Thermometers in hand, Dubai opens for tourists amid pandemic

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — From French soccer jerseys to slick online campaigns, Dubai is trumpeting the fact that it reopened for tourism on Tuesday — but what that means for this sheikhdom that relies on the dollars, pounds, rupees and yuan spent by travelers remains in question.

With travel uncertain and the coronavirus still striking nations Dubai relies on for tourists, this city-state wants to begin coaxing people back to its beaches and its cavernous shopping malls. By instilling the idea that Dubai is safe, authorities likely hope to fuel interest in the sheikhdom ahead of its crucial winter months for tourism.


Emirates to put this one-time pearling post on the map. Attractions like the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and the sail-shaped Burj Al-Arab luxury hotel draw transit passengers out of Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel.

In 2019 alone, Dubai welcomed 16.7 million international guests, up from 15.9 million the year before, according to the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. The top seven tourist-sending nations were India, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Oman, China, Russia and the U.S. The city’s 741 hotels saw around 75% occupancy for the year, with visitors staying on average 3½ days.

Those travelers also fuel Dubai’s vast restaurant, bar and nightlife scene. Though drinking is illegal in the neighboring emirate of Sharjah and the nations of Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, alcohol sales remain a crucial part of Dubai’s economy.

But even before the pandemic, lower global energy prices, a 30% drop in the city’s real estate market value and trade war fears have led employers to shed staff. The virus outbreak accelerated those losses, especially as Dubai has postponed its Expo 2020, or world’s fair, to next year over the pandemic.

That makes reopening for tourism that much more important, even though Dubai’s top three tourist-feeding countries remain hard-hit by the virus, said Rabia Yasmeen, a consultant at the market-research firm Euromonitor International. Even retail sales are affected by tourism, with some 35% of all revenue coming from tourists, she said.

“It’s good for them to go ahead and announce because there needs to be a call for the confidence to come back,” Yasmeen said. “Someone has to take that step first to show the world.”

And Dubai has, in typical headline-baiting fashion, taken those steps. French football club Olympique Lyonnais, under a sponsorship with Emirates, wore “Dubai Is Open” jerseys at a recent match. Dubai passport controllers have begun putting stickers on foreigners’ passports reading in English and Arabic: “A warm welcome to your second home.”

But there’s a risk, particularly in allowing more travel as the virus stalks other countries. Emirates stopped flying to Pakistan over virus fears. Across the seven sheikhdoms that form the United Arab Emirates, there have been over 50,000 confirmed cases of the virus among the 9 million people living here, with some 40,000 recoveries and 321 deaths.

At Rove Hotels, a new budget chain run by state-linked firms Emaar and Meraas, thermometer-carrying staffers check the temperature of everyone coming inside. Cleaners fog disinfectants over rooms and wipe down tables and chairs. Even a camel statue and an oversized stuffed animal wore a mask. The chain, like others in Dubai, also has sought outside certification over its cleaning routines on top of fulfilling government regulations.

“It’s kind of the icing on the cake to give people comfort that we’re following those standards,” Bridger said.

There are still risks. In order to travel, tourists must take a COVID-19 test within 96 hours of their flight and show the airline a negative result. Otherwise, they will be tested on arrival and required to isolate while awaiting the results, which travelers say typically takes a few hours.

Travelers must also have health insurance covering COVID-19 or sign a declaration agreeing to cover the costs of treatment and isolation.

“A key question comes in: Is the traveler ready to come to Dubai?” Yasmeen asked. “That’s a big question mark.”

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Associated Press writer Fay Abuelgasim in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

AP

Abu Dhabi unveils world’s first Artificial Intelligence university

ABU DHABI — The capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced the launch of the world’s first university dedicated to artificial intelligence, in a bid to stay ahead of the disruptive technologies and diversify its economy from the reliance on oil.

Named after the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and de facto leader of the UAE who has long championed science and technology development in UAE, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) will offer academic post-graduate (MSc and PhD) courses in three key fields of AI – computer vision, machine learning and natural language processing – with access to some of the world’s most advanced AI systems to unleash its full potentials.

All graduate-level students admitted to the school will be eligible for a full scholarship along with several benefits such as a monthly allowance, accommodation arrangements and health insurance.

The first class of graduate students is scheduled to start coursework at MBZUAI campus in Masdar City, a new urban area in Abu Dhabi, in September 2020.

“MBZUAI aligns with the vision of the UAE leadership that is based on sustainable development, progress and the overall well-being of humanity and underpinned by capacity-building and active participation in finding practical solutions based on innovation and state-of-the-art technology,” said Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State, who also served as Chair of the university’s Board of Trustees, at the press conference in Abu Dhabi.

“As such, the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence is an open invitation from Abu Dhabi to the world to unleash AI’s full potential,” Al Jaber said, referring to the school’s expectations that it would be able to attract talents in AI from all over the world.


“AI is already changing the world, but we can achieve so much more if we allow the limitless imagination of the human mind to fully explore it,” he added.

“The University will bring the discipline of AI into the forefront, molding and empowering creative pioneers who can lead us to a new AI-driven era.”

Dr Kai-fu Lee, Chairman and CEO of Sinovation Ventures and President of Sinovation Venture’s Artificial Intelligence Institute and a board member of the MBZUAI, said “AI is the new electricity.”

“It is the new technology upon which many applications will be built and they will change the world, it will disrupt and improve and amplify all kinds of professions and industries in the next 10-15 years,” Lee said.

He added that through the commitment for AI that the UAE has – having the first AI minister and now the first AI university, in addition to many pragmatic policies and considerable resources poured into the field – the country will soon become one of the technological leaders of the world.


Talking to Vietnam News Agency on the issue of female representation in AI in general and in the student body of the university, Prof Daniela Rus, director of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at MIT and also a member of the university’s board, said the university is committed to making an “inclusive atmosphere where women feel appreciated and it’s also important to show the young females all the potentials for technology, all the extraordinary things they could do in the future.”

She said that the field of computer science currently has problems that require the expertise and involvement of all people, especially including the “unique perspectives of women” in a field where women are otherwise underrepresented, to make progress and tackle the world’s problems.

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (Pwc), AI could potentially contribute US$15.7 trillion into the world’s economy by 2030, in addition to giving boost up to 26 per cent in GDP to local economies. For the UAE, AI’s contributions to the national GDP could rise to 14 per cent in the same timeframe, the largest ratio in the entire Middle East.

UAE has also become the first in the region to launch a national strategy on AI development. It is also leading the region in terms of Government AI readiness index, earning the 19th place in the world, according to a report from Oxford Insights.

source: technology.inquirer.net

UAE unveils $38-M amphitheater

MANILA, Philippines—An “unprecedented” and brand new amphitheatre worth more than $38 million is nearing completion in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ahead of the 2014 inauguration of Sharjah emirate as Capital of Islamic Culture.

“The construction work at Al Majaz Amphitheatre – which will stage the epic oratorio ‘Clusters of Light’ on 26 March – has exceeded 90 percent completion,” the Sharjah government said in a statement Wednesday.

“The cost of the theater and the bridge leading to it exceeded AED140 million. Its use of state of the art technology is unprecedented in the Middle East, blending sound, lighting, and music in a spectacular fashion, with more than 400 animated lights, 120 sound speakers, and 21 projectors creating a unique effect,” it said.

Sharjah will celebrate its new title as “The Capital of Islamic Culture for 2014” to honor the emirate’s contributions in preserving, promoting, and spreading the culture of Islam.

Al Majaz Amphitheatre, built on a 7,238 square meter island, will be the centerpiece of the celebration and resembles an ancient Roman theater that can accommodate up to 4,500 people.



“It features a vast viewing platform through which artists can ascend, and is equipped with a high-quality and accuracy-advanced audio system that has never before been used in the region,” the statement said.

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, chairman of Sharjah Media Centre and chairman of the Executive Committee for the Sharjah Capital of Islamic Culture 2014 Celebrations, said that the project on the island will also include conference rooms, shops, restaurants, etc. improving its appeal as a tourist spot.

“The Al Majaz Island Project’s many luxurious facilities, which include VIP Conference Rooms, galleries, and a number of shops, restaurants and green spaces, combine to make a truly spectacular destination,” Qassimi said.

“The project aims to ensure Al Majaz Island remains a prominent tourism site, as well as providing an ideal venue for future artistic, cultural and tourism movements in the UAE in general and Sharjah in particular,” he said.

True picture of Islam

The amphitheatre will feature the “Clusters of Light” performance from more than 300 actors that come from several countries including UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, etc.



“‘Clusters of Light’ has been inspired by the desire for a high-ranking artistic work providing a true picture about Islam – the human values and message that promote peace, justice, tolerance, and love – to be recorded by history and engraved in the memory of future generations,” the statement said.

“The display will last one hour and 42 minutes, with the entire team – including actors, musicians, composers, directors, producers, designers and innovators – comprising some 750 people,” it said.

The esteemed Bahraini artist Khalid Al Sheikh composed the global epic while more than 70 musicians from the renowned German Film Orchestra have recorded the sound track.

“Among the participants in this landmark work are creative minds from all across the Middle East, including the Emirati artist Hussein Al Jasmi, the Tunisian singer Lutfi Bushnaq, the young Palestinian artist Mohammed Assaf, and Egyptian artist Ali Hajjar,” the statement said.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

UAE says online photos require subject’s consent

ABU DHABI — Authorities in the United Arab Emirates are warning social media users that photos of individuals posted online without their consent could lead to jail.

The comments carried Monday in Al Ittihad newspaper say posting photos or video without permission can bring up to six months in prison and fines as high as 500,000 dirhams, nearly $140,000.

The UAE has some of the region’s toughest enforcement on Internet restrictions, but other Gulf countries could follow suit as they harmonize security and telecommunications policies.

The newspaper quotes Interior Ministry official Lt. Col. Salah al-Ghoul as saying the rules apply to social media sites or any “information network.”

In July, Dubai police arrested a man who posted an Internet video of an Emirati beating a South Asian motorist after an apparent traffic altercation.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Radio station for Pinoys launched in Dubai

Some 650,000 Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates can now get a little taste of home after a radio station for Filipinos started to hit the airwaves on March 25.

With the tagline “Mahal Ko, Music Ko (I love my music),” Arabian Radio Network's "Tag 91.1" plays original Filipino music and Filipino news.

The station is also accessible via smartphones and tablets, marketing head Matthew Johnson said in an interview posted on the Khaleej Times news site.

 

 

“We found out in our research that Filipinos are a distinct audience so adept with technology so we came up with a digital platform that brings the broadcast to them with dedicated iPhone, Android, Nokia and Blackberry apps, and a built-in player on all Samsung Smart TVs,” Johnson said.

He said they spent two years of research into meeting the needs of Filipinos in the UAE.

The result is "the first radio station to target Filipinos ever launched in the Arab world,” he said.

Initially, Tag 91.1 will start airing at 5:00 a.m. and end at 2:00 a.m., with three shows. A fourth show may start next week.

Johnson said the new station is targeting Filipinos between 25 and 34 years old. In the last five years, ARN had been airing Filipino programming from midnight until 6:00 a.m. on Dubai Eye 103.8.

"With over 25,000 Facebook friends, ARN is responding to the huge demand from the Filipino community. This time by setting up a Filipino radio channel,” he said.

Recruitment

Johnson also said program director Roy Lampera went to Manila to "recruit the best presenters in the top two radio stations" there.

He said Tag 91.1 will thus have "the world’s best Filipino presenters, best marketing and best program director to ensure its commercial success."

Tag 91.1 was launched with an "all-Filipino" lineup of broadcasters, and has signed 11 long-term ads with sponsors.

Its website www.tag91.1.ae was also launched on Sunday. - VVP, GMANews

 

source: gmanetwork.com

A Medical Beacon for Pinoys in UAE

FOR the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos working and living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dr. Rosario B. Tigno is widely known as a generous hero.

The first Filipino doctor from the Philippines to practice in UAE, Dr. Tigno was issued a medical license by the Department of Health and Medical Services of Dubai in 1992.

Instead of taking advantage of the fact that she could enrich herself by being the first (and for a time, the only) Filipino doctor to cater to the then more than 240,000 Pinoys in the region, Dr. Tigno committed herself to helping her kababayans,  by providing free services to the needy and hard-up.

For more than twenty years now, Dr. Tigno has devoted her outstanding medical skills and philanthropic spirit to care for the health of the Filipino community in UAE.

It isn’t easy to live in the UAE, away from everything familiar and in a culture that is vastly different from that of the Philippines.

Stress, extreme loneliness, and constant pressure to perform take their toll on the health of the Pinoy community there. High blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease have become prevalent.

Unfortunately, the high cost of medical screenings, treatment and medicines plus the language barrier have prevented our kababayans in UAE from getting help for their health concerns.

Kapwa-Pinoy

Dr. Tigno saw the problem and decided to provide a solution for her countrymen.

In 1999, she founded the Filipino Health Care Provider that provides medical missions offering free medicines, hypertension and diabetes screening, and dental and eye check-up in the different emirates in UAE.

Noting that Filipinos prefer discussing their medical problems with “kapwa-Pinoys,” Dr. Tigno persuaded other Filipino medical practitioners to help her treat the huge number of Pinoys wanting to avail of their services.

“The group was formed to help our fellow Filipinos, especially domestic workers who cannot get medical service because they do not have money or time,” Dr. Tigno said.

Another project she initiated is Share Blood, Spare A Life -- a blood donation drive and information campaign for the Filipino community in UAE.

First Filipino-owned clinic in Dubai

Moved by the ever-increasing needs of her kababayans in the region, Dr. Tigno established the Philippine Medical Center in 2003. The first Filipino-owned clinic in Dubai, the Philippine Medical Center caters principally to Filipino patients. Those who are underprivileged are provided with either free services or huge discounts in professional fees.

Education, career and achievements

Born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Dr. Tigno obtained her pre-medical studies at the University of Santo Tomas, and her medical degree from the Manila Central University in 1972.  She had her residency training at the Bulacan Provincial Hospital.

Two years after graduation, she joined the AFP Medical Corps in 1974. Dr. Tigno was commissioned as a Reserve Officer and served with the Mindanao command.

For her meritorious service and outstanding performance of duties as a member of the V. Luna Medical Center Surgical Augmentation Team, she was awarded the Military Merit Medal.

In 1975, Dr. Tigno became an OFW, working as a doctor for four years in several hospitals in Iran.

When the Islamic revolution took place in 1979, Dr. Tigno went back to the Philippines and established her medical career in her homeland for more than 13 years. She immigrated to Dubai in 1992.

In recognition of Dr. Tigno’s notable achievement in the field of medicine and her service to the Filipino community in Dubai, she was chosen as one of the Ten Filipino Achievers in 2001 by the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

In 2006, Dr. Tigno received the Presidential Banaag Award from no less than President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo, who recognized her “tireless efforts in effectively inspiring medical practitioners to provide medical assistance to Filipinos.”

Like the other awardees, Dr. Tigno was selected for her “excellence in work, untiring service to the Filipino people, dedicated leadership in community initiatives that promote the common good.”

Other philanthropic efforts

Aside from her work in the Filipino Health Care Provider (FHP), Dr. Tigno has also served the UAE Filipino community through other various means: she established fund-raising projects for the Adopt-a-School Hometown Project of ABS-CBN Foundation; she has volunteered medical service during the sports activities of Filipinos in Dubai; she has donated for the victims of the Quezon and Leyte landslides; and  she has visited Filipinos who were confined in government hospitals in Dubai and helped their families in coordinating with the Philippine Consulate General for financial assistance.

Through FHP, Dr. Tigno and other medical practitioners have promoted medical support in most community and church events.

They also served as the liaison between the Philippine Consulate General and distressed Filipinos in Dubai, including runaway maids seeking shelter at the Philippine Labor Office and Filipino evacuees from Lebanon.

In the souvenir program during the 2006 Presidential Awards, the article said of Dr. Tigno: “Filipinos in Dubai refer to her as a medical beacon within the Filipino community and a doctor-at-large who is always on call whenever needed, exemplifying the bravery, industry and zeal of the Filipino migrant.”

Truly, the Filipinos in the UAE have been blessed, having Dr. Tigno in their midst.

source: asianjournal.com