Dubai offers free public parking until December 11

Staff Report Last updated: December 01, 2008, 00:46

Dubai/Sharjah: Celebrations have begun in the country ahead of UAE's 37th National Day on Tuesday. Public parking in Dubai will be free of charge from tomorrow to December 11 in view of the National Day and Eid Al Adha holidays. However, parking in prohibited areas and parking in areas designated for special needs individuals will attract fines. Complete Gulf News article

Free-of-charge book lending service in Al Ain

Join the Al Ain free book lending google group:

http://groups.google.com/group/alainbookclub



Gulf News story

Free-of-charge book lending service attracts many readers in Al Ain

By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief Published: November 06, 2008, 23:23

Al Ain: Two expatriate women have pooled their efforts to promote the reading habit, offering hundreds of books to readers through an online booking reading club. The free-of-charge book lending service has attracted dozens of people in the city with some of them now also willing to share their personal libraries for the community service. Stephanie Shimko, an American teacher, and Humairah Irfan, a Pakistani IT professional, are even spending money from their own pockets on taxi fares to reach a book dispensing point. "This is our way of returning something we can to the society," said Shimko and Humairah. Full Gulf News story

How to prevent ATM fraud - good practices to follow

Received a SMS from my bank this evening, asking me to change my PIN number from the nearest bank ATM....thought it would be useful to post these precautions to take while using a ATM:

From the Gulf News article today:

- Watch out for hidden devices (in the ATM card insertion slot), but do not try to remove them. Contact the bank if something out of the ordinary is observed.

- Do not let people stand close behind you when using the machine, in order to safeguard PIN number

- Shield with your hand while entering PIN numbers

- If the machine retains your card, contact the bank.

- Never enter your PIN at the suggestion of others.

- Do not write down your PIN, memorise it.

Free Movie Workshop. Tuesdays - 7pm

http://www.istyle.ae/

If you fail a driving test, you can appeal...

Log your complaint

Learner drivers who fail driving tests, can appeal against the decision by filing a complaint on the RTA's website www.rta.ae, call customer service number 8009090 or go to any Licensing Agency office to file an appeal.

The complaint will be referred to the committee, which investigate and take action.

Full Gulf News story

Home Security Service in Dubai when you're on vacation

Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Dubai Police's Deputy Commandant General, inspected Bur Dubai Police Station as part of the annual inspection.

He called on the public to register for the home security service while they spend their holidays outside the country. He pointed out that the home security service is one of the free services offered by Dubai Police to protect homes from thefts and robberies while the owners are away.

The public may register for the service on Dubai Police's website www.dubaipolice.gov.ae or send an email on homesafety@dubaipolice.gov.ae or visit the nearest police station.


Gulf News Story

Online Map of Dubai Embassies

Gulf News has a google powered map of all the consulates in Dubai:

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/General/10179109.html

Time and Steps required for Dubai Work Visa Processing

Posted in the dubai_expats yahoo group by Bilal in response to a query:

After application for new work visa:

1) 2 weeks - required for labour approval from application date

2) After paying the bank guarantee, labour fee and other fees you can get the Visa from DNRD within 2 days after labour approval.

3) After getting work visa from DNRD, go for status change if the person in emirates on visit visa- will not take more than one hour or day.

4) Go for "Medical" (test) after status change and one can get the report in 3 days easily.

5) After getting the "Medical" (test) done, you can go for visa stamping - will require only one day.

6) Along with visa stamping, you apply in post for Labour Card and Labour agreement - will require only one day if the salary is above 4k and if below then u need to wait till 14 working days to get this in post from labour department.

Note: Above listing is only for Dubai work visa processing.

Should you have any further query write to me directly (Bilal).
Regards
Bilal

Actor training seminar in Dubai

Khaleej Times Article

Actor training seminar
By a staff reporter

10 June 2008

DUBAI — Residents of Dubai will have an opportunity to participate in an intensive actor training seminar in Dubai from June 12 to June 14.

Participants of ‘Act Now with Tom Todoroff ’ seminar will receive one-on-one training from acting trainers and consultants.

The three-day workshop is exclusively designed for both beginners and established actors.

The Dubai workshop will run from 3pm to 10pm on Thursday, June 12 and 9am to 10pm on Friday, June 13 and Saturday, June 14 at The Wellington International School, near Dubai Media City.

Limited seats for participants are still available, and are priced at Dh2,932. Observation seats are also available and are priced at Dh1,100.

Suggest name for fountain, win Dh100,000

Khaleej Times article

Suggest name for fountain, win Dh100,000
By a staff reporter

10 June 2008

DUBAI — UAE residents can suggest names for an upcoming fountain and the one whose suggestion is finally chosen can walk away with Dh100,000.

Emaar Properties yesterday announced the cash prize to the winner of a competition to name the world-class water, light and music spectacle in the Burj Dubai Lake.

The permanent water fountain to be operational by early 2009 is one of the finest water features in the world and is larger than The Fountains at Bellagio in Las Vegas.

The competition will be open to all UAE residents and will be held from July 1 to September 15. Each individual can suggest one name that must be submitted online at www.emaar.com. The portal will have a dedicated web-page for submissions, which will be operational by July 1. The winner will be selected by a panel of judges.

Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman, Emaar Properties, said, "Emaar has launched this competition to name the fountain, one of our prestigious community projects, as part of the company's commitment to involve members of the public and strengthen the spirit of community living."

Parking at Bur Juman Mall no longer free - Memo

World Mate Mobile Travel service

Etisalat to introduce World Mate Mobile Travel service
(WAM)

28 May 2008

ABU DHABI - Corporate executives and businessmen challenged by their busy lifestyle and constant travel plans can now find a solution to managing their travel itinerary with Etisalat announcing plans to introduce the World Mate Live application which operates on BlackBerry Smart phones.

World Mate Live is a first-of-its-kind mobile travel service empowering frequent fliers with travel information in real-time. World Mate Live acts as a personal Travel Assistant by automatically delivering valuable content and services to a customer’s Blackberry device removing stress and paperwork from their travel experience while saving them time and money. The application pushes context-aware features such as flight alerts, flight notifications and meeting notifications. It also features flight schedules, car rentals, maps, world clocks and a currency converter.

"The introduction of the World Mate Mobile Application for Blackberry will transform a user’s Blackberry device into an extremely versatile tool so that users can plan their travel itineraries in time through a very convenient and intuitive method, said Abdulla Hashim, VP, Enterprise Solutions, Etisalat. "We would like to support our local community of Blackberry users by empowering them with such innovative applications and we will look to add more value added applications in the near future".

World Mate Live can start tracking a user’s itinerary in real-time, showing details and suggestions when required. For example, when a flight is delayed or cancelled, a user can be notified immediately and then presented with alternative flights for the desired destination. Upon arrival, they will be greeted with a message outlining the next few items on their itinerary, along with the local time and weather, as well as maps and directions to their next destination.

World Mate Live will be supported on all Etisalat offered Blackberry Smart phones. Etisalat currently offers Five Models of Blackberry Smart phones, 8700, 8100, 8310, 8800 and 8820.

No more public smoking in Sharjah

From the Khaleej Times article

"...The Sharjah Municipality yesterday announced a ban on smoking in public places from June 1..."

"...The places where smoking will be prohibited include buses, taxis, public rest rooms, amusement centres, hospitals and health facilities, waiting areas in facilities, hotels, hotel apartments, enclosed shopping malls, restaurants and coffee shops, enclosed entertainment places like cinemas and theatres, enclosed parking spaces, stores, exhibition areas, beauty and hair-cutting salons, health clubs and assembly halls and conference rooms.

Violation of the ban will attract fines of Dh1,000 for individuals and Dh10,000 to Dh20,000 for establishments like hotels and salons that allow smoking.

The civic body will instal signboards in public areas where smoking is banned which will display a telephone number on which people can report violation by anybody...."

Read the full article

Beach Precautions - 'If the red flag is up, don't swim'

From Gulf Today article

"...

Aquaventure Waterpark operations director Stewart Hodsoll said: "Don't swim after sunset."

He pointed out four reasons: the absence of a lifeguard on duty, the possible roam of sea creatures and sea vessels, the poor visibility and the changes in the water levels...."

Read the full article

New Dh200 note to be issued from tomorrow

Keypoints from the Khaleej Times article:

"...The amended Dh200 currency note with new security features will go into circulation from May 27, 2008..."

"....The overall design and other specifications of the note are the same as on the currency note currently in the circulation, but additional security elements have been added, which can be seen only under ultraviolet light...."

Read the full article

The first online school in the UAE

Highlights from 'The National' article

The first online school in the country is looking to recruit pupils for the next academic year.

K12 International Academy has so far attracted 17 students to its home schooling courses and hopes to increase this to 200 by the start of the 2008-09 academic year.

The school is the first overseas branch of K12 Inc, a US-based online school that has tens of thousands of pupils in America.

Read the full article

Free wi-fi for Abu Dhabi airport passengers & New Car Park Rates

Highlights from the Gulf News article:


"... Free wi-fi access to the internet will be made available for passengers at Abu Dhabi International Airport from June 1..."


"...In the last twelve months the airport has operated 12 Internet kiosks, each offering 15 minutes of free access per user. In response to the demand from customers for such services ADIA has chosen to introduce free access for all passengers across its three terminals. ..."


"...From 1 June an hourly rate of Dh10 will apply to Terminal 1 car park users and Dh5 per hour for users of the Terminal 2 car park. Short-stay visitors simply dropping off family or friends and leaving within 15 minutes will still have access to both parking facilities free..."

Read the full Gulf News article

If you are staying in a shared villa...

Only one family can live in a villa: DM

By Joy Sengupta (Our staff reporter)

20 May 2008

DUBAI — In what could come as a major blow to the many families with limited income, especially families of expatriates, the Dubai Municipality has stated that only one family can live in a villa.

Officials of the Building Inspection Department of the civic body said that they have already launched a crackdown on those villas which housed more than one family.

Read the full article here

No more 9 to 5?

From today's Khaleej Times

RTA proposes flexible hours

By Joy Sengupta (Our staff reporter)

20 May 2008

DUBAI — Flexible work timings in both private and government offices is the new mantra being advocated by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to control the increasing traffic rush in Dubai.

Abdul Mohsen Younis Ibrahim, CEO of the Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector at the RTA, said flexible timings at all public and private organisations would play a very important role in easing the present traffic situation.

"The idea of flexible timings for work places could be of great help. At present, most of the offices have the same opening and closing times. With everyone going to work and coming back at the same time, traffic snarls are the order of the day. We are studying the different aspects of the flexible timings and would refer the proposal to the government for implementation," he said.

Read the full article here

Now you can carpool in Dubai!

RTA allows carpooling; signs pact with big firms

EMPLOYEES from the same company have been allowed to use the same vehicle while going for work, a scheme known as carpooling which is aimed at pulling people away from using private cars to mass transportation

The arrangement shall be licenced by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) which is "soon loading the procedure on to the agency's website, www.rta.ae," said the Director of Planning and Business Development at Public Transport Agency, Khalid M. Hashim.

Read full Gulf Today article

School Bus Locator & 'Child-now-in-School' SMS Informer

After the death of a 4-year old left behind in a school bus in Abu Dhabi, 2 software companies have developed software to help track the school bus and to inform the parents by SMS once the child reaches the school. Read the full Gulf News article here.

Great idea! I hope the RTA also implements such a display board at all bus stops to let us know exactly at which stops the buses are on and how long it would take to reach this particular stop. Software companies, are you listening?

Free Tech Check Up

A Doctor at your Doorstep in 1 hour - Now how useful is that?

Book Exhibition - Bargain Books - Grand Sale 2008 - May 15 to May 19

Book Exhibition - Bargain Books - Grand Sale 2008 - Al Boom Tourist Village, Dubai

Discover Scuba Diving at Jumeirah Beach for just Dhs.100

Got this through an email forward from a friend

"The Royal Scuba Divers International (RSDI) will hold its 3rd Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) on May 23, 2008, Friday at Jumeirah Open beach (see details attached). We invite you to participate in this exciting event and see if diving is for you. I guarantee you that your life will never be the same again!

My friend wrote back asking for more information...and this was their reply:

Thank you for the interest. Discover Scuba Diving is your opportunity to try scuba diving and allows you to experience the excitement and thrill of diving under the safe supervision of a PADI professional. During your adventure, you will master some of the basic concepts and skills in scuba diving. No, this is not the actual course but you will be given the opportunity to experience diving underwater. An orientation will be conducted prior to the actual diving on the same day. The fee of AED100 is inclusive of all diving gears, fins, mask, air tank, BCD, regulator, everything. All you have to do is be in your bathing suit.

Sounds cool...at Dhs.100..should be a great intro to scuba diving.

Waterbus on the Creek will now run after midnight

Gulf News Staff Report Published: May 03, 2008, 00:06

Dubai: The Waterbus between Dubai Old Souq and Al Sabkha stations will now run from midnight to 6am as well, the Roads and Transport Authority announced. The ferry service runs every 30 minutes and the fare is Dh4. A senior RTA official said Dubai is a city that never sleeps. "The service is tailored to meet the requirements of people commuting across Dubai Creek at night," he said.

Single Water Bus trip for 3 stations
By a staff reporter

26 April 2008

DUBAI — A new service for Water Bus passengers to travel to three stations in a single trip was launched by the Marine Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) recently.

The service being offered on Line B3 aims at easing congestion at Bani Yas Road, an RTA Press release said.

According to Ahmed Mohammed Al Hammadi, Director of Operations & Performance Department at RTA Marine Agency, the trip, which begins at Al Seef Station and terminates at Al Sabkha Station, is designed to meet requirements of customers shuttling between these stations across Dubai Creek.

“The service starts at 6.00am and continues up to 11pm, with 15 minutes headway. The trip takes three minutes from Al Seef Station to Bani Yas Station, and three minutes also from Bani Yas Station to Al Sabkha Station, with five minutes waiting time in each station. The fare is fixed as Dh4 for shuttling between Al Seef Station, Bani Yas Station and Al Sabkha Station (two trips at a cost of one trip),” stated Al Hammadi.

He pointed out that re-routing of B3 Lines has been done to keep pace with the new developments in marine transport. This comes as part of the policy of the RTA to integrate and link marine transport with other public transport modes such as buses, taxis and Metro.

Report dangerous drivers in Dubai

Call 8004353 to report dangerous drivers in Dubai. You need to give the correct number plate details ( the number, colour, the emirate, and for Dubai any alphabet.) They will ask you details about the offence and where it happened, and the make of the car.

(excerpt from Readers Comments in 7Days.ae)

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Traffic_and_Transport/10207031.html

Commuters on the streets can now hail taxis by SMS

By Ashfaq Ahmed, Chief Reporter Published: April 20, 2008, 00:34

Dubai: Passengers in Dubai no longer have to go through the daunting task of hailing a taxi on the road as they can now call one by just sending an SMS from their mobile phones, said a senior official. The service has been designed for passengers who want to order taxis while waiting by the road, said Abdul Aziz Malek, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dubai Taxi Agency at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). He said the taxi agency is installing small boards with location code numbers and a taxi sign on them by the side of the road. A passenger can send an SMS to 4774, mentioning the area code on the taxi board. The customer will have to wait in the same location until the taxi arrives. Once the commuter sends the SMS, it will reach the booking terminal of Dubai Taxi Agency and the booking supervisor will send the nearest taxi to the customer. The booking terminal will also send the taxi reservation number to the customer, which he needs to show to the taxi driver before boarding. The starting fare for taxis booked via SMS will be Dh6 during the day (from 6am to 10pm) and Dh7 at night (from 10pm to 6am). In addition to the new service, Dubai Taxi Agency will continue to offer reservations via telephone and the internet. "The new service has been launched after complaints from commuters about hailing a cab while waiting by the roadside," said Malek. Currently, Dubai has around 6,500, taxis including 3,200 run by Dubai Taxi Agency. Booking taxis Website: www.dubaitaxi.ae Call centre: 2080808

Useful Phone Numbers - Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah

GulfNews.com is providing a downloadable PDF with useful phone numbers in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

Essential telephone numbers in UAE

Staff Report
Published: March 02, 2008, 10:27

Dubai: 999, the emergency number in the country, is one of the busiest numbers in the country, naturally, but often for all the wrong reasons.

Click here to download the Gulf News essential numbers guide for Dubai and Abu Dhabi (pdf)

Click here to download the Gulf News essential numbers guide for Sharjah (pdf)

Many residents call 999 seeking a taxi or to find out the traffic situation. Hundreds of trivial and inane calls are made to 999 every day, hindering the work of police on emergency duty.

A staggering 573,471 calls were made to 999 in 2007 and these were not emergencies. Most were enquiries on speed limits on roads, location of certain departments, traffic fines, transactions related to the Naturalisation and Residency Department and complaints against taxi drivers.

Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Chief of Dubai Police, recently said: "Nobody knows the amount of effort that goes into answering calls on 999. Therefore, people should only call 999 in case of emergencies which require the immediate presence of security or rescue personnel," he said.

In an attempt to offer easy access to information, Gulf News has compiled some of the important telephone numbers in the country.

We have compiled some of the essential numbers, including traffic, transport and hospital numbers, which are in an easily downloadable PDF format. We will be adding to the list as and when we get and verify essential telephone numbers

etisalat gears up to offer mobile remittance services

etisalat gears up to offer mobile remittance services

By Nadia Saleem, Gulf News Staff Reporter
Published: April 02, 2008, 00:01

Dubai: etisalat is poised to start offering mobile remittance services in June this year, a move that promises to help millions of expatriates send money in seconds instead of queueing at the exchange houses every month.

etisalat officials on Tuesday said it has started the mobile remittance pilot project to India in partnership with mashreq, Tata Communications, Idea Cellular and HSBC India.

It expects 350,000 users to avail the services next three years. Nearly 80 per cent of the UAE's more than five million population are expatriates, the majority of whom remit money regularly.

Complete story

The Junior Rock Challenge - Participate now!

Schools and children who are interested in participating in the Rock Challenge can contact Aysel Duman - 050 873 3900 email: aceduman@yahoo.com.

The Junior Rock Challenge will take place on May 16 at the DUTAC Theatre in the Mall of the Emirates and tickets cost Dhs.80.

Source: 7Days.ae

Feline Friends Book Sale this weekend!

From 7Days.ae

The Feline Friends Book Sale will be held at Uptown Mirdif, bottom of Spinneys escalators. Friday 4th April, 9am-4pm.

Lots of bargain books, CDs, videos and DVDs. PLease bring any books you wish to donate also. Tel: 050 4510058.

Recycling Centres in Dubai

From  a letter in 7Days.ae

Collective effort needed to improve recycling

To answer the suggestion for recycling in today’s edition, I am glad to tell you that there are some recycling centres and if you are one of the employees in the free zone: Internet City, Media City etc, you have two recycling centres very close to you. You may drop there your paper, plastic, cans and glass. May be the recycling Is not widely spread in the Dubai but a collective effort is a good start. Do it and tell your friends to. Location of the centers: parking of Knowledge village, Al Sofouh road and behind Althuraya building. BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.

Kaoutar

Dubai