Tag Archives: dubai
Justin left high and dry
Justin left high and dry Amanda Fisher and Amira Agarib / 6 May 2013 Dubai authorities made a “special rule” allowing underage Justin Bieber into a top nightclub, but the pop sensation promptly left after being denied alcohol, performing an ‘illegal’ car manoeuvre on his way out, according to the club. Bieber, in town for concerts on Saturday night and last night, left club Movida, located in the Radisson Royal Hotel along Shaikh Zayed Road, in dramatic fashion about 2.15am on Friday morning, surfing on the rooftop of an SUV as it rode away, club manager Richard Haddon said. “There were a lot of people who were outside (watching)…he obviously knows how to get publicity.” In accordance with Dubai traffic laws, riding an SUV is an offence. But a Dubai police official denied knowledge of the incident involving the singer at the nightclub and his alleged stunt on the road, which he said was a violation. “Laws are applicable to all residents and visitors; only residents can obtain an alcohol licence,” he said. Most clubs do not ask for proof of age, the police official said and confirmed that 21 was the minimum drinking age in bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Haddon said while he did not witness Justin’s manoeuvre, and could not comment on how dangerous it was, he “wouldn’t recommend it” to other patrons. The 19-year-old, who is two years too young to enter clubs or drink alcohol, in line with Dubai rules, has been implicated in a string of unfavourable incidents in recent months, including repeatedly playing concerts late — again beginning his first Dubai show two hours late, prompting concerns from some parents — trying to smuggle a capuchin monkey into Germany, and getting photographed smoking what appears to be marijuana. Bieber arrived in Movida about 1.30am with an entourage of about 20, including his security, Haddon said, and seemed in good spirits. “He enjoyed himself.” Haddon said Bieber had spent some time in the middle of the club as he walked through to use the washroom. “The crowd loved it, normally with celebrities they tend to go straight to the (VIP) table.” However, he did not interact with other club-goers, as “he had four decent-sized security guards around him all night,” Haddon said. Movida, which also has a club in London renowned for drawing in A-list celebrities, had attracted big names such as 50-Cent, Usher and Nicki Minaj to the Dubai club in the year it had been open, he said. Haddon would not reveal which authority had given the exemption, though he said it was the first time such a move had ever been taken by Movida. When contacted, the Dubai Municipality and Dubai Events and Promotion Establishment also denied being the authority that had authorised the move. “Part of the stipulation was (Bieber) wasn’t allowed to consume alcohol…and that was the reason why in the end he left,” Haddon said. Bieber had started off on soft drinks, but left after three quarters of an hour when he was denied alcohol. “It was a bit of a surprise (he left). The rest of the people in his group were all over 21 and they were drinking.” Haddon said Bieber’s management, who appeared to be trying to keep the increasingly volatile teen heartthrob on a “short leash”, were made aware of the no-alcohol policy well in advance of the evening. “He’s obviously one of those people who his management don’t find easy to control.” Haddon said celebrity appearances were organised through contacts in concert promotion, with Movida cornering the “celebrity market” in Dubai. “Whenever they’re bringing big stars into town, they generally let us know in advance if they’re looking to party.” A spokeswoman for Done Events, the company looking after Bieber’s Dubai trip, said she could not comment on his antics outside the show. “Anything he did he did was on his own accord.” It would be difficult to tell the songster to avoid going out while in Dubai, “because he’s Justin Bieber”, but the company would have given him advice to avoid hot water had he asked, she said. “We obviously can’t control him and if he wants to go out and sightsee we can guide him in the general direction…but things like clubbing etc, we don’t promote and we didn’t offer for him to do that. “He is free to do what he wants.” news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Costly lessons
Costly lessons Dhanusha Gokulan / 6 May 2013 If it weren’t for both their incomes, paying for the education of their sons would be out of the question for Pakistani parents Javed Aqib and Umaira Aqib. “My older son is in the seventh grade, and the younger one is in grade five. We spend about Dh3,000 on their tuition fees per month. For an average middle class family like ours, it is very expensive. But it is also an unavoidable expenditure,” said Umaira. According to a recent survey conducted by whichschooladvisor.com , for a vast majority of parents in the UAE, education is a major expense, with close to one in five families spending more than 30 per cent of their monthly household budget on school fees. The most common answer from respondents is between 11 per cent and 15 per cent of their combined household incomes. Which School Advisor (WSA), the UAE’s first dedicated school guide, was launched a little over a month ago to address the key needs of expatriate parents in the UAE. The survey was conducted online over a period of five weeks through March and April with 596 responses from parents around the UAE. Forty-five per cent of respondents live in Abu Dhabi, 43 per cent in Dubai, almost 10 per cent in Sharjah with the remainder spread through the other four emirates. The website has a lot of material for parents, employers and schools to digest and discuss. The website suggested that educating children in the UAE’s private school system is expensive. Until recently it was an expense that many expatriate parents could expect to share to some degree with the employer who had persuaded them to spend the key years of their career in the UAE. About 62 per cent of respondents in the survey said that they cover the entire cost of their children’s school fees in the UAE. A further 24 per cent receive a contribution from their company while just 13 per cent have their school fees paid in full. When asked whether the school fees paid represent ‘good value for the quality of school offering’, a key factor is whether parents pay fees themselves. Fifty-four per cent of those who have fees paid think those fees represent ‘good value’ while this falls to just 27 per cent of those who pay in full themselves. Almost one in five families spend more than 30 per cent of their household income on school fees. This varies considerably, however, depending on particular school curricula. Those families spending 10 per cent or less of their income on fees is 42 per cent for Indian curriculum schools, 28 per cent of International Baccalaureate (IB) schools, 25 per cent of British curriculum schools and 19 per cent of American curriculum schools. Most parents interviewed by Khaleej Times weren’t aware of the website until they were informed about it. “I didn’t know about it. But once I checked the website out, I think it is great. Especially for new parents who are planning to move to the UAE. And even for resident parents, the site is great,” said Brian McPhearson, a chartered accountant. McPhearson’s daughters are students of Dubai International Academy. “My girls have been going to DIA for two years now. When we moved here, finding a suitable school for the girls was a task. We had to depend on suggestions given by other parents who’ve been living here. But websites like this really help,” he added. Indian parent and Dubai resident Shailesh Shrivastav said: “I have three kids and I’ll be honest. Educating them is perhaps one of my biggest expenses. I like the idea of a guide for parents to choose good schools for kids, but perhaps, particularly Asian curriculum schools need to be educated on ‘how to manage finances’ and it is a myth if people believe that quality education is only available in expensive schools.” Apart from surveys and findings, the website also offers individual reviews of different schools in the country and guides on choosing good schools for kids. Users can also register on the website and have discussions with other members and ask for school-related advice. dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Khalifa, Mohammed praise UAE Armed Forces’ chivalry
Khalifa, Mohammed praise UAE Armed Forces’ chivalry Staff Reporter / 6 May 2013 The UAE armed forces were hailed for their chivalry, peace-keeping and deterrent abilities on the occasion of 37th Armed Forces Unification Day by the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The two leaders said the forces have strived to strengthen community bonds and have maintained peace at home and in the region with modern technology and strategic programmes. In a statement published by Diraa Al Watan (National Shield) magazine on the occasion of the 37 th Armed Forces Unification Day, Shaikh Khalifa said: “We greet and encourage you in your tireless efforts to improve your skills and qualifications to be able to serve your homeland and enhance its unity.’’ The President said that “building strength means building peace and the best use of force is to achieve security, justice, political and community stability internally” and to those in need in other countries. Shaikh Mohammed lauded the forces for their bravery, magnanimity, altruism and self sacrifice. “The unification and development of our armed forces contributed to enhancing our competencies and experiences and helped define our prime objectives towards sustainable development, a collaboration that unleashed our national capabilities to assume leadership positions worldwide,” he said. He recalled that the path was not easy and there were many hardships and challenges along the way, but hard work and perseverance helped in uniting the armed forces, he said. “My brother UAE President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and I were fortunate to share with our founding fathers this path in the early stages. We learned from our supreme commanders valuable lessons in leadership and perseverance,” he said. Shaikh Mohammed said learning was an ongoing process and asked the men and women of the forces to “live up to our expectations”. He also wanted them to keep pace with the latest developments in artillery systems and armament training. “Always be fit, armed and geared up for anything as we are living in a world swayed by turmoil and unrest, a world where friendships do not exist but interests. We are confident in our policies and methods based in establishing bilateral and friendly ties with the rest of the world, but at the same time we need to stay focused and alert to preserve our peace and stability. God orders us to sustain our strength and prepare ourselves to confront any danger.” He also thanked General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and called him a true leader who had played a significant role in developing the forces. news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
