1. The Palace – The Old Town is ‘Best Hotel Dubai’ in over 50 rooms category
2. The Address Montgomerie Dubai is ‘Best Hotel Dubai’ with under 50 rooms
3. In addition WA International won ‘The Interior Design Award for Arabia’ for their work on The Address Downtown Burj Dubai

Two properties of The Address Hotels + Resorts, the hotel brand of Emaar Hospitality Group, have won the ‘Best Hotel Dubai’ honours at the Arabian Property Awards.

The Palace – The Old Town, an elegant 5-star premium hotel destination in Dubai, and The Address Montgomerie Dubai won the awards in the over and under 50 rooms categories respectively. The award recognises the highest hospitality standards followed by the two hotels. In addition to this, interior designers WA International came away with ‘The Interior Design Award for Arabia’ for their designs incorporated in The Address Downtown Burj Dubai.

Mr Marc Dardenne, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “Winning the ‘Best Hotel Dubai’ award for the two categories recognises our efforts to uphold the highest standards of service and hospitality. The Palace – The Old Town, in addition to its spectacular location in Downtown Burj Dubai overlooking The Dubai Fountain and Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest building, has highly aesthetic architecture features and décor with an attention for details. This is complemented by superior services and hospitality standards that have been recognised with this award.”

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GE Healthcare and GE Consumer & Industrial installed medical and industrial solutions to the Formula 1™ Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, which will help keep the circuit safe and running for the first Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which will take place on November 1.

GE Healthcare provided a turnkey medical solution to the circuit within a record time of two months.  GE was able to create a complete polyclinic filled with a diversified range of products, equipped to provide a variety of health care services on-site.  GE products in the clinic include surgical equipment, anesthesia and ultrasound products.

GE Consumer & Industrial together with ETA PCS, a UAE licensed panel builder, supplied low voltage distribution panels and switchgear to 14 substations, therefore providing safe and consistent distribution of power to the Yas Marina Circuit

Hany Bayaa, GE National Executive for the Lower Gulf, said, “GE is proud to see its technology used at such a historic event for Abu Dhabi. Our businesses’ quick response to the customer’s needs strongly positioned us for these opportunities.”

About GE:
GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified infrastructure, finance and media company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, medical imaging, and television programming, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.ge.com.

For more information, contact:
Rania Rostom                        Hiba Al Hafidh / Roisin Lillis
GE Communications Manager, Middle East & Africa        ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: +9714 429 6311                    Tel: +9714 334 4550
Email: rania.rostom@ge.com Email: h.alhafidh@asdaa.com, r.lillis@asdaa.com

Industry leaders applaud DIFF’s economic, social and global contribution

Industry leaders Dubai Duty Free, Dubai Pearl, Emirates Airline and Madinat Jumeirah will once again lead the charge for the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), the flagship Dubai institutions said today.

The four principal sponsors applauded DIFF‘s year-on-year success in raising the emirate’s profile around the world, adding a vital new cultural dimension at home, and its continuing economic and social contribution. Three of the four – Dubai Duty Free, Emirates and Madinat Jumeirah – are founding sponsors, having partnered with the Festival since its inception in 2004.

DIFF Chairman Abdulhamid Juma thanked the core partners for their unstinting support of the Festival and its mission. “The success of the Festival over the years owes a great deal to the seamless support extended by Dubai Duty Free, Dubai Pearl, Emirates Airline and Madinat Jumeirah. As the flag-bearers of Dubai’s success story across the world, they have been instrumental in shaping the Festival and helping us deliver a better Festival every year.”

Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, the No. 1 duty free operation in the world, said DIFF shares its passion for bringing the world closer and showcasing the best of the world in a quality environment.

“DIFF plays a very special role in bringing together diverse cultures through the universal language of film,” said McLoughlin. “In addition, the Festival continues to make a significant economic impact, drawing educators, talent and visitors from all over the world. We are honoured to once more extend our support to DIFF.”

Abdul Majeed Ismail Al Fahim, Chairman of Pearl Dubai FZ LLC, said: “In connecting people through the medium of cinema, the Dubai International Film Festival is a celebration of global communities. Its ethos complements the spirit of Pearl Dubai, that seeks to build communities in a superb setting, combining the very best in service, lifestyle and amenities. The Dubai Pearl project that is fast taking shape as an integrated luxury development bears testimony to this vision.”

“The Dubai International Film Festival is an event that gives each one of us more reason to be proud as residents of Dubai. The year-on-year success of the event speaks to the untiring efforts that go into its development as a showcase of the richness of the Arab culture and the unique fabric of our communities,” he added.

Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman, Emirates Airline and Group, said the Festival is an excellent cultural investment in Dubai and promotes emerging talent in the region.

“DIFF excels at showcasing Arab talent while bringing the best of the international film industry to Dubai for cultural exchange, debate and creative expression. Emirates is delighted to play a part in achieving these goals, and like many other institutions in Dubai, has benefited tremendously from our relationship with the Festival,” he said.

Gerald Lawless, Executive Chairman of Jumeirah Group, praised the Festival’s success in creating a unique and accessible cultural offering for all residents. DIFF, he added, is also an unrivalled opportunity for the Madinat Jumeirah resort to showcase its renowned facilities and services.

“DIFF embodies Dubai’s hospitality and openness to people of all ages and nationalities, and as hospitality leaders we are proud to be closely associated with the Festival once more. The Madinat Jumeirah has housed the Festival since its inception in 2004, and we look forward to remaining its home for many years to come,” Lawless said.

DIFF, now in its sixth year, will showcase the finest cinema from across the world and host leading filmmakers and actors, in addition to promoting cinema talent from the Arab world, Asia and Africa.

The sixth edition of DIFF will run from December 9 – 16, 2009.

For more information, please contact:
Majid Wasi
Communications Manager
Dubai International Film Festival
Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority
Direct: + 97 14 361 3882; Board: + 97 14 391 33 78 ; Fax: + 97 14 367 28 92
Kelly Home / Nivine William
ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: + 971 4 3344 550
E-mail: k.home@asdaa.com/n.william@asdaa.com

Pack includes VIP car park sticker, 100 entry tickets, and 20 fun fair tickets

Global Village, a member of Tatweer, and the region’s most popular cultural, entertainment and shopping venue, has announced the sale of its much anticipated ‘VIP package’ for visitors and families starting today, November 1, 2009. The 14th edition of Global Village will run for 98 days from 22 November, 2009, to 27 February, 2010.

The exclusive packages are available at the Global Village office located in Dubailand, Emirates Road, between 9am and 6pm, Sunday to Thursday, and from 9am to 4pm on Saturdays. The special package will include 100 complimentary entry tickets, one VIP car pass sticker for convenient parking, and 20 fun fair tokens.

Global Village is putting the final touches to the 14th edition that will showcase a convergence of culture through pavilions and through an offering of unparalleled entertainment through international events.

The package has been designed to offer value for money and starts from AED 750. Extremely popular among VIP residents in the UAE, the pack is also sought after by VIP visitors from across the GCC.

The VIP passes also offer consumers the choice to opt for their favourite number combinations, matching vehicle license plates, phone numbers and other special numbers.

Around 4.3 million visitors thronged Global Village during the 2008-2009 season and visited pavilions from 30 different countries.

For more details and information please call:
Naser Hakim, Senior PR & Communication Executive, Tel : +9714 2020548 Email : nhakeem@mydsf.ae
Suhaib Abdulla, English Editor , Tel : +9714 2020579  Email : sabdulla@mydsf.ae
Ahlan Dubai Tel: 600545555 or DSF Website: www.mydsf.ae

More chances to experience the adrenalin rush in a customised F1×3 racer car

Following the success of Etisalat’s F1×3 promotion, on popular demand, Etisalat has extended the promotion by two weeks to provide the opportunity of live racing to more speed-enthusiasts across UAE.

As part of the Formula 1 frenzy that has engulfed the UAE, Etisalat aims to further enliven the motoring experience for its customers by providing them the chance to hit the Dubai Autodrome racetracks on 13 November 2009.
In the region’s first-of-its-kind promotion, which initially concluded with high speeds in Etisalat’s customised F1×3 racing car at the Dubai Autodrome on 25th and 26th October, 112 lucky winners experienced live racing thrills in the superfast Etisalat F1×3 car.

As part of the extended promotion, Etisalat customers can once again avail raffle draw entries by simply sending a text message ‘F1X3′, to 1110, to get one draw entry and one week race alerts for free. Moreover, customers can get 10 entries into the raffle draw on purchase of an iPhone and 5 entries on purchase  the  broadband bundle>.

The car is an original F1 racing car with three seats, especially designed to provide the ultimate racing experience on the tracks. The car specifications are similar to a real racing car, including the engine capacity, acceleration, maximum speed as well as the look and feel. The car is capable to hit speeds of around 300 km/hr and accelerations from 0 to 200 in 4.8 seconds.
Etisalat’s F1×3 car racing promotion ran parallel to the current formula one racing excitement and also received an overwhelming response from customers. In its first lap of the promotion, which is now extended, the winners’ profile consisted of 18 different nationalities. These also included children below the required age who were authorized and accompanied by their parents for the ride, as a safety measure and part of the promotion’s terms of winning. All winners were handed certificates signed by the professional racers as a memento of their participation in the region’s first live racing experience.

Press release issued by – Etisalat
For further media information, please contact:
Mohammad Okour
Mobile: 050 8815000
m.okour@asdaa.com
www.etisalat.ae

Middle East’s first personal Wi-Fi zone for Internet access while on the move

Etisalat has unveiled the HSPA – Wi-Fi Modem, a trendsetting mobile broadband service which enables customers to simultaneously connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets by using one SIM Card.
Fitting snugly into a small pocket, the Pocket HSPA – Wi-Fi Modem converts HSPA mobile signals into an umbrella of powerful Wi-Fi coverage for up to five devices to access the Internet securely. It functions for various Wi-Fi devices, such as netbooks, notebooks, portable media players, handheld game consoles, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones and even cameras.

Pocket HSPA- Wi-Fi modem supports a maximum downlink speed of up to 7.2 Mbps, and a maximum uplink speed of up to 5.76 Mbps, made possible by Etisalat’s 3.5G mobile network.
Mr. Essa Al Haddad, Chief Marketing Officer of Etisalat said: “Etisalat is determined to offer complete end-to-end telecommunications solutions for its residential as well as business customers. The first-in-class Middle East breakthrough demonstrates Etisalat’s commitment in providing the best-in-class wireless service to serve its customers and for the betterment of UAE as the leading financial and digital hub. Nowadays wireless Internet access has become part of our daily lives and the trend is to go online with more than one gadget simultaneously, wherever a user may be. Etisalat’s new service addresses the customers’ need for an all-in-one solution which is both fast and reliable at the same time.

“We believe that executives, particularly those who need to work outside their office, and young gadget lovers will greatly appreciate this new dimension of flexibility and convenience. Also, HSPA- Wi-Fi modem is a perfect solution for remote offices of some small scale enterprises as the service facilitates multi-user Internet access anywhere, anytime. Etisalat will never stop innovating to make everyday life more convenient and enjoyable for its customers.” He added
Users can enjoy HSPA – Wi-Fi Modem service by subscribing to one of Etisalat’s current data packages. The Pocket HSPA- Wi-Fi modem device will be available from AED 749.

The Pocket HSPA-WiFi Modem can also be plugged into a notebook via a USB cable, thereby offering simultaneous Internet access to a sixth device. Like netvigator Everywhere users, Pocket Wi-Fi users can enjoy roaming services in 120 country around the world and it is therefore a desirable companion of frequent travelers.
For more information, please visit www.Etisalat.ae or call the customer service hotline on 101

Press release issued by – Etisalat
For further media information, please contact:
Mohammad Okour
Mobile: 050 8815000
m.okour@asdaa.com
www.etisalat.ae

Dubai Financial Market General Index (DFMGI) recorded a slight rise of 0.30% during October, adding nearly seven points to settle at 2197.52 pts.

During this month’s trading, the Index managed to jump above 2300 levels, following an upward trend since early sessions. On October 15th, it skyrocketed to its highest level in FY09, reaching 2408.90 pts.

Early in February, the Index bottomed out to its lowest level this year, hitting 1427.93 pts. Thus, the rise from the lowest to the highest points amounted to nearly 69%.

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GE Oil & Gas’ PII Pipeline Solutions business has been awarded a multi-million U.S. dollar, six-year contract to supply Qatargas Operating Company Limited (Qatargas) with advanced pipeline integrity management services to enhance the monitoring and maintenance of the company’s liquid natural gas (LNG) network.

Based in Ras Laffan City in the State of Qatar, Qatargas has nine prominent shareholders – Qatar Petroleum, ExxonMobil, Total, Mitsui, Marubeni, ConocoPhillips, Shell, Idemitsu and Cosmo Oil.

Under the agreement GE Oil & Gas will build and deploy a custom pipeline integrity management system (PIMS) to drive Qatargas’ overall integrity management processes. As part of this work, GE will provide Qatargas with the associated integrity management (IM) elements, including manuals and procedures covering in-line inspection (ILI), software automation and engineering assessments.

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1. Five properties now open in Dubai under The Address Hotels + Resorts portfolio
2. Centrally located in the lively Dubai Marina district
3. 200 rooms including 28 suites; five stylish restaurants and lounges; luxurious spa
4. Extensive facilities for meetings and events including 900 sq meter ballroom

The Address Dubai Marina has opened its doors ushering in a new business and leisure hub in one of Dubai’s most vibrant lifestyle destinations, Dubai Marina. This five star premium hotel is the latest addition to the portfolio of The Address Hotels + Resorts and is designed to be a modern business destination with access to countless leisure opportunities for shopping, dining and entertainment.

The contemporary hotel offers some of the most extensive conference facilities in the city and is located within close proximity to Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, Knowledge Village, Jebel Ali Free Zone and some of the largest business hubs in the city. It is also easily accessible from Dubai and Abu Dhabi International airports and has direct access to the Dubai Metro.

The hotel has 200 elegant rooms, including 28 suites, all equipped with modern facilities such as flat screen TVs, complimentary wi-fi access, i-pod docking stations, gourmet coffee and tea machines and modern lifestyle amenities. In addition to the hotel rooms, The Address Dubai Marina also has 442 serviced apartments. Guests reserving club rooms or suites will have exclusive access to the Club Lounge, with complimentary food and beverage served throughout the day and they will also be able to avail of The Address brand’s signatory, complete 24-hour stay benefit.

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