Boy Band to take Dubai by Storm Philips presents 'A1' in Dubai More e-Government: Dubai Department of Economic Development plans Online Trade Licenses..more ARAMEX CHOOSES eWare FOR CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT SOLUTI ONS More Abu-Dhabi schools to be provided with advanced IT infrastructure More
Osama bin Laden yesterday denied any involvement in last week’s terrorist attacks on New York and Washington."The US is pointing the finger at me but I categorically state that I have not done this," Bin Laden said in a statement faxed to the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) news agency."Those who have done it, they have done it in their personal interest," Bin Laden said in the statement, which AIP said had been sent to them by Bin Laden aide Abdul Samad. It was the first time that Bin Laden had issued a personal denial of any involvement in the attacks. Bin Laden said he did not have the means to organise terrorist attacks because of restrictions placed on his contacts with the outside world by Taleban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.
Abu-Dhabi schools to be provided with advanced IT infrastructure
kerala monitor.com Dubai - 17 September 2001 - The office of HH Sheikh Mohammad's IT learning project, Compaq Computer Middle East and Mideast Data Systems announced today the completion of the third phase of a national IT learning project, led by www.SheikhMohamed.co.ae, to provide 20 schools in Abu Dhabi with state-of-the-art computer infrastructure and establish the Abu Dhabi IT Academy. The schools are interconnected in order to maximize the students' training and knowledge, encouraging the exchange of knowledge and communication. The project is part of the wide-ranging vision by his highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed AlMaktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai & UAE Minister of Defense, to introduce E-learning in secondary schools in the United Arab Emirates. The second phase of the project was completed earlier this year, with the implementation of the total Internet infrastructure necessary to the completion of the e-learning project in schools throughout Dubai.
The Abu Dhabi implementation is a large-scale project aimed at enhancing the central role that IT plays in the UAE educational system. "This can only be achieved if the next generation is trained and prepared for the demands of the information age," commented Jamal Khalfan Al Howaireb, Office Director of HH Sheikh Mohammad's IT education project. "The first two phases of the project were a great success, based on feedback from students in the Dubai schools, and HH Sheikh Mohammad issued directives to extend the program throughout the UAE, in order to increase Internet penetration in schools."
The decision by the office of HH Sheikh Mohammed's IT education project to partner with Compaq was based on an extensive review of leading technology providers. The project involved the installation by Mideast Data Systems, a Compaq partner, of IT laboratories in each of the 20 chosen schools in addition to the Abu Dhabi IT Academy. The labs will be equipped with state of the art products to provide them with the latest in Internet connectivity and multimedia as well as with a variety of software applications. Each school will be equipped with a laboratory featuring 2 Compaq Servers and a network of Compaq Deskpro Computers to allow students to access the Internet and use computers in their studies, utilizing multimedia capabilities.
Extensive training was given and special e-learning facilities have been setup at the Abu Dhabi IT Academy to ensure the proper transfer of knowledge and support for the school staff. Two on-site engineers were fully trained and received certification from Compaq to provide dedicated on-site support to the schools and the Academy.
"Compaq is extremely pleased to be working with www.SheikhMohammed.co.ae, who are supervising HH Sheikh Mohammed' IT education project to provide Internet access to schools in the UAE," said Dr. Samer Chaar, General Manager, Gulf and Levant, Compaq Computer Middle East. "Our paramount aim is to embrace the needs of the Middle East market and help the next generation to achieve greater levels of success through the use of the Internet's enormous capabilities and the latest e-learning technologies in their education. Compaq will continue to work closely with the office of HH Sheikh Mohammad's IT learning project to find new ways of developing the e-learning experience throughout the UAE. "All the laboratories, totaling 800 PCs, are connected through a Wide Area Network to the Abu Dhabi IT Academy that includes 13 Compaq Servers hosting different software applications including E-mail & E-Infrastructure Solutions. In addition, there are routers for inter-Emirate links and connections to Abu Dhabi and Dubai ATMs. The system boasts a state-of-the-art back up system, providing high levels of security with a primary firewall and a complete infrastructure consisting of a cabling and network points system ending into enclosed earthed secure network cabinets for the special server room, training room and labs.
"We worked very closely with Compaq and the office of HH Sheikh Mohammad's IT learning project on this remarkable project. Our responsibility covers the full implementation of the project including the delivery, maintenance and servicing of the Compaq equipment. We are excited to be contributing to the education of the region's future generation with the Sheikh Mohammed.com project, " added Sami Abi Esber Group Executive Director of Mideast Data Systems-UAE.
His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum is constantly exerting the best efforts in order to initiate pioneering projects that will benefit the Arab region in the Information Age. His Highness has already launched several projects including Dubai Internet City, the E-commerce freezone, and e-government. These initiatives are guiding Dubai, and the U.A.E. as a whole, towards a leadership position in the 21st century and have had a profoundly positive impact on the country. However, for these projects to succeed, they require a highly qualified work force. For this reason, His Highness launched the IT Education Project for schools throughout the UAE. The IT Education Project complements the Ministry of Education's aim of introducing new means of teaching, in order to enable graduates to meet market requirements. Education experts expressed the need for an interactive education system, which will help the schools and the students to keep pace with the rapidly developing trends of the IT world.Mideast..Top
e-Government: Dubai Department of Economic Development plans Online Trade Licenses
Dubai: Dubai's Department of Economic Development announced yesterday that it was firmly on course to launch a comprehensive portal offering its current services online. The portal will include the facility to issue, modify, cancel or renew trade licences or commercial permits, pay fines and register complaints - all this over the Internet 24 hours a day. A secure online payment system that ensures privacy and security of all transactions has also been installed in this fully automated bilingual online destination.
Mohamed Ali Alabbar Director General of the Department for Economic Development (DED) Established in line with the directives of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, the website is currently undergoing final testing and is expected to go live at the end of the month. Training programs for agents and the public will also be conducted simultaneously to oversee the transition online.
Announcing this yesterday, Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Director General of the Department for Economic Development (DED), explained: "We are fully convinced that the Internet has a larger role to play in delivering public services. Our key concern is to make the technology accessible to the man on the street and therefore, we are continuously studying ways to make our services as user-friendly as possible. Our interactive web-based applications reflect this citizen orientation."
Alabbar added that the greatest challenge in developing a digital bureaucracy has not been in choosing the technology but accepting the changes it introduced in the way government transactions are traditionally conducted. Trade Licences Can Now be Issued in Minutes in Dubai
"In the process of building a robust web-based service delivery system, we had to, and continue to, constantly question and challenge the way we do business. By allowing anyone to instantly interact with the Department, the Internet technology has simplified the internal procedures and removed traditional hierarchical barriers," he pointed out.
Ali Ibrahim, Business Registration Division Director at DED, who has been leading the initiative ever since its launch almost a year ago, said: "Given the scale of the Department's operations and constantly growing number of companies setting up base in Dubai, it became apparent that we had to automate and streamline as many of our processes as we possibly can. The incorporation of new technologies in our operations will undoubtedly improve our services, while allowing more transparency into our operations and reducing operational costs."
Established in 1992, the Department of Economic Development is in charge of strategic economic planning for the Emirate of Dubai, the organisation of industry and trade, the execution of statutes related to commercial and industrial activities, developing the natural resources of the emirate and diversifying its sources of income.
ARAMEX CHOOSES eWare FOR CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
The business agreement that ARAMEX International has signed with eWare will help ARAMEX customer support teams forge stronger relationships with its clients.
Amman, September 17th: ARAMEX International Limited, (Nasdaq NM Symbol: ARMX), the international express and freight forwarding company specialising in the Middle East and Indian Sub-Continent regions, has signed a business agreement with eWare, a leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution provider. The agreement, which covers the purchase of a new CRM solution, will assist ARAMEX customer support teams in forging stronger relationships with its clients.
"Our constant emphasis on reliable technology and customer feedback has helped us over the years to maintain a reliable service that ensures total customer care," explained Fadi Ghandour, President and CEO of ARAMEX. "The deployment of eWare's eCRM solution in our operations is an indication of ARAMEX's commitment to using leading technologies that enhance customer satisfaction," Mr. Ghandour continued.eWare records every customer interaction, updates the information regularly, and ensures that all ARAMEX customer management teams can access it. These teams are able to interact with their customers using a standard browser on any Internet or wireless device, including mobile phones. Users interact via these business channels on a real-time basis to update corporate and customer information on the move.
"The programme reinforces ARAMEX's team-based concept. This means that the customer interacts with the whole team as a single entity, increasing availability and providing for more personalised customer relationships," said Mr. Basem Malhas, Vice President for Information Technology at ARAMEX.
The system workflow is based on ARAMEX's Customer Management Documented Quality Management System (CM DQMS). This delivers top quality customer service in line with international standards. The CRM solution further enables ARAMEX personnel to maintain, schedule and plan customers' interactions efficiently, while allowing them to process customer suggestions and complaints issues on time.
"This new application also drastically reduces paperwork for the field staff. It will provide information online that can be accessed more efficiently - and by being able to view all the links of the delivery process simultaneously, we can easily detect and correct any minor discrepancy in the system. The solution not only helps us to enhance our current performance but also contributes to building better strategies for the future," Malhas added.
Boy Band to take Dubai by Storm Philips presents 'A1' in Dubai
Dubai, 17th September 2001 - In a series of successful concerts that have taken place in Dubai within the last year, the latest musical sensation to take the city's teenage inhabitants by storm is British boy band A1. Sponsored by Philips, A1 will be performing in a live concert in Dubai on Friday 28th September at the Jumeirah Beach Club, with tickets already on sale. Described as the 'hottest thing' in Boy Band World at the moment, A1 are set to give a mega performance and the eagerly awaited concert is expected to attract an audience in excess of 2500.
That's not surprising given the astonishing way in which the boys have stormed the pop charts world-wide. UK sales of their singles "Same Old Brand New You" and the 80's classic "Take On Me" have exceeded one million. They have had 4 top 10 gold singles, a top 3, a top 5 and three top six not to mention their consistent appearances in the top 3 all over the Far East and Japan, Denmark, Sweden and Spain. Furthermore, their albums "Here we Come" and "The A List" both went gold in their first week of sales. Since being voted Best Newcomer Band at last years Brit Awards A1 have an amazing success story to tell and fans in Dubai are in for a fantastic concert.
"We know A1 will put on a great show and we hope we'll be giving teenagers in the UAE a musical experience to be remembered," commented Olivier Delahaye, General Manager of Philips Middle East and Africa.
Visitors to the concert will also be able to see for the first time an impressive display of HiFi systems, stacked on top of each other to create an audio system 'wall', set up by key sponsor Philips. This is the first time the Philips 'Woox Wall' is being demonstrated in the UAE and its presence at the concert will demonstrate the powerful cumulative sound of the systems and get guests into the mood with A1's hit songs before the concert.
Supporting the band will be the Dublin based duet Buffalo G. Described as Betty Boo meets Salt'n'Pepa, Olive Tucker and Naomi Lynch, will be adding to the atmosphere with a musical mixture of mad hip hop and funky melodies rapped to perfection!The concert which is presented by Philips in association with Mirage Promotions is sponsored by Channel 4FM, What's On, Jumeirah Beach Club, Megastore, Crazy-Spin.com and Spinneys. Tickets for the concert are already on sale and fans can get hold of them from Philips Showrooms (Al Ghandi in Dubai and Gulf Electronics in Abu Dhabi) all Spinneys outlets, Megastore, the Jumeirah Beach Club and Mirage Promotions' Offices. Tickets are priced at Dh95 (all standing) and the Information Hotline number is 04 -355 8449.
