DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Meet the Dubai artist whose work has sold for millions — and turns down 99% of prospective buyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Lucy Handley | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

watch nowContemporary artist Sacha Jafri prides himself on his unique way of working. The artist Sacha Jafri at his studio in Dubai, U.A.E. He said he goes into a meditative state when creating his work. So, I'm in a meditative state, I'm in a complete trance, I have no clue what I'm doing. Artist Sacha Jafri painting on the helipad at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel in Dubai.

Persons: Sacha Jafri, Jafri, I've, Andre Abdoune, Emad Salehi Organizations: Oxford, Ruskin School of Art, CNBC, Burj, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Locations: Dubai, London, U.S, British, U.A.E, Burj Al Arab

☆ The week that life in Dubai ground to a halt
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Abbas Allawati | Abbas Al Lawati | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is part, saw the heaviest rainfall in at least 75 years, with more than a year’s worth of precipitation in 24 hours. Abandoned vehicles on a flooded highway after a rainstorm in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. People stand as flood water caused by heavy rains covers the stairs of a residential building, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. A man walks in flood water caused by heavy rains, with the Burj Khalifa tower visible in the background, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 17, 2024. Residents move their belongings on a kayak at a flooded residential complex following heavy rainfall, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

Persons: hadn’t, Christopher Pike, ”, Sofie, Sheikh, Avinash Babur, Amr Alfiky, Babur, Amr Alfiky Amr Alfiky, Ali Salem, “, wasn’t Organizations: UAE CNN, United, United Arab Emirates, Bloomberg, Getty, Dubai Marina, CNN, “, Dubai “, REUTERS, Reuters, . Schools Locations: Dubai, UAE, United Arab Emirates, Ras Al, Khaimah, Persian, United Arab, Western, lockdowns, freezers, United States, China, Burj Khalifa, Jumeirah

☆ Inside a $200 million ghost town in Turkey filled with castles reminiscent of Disneyland — minus all the people
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Monica Humphries | Aria Bendix | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The Burj Al Babas is an abandoned ghost town in Turkey filled with Disneyland-like castles. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementA town of castles called the Burj Al Babas in northwest Turkey was originally designed to draw foreign vacationers. Today, 587 villas sit empty, forming a ghost town, Yes Theory reported. Take a look inside.

Persons: Babas, —, Al Babas Organizations: Burj, Service, The New York Times Locations: Turkey, Al Babas, Al, The

☆ Taipei 101: How Taiwan’s tallest skyscraper withstands earthquakes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But in a triumph of modern engineering, the soaring Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest skyscraper, emerged from the island’s latest seismic event undamaged. A 660-ton spherical device called a tuned mass damper swings like a giant pendulum in the skyscraper's upper floors. “It’s essentially a very large counterweight,” explained Stefan Al, author of “Supertall: How the World’s Tallest Buildings Are Reshaping Our Cities and Our Lives,” in a phone interview. “In the case of Taipei 101, it’s 660 tons. Lee & Partners, Taipei 101 was the world’s tallest building from 2004 until 2007, when it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Persons: Richard Chung TW, “ It’s, ”, Stefan Al, “, it’s, ” Al, Al, Lee Organizations: CNN, National Fire Agency, Lee & Partners Locations: Taiwan, Hualien County, Taipei, New York, Burj Khalifa, Dubai, ”, Indonesia, Chile

☆ Dubai’s bar scene is being redefined by artisanal champagnes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

While the city has over 13,000 restaurants, its bar scene has largely been confined to Michelin fine dining, nightclubs, and boozy brunches. Look through the gallery and see the region's other top restaurants, as selected by 50 Best list group. The 50 Best has unveiled its 2024 list of the best restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Al Muntaha, which was recognized by Star Wine List as having the best sparkling wine list in the UAE earlier this year, has 166 labels on its champagne list, including around 60 recently added grower champagnes, says Lacroix. Tina HillierAnd the culture around drinking is largely focused on dining or special occasions, with little in between, says Krister Bengtsson, founder of Star Wine List.

Persons: Lana —, Nicolas Caupain, ”, boozy, Caupain, Raz Rahav, Tala Bashmi, Em Sherif, Yasmina Hayek, Fawzi Al Mulki, 3Fils, Khufu's, Solemann Haddad, Moonrise, Gregoire Berger, Berger, Himanshu Saini, Pol Roger, Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, champagnes, Larmandier Bernier, Ulysse Collin, Samuel Lacroix, Al Muntaha, Lacroix, “, Josette, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Pérignon, Millau, Lana, Tina Hillier, Krister Bengtsson, it’s, Bengtsson, ” Bengtsson, Jean Imbert, — Organizations: CNN, High Society, United Arab, Michelin, Middle, Gulf, Jordanian, Trèsind, Burj, Star Wine, Arabian, BOCA, Michelin Star, Wine, UAE Locations: Dorchester, Dubai, Emirate, Islam, United Arab Emirates, UAE, East, North Africa, Tel Aviv, Tala, Manama's, Bahrain, Beirut, Giza, Cairo, Ossiano, Atlantis, BOBY, Africa, Emirates, Swedish, Dubai’s, Paris, London , New York, French

Overall in 2023, the airport had 86.9 million passengers. The airport had 89.1 million passengers in 2018 — its busiest-ever year before the pandemic, while 66 million passengers passed through in 2022. Earlier in February, Dubai announced its best-ever tourism numbers, saying it hosted 17.15 million international overnight visitors in 2023. Dubai has a second airport, Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, some 45 kilometers (28 miles) away in its far southern reaches. Dubai International Airport connects to 262 destinations in 104 countries worldwide via just over 100 international carriers.

Persons: —, Paul Griffiths Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Dubai International Airport, Emirates, Dubai Airports, Dubai, Al Maktoum International Airport, Qatar, Dubai International Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Dubai, India, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Russia, Ukraine, Burj, Al, Al Maktoum

☆ A concierge at the world's most luxurious hotel details guests' wildest wishes, from a hot air balloon proposal to a 2 a.m. shopping spree
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Joey Hadden | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is one of the world's most iconic luxury hotels on a manmade island in Dubai. Roger Geadah is the hotel's chief concierge, who organizes custom experiences for guests. AdvertisementThe Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel in Dubai is "the most luxurious hotel in the world," Business Insider previously reported. Meet the chief concierge at the world's most luxurious hotel who caters to guests' every whimA view of Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai. In addition, he also plans exclusive experiences only available at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, such as a high-end, exclusive star-gazing experience on the hotel's helipad.

Persons: Roger Geadah, Geadah, —, It's, Sylvain Sonnet, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Julia Schmitz, Laszlo Szirtesi Organizations: Service, Al Arab Jumeirah, BI, Michelin, Travel, Burj Al, Dubai Mall, Oneworld, Getty Locations: Al Arab, Dubai, Arabian, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Paris, Burj Al Arab, Dubai's, Deira, India

☆ Dubai penthouse sells for record $136 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —A five-bedroom penthouse covering almost 22,000 square feet has sold in Dubai for 500 million UAE dirhams — just over $136 million — setting a new record for one of the world’s busiest luxury real estate markets. Record salesThe previous record for a penthouse sale in Dubai dates back just a few months, when an apartment occupying the top floor of the Marsa Al Arab Hotel sold for 420 million UAE dirhams (about $114 million). According to Provident Estate, the penthouse at Como Residences is the third most expensive in the world, after Penthouse D at One Hyde Park in London, priced at $237 million, and the Odeon Tower Penthouse in Monaco, priced at $440 million. Shutterstock Palm Jumeirah also boasts the first monorail in the Middle East, which opened in April 2009, and connects the Palm to Dubai's mainland. But when it comes to the asking price for a penthouse, the view is one of the key drivers.

Persons: CNN —, Nahkeel, Karim Sahib, Giuseppe Cacace, Shutterstock, Kamran Jebreili, ”, Chris Boswell, he’s, ” Boswell, “, it’s Organizations: CNN, UAE dirhams —, Jumeirah, Provident Estate, Marsa Al Arab, UAE, Como Residences, Penthouse, Dubai Marina, Getty, Burj Locations: Dubai, Como, Marsa, Hyde, London, Monaco, Burj Al Arab, Burj, Eastern Europe, Dubai's, Nakheel, AFP, Karim, Burj Al, United States, Italy, France

☆ COP28: What sea level rise will look like in the cities that have hosted global climate summits
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

And scientists say the steady climb of global sea level will continue for many decades as temperatures crank higher. A photo illustration of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, if we sharply cut carbon pollution (1.5°C global warming). Climate Central A photo illustration of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, if we keep our current carbon path (3°C global warming). Climate Central Photo illustrations from Climate Central What sea-level rise could look like at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A photograph of the Fortaleza del Real Felipe in Lima, Peru, if we sharply cut carbon pollution (1.5°C global warming).

Persons: Sabelle, ”, Benjamin Strauss, ” Strauss, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu, Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Organizations: CNN, Climate Central, UN, United Arab Emirates, Fortaleza del Real Felipe, Climate, Durban City Hall, U.S . Navy, NGA, World Meteorological Organization Locations: Dubai, Burj Khalifa, United Arab Emirates, United Arab, Fortaleza, Lima , Peru, Earth’s, Climate Central, COP21, Paris, Durban, South Africa, Mumbai, India, Chhatrapati, Antarctica, Copenhagen, Denmark, Christiansborg, COP28

☆ Giant seamount discovered in Guatemala is nearly twice the height of the world’s tallest building
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

At 1,600 meters (5,249 feet) tall, it’s nearly twice the height of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, according to a news release from Schmidt Ocean Institute, a nonprofit organization that advances oceanographic research. The ship is designed to map the seafloor by using a multibeam echosounder, which sends out sound waves to the ocean floor in a fan-shaped pattern, then measures the time it takes for the sound to reach the ocean floor and return. Schmidt Ocean InstituteThe seamount was discovered 84 nautical miles outside the Guatemalan Exclusive Economic Zone. Watling was not involved with the discovery but was part of a Schmidt Ocean Institute exploration in 2019. The recently discovered seamount may be taller than the world’s tallest building, but some have been found to have a height of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) or more, Watling said.

Persons: it’s, Tomer, Ketter, ”, Jyotika Virmani, Les Watling, Watling, ” Watling, —, Tony Koslow, Koslow, “, ” Koslow Organizations: CNN, NOAA, Exploration, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Schmidt Ocean Institute, Israeli National Institute for Oceanography, Ocean Institute, Schmidt Ocean, University of Hawaii, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, Pew Locations: Guatemala, Burj, Guatemalan, Manoa, Mauna Kea, Hawaii, San Diego

☆ Dubai’s Costly Water World
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Arielle Paul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

At Deep Dive Dubai, the equivalent of six Olympic-size swimming pools of water fills an underwater city shaped like a giant oyster, inspired by the emirate’s pearl-diving heritage. At the foot of the building, the 30-acre Burj Lake and its five dancing fountains use a wastewater reclamation system by Hitachi that reuses the Burj Khalifa’s sewage water to replace fountain water lost each day. The construction of Dubai’s artificial islands also strains the Gulf’s water resources. One study found that the average water temperature around Palm Jumeirah island, designed by HHCP Architects, increased by roughly 13 degrees over 19 years. “Developing close to the water is much more preferred than developing in the desert landscape, and you are increasing the coastline,” Dr. Alawadi said.

Persons: Adrian Smith, Alawadi, Smith Organizations: Dive, Emaar, Hitachi, HHCP Architects Locations: Dive Dubai, Burj, Burj Lake, Persian, Dubai

[1/7] Khadjeh Chehadeh Abu Stateh, 84, left, a Palestinian refugee who fled the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, and her daughter, Zahra Ahmed Abu Stateh, 51, sit at their residence in Bourj al-Barajneh Refugee Camp in Beirut, Lebanon, October 25, 2023. 'BATTLE OF THE WHOLE NATION'Many of the Palestinians who arrived in Lebanon and their descendants still live in 12 refugee camps around the country, which now hosts about 174,000 Palestinian refugees. The walls in Burj al-Barajneh, like other camps, are covered in graffiti backing Palestinian factions, which are effectively in control. Security and governance is in the hands of Popular Committees and Palestinian factions, the United Nations Palestinian refugees agency UNRWA says. Meanwhile, many in Gaza, a narrow strip of land just 40 km (25 miles) long where 2.3 million people live, most of them also Palestinian refugees from what is now Israel, have been displaced again.

Persons: Abu Stateh, Zahra Ahmed Abu Stateh, Amr Alfiky, Gazans, Bidur Al Habet, Kayyal, Zahra Steitiyeh, Khadijeh Astateh, Riham Alkousaa, Edmund Blair, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas, Popular Committees, United Nations Palestinian, UNRWA, Israel, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Bourj, Beirut, Lebanon, Burj, BURJ, Gaza, British, Palestine, Israel, Acre, Palestinian, Asylos, Burj al, Lebanese, Al Aqsa, Jordan, Egypt, Safed

☆ A Ukrainian sniper called the Ghost of Bakhmut says he's personally killed 113 Russians. He explains how his elite unit hunts the enemy.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

An elite Ukrainian sniper unit called the Ghosts of Bakhmut is hunting high-value Russian targets. AdvertisementAdvertisementOn the outskirts of Bakhmut, a deadly team of snipers move stealthily through the forests and fields to take out Russian targets. The Ukrainian sniper's primary weapon is the US-made Barrett M107A1The team of elite snipers take out high-value Russian targets. Insider made contact with Ghost via the Separate Presidential Brigade, which his sniper unit is a part of. AdvertisementAdvertisementHe used to be known as Casper, and said he got the call sign Ghost when Russia invaded the country in February 2022.

Persons: Ghost, —, he's, Bakhmut —, Barrett M107A1, American Barrett M107A1, Barrett, Wagner, Lola, Casper, Casper — Organizations: Service, BBC, Presidential Brigade, Wagner Group Locations: Ukrainian, Bakhmut, US, Burj Khalifa, Dubai, American, Ukraine, Russia, Ukraine's Crimean, Canada, Lithuania

☆ China Risks Property Debt
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Source: China Real Estate Information Corp. (CRIC)The physical size of Country Garden’s real estate portfolio is enormous. The Weight of Debt The ballooning debt crisis could delay the prospect of a recovery of both the property market and the broader Chinese economy, in which real estate is a core pillar. China property sector slump China’s property sales, investment and funds raised by property developers slid in January - August 2023 after a sharp fall in 2022. China's property sector accounts for more than half of global new home sales and home building, according to Nomura. Any contraction in the property sector will affect China’s growth, thus sending ripple effects around the globe as the world’s factory slows.

Persons: Evergrande, homebuyers, Nomura, David Stanway, Jason Lee, –, Moody's, Yawen Chen, Amr Alfiky Organizations: Country, Garden, Estate Information Corp, CIFI Holdings, Sunac, National Bureau of Statistics, China, Investment, REUTERS, International Monetary Fund, Nomura, JPMorgan, Dubai, National Bureau of Economic Research Locations: China, Burj, Burj Khalifa, Sunac China, Kunming, Yunnan province, Beijing, Xuchang, Henan province, United Arab Emirates

☆ Fact Check-Video of giant Barbie next to Burj Khalifa is CGI
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A video of a digitally created giant Barbie doll next to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai was misleadingly shared online as a real-life installation of the doll in front of the world’s tallest building. Facebook posts linked the video to the Blue Beam conspiracy theory (here) and (here). A Georgia-based fact-checking platform Myth Detector, reviewed the Blue Beam theory in 2021, concluding that it originated in a 1994 book called ‘Project Blue Beam’ by Canadian journalist and conspiracy theorist Serge Monast. Mattel, manufacturer of the Barbie doll, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Video of a giant Barbie doll next to Burj Khalifa was created using CGI.

Persons: Barbie, ”, Serge Monast, Poynter, Burj Khalifa, Read Organizations: Facebook, UN, NASA, United Arab, Eye, Mattel, Reuters Locations: Burj Khalifa, Dubai, Georgia, Canadian, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Burj

☆ What happens when ChatGPT tries to create crochet patterns
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Aj Willingham | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

ChatGPT, a publicly available language-learning AI, was not designed to create things like crochet or knitting patterns. Before we begin …A few notes on my methodology:For every crochet pattern I generated, I used the prompt “Create a crochet pattern for (blank).”I followed the crochet pattern exactly. At first glance, ChatGPT’s crochet patterns look and read exactly like a crochet pattern. In a traditional crochet pattern, instructions for assembly would note specific places and methods to attach pieces, along with photos or notes on particularly tricky steps. Theoretically, it would be possible to create AI that generated amazing crochet patterns, but that would require very specific training and programming.

Persons: ”, AJ Willingham, ChatGPT, ’ AJ Willingham, You’ll, Yoda ’ AJ Willingham, Yoda, Casey Miller, ” Miller, It’s, Antarctica ’ AJ Willingham, “, Al Arab ’ AJ Willingham, CNN I’ll, Khalifa, you’ve, Eliot, don’t Organizations: CNN, Antarctica, Burj Al, Burj Locations: Kennesaw , Georgia, Antarctica, Al Arab, Al, Arab, Dubai, Burj, Arab’s

☆ How deep is the ocean? Deeper than the highest point on Earth's surface, by more than a mile
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The ocean is significantly deeper than the highest point on Earth's surface. If you took the highest point on land and submerged it, you would still have more than a mile between you and the deepest point in the ocean. The Challenger Deep is the deepest point on Earth. In 1960, oceanographer Jacques Piccard and Lt. Don Walsh descended to the lowest point on Earth, Challenger Deep, at a record 25,979 feet below the surface. Scientists have sent half a dozen unmanned submersibles to explore Challenger Deep including Kaiko, which collected over 350 species on the seafloor between 1995 and 2003.

Persons: Cuvier, Robert Smits, Herbert Nitsch, Nitsch, We've, Ralph White, Mariana Trench, Trench, Jacques Piccard, Don Walsh, Victor Vescovo, Vescovo Organizations: Service, USS Triton Locations: California, Austrian, Mariana, Everest

☆ How deep the missing Titanic submersible was diving in the ocean
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Amy O'Kruk | Annette Choi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

The search continues for a minivan-sized submersible, called the Titan, that was carrying five people who were traveling to view the wreckage of the Titanic in the North Atlantic. The vessel lost contact with its mother ship Sunday morning, about 1 hour and 45 minutes into the trip down to nearly 13,000 feet. The Titanic lies around 12,500 feet below sea level. For perspective, the world’s deepest scuba dive reached 1,090 feet in 2022, while the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, would only go down 2,717 feet into the ocean – still roughly 9,700 feet short of reaching the Titanic wreckage. See just how deep the Titanic tourist submersible was headed before it went missing.

Organizations: North Atlantic, US Coast Guard Locations: North, Burj

☆ 'French Spiderman' climbs Paris skyscraper as protest against pension law
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/6] French "Spiderman" Alain Robert climbs the Tour Alto skyscraper at the financial and business district of La Defense, naming his feat "The People", in Courbevoie near Paris, France, April 19, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah MeyssonnierPARIS, April 19 (Reuters) - A free climber known as the "French Spiderman" scaled a 38-storey skyscraper in Paris on Wednesday to demonstrate his support for protesters angry about a pension law that will delay the age at which people can retire in France. Alain Robert, 60, climbs without a harness, using only his bare hands and a pair of climbing shoes. "I'm here to show my support for those who oppose the pension reform," he told Reuters before starting his ascent of the 150-metre (492 foot) skyscrapper in Paris' La Defense business district. Under the reform, the French retirement age will gradually rise to 64 from 62.

☆ India's Jammu and Kashmir gets first foreign investment from Dubai's Emaar
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Fayaz Bukhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SRINAGAR, March 20 (Reuters) - Indian Kashmir is to get its first foreign investment, with Dubai’s Emaar Group due to build a $60 million shopping and office complex, as the government looks to stabilise a region where Muslim separatists have for years battled the government. The 5 billion rupee ($60.50 million) development will include a shopping mall and multi-purpose commercial tower in Srinagar, the capital of the Muslim-majority Himalayan region, Emaar announced at an investment summit in the city. The announcement on Sunday of what the region's government said was its first foreign investment comes after the central government said last week that Jammu and Kashmir had received record investment of 15 billion rupees ($181 million) in the first 10 months of the 2022-23 (April-March) fiscal year. Emaar Properties (EMAR.DU) CEO Amit Jain told reporters that the investment would have a ripple effect. Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan both claim Kashmir in full but rule in part, and have fought two of their three wars over it.

☆ UAE withdraws bid for 2026 World Bank-IMF meetings in favour of Qatar
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A general view of the Burj Khalifa and the downtown skyline in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, June 12, 2021. The decision came during a phone call between UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, statements from state news agency WAM and the Amiri Diwan said. In Sunday's phone call, Sheikh Mohammed pledged the UAE's support for Qatar's bid to host the meetings and "wished the Emir and the people of Qatar every success in hosting this global gathering," WAM's statement said. But relations between Abu Dhabi and Doha have warmed in recent months with Sheikh Mohammed visiting Qatar during the soccer World Cup last December. Abu Dhabi, like Manama, has not appointed an envoy to Doha, but restored travel and trade links with Qatar.

☆ A 50% rent increase? Record property demand in Dubai is creating a nightmare for some residents
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Beyond the property market, Dubai's economic boom is evident in everyday life. The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) area of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with the Burj Khalifa in the backdrop, Sept. 16, 2022. Property prices have, too — CBRE says that selling prices are up 11.5% on average in the year to February 2023. Christopher Pike | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAccording to CBRE's research, in the year through February 2023, average Dubai rents increased by 27.7%. In the meantime, no one expects property prices to ease up anytime soon.

☆ Mother, politician, trailblazer. How Jacinda Ardern became an icon for millions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Aina J. Khan | Aina Is A Freelance Reporter With Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

In the six years since then, she has become an icon of the left and a champion for women in public life, bringing a compassionate and authoritative energy to the hypermasculine realm of world politics. Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's prime minister, during a news conference in Sydney in June. Data released last year to New Zealand’s Newshub media outlet showed police recorded 18 threats to the prime minister in 2019, 32 in 2020 and 50 in 2021. If that person receives more than two-thirds of caucus support, Ardern said, she will resign soon after and the new leader will be sworn in as prime minister. Ardern said she plans to remain in Parliament until April, avoiding the need for a snap vote in her suburban Auckland electorate.

☆ Dubai nixes its 30% alcohol tax in a bid to attract more tourism
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Dubai Municipality has temporarily stopped collecting the 30% fee from alcoholic beverage companies for a period of one year from the beginning of 01/01/2023 to the end of 12/31/2023. The companies authorized to sell in the Emirate of Dubai have been notified of this decision," Dubai Municipality wrote in a post from its official Twitter account. It also said that personal liquor licenses, previously a requirement for all Dubai residents for purchasing alcohol in shops and costing 270 dirhams ($73.50), are now free. Some Dubai residents were unhappy about the abrupt announcement, having recently paid the full fee for their yearly license. Woman sunbathers sit along a beach in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on July 24, 2020, while behind is seen the Burj al-Arab hotel.

☆ Dubai scraps 30% tax on alcohol sales amid economic rebound
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Fireworks explode from the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, during the New Year's Eve celebrations in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, January 1, 2023. REUTERS/Satish KumarDUBAI, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Dubai has suspended a tax of 30% on alcohol and dropped a licence fee previously needed to buy alcohol in the commercial and tourism hub, two major retailers said on social media. "With the removal of 30% municipality tax and a free alcohol licence, buying your favourite drinks is now easier and cheaper than ever," MMI, one of two major purveyors of alcohol in Dubai, said on its Instagram account. Another retailer, African+Eastern, confirmed the tax no longer applied, but prices would remain subject to a 5% value added tax (VAT). The Dubai Media Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Search resuls for: "Burj"

25 mentions found