The Green Line was originally scheduled to open in March 2010. It will run from Al Qusais to Al Jaddaf, through Deira and Bur Dubai, connecting to the Red Line at Union Square and Khalid Bin Waleed stations.

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.

Charging will begin on September 10 and will only apply to cars parking for more than 3 hours (4 hours at weekends). Those watching movies at the CineStar cinemas will receive free parking for an additional hour.

The move is designed to prevent drivers parking their vehicles for free at the malls and catching the Metro to another destination.

The malls’ owners, the Majid Al Futtaim Group, say the change will not affect the vast majority of shoppers.

The transformation of the long-stay apartments in Deira took one and a half years. New features include plasma screen TVs, DVD players, plus new curtains, carpets, and bedding.

Ding Xiu Xuan offers authentic Cantonese cuisine and features an open kitchen, private dining rooms and live music.

The 5-star Pullman Mall of the Emirates will offer 481 rooms (including 94 suites) and will mainly cater to business travellers.

It is expected to open in the latter half of 2010 and will be situated at the Mall of the Emirates in Al Barsha.

Pullman is Accor’s upscale business hotel brand. The first Pullman hotel opened in 2007. By 2015 Accor predict there will be around 300 Pullman properties.

In 2011, the Novotel Deira City Centre will be re-branded as a Pullman hotel following an extensive refurbishment project.

The 33,000 sq ft store is situated on Level 1 of the shopping mall, next to Debenhams.

The UK retailer is known for its high-quality fashion, home, and food products.

Other branches of M&S in Dubai are at the Festival Centre, Wafi City Mall, and in Deira.

The hotel will be the first of their affordable Dusit Princess brand to open outside Thailand and will be situated in Deira, close to the Deira City Centre mall.

Dusit International already operate three properties in Dubai; the Dusit Thani Dubai, the Dusit Residence Dubai Marina, and the Pearl Coast Premier Hotel Apartments.

The Hong Kong-based luxury hotel group claim they are the first international hotel group to offer free internet to all guests, in all areas of their hotels.

About time too and good luck to them. It costs relatively little to implement this service and we think more hotels should follow suit.

In Dubai, Shangri-La operates the Shangri-La Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, and the Traders Hotel in Deira.

Inglot sells high quality branded cosmetics at reasonable prices. The store is located on the lower level of the mall.