutions and the decoupling of these services from infrastructural resources, such as computing, network, storage, and control/system management. These resources are then made available on the basis of the innovative principles of autonomous systems by way of features such as virtualization and automatic provisioning. More than 20 customers worldwide have already experienced the value and benefits of FlexFrame™ for mySAP™ Business Suite with proven TCO reductions on 30% and more.
Furthermore, FlexFrame is also a practical example of virtualization for TRIOLETM, the most recent global IT optimization strategy announced by Fujitsu Siemens Computers.
Givenchy launches UAE Junior Snooker Series.
The UAE Junior Snooker Series has started in earnest with the help of Givenchy. The first tournament of the series for 2004 was held in Al Karama's Dubai Snooker Club at the weekend.
A total of sixteen players between the ages of ten and twenty attended the tournament that carries cash prizes of DHS 5,000 plus posh gifts provided by Givenchy for the finalists.
Most of the players were newcomers from the training camp that has been progressing in the last few weeks. The practice the boys put in paid dividends as they acquitted themselves very well, particularly the players who had never held a cue in their hand two weeks ago.The format of the event was to seed the players and split them up into four groups of four players, with each player playing three matches.With these matches over, the top two players of each group went through into the quarter finals for their best of five encounters. For the first time at this level in UAE Junior competition were Abdulla Ibrahim Hashim and Yasser Obaid Al Khayat. Both players gained in experience rather than results, however, as they went down 3-0 to veteran campaigners Tariq Bufaroosha and Amin Fikree respectively.
The semi finals saw a pair of Dubai - Abu Dhabi challenges, with the duo from the UAE capital city emerging victorious to book their place in this week's final. Ahmad Abdul Qader the current UAE Junior number two, swept past Tariq Bufaroosha 4-1, whilst Saif Al Muhairi overcame former UAE Junior number one Amin Fikree, also for the loss of only one frame. Al Muhairi now tests uncharted waters for his first appearance in the final of an event in the UAE Junior Snooker Series.
Running alongside these matches was the plate competition for those placed third and fourth in their groups. With all the players lapping up the experience, it was the Kamali brothers who arguably did best. Eleven year old Khalid Ali and fourteen year old Abdulla Ali fought out their match in the semi final before Khalid Ali Kamali booked his place in the final of his first ever tournament. The final will be played this week against the winner from the second half of the draw, Abul Rahman Saif Al Shamsi.
Meena Chainani of Givenchy, who gave away gifts to all entrants in the competition, noted: "We are very pleased to see so many players practicing well, and we feel sure the popularity of the training will continue to build as time goes on."
A no smoking rule applies to all spectating, training and matches in the programme, which continues daily at Dubai Snooker Club from 4pm-6pm for UAE locals. For further details talk to Nic Barrow on 050 45 69 147 or Dubai Snooker Club on 04 33 75 338.Photo 1: Meena Chainani of Givenchy and UAE National Coach Nic Barrow present gifts to the players. Photo 2: Aiming to shoot!
LAUSANNE JARDINS 2004 COMES INTO BLOOM
Beau-Rivage Palace beckons Middle Eastern guests to
bathe in greenery at annual garden festivalDubai, 20 July, 2004: The Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne Switzerland is beckoning green fingered garden lovers from the Middle East to come and see the innovative garden creations on display at the recently opened Lausanne Jardin 2004 show.
Until 17 October unique garden displays will be on show in the picturesque lakeside town of Lausanne in Switzerland demonstrating how gardeners can turn wasteland into verdant oases.
Dotted along the railway line between Lausanne and Renens the 36 garden designs that make up the exhibition can be viewed during a railway ride - the train making stops along the way so that visitors can savour the detail of each garden.
With a beautiful lakeside park of its own, the Beau-Rivage Palace is the perfect place for enthusiasts to start their garden exploration. The elegant hotel has a number of individually designed rooms and suites offering views of the lake and garden.
Prices for a weekend stay start at just CHF 703 per room, per night and includes a welcome drink, fruits and flowers in your room, daily breakfast and 'menu du chef' at the hotel's fine dining establishment, La Rotonde and also use of the fitness facilities at the hotel.
Trend of building community complexes gathers momentum in the Middle East
The Garden, Nakheel's self contained residential complex, has emerged as a model community-driven township
July 20, 2004 The fundamentals of active and wholesome community living are being redefined with the emergence of community complexes across the Middle East region, in response to a demand for planned residential enclaves offering not just elegant lifestyles but avenues for social activity.
The Gardens, one of the large residential townships with an active social environment, has set the trend in the UAE, by encouraging the residents to participate in community and humanitarian activities.
"We see a growing demand for planned townships with modern amenities and a healthy community living experience," said Wahid Attalla, Executive Director Commercial and Operations, Nakheel. "Such properties give families various opportunities to relax and interact with people from different cultures and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. It marks a dramatic new development in the concept of community living in the Middle East region."
"We are currently unable to entertain any further renting enquiries as the 3,828 apartments are fully occupied. There is a huge waiting list of discerning customers who have expressed their interest in living in the Gardens," said Attalla "This huge response is proof enough of the preferences of the people, when it comes to choosing a home."
The Gardens is the first completed project of Nakheel, the region's pioneer property developers who are behind some of Dubai's most iconic projects including The Palm Jumeirah, The Palm Jebel Ali, The World, International City, The Jumeirah Lake Towers and The Gardens Shopping Mall.
The Gardens is a master planned self-contained community that offers its residents an enriching living experience complete with all amenities and leisure facilities. It hosts two internationally renowned schools, a private medical facility, swimming pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, volley ball courts, grass football and cricket fields, a community park, tot lots in every neighbourhood for children to play, and bicycle paths, all in beautifully landscaped and lush greenery surroundings. A petrol station that is open 24 hours, offers the services of car wash, full vehicle services and a mini mart are also among the facilities at the Gardens.
The vicinity will host the uniquely themed Gardens Shopping Mall, which promises to be one of the most significant shopping experiences in the whole of the Middle East. The mall will open its doors to customers in the first quarter of 2005.
The Gardens community features a cosmopolitan mix of more than 12,000 residents, who come from varied cultures and different parts of the world, making it a socially alive multinational living experience in Dubai. The community currently comprises 35 per cent Arabs, 30 per cent Westerners and Asians among other nationalities.
"The Gardens is committed to offer its residents a community lifestyle which is unique in the Middle East. Our residents benefit from value services such as discounts on furniture, electronic appliances and many other items from selected vendors," said Attalla. "There is an expanded scope for developing the social side through events during festivals other leisure and sporting activities. We are working hard to involve the residents into diverse programs covering social, sporting, charitable, educational and entertainment fields," he added.
The Gardens has its own soccer and cricket teams and organises social activities such as Eid Fun Fair, Christmas Fete 2004, Weekend Market 2004, Ramadan Gala and picnics.
The Gardens boasts its own residents' committee, which interacts with the management on a regular basis to present suggestions and concerns of the residents. The cooperation between the community committee and the management resulted in various initiatives including the Charity Centre, where residents can send their contributions for disaster relief or make a donation for a good cause, and The Gardens Toastmaster Club, which offers public speaking programmes to enhance the self-confidence and leadership skills of the participants.
The Gardens management is currently working on several other programmes that will make The Gardens the complete community living experience in the heart of new Dubai. Because of its strategic location in the vicinity of Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and other business clusters, many of the Gardens residents find it easy to commute to work and back, thus finding a lot of quality time that they could spend with their families and fellow residents.
Dubai eGovernment to conduct usability audits to ensure uniform standards for government departments' websites
Signs MoU with specialized website auditing company to review and action discrepancies in web offerings
July 21, 2004 Dubai eGovernment is to carry out usability audit of government departments' websites that are integrated with the Dubai eGovernment portal (www.dubai.ae) to ensure they continue to have uniform standards as set by Dubai eGovernment. Usability auditing refers to the total professional analysis of a website from both technical and users' point of view, keeping Dubai eGovernment's guidelines as the yardstick.
Dubai eGovernment recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Masiya Net FZ, a subsidiary of Afflatus, a UAE local company, tasking the latter with the job of analysing government departments' websites and suggesting recommendations if they do not adhere to Dubai eGovernment's guidelines and format.
"As many as 24 government departments have integrated their websites with Dubai eGovernment's portal in keeping with our vision of delivering eServices from the single location with a single sign in. To achieve uniformity and common standards in content and delivery, it is important that each website is monitored for usability and accessibility by an expert," said Mahmood Al Bastaki, Business Process Re-engineering Consultant, Dubai eGovernment.
"The MoU with Afflatus will enable us to achieve this effectively, while we devote ourselves to our core responsibilities of upgrading our service standards."The analysis done by the company will cover all aspects of web design and development, from logo placement, colour coding and text colour to missing items, links without content, design dissimilarities and lack of clarity. The MoU advises that a number of workshops be organized for this purpose, if necessary, to update the government departments with the required usability measures.
"Monitoring usability standards has been a normal practice with Dubai eGovernment since the start of the initiative in 2002," said Anas Haddad, Content Manager, Dubai eGovernment. "With the appointment of a specialised agency to handle the auditing aspect, Dubai eGovernment is raising the bar on quality standards of the website of the participating government departments.
"As our mission is to offer citizens high-quality eServices, we want to
ensure that the user gets easy and quick access to the various services from any of the 24 departments," said Haddad. "This usability auditing service, conducted by a specialised IT company, will provide us with constant feedback which will lead to standardisation among government departments,thus resulting in the delivery of quality and competent services. This is a very significant step, because Dubai eGovernment's objective is to have 70% of services automated by the year 2005."
Dubai, 23 July 2004
DUBAI - The Car Parking Section of the Roads Department in Dubai Municipality has accomplished two vital projects that will help enhance the overall quality of services provided to the users of car parking facilities in the Emirate of Dubai.
The first project, called Central Control System of Pay Parking Machines, is a system to control the pay parking machines through remote control, while the second project is a system for issuing automated fines using computers, said Eng. Nasser Ahmed Saeed, Director of Roads Department.
"The first project, at a cost of Dhs10 million, is implemented with the most advanced technology available in the world at present. We had to develop such a system because the number of pay parking machines have increased to a great extent and it has become difficult to handle them manually," he said.
Saeed said that this parking control system is a highly technological mechanism using the most advanced equipments and software linking all the 1,447 pay parking machines to a computerised central control system through GSM technology."The equipment works automatically round the clock and does all the follow up works. It informs the status of the pay parking machines, collects data regarding faulty machines, required maintenance, analysis of the work, and also saves all these things in a comprehensive database and at the same time reaches the technicians directly by sending them SMS messages," said Saeed.
Speaking about the characteristics of the system, Mahdi Ali Redha, Head of Car Parking Section in the Roads Department said, a dynamic display changing monitor will reveal the status of the equipment with detailed information by monitoring the work of the pay parking machines facilitating the follow up work of correcting the faults by technicians in the locations.
He said the system also include a 51" Plasma screen with dynamic display changing of maps in order to determine the location of the pay parking machine. "This will also specify the status of the machine facilitating the monitoring work," said Redha.
He said that there is also a system to inform round the clock the faults immediately after they occur and follow up the repair work within the quickest possible time by way of sending SMS messages through mobile phones to the technicians in the field specifying the faulty machine's number, the type of fault and the time of occurrence.
Redha said synchronizing the time in the pay parking machines is done through Global Positioning System (GPS) to adjust the differences in daily timing. "In addition to that the same equipment is used to regulate the time in the computer in the Municipality," he said."The system also includes a program for the daily Collection round at the Finance Department and for controlling and monitoring these operations in order to prevent manipulation and also for issuing the required financial reports," said Redha.
He said the system also controls the maintenance and emergency repairs to ensure that regular maintenance is done as per the requirement over a specified period.
Redha said the system also applies the rules and regulations of the Local Order regarding holidays including the government and Islamic holidays in order to make sure that all the 1,447 pay parking machines are programmed within one hour to work without charges during these periods. "It takes three days for five technicians to do this work manually," he said.
Redha said that a special program is uploaded to operate all the 1,447 pay parking machines through remote communication in an hour. "If done manually this work would have taken 18 days for two technicians and one revenue officer to pull the cash box," he said.
Redha said that in the near future the system will also provide a service for paying the parking fees and issuing parking slips through mobile phones using the central control system.
He said the second project with a cost of Dhs4.7 million is a system for issuing automated fines using computers. "This system will be activated by the end of August on an experimental basis," said Redha.
He said this is an automatic field inspection system for vehicles at the paid parking areas. "The parking wardens of the Car Parking Section will issue automated fines, which will be transferred simultaneously to the control centre through remote communication using GPRS system. This will be immediately transferred to the concerned traffic departments of the country," said Redha.
He said this system has many advantages. "Automated issuing of fines and its simultaneous transfer from the location to the main database of the Municipality and traffic departments can avoid manual entry and scrutiny by the administrative employees in the offices," said Redha.
He pointed out that the system offers better quality in the overall services provided to the users of public parking lots. "It include electronic subscription, payment of parking fees using mobile phones according to the period of parking, and facility for extending the parking time without returning to the parking metre for buying new tickets. In addition to that, mistakes regarding fines by entering and checking manually or entering the fine data next day can be reduced," he said.
Redha said this system would provide ten minutes time for the vehicle owner to buy parking ticket before issuing automated fines that prevents the parking warden issuing fines before the ten minutes grace period.
"The prayer time program, implemented throughout the year, gives a grace period of 15 minutes before and after the prayers for vehicles parked in front of mosques. Parking wardens are not allowed to issue fines during these timings in front of mosques," he said.
Redha said the new system gives the car rental firms a special facility for enquiring about the fines issued to the rented cars at the same time it is issued. "This helps them avoid any loss that could happen if the fines are not entered at the same time," he said.
"As a lot of time is saved the Municipality staff can utilise it for enhancing their job competence and provide a comprehensive database of the car parking system," he said.
In addition to that, the traffic wardens can also gradually implement paperless administration on a daily or weekly or yearly basis, Redha said.
He said that there is also a possibility of using the system in the future for providing enquiry services for the tourists as well as other public who can be accessed through Geographic Information System. (KM Bureau Dubai)
Cellucom presents first and exclusive Middle-East pre-screening of Bollywood blockbuster "Mujhse Shaadi Karogi"
Over 1,000 free passes to be won at Cellucom outlets and www.uclubme.com
July 21, 2004
Cellucom, one of the premier distributors of mobile communication devices and accessories in the Middle East, along with its online community for mobile phone users, UClub, will present the pre-screening for a fun-filled David Dhawan movie, 'Mujhse Shaadi Karogi' on July 27, 2004 at Grand Cineplex, Dubai. The event is being held in partnership with Cellucom's business partner, Nokia.
The exclusive screening is being held a day before the official release of the movie in the Middle East and is strictly an invitee-only show. Qasim Recording Company, the local arm of T-Series, a leading movie and music distributor in India and the Middle East are distributing the movie.
Cellucom is giving away free passes to the show through a series of promotional offers. Customers will receive a free movie pass on the purchase of two UClub pre-paid cards. UClub prepaid cards enable mobile phone users to buy content from the UClub site or through their phones with 50 percent extra value per card. Film enthusiasts can also log onto UClub's portal, uclubme.com to enter a contest based on the movie. 100 lucky participants who SMS the correct answer can win two passes each to the movie.
Besides this, Cellucom will also offer passes to its mobile phone customers - one pass each on purchase of a phone worth a minimum AED 500 and/or accessories worth AED 100 at any Cellucom outlet.
'Mujhse Shaadi Karogi' (MSK) is a romantic comedy starring Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles and promises to be a laugh riot.
"We are constantly looking at providing value-added benefits and offers to Cellucom customers and UClub members. The 'MSK' film promotion is yet another exciting way for us to reach out and interact with our loyal customers and users. The film will have wide appeal across the large Asian expatriate population as well as the local Arabic community and we look forward to a positive response to this fun-filled event," said Guninder Singh, Marketing Manager, Cellucom.
Since its launch, Cellucom and its online membership-based community for mobile phone users, UClub, have hosted several innovative promotions and 'Uclubbing' events for its members, on the portal as well as on ground with the active support of its business partners. Recent events include UClub's 1st anniversary Snow and Dance party with Cyrus Broacha, sponsorship of the Asha Bhosle concert, the UClub 'Chix at the Mix', a night of funky house and R&B, free meal vouchers, and an evening with DJ Akhtar.
U.S. Robotics announces 162 per cent growth in the sales
DSL product range is the biggest grosser of the U.S. Robotics portfolio
July 20, 2004 The sales of U.S. Robotics, which is the leading provider of Internet connectivity solutions, has announced an impressive 162 per cent overall growth in sales in Q2 of its non-Analog products, including Wireless 802.11g networking, traditional Ethernet Wired networking and the highly popular DSL/Broadband modem product range.
"U.S. Robotics has developed innovative products that help users to maximise the benefit of the fast internet service of their choice. For the Middle East region, U.S. Robotics has invested in local approvals, local language support including Arabic language installation guide and custom software development to ensure the customer in this region finds it as easy as possible to get their service up & running in minutes. It is this localisation of products to meet the Middle East customer needs and deliver high levels of customer satisfaction, that has significantly contributed to this excellent growth in sales", said Yusuf Syed, Regional Manager Middle East, U.S. Robotics.
"High speed, stable shared internet connections, using both wired and wireless networking options have become very popular in a short span of time. Networking has become an essential of the information age in most commercial establishments, but we are now seeing many customers wanting similar network performance at home as more customers now have multiple PC's at home," explained Syed. "We also see the start of the demand for online console and PC gaming at home as the popularity of gaming as a leisure activity increases. These trends have contributed to the increased demand for networking products. We also expect increased growth in demand for wireless networking products based on the increasing awareness amongst customers about the simplicity and performance of Wireless."
DUBAI CREATES ONE-STOP SHOP FOR MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR REGIONAL TEXTILE BUSINESS
Textile Expo Dubai will bring together leading manufacturers with thousands of key industry decision-makers as industry prepares for Chinese challenge
Dubai, UAE, 20 July, 2004: Dubai is set to become an international focal point for the rapidly expanding textile industry, a multi-billion dollar business employing millions of people across Asia and showing major development in the Middle East.
A new annual event being launched next March, Textile Expo Dubai, will bring together leading manufacturers and thousands of industry decision-makers from the Indian sub-continent, Africa, the CIS countries, as well as the Middle East.
The creation of this important new shop window for the region's textile industry comes as manufacturers are preparing to make massive investments in modernisation to meet the considerable challenge of Chinese competition with the abolition of trade quotas in 2005.
The value of textiles to the region is most vividly highlighted in India, where textile and garment exports are expected to jump from around $13.5 billion in 2003 to $50 billion in 2010, a rise from 3% to 8% of the world's textiles.
In the Middle East, clothing and accessories exports amount to US$11 billion a year, and a US$54 million Textile City being built in Dubai will add to the emirate's status as a major trading hub.
Organised by the UK-based XPO Events / Turret-Rai in collaboration with UAE-based event management and marketing specialists, Streamline Marketing, Textile Expo Dubai will take place from 20 - 23 March 2005 at Airport Expo Dubai. Occupying 25,000 square metres of exhibition space, it will be the biggest event of its kind in the region.
Textile Expo 2Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Minister of Finance & Industry and Deputy Ruler of Dubai, the dedicated textiles machinery and accessories show will be a one-stop-shop for decision-makers within a wide range of businesses. These include textile and fabrics, fibres and yarn, leather goods, shoe manufacturing, home furnishings, textile dyes and treatments as well as textile recycling and waste management.
Exhibitors from more than 15 countries have already signed up for the event which will attract visitors from the key textile markets of the region including Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, Bangladesh, India, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Africa and the CIS.
Running alongside the exhibition will be a major international textile industry conference, and the organisers are now asking prospective speakers to send their paper proposals to info@textile-expo.com
"The Middle East is now ranked fourth in the world league of fashion and clothing accessories exporters, accounting for almost 5.5 per cent of the global trade," said Nick Webb, Director, Streamline Marketing. "In India, the garment industry is the country's biggest industrial employer, providing jobs for proximately 38 million people and boasting 28,000 exporters of ready made clothing.
"Figures such as these indicate the need to bring a specialised event closer to home for the region's textile and leather goods manufacturers and the response we have so far received from individual exhibitors has been very encouraging."
The choice of Dubai to host the exhibition underlines the Emirate's status as a top-class international event venue. "It is a much cheaper and hassle-free alternative to Europe, where security concerns and visa procedures have becomes more complicated," said Maria Avery, Exhibition Director, XPO Events / Turret-Rai. "We picked Dubai because of its proximity to key textile markets in the area as well as its world-class facilities, huge range of affordable accommodation and easier visa regulations."
Valued at US$2.4 billion, Dubai's textile industry has played a critical role in the Emirate's economic development, and is now the second largest contributor to Dubai trade, including exports and imports. In Jordan, garments topped exports in 2003, accounting for 33.6% (JD 477.9 million) of total exports.
In Pakistan, the garment and textiles industry contributes more than 65% to total export earnings, and by next year annual exports are expected to reach US$10 billion. Sri Lanka's textile and apparel industry is the biggest employer in the manufacturing industry, and the country's top export earner. In 2001 it supplied 53% of the country's total exports and accounted for 69% of its industrial exports.
In Bangladesh, the textile and apparel industry employs 50% of the total industrial workforce and contributes 9.5% of the country's GDP, as well as 77% of total exports. In 2001-2002 the clothing sector alone generated US$4.6 billion in foreign exchange.
In Egypt, the textile and clothing industry is the cornerstone of the country's industrial and economic infrastructure, employing 400,000 workers - not including cotton farmers.
Iran has a workforce of 400,000 in textiles and clothing. Textile and apparel exports grew by 35.6% to US$300.3 million in March 2004, an increase of 39.8%.
Uzbekistan is the world's fifth largest producer of cotton fibre and wants to increase its total output by 50% by investing more than US$1 billion in the textile industry by 2005. The textile industry is Turkmenistan's fastest growing industry, increasing by 38.5% in 2001, producing US$113 million worth of textile goods. In Kazakhstan, annual growth in the textile industry is estimated at US$3 billion per year. Meanwhile, Mauritius is now the world's second largest fully fashioned knitwear producer, the third largest exporter of pure new wool products and Europe's fourth largest supplier of T-shirts.
Textile Expo Dubai has the official support of two of the world's biggest textile associations, the Turkish Textile Machinery Association (TEMSAD) and the Korean Textile Machinery Association (KOTMA). It is also supported by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The organisers have appointed a partner in Baghdad to market the event to textile associations and companies in Iraq, many of whom are now starting to consider investments in modern textile machinery and accessories. Caption: Textile Expo Dubai, will bring together leading manufacturers and thousands of industry decision-makers from the Indian sub-continent, Africa, the CIS countries, as well as the Middle East.
