The Amir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has arrived in Abu Dhabi today on a fraternal visit to the country. He will hold talks with the President, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, on bilateral relations and future of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council after the UAE accused some council members of building close relations with Iran disregarding the common AGCC stand on the issue. The common AGCC stand links ties with Iran to settlement of the issue of three UAE islands occupied by Iran. Meanwhile, a UAE spokesman yesterday dismissed deputy Iranian speaker Hassan Rowhani's comments on the three islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs as "the same old litany of contradictions and deceits. Iran has no right to determine the legal status of the three islands because it refuses...either to bring the dispute before the International Court of Justice or to seek international arbitration," the spokesman told the London-based Arabic daily Ash Sharq Al Awsat. Mr Rowhani said on Thursday the "legal status of the three...islands is clearly transparent and no legal ambiguity exists in this regard". (The Emirates News Agency, WAM )
:
ZAYED UNIVERSITY TO SET UP NEW ZEALAND CENTRE
Zayed University will establish an Islamic and Arabic Studies programme at Otago University, one of New Zealand's largest universities. A spokesman for the university, which has campuses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, said it was the first university cooperation between the UAE and New Zealand. This month Zayed University, whose students are all female UAE nationals, will send a delegation to New Zealand to begin setting up what will be the first Islamic and Arabic studies centre there. (The 'Gulf News' )
:
SHEIKH KHALIFA AWARD '99 TO BEGIN MONDAY
Encouraged by the success last year, the General Industry Corp (GIC) is launching the Sheikh Khalifa Industry Award for 1999 on Monday. The award is intended to boost industrial development in Abu Dhabi. Its programme manager, Dhafir Ayadh Al Ahbabi, said the award is organised on an annual basis to appraise quality performance and competitiveness of industries in Abu Dhabi. The appraisal is carried out through a special assessment methodology linked to international quality standards, GIC said. After an initial assessment by a specially trained team, companies are shortlisted for one of the higher awards (diamond, gold, silver and bronze) and a further assessment is made. "All assessments will be done through sophisticated computer analysis and the results will be forwarded to a panel of judges who will decide the winners." Ahbabi said this year's award would see some modifications in the assessment criteria. Participants must have completed at least two years of operation for this year's award. (The 'Gulf News' )
:
REGION'S FIRST CITY OF ICE TO BE SET UP
A group of talented sculptors, who built the world's tallest building out of ice, plan to create the first-ever ice city in the Middle East at Dubai Creek Park next month. China's Ice Lantern company, in association with the Mohammed Al Otaiba Group, will set up the region's first city of ice called Frozen World complete with palatial buildings, landscapes, sculptures, crystals, antique shaded carvings, bridges and pavilions. "It will be a modern ice lantern show. Work will start on it in a few days time and we hope to have it ready by July 15," Mohammed Lutfi, Operations Manager of Mohammed Al Otaiba Group, told reporters in Dubai. He stressed that the show would be separate from the Ice Surprises event organised by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry for DSS '99 and will conclude only at the end of October. It will use some 300 tonnes of ice over a 40 sq. m. area to maintain a minus 15degrees C temperature. Michelle Xia, a member of the organising committee, said the ice lantern show had developed into an extremely popular event in China ever since artists in the northern city of Harbe, which during winter has an average temperature of 0 degrees C, introduced this unique art form. "Today the ice lantern is a well known art form in China and around the world. Since 1963, the ice lantern show has been successfully held on 25 occasions in Harbe, which has now become a world famous ice tourism resort," she said. She said the ice lantern exhibitions have also been held in many different countries but this was the first time that the show was being held in the Middle East. "The Ice Lantern exhibition will be a unique experience to all the residents and visitors to the UAE. They will also be able to see our skilled craftsmen at work. We will have traditional Arabian designs and Dubai landmarks like the Clock Tower and the Jumeirah mosque," she said. Michelle said about 20 people including sculptors and technicians will be engaged in creating the city of ice, which will have sparkling crystal clear sights at day and illuminated at night. The Frozen World will also have music to create the special effect of sight, sound and music. (The 'Khaleej Times')
:
AL DHAID TO GET FIRST ADVANCED HOSPITAL
The first advanced hospital in the Central Region is set to open this year, offering specialised health care services to 60,000 residents of Al Dhaid in Sharjah and neighbouring areas including the Al Shuwaib region near Al Ain, Masafi in Fujairah, and Falaj Al Mualla in Umm Al Quwain. The Dh68 million Al Dhaid Hospital offers advanced medical facilities including laboratories, maternity and pre-natal wards, ENT clinics and an X-ray unit. Other specialities include physiotherapy, dentistry, internal medicine and orthopaedics. The two-storey building will have 85 beds, six operating theatres and an intensive care unit. (The 'Gulf News' )
:
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE REQUIRES REGULATION
The regulation of herbal and alternative medicine by the medical community was urged yesterday during a meeting on Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Dr Ahmed Al Hashimi, Director of the Dubai Medical Zone, said prescriptions of alternative medicine without proper physician supervision could lead to severe kidney or liver conditions. If the patient took the medicine on his own, dangerous side-effects may occur because some herbs contain potent components not suitable for everyone. Al Hashimi was speaking on behalf of Minister of Health Hamad Abdul Rahman Al Madfa. He said alternative medicine was becoming increasingly popular around the world to treat conditions against which conventional medicine had proved ineffective. "To avoid its misuse, it should be supervised by physicians," he said. Dr Noori Al Waili, Director of the Dubai Treatment and Research Center, said that experiments with alternative medicine showed there was little or no adverse reaction. "Alternative medicine is cheaper than traditional medicine because of the use of components which occur in nature," he added. "Alternative medicine also helps increase stamina and strengthen the immune system." Al Waili said the regularisation of alternative and complementary medicine was very important. "It should also be included as a compulsory subject in medical schools." (The 'Gulf News' )
:
MINISTRY COMPLETED 12 PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY LAST
MONTH
The Ministry of Housing and Public Works' Maintenance Department completed several projects last month at different locations across the country, according to a Press release. A total of 12 projects have been completed, including the construction of five mosques in Fujairah, four in Sharjah as well as the maintenance of the Histopathology laboratory in Al Baraha Hospital in Dubai and TV ground station at Al Maqam in Al Ain. Work on 84 other maintenance projects was under way. These projects include 13 mosques in Fujairah, 16 mosques in Sharjah, the Umm Al Quwain Hospital, the premises of Studio 5 of Abu Dhabi TV, the Fujairah Hospital, Saif bin Ghubash Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, Ministry of Finance and Industry premises at Al Khubeira Palace in Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Radio and TV building, the Health Care Centre in Umm Al Quwain and three health care centres in Dubai. Twenty-seven schools, three kindergartens and two mosques in Ajman are also under maintenance in addition to four mosques in Ras Al Khaimah, two mosques in Umm Al Quwain as well as annual maintenance works at buildings in the Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern areas. According to the Press release, the ministry is in the process of signing documents for eight new projects and awarding the contracts for 12 others. The ministry will also call for tenders for 21 projects. As many as 56 projects are under preparation and 80others under review. Nineteen projects including14 schools and three kindergartens have been earmarked for annual maintenance. (The 'Khaleej Times')
:
AL FUTTAIM FORMS NEW CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS UNIT
Al Futtaim Trading yesterday announced the launch of Al Futtaim Engineering, a new division. The company opened a building products showroom which offers a range of building and architectural products from a single door lock to a complete bathroom suite. Internationally renowned brands are featured including Masco, Weiser, Damixa, Mirloin, Sphinx and Toto. "At a time when most businesses worldwide are reeling from the latest economic recession, we are determined to push ahead in our mission for market leadership and excellence," said John Ashcroft, managing director of Al Futtaim Engineering. "Our new building products division is an integral and strategic component of that mission. By continuing to expand, diversify and adapt, we are better placed for a leading position which enables us to extend a comprehensive range of products and services to customers." Arun Tuli, divisional manager of Al Futtaim engineering building products, said, "Today there are exciting opportunities available to residential and commercial property developers. With the advent of new products and technologies, one is able to source the best products at reasonable prices. With this in mind, we set out and now have bought in to the UAE market some new products." The Al Futtaim building showroom offers one-stop shopping for any building product needs. (The 'Gulf News' )
:
EXCAVATIONS IN UAE TO BE HIGHLIGHTED AT UK SEMINAR
Recent archaeological discoveries in the UAE are to figure prominently in a three-day seminar on Arabian studies in London next month, according to the organisers. Five papers on UAE archaeology will be presented. Mark Beech of Britain's York University will examine recent discoveries at a 7,000-year-old site on Abu Dhabi's western island of Dalma. Henrike Kiesewetter will deal with the neolithic jewellery found during excavations at Jebel Buhays in Sharjah. Dr Walid Al Tikriti, of the Department of Antiquities and Tourism, and Dr Sophie Mery, from Paris, will report on the burial customs from the Umm Al Nar period. Dr Jose-Maria Cordoba, of Madrid University, will report on findings at an Iron Age settlement at Madam, in Sharjah. The UAE mountains' rock art will be examined by the University of Sydney's Michele Ziolkowski. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM )