Khaleej Times

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has issued Regulation No. 2 of 2012 to add some land to areas where non-UAE nationals may own real estate properties in the emirate of Dubai.

It is the tallest building and tallest free-standing structure in the world, has the highest number of storeys (in addition to the 160 habitable floors, it has 46 maintenance levels in the spire and two parking levels in the basement making it 206 floors in total) and highest outdoor observation deck in the world and has an elevator with the longest travel distance.

Dubai got into the party mood early in the afternoon on Saturday. The roads were packed near the iconic Burj Khalifa. And the Global Village was another hotspot for visitors. At the crack of midnight, fireworks ushered in 2012 at the Burj as restaurants, night clubs and parties sported New Year themes.

Recent examples are Abu Dhabi-based Aabar Investments’s 4.99 per cent stake in Italy’s UniCredit SpA and a joint venture between Dubai-based Emaar and Italian designer Giorgio Armani. The joint venture launched the first Armani hotel in Dubai a year before and there are plans to open 10 more Armani-branded hotels and resorts within the next 10 years in famous cities across the world.

Thousands of energy-efficient decorative lights have started shining along the three-km long Emaar Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, which will continue through the entire festival season, including the UAE National Day celebrations, Emirates Classic Car Festival, New Year’s Eve and the Dubai Shopping Festival, up until April 2012.

Did you know that the maximum occupancy of the Burj Khalifa is 35,000 people, almost the population of a small town! And did you know that during the hot summer months or in the cool winters, the temperature at the top of Burj Khalifa is six degrees cooler than at ground level.

The clutches and accessories too sported the crescent theme, which was more of a tribute by Armani to his special project in Dubai – the world’s first Armani Hotel.

Dubai’s hospitality market has rapidly absorbed this influx of new supply and continued to perform exceptionally well, as RevPAR has only declined by 0.3 per cent, according to Ernst & Young’s Middle East Hotel Benchmark survey.

Shoppers crowded the booth of the health festival, which will also be set up at Wafi City, Dubai Mall, Al Ghurair City and in select DSF locations in night souks at Al Riqqa Street, Al Seef Street in Dubai Creek, Global City and in corporate houses. Last year, the Family Health Festival attracted more than 100,000 visitors and tested more than 10,000 for free. This year, the Health Minister expected more individuals to avail of the free checkups and medical and nutritional counseling at the festival in the malls and night souks.

Some of the original shots feature the Burj Khalifa just as the glass cladding was being applied, export goods piled up on the decks of dhows, fabric shops, cafes and jewellery displays. Photographs of different people reflect the emirate's many backgrounds and personalities.