2006
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Woods wants wider golf
Golf needs to appeal to a wider audience and become less exclusive, golfer Tiger Woods has told AME Info Broadcast. Woods says that golf needs to maintain its tradition and integrity, but also provide greater opportunities for more people to play. Woods, who is designing a signature golf course at Dubailand, says that Americans visiting the Middle East are "amazed" by the region's globalisation and development.
Big Yellow at iMPZ
The Big Yellow, a franchise of Europe's self storage operator, the Big Yellow Group, is to build a $15m purpose-built storage facility at the International Media Production Zone in Dubai. The facility will comprise five buildings, offering a total storage space of 300,000 sqft. The facility will provide round-the-clock storage for personal and business use.
Springboks hammer NZ
South Africa staged a major second half recovery to emphatically thump New Zealand 31-12 and claim its first Dubai Sevens rugby title since 2003, reported Gulf News. Trailing 12-0 at half time, the Springboks went through the gears and ran in five unanswered tries to clinch the title. Playing in driving rain, Tobela Mdaka led the comeback with two tries, as South Africa cruised home with something to spare.
Alshaya at Arab Strategy Forum
The M.H. Alshaya Company, the Kuwait-based retailer that owns and operates 1,200 stores across the Middle East and Europe, is to participate at this year's Arab Strategy Forum. The firm is one of the event's sponsors and CEO Mohammed Alshaya will participate in panel discussions. Alshaya employs around 1,200 staff and among its main international brands in the region are H&M, Starbucks, Boots and Debenhams.
Carreras on song at DIFC
Leading Spanish opera tenor Jose Carreras was the star turn at the celebrations to mark the second anniversary of the Dubai International Financial Centre, reported Gulf News. Carreras, famous for his work with Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, performed a number of classical and contemporary arias for around 2,500 guests.
Bogus basmati in UAE
UK rice retailer Tilda is urging the UAE's authorities to tighten up on bogus basmati rice imports, reported Gulf News. The firm, a big exporter to the region, is claiming consumers are being sold rice marked as basmati but which fails to meet criteria set out by the UK's Food Standards Authority. The rice must contain 93% genuine basmati grains but tests revealed 39% of samples fell short of this.
Sbarro coming to Gulf
Italian restaurant chain Sbarro plans to open 50 outlets in Gulf countries in the next ten years, through a partnership agreement with Qatar-based Wataniya Restaurants. Franchises will be located in Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait, with most opening in new shopping malls and airports within the larger cities, the company said.
Global Village set to go
Dubai's Global Village opens for another season on 13 December. There are 39 participating countries at this year's shopping and entertainment event. Under a theme of 'redefining the world', Global Village runs for 59 days to 9 February 2007 to coincide with Dubai Shopping Festival.
Film Fest tickets on sale
Tickets for the Dubai International Film Festival are now on sale. They can be purchased at six locations and online at dubaifilmfest.com. DIFF will show 115 films at four venues, including Dubai Media City's amphitheatre. The festival runs for eight days from 10-17 December 2006.
Games opening 'ground-breaking'
With a cast of 7,000 locals, the Doha Asian Games opening ceremony will be a ground-breaking event, according to organisers. Friday's ceremony at the 50,000-seat Khalifa Stadium will be seen by up to 3bn TV viewers worldwide, The Peninsula reported. Qatar's history of desert and sea culture will be a theme.
Lebanese firms get fee exemption
Lebanese publishers have been exempt from paying fees at this year's Sharjah Book Fair, Gulf News reported. Around 655 publishers from 38 countries will display 21,000 titles at the fair, which runs from 5-15 December at the Sharjah Expo. Prizes will be awarded, including for the best Arab publishers and best UAE books.
Corporate golf packages on sale
Corporate hospitality packages for the 2007 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship from 18-21 January are now on sale. The packages are for tables of 10 on the club's Falcon Terrace, which include continental breakfast, lunch, tea and complimentary beverages. Bookings can be made online at abudhabigolfchampionship.com.
Al Faisaliah pushes Italian chain
Saudi's Al Faisaliah Group will open 30 outlets of the Italian department store Bernardi in the kingdom over the next three years, Arab News reported. A region-wide expansion will follow. The group also plans to open an academy to train locals for a career in retail.
Ferrari accessories in Doha
A boutique selling Ferrari accessories has opened at the Alfardan Centre in Doha, with two more outlets planned for the city, Trade Arabia reported. The store offers items such as clothes and toys bearing the Ferrari logo. Outlets are planned for Alfarden Towers and the Pearl-Qatar.
Villa Moda for Moda Mall
Villa Moda, the Kuwait-based fashion retailer, will be the anchor tenant of the Moda Mall at the Bahrain World Trade Centre. Already established in Dubai, Qatar and Syria, Villa Moda is set to open in Bahrain during Q1 2007. The store will be more than 1,000 sqft in size, the largest single outlet at the mall, and will market brands such as Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino.
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