Entertainment
Dubai all set to welcome Eid visitors
Dubai all set to welcome Eid visitors Mustafa Al Zarooni / 14 October 2013 Dubai and other emirates are decked up to receive visitors during Eid Al Adha as thousands of residents prepared for the annual Haj pilgrimage and holidays. With government offices and schools closed for the week, many residents left for their holiday destinations last week.The pleasant weather, combined with the UAE’s range of tourist attractions and shopping opportunities, is luring thousands of tourists for the festivities which is the longest in the region. Saudi officials say 400,000 Saudi citizens are expected to visit Dubai and other emirates during the Eid holidays. Eid in Dubai celebrations is attracting families from the region and malls will stay open for 24 hours as the city transforms itself as an entertainment hub during the season. “Three years ago we celebrated Eid in Dubai for the first time, and since then we regularly come to relive the experience. We are very busy, my husband and I; and we hardly go out together with the kids in our hometown — the holy city of Makkah. We love to shop all day, dine at different outlets and take the kids to theme parks. As a family, our favourite shopping mall is Dubai Festival City Mall,” said Um Mani from Saudi Arabia. Naseema Al Flaij from Kuwait is visiting Dubai with her sister, nieces and nephew. “Dubai has become a destination during school holidays and unites us as a family. To us Dubai is like a second homeland, it’s clean and organised,” she said. She says the kids are fascinated by the programmes and the entertainment is top notch. “Dubai is a safe place and enjoys a high level of security,” she adds. Naseema’s nephew Ali Al Osaimi loves the Zabeel Saray Hotel while Nawal enjoys shopping and dining at The Dubai Mall. The youngest sister, Hind who is only three, loves Wild Wadi Water Park. Expats have also been busy shopping and stocking up food and sweets for the big day. Many purchase gifts for friends and family, with retail outlets obliging with special rates and promotions. Hisham Kiwan, a Lebanese national, has spent 19 years in Dubai. He was out enjoying the holiday season with his wife and little daughters Reem and Sara. “Most of our relatives usually come over to stay with us to celebrate and also tour Dubai. We also spend a lot of time shopping. Reem, my eldest, loves the Dubai Aquarium and she never gets tired of observing the fish. My youngest just loves to visit the Burj Khalifa all the time.” Cem Ali from Turkey has convinced his parents to visit Dubai this year. “What I like most about Dubai is the blend of nationalities and that unique social fabric. The blend is like the colourful fireworks, which we have discovered by mere coincidence and that the show is on every day during the Eid in Dubai — Eid Al Adha celebrations.” -malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Temple stampede in Madhya Pradesh kills 105
Temple stampede in Madhya Pradesh kills 105 (IANS) / 14 October 2013 More than 100 people injured in the tragedy at the Ratangarh temple, located in a forested part of Datia district. In one of the worst tragedies of its kind, a horrific stampede at a Durga temple in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday left at least 105 people dead, Chief Secretary Anthony Disa said on Sunday. Witnesses and officials said more than 100 others were injured in the tragedy at the Ratangarh temple, located in a forested part of Datia district, 390km north of the state capital and 55km from Datia town. Officials admitted that the death toll could rise as many of the injured were in critical condition. Most of the dead were women and children, crushed by an army of pilgrims who began to flee a bridge over the river Sindh following a rumour that it was collapsing. Some pilgrims, however, contended that the tragedy happened after police used batons to regulate the tens of thousands who had gathered on the last day of Navaratri festival. An estimated 2.5 lakh people had massed all around the Maa Ratangarh Wali temple, a police officer said. About 35,000 people were at the site of the tragedy alone. Just how the stampede happened was in dispute. But once it happened, the religious event turned bloody. A large number of people jumped in panic into the Sindh river from the bridge to escape getting stampeded. Survivors complained that it took three to four hours for any help to reach the temple area. Thick crowds all around the temple made the task of transporting the injured to hospitals difficult. Some were rushed to a hospital at Datia and others to Gwalior. Deputy Inspector General of Police D.K. Arya told IANS that many pilgrims were critically injured. He added that some were missing after falling off the bridge. Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Antony Disa pledged to take action against those responsible for the stampede. He said more than 20 bodies had been flushed out of the river. A judicial enquiry has been ordered into the disaster. Some devotees complained that the number of policemen deployed to control the crowds was grossly inadequate. One account put the number of policemen at less than 10. But after the disaster, more police personnel were rushed to the temple area, partly to tackle the mob ire. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a compensation of Rs1.5 lakh to the kin of each of those killed. Datia legislator Narottam Mishra, who is also the state government spokesman, blamed the stampede on a rumour that the bridge on the river near the temple was collapsing. An angry crowd later stoned police personnel, injuring 12 men, including two officers. Congress leader Ajay Singh alleged that many of the victims died because they remained without medical help for a long time. A near similar tragedy in 2006 left 49 people dead in the temple area. It was then that authorities built a bridge over the Sindh river. Ironically, that bridge was involved in Sunday’s stampede. Continue reading
The Treedom Group Showcases Latest Line Of ‘Dar al Oud’ Products At Dubai’s Global Village
Dr. Andrew Steel, Treedom Group’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Company’s participation at ME region’s largest seasonal theme park complements industry forecasts that UAE’s fragrance market to grow by AED1.13 billion in 2017 October 08, 2013: The Treedom Group a leading luxury aromatic oud oil manufacturer and supplier to the global fragrance and perfume market that produces high-grade oud oil focusing on having the competitive advantage of controlling a value chain from seedling to end products, is set to showcase its latest line of ‘Dar al Oud’ fragrances, the company’s prestigious premium brand of products that have been made from 100 per cent oud oil, at this year’s run of Dubai’s Global Village, the largest seasonal cultural shopping and entertainment theme park in the Middle East region. Participating for the first time, the company will also be throwing the spotlight on its unique range of Oud Oils, Oud Perfume, Oud Mist Body Spray, Oud Perfume Balm and Oud Soap Bar, at its stall, booth No. 122, which will be located at the Thailand Pavilion. Treedom’s participation complements recent industry forecasts showing that the UAE’s fragrance market is expected to reach AED 1.13 billion over the next five years. According to a recent report from Euromonitor International, a leading business research and intelligence firm, the country has demonstrated a continuing increase in consumption of fragrances. In fact, the report further predicts an increased per capita spending on fragrances–reaching AED 128 per capita spend in 2017, which is 90 per cent more of the expected per capita spend in the US over the same period. In line with the forecast, Chief Executive Officer of the Treedom Group is confident that the Middle East region in general and the UAE in particular, will offer the company strategic opportunities. Maintaining a key presence at a regional consumer fair like Global Village will allow the company to utilise Dubai as a gateway and merchandising hub to access various kinds of customers and distributers from all over the region. The company has also revealed plans to set up a regional office in Dubai in order to be able to keep up with the demands of the local market. “We are excited to be participating at this year’s edition of Dubai’s Global Village. Our presence will give us the strategic opportunity to leverage our latest ‘Dar al Oud’ products while at the same time meet new customers and discover what kind of scents they prefer,” Dr. Andrew Steel, CEO, the Treedom Group. “The UAE’s fragrance market is booming and vibrant, with analysts saying growth will be continuous over the next five years. One niche market that we are confident to capture is the demand for oud products–from oils to its unique scent. Our products, particularly the ‘Dar al Oud’ line, have been produced utilising 100 per cent extracts from the valuable Agarwood trees, which come from our sustainably managed plantations in Thailand combined with the latest distillation technology according to our strict quality standards.” Dubai’s Global Village is open from October 5, 2013 and will run until March 1, 2014. Park organizers have already announced an amazing array of festivals, concerts, exhibitions and other fun filled activities for this year’s edition of Global Village. -Ends- About The Treedom Group The Treedom Group is composed of both commercial and charity entities guided with the chief objective of being the number one deliverer of socially responsible and sustainable forestry related projects and products in Asia. The group offers expertise in forestry consultancy, plantation management, forestry product sales, forestry asset management and environmental welfare through forest restoration projects. The group is recognised as one of Southeast Asia’s leading plantation management companies The plantations are solely populated by the Agarwood tree which is the source of the luxury aromatic oil – Oud. Distributed by PR Communigate On behalf of the Treedom Group For more information, please contact: Sarunya Hansarikit PR Executive Sarunya.h@treedom.com www.treedom.com , www.daraloud.com © Press Release 2013 Continue reading
