Essential

With the Kensington Nursery Umm Sequim firmly established as one of Dubai’s favourite pre-school environments, the group will open a second branch in Dubai Silicon Oasis in September 2011.

The Kensington Nursery caters to children from 4 months upwards delivering the British Foundation Stage curriculum through the Reggio Emilia Approach. Maha Seddiqi, Nursery Director says, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to share The Kensington experience with the DSO community. We understand that the formative pre-school years are a crucial stage of a child’s personal and social development .Accordingly, the purpose built setting, has been thoughtfully designed to support our objectives of providing a happy, secure and stimulating environment.”

The Nursery offers a rounded pre-school experience, helping children to develop social and emotional skills as well as cognitive and physical skills. The children participate in a variety of activities which include language development, creative expression through arts and crafts, drama and imaginative play and early reading skills. Sand and water play, physical education, cookery and information technology also feature in the weekly schedule.

The Nursery environment includes the Kensington’s signature elements such as the Language Majlis, children’s organic garden, large indoor soft play area and a pet zone featuring rabbits, guinea pigs, tortoise and birds.

The Nursery is also committed to contributing to the wider community, holding open fun days for all families on special occasions such as National day and Halloween. It also works with local charities on fund raising activities. Maha Seddiqi says “Our events programme is central to our philosophy of cooperation and collaboration with our parents and community neighbours and we look forward to joining the Dubai Silicon Oasis community.

Effective January 2 2011, Canadian citizens are required to obtain visas before travelling to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.

Until today Canadians were able to obtain free 30 day visit visas on arrival at Dubai International Airport and other points of entry into the UAE.

According to the website of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Ottawa a short term visit visa, valid for 30 days, will cost Canadian citizens $250.

The change is a result of a diplomatic argument between Canada and the UAE over airline landing rights at Canadian airports.

The population of Dubai grew by 2 percent in the quarter ended March 2010, despite the economic crisis affecting the emirate.

Figures released by the Dubai Statistics Centre reveal that the population at the end of the first quarter of 2010 reached 1,803,000.

The data showed that males comprised 77 percent (1.4 million) of the population, a distortion caused by the large number of male expatriate labourers employed in Dubai.

Purchase your 30-day or 96-hour UAE visa on www.emirates.com

Emirates airline has introduced yet another initiative to simplify travel with the launch of ‘Purchase your UAE visa online’. Emirates is the only airline in the Middle East to offer this complete online visa solution to its passengers visiting its hub – Dubai, UAE – for business or leisure.

The feature – an extension of the online flight booking process on www.emirates.com – can be accessed by valid Emirates ticket holders from 35 select countries. Only 30-day and 96-hour visit visas to Dubai, UAE are available through the new feature, subject to all pre-requisites being met. The pre-requisites are defined by Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) as it takes the decision to grant the visa. (www.dnrd.gov.ae ).

A 96-hour visa will cost US$ 44 while a 30-day visa will cost US$ 57. Service fees are applied separately.

Visas are delivered via email within four international working days. Passengers can continually track the status of their applications via www.emirates.com

Richard Vaughan, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Worldwide noted: “Advancements in aviation are often related to simplifications in the travel process. I’m delighted Emirates is advancing travel convenience by allowing its customers to apply, purchase and track their UAE visa online – another initiative in a series of self-service tools that offer more convenience, flexibility and control to passengers. Taking place from the comfort of one’s home, office or hotel, it requires none of the running around often associated with submitting forms, securing approvals and collecting visas.

“It also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to Dubai and its tourism industry. The timely introduction of this feature ahead of the summer rush will facilitate travel for scores of tourists visiting the emirate during the Dubai Summer Surprises.”

Groups and families stand to gain significantly as the feature accepts multiple requests of up to nine people as long as they are on the same booking. It is available to Emirates ticket holders regardless of whether the booking is facilitated via www.emirates.com, an Emirates office or a travel agent.

In its initial phase the facility is being rolled out in 35 countries* in the Far East, Indian sub-continent, Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas. In the second phase, due to roll out in the coming weeks, offline markets will be targeted. These comprise countries that do not have Emirates services, but which connect to nearby gateways of the Dubai-based airline.

Passengers click ‘Manage Your Booking’ on www.emirates.com and proceed with seven simple steps to complete the transaction. Passengers have the flexibility to request visas at the time of or after the flight booking has been completed.

Emirates has partnered with VFS Global to introduce this feature. VFS Global – a part of Switzerland-based Kuoni Travel Group – is a specialist partner for diplomatic missions worldwide, processing over 7 million (contracted) visa applications per year. It operates the Dubai Visa Processing Centre (DVPC) in 11 countries. DVPC does not process work visas.

The world’s tallest building opened tonight with a spectacular fireworks ceremony attended by thousands.

The final height of the Burj Khalifa was revealed to be 828 metres high, much higher than the 508 metres of the previous record holder, Taipei 101.

Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum renamed the skyscraper, known as the Burj Dubai throughout construction, after Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan, president of the UAE and ruler of the neighbouring emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The tower is home to over 1,000 luxury apartments, 49 floors of offices and the 160-room Armani hotel. Around 12,000 people are expected to live and work in the tower, which is part of the Downtown Burj Dubai development.

Construction of the Burj Khalifa began in 2004 and involved some 12,000 workers. The first residents are expected to begin moving into their apartments in February 2010. The Armani Hotel is scheduled to open a month later.

Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and chairman of the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection, has warned restaurants in Dubai that the automatic addition of service charges to bills is illegal.

The move follows thousands of complaints that many restaurants in the city still add a service charge, despite the practice being outlawed in 2006. Some establishments have been adding as much as 20 percent to bills.

Al Mansouri said that the Ministry ‘will take serious measures against those who violate the law.’

UAE telecommunications company Du has extended its wireless internet service to the Dubai Metro.

Broadband wireless internet access will be available on both trains and in stations. The service can be paid for by credit card or with a WoW recharge card, available at Du Shops and other authorised outlets.

Du has also enhanced its 2G and 3G mobile coverage at all Dubai Metro stations and along the length of the Red Line to ensure seamless connectivity on journeys.

Mashreq, one of the leading banks in the United Arab Emirates, has installed a number of ATMs at the recently opened stations on the Dubai Metro Red Line.

Cash machines have been installed at 9 stations; Rashidiya, Deira City Centre, Al Rigga, Mall of the Emirates, Financial Centre, Jafiliya, Nakheel Harbour and Tower, Union Square, and Khalid Bid Waleed.

The Dubai Metro will begin operations on September 9 2009 with 10 stations on the Red Line.

However services on the opening day will be restricted to VIPs invited by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The system will open to the public the following day.

Stations opening on the first day are Rashidiya, Dubai International Airport (Terminal 3), Deira City Centre, Al Rigga, Union Square, Khalid bin Waleed, Al Jafiliya, Dubai International Financial Centre, Mall of the Emirates, and Nakheel Harbour & Tower.

The remaining stations will open over the coming months.

Throughout Ramadan the Dubai Metro service will operate from Saturday to Thursday 6 am until midnight. On Friday services will run from 2 pm to midnight.

After Ramadan the Metro service will run from Saturday to Thursday, 6.am to 11 pm, and on Fridays 2 pm to midnight.

Dubai has been ranked as one of the most expensive cities in the world by a leading consulting group.

The city has been name the 20th most expensive place to live by Mercer, a human resource consulting firm based in New York.

The Worldwide Cost of Living Survey 2009 covered 143 cities and measured the cost of more than 200 items in each, including food, housing, transportation, and entertainment.

The survey was compiled using data for year to March 2009. The most expensive cities were Tokyo, Osaka, Moscow, Geneva, and Hong Kong.

In the 2008 survey Dubai was ranked 52nd.