Accor, one of the leading hotel operators in the Middle East, is expanding its Mercure brand in the region with the opening of Mercure Gold Hotel Al Mina Road Dubai, on 1st of January 2012, under a franchise agreement.

Christophe Landais, Managing Director, Accor Middle East said, “We are delighted to add the franchised Mercure Gold Hotel Al Mina Road Dubai to our network of 19 Mercure properties in the Middle East which is also our first Accor hotel to open in 2012.”

The stylish and modern 4-star hotel, Mercure Gold Hotel Al Mina Road Dubai, with its 184 rooms, is situated close to Sheikh Zayed Road and Jumeirah Beach road. Right in the heart of Al Mina road’s bustling district, the new hotel provides easy access to business centers and is ideal for both business and leisure travelers.

A daily free shuttle service takes guests from the hotel to the beach and shopping malls such as Burjuman Shopping mall, Mercato mall, Deira City Centre and the Dubai mall; with Dubai International Airport a 20-minute drive away. It is also in close proximity to the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre and Port Rashid.

Mercure Gold Hotel Al Mina Road Dubai offers a warm atmosphere featuring contemporary rooms and a classic style that embraces the local culture and reflects the brand’s personality. This 4-star hotel has 1 meeting room and a business center as well as some food and beverage outlets which include the all-day dining outlet Senses and The Kebab Connection, serving kebabs Indian and Middle Eastern style. The Liquid Lounge is ideal for a relaxing drink after work. It also features a rooftop swimming pool and terrace where guests can chill out and unwind. Aromatherapy sessions can be booked at the Spa operated by Thai Elite Spa, a hair salon caters to guests looking for the perfect haircut, with a gym to keep guests in good shape. In-house guest parking is also available.

Accor’s recent addition to the Mercure network reflects the brand’s strong identity traits offering travelers a warm, personalised, friendly welcome. Each one is unique, whether located in city centres, at the seaside or in the mountains. The Mercure network is the third largest midscale hotel chain worldwide, outside North America, with a network of 700 hotels in 49 countries. Mercure is forging a strong presence in emerging countries both under management and franchise agreements.

Key facts

Mercure is the third worldwide midscale hotel brand on European and BRIC midscale market and one of the leaders on the following four major markets: France, Germany, Brazil and Australia. Its 719 hotels represent a total of 89 822 rooms. Mercure’s 25 800 employees operate in 50 countries and welcome 70, 000 clients each day.

In the Middle East, Mercure is very successful and now operates 18 properties with 3,187 rooms in Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and UAE.

The new clinic will cater to the growing residents in the Al Nahda area in Dubai

The facility, which will offer its services across medical departments, has an attached ASTER Pharmacy to facilitate easy access to medicines

Dubai January 29, 2012: ASTER, a leading healthcare chain in the region, part of DM Healthcare, has opened at Al Nahda 1, Dubai. Located in Amman Street, the new ASTER clinic is part of DM Healthcare’s ongoing mission to expand its reach further in the UAE to offer quality healthcare to all.

The new facility was inaugurated jointly by Engr. Essa Al Haj Al Maidoor, Asst. Director for Engineering & Planning, Dubai Municipality and Dr. (Mrs.) Hanan Obeid, Head of Community Health Services Programme Session, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), offering their support towards DM Healthcare’s ongoing commitment to provide quality medical services.

The Aster Medical Centre in Al Nahda 1 will offer medical services in the field of General Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, ENT, Dentistry, Radiology, and Laboratory to offer specialized care at an affordable cost. The facility also has an attached ASTER Pharmacy to facilitate easy access to medicines.

Commenting on the occasion, Padma Shree Dr. Azad Moopen, Chairman of DM Healthcare, said, “We are happy to expand our reach and open a new Aster Clinic in Al Nahda area. As a medical service provider it is our aim to provide our customers with convenience at all times. Our clinics are designed to reflect our social commitment that is care for the customers. The opening of the new centre is another step towards delivering specialized quality care at affordable prices”.

Speaking about the new venture, Mr. TJ Wilson, Group Director, DM Healthcare said, “We are excited to open the new Aster Clinic in Al Nahda.  We are committed to have our family of practitioners from different ethnicities and countries, to maintain our promise to offer quality care to our customers as part of its aim to provide the best available medical service to the community.”

The Aster Medical Centre at Al Nahda will be open from 9am to 1pm and 4:30pm to 9:30pm throughout the week.

The international transport and logistics company Cargo-Partner announces the opening of its Bahrain office. With this location the global logistics player strengthens its global position through offering its customers an extended network.

Cargo-Partner is one of the largest forwarding companies with private European ownership in this region. It runs a solid network of subsidiaries in Europe, USA, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and the Middle East.

Services offered by Cargo-Partner in Bahrain range from common transport business including air and sea cargo, road transports as well as insurance and customs brokerage services. Furthermore some warehouse facilities are available.

Mr. Stefan Krauter, CEO of the Cargo-Partner Group said: “Bahrain’s strategic location in the heart of the Gulf along with the proximity to the region’s largest market Saudi Arabia was one of the main reasons that made us decide to have a presence in Bahrain. Further advantages are the Kingdom’s world class logistics infrastructure and excellent road network. Bahrain offers a well established open economy and an easy access to a pool of educated and productive workforce along with a liberal and advanced ICT infrastructure, which makes the Kingdom a business friendly environment.”

Cargo-Partner has opened its first office in the GCC region in Jebel Ali in 2010, this was followed by offices in Dubai and Bahrain. These offices are run by well experienced management and operations team offering competitive services to the customers.

Cargo-Partner is an international forwarding company, represented in the whole world and specialized in providing complex services in the area of transport and warehousing. The fast growth has been achieved by providing air, sea and road transports for international and domestic customers. Services of Cargo-Partner are also focused on the optimization of storage capacities.

The Cargo-Partner group is present around the world with more than 100 offices and 2,400 employees in 29 countries and achieved a 2011 turnover of 470 million Euros.

Aster, a healthcare chain in the region, part of DM Healthcare, has opened at Al Nahda 1, Dubai. Located in Amman Street, the new Aster clinic is part of DM Healthcare’s ongoing mission to expand its reach further in the UAE to offer quality healthcare to all.

The new facility was inaugurated jointly by Engr. Essa Al Haj Al Maidoor, Asst. Director for Engineering & Planning, Dubai Municipality and Dr. (Mrs.) Hanan Obeid, Head of Community Health Services Programme Session, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), offering their support towards DM Healthcare’s ongoing commitment to provide quality medical services.

The Aster Medical Centre in Al Nahda 1 will offer medical services in the field of General Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, ENT, Dentistry, Radiology, and Laboratory to offer specialized care at an affordable cost. The facility also has an attached Aster Pharmacy to facilitate easy access to medicines.

Commenting on the occasion, Padma Shree Dr. Azad Moopen, Chairman of DM Healthcare, said, “We are happy to expand our reach and open a new Aster Clinic in Al Nahda area. As a medical service provider it is our aim to provide our customers with convenience at all times. Our clinics are designed to reflect our social commitment that is care for the customers. The opening of the new centre is another step towards delivering specialized quality care at affordable prices.”

Speaking about the new venture, Mr. TJ Wilson, Group Director, DM Healthcare, said, “We are excited to open the new Aster Clinic in Al Nahda. We are committed to have our family of practitioners from different ethnicities and countries, to maintain our promise to offer quality care to our customers as part of its aim to provide the best available medical service to the community.”

The Aster Medical Centre at Al Nahda will be open from 9am to 1pm and 4:30pm to 9:30pm throughout the week.

Aster medical Centre at Al Nahda, Dubai is being inaugurated by Engr. Essa Al Haj Al Maidoor, Asst. Director for Engineering & Planning, Dubai Municipality and Dr. (Mrs.) Hanan Obeid, Head of Community Health Services Programme Session, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), in presence of Dr. Azad Moopen, Chairman, DM Healthcare, Mr. Shamsudheen Bin Mohyudheen and other Senior Officials of DM Healthcare.

Abu Dhabi. Porsche Centre Abu Dhabi, a division of Ali & Sons Co. LLC, has opened a 55 million Dirham, state-of-the-art Porsche Centre in the capital that features the largest Porsche Service Centre in the world.

An exclusive gala event was held on 23 January, 2012 at the new Porsche Facility in Musaffah area that was attended by customers, dignitaries, and members of the media. The opening was also used as a platform to reveal the highly acclaimed the new generation 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupé.

Spanning 6,000 square metres, the new Porsche facility embodies the unique Porsche design and is the largest in the region, incorporating a Service Centre and Porsche Approved Pre-owned Cars Showroom. It can accommodate over 200 vehicles and has 50 working bays aimed at further improving service quality without compromising on precision.

Ahmed Al Dhahry, Vice Chairman of the Motors Division at Ali & Sons Co. said, “This is an exciting day for us as we move into our brand new facility and celebrate the arrival of the new 911. The opening of the facility is Porsche Centre Abu Dhabi’s next step towards achieving customer service excellence. This multimillion Dirham facility further reinforces Ali and Sons Co’s commitment to Porsche customers in Abu Dhabi and also marks another major step in strengthening the brand, recognised for its superior quality”.

As a part of the evening, Porsche Centre Abu Dhabi celebrated the arrival of the latest 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupé with a thrilling reveal show in the new showroom. The seventh-generation 911 has been completely redesigned to thrill even the sports car aficionados.

The new 911 Carrera now features a flatter, stretched silhouette, exciting contours with precisely designed details. Its wheelbase is now 100 millimetres longer, sits lower to the ground and consequently offers even better handling dynamics for more driving pleasure of 911 connoisseurs.

The 911 remains Porsche’s iconic sports car, offering a blistering speed of 289 km/hr, it is the first passenger car in the world to feature a seven-speed manual transmission and the first sports car equipped with an auto start/stop function; electro-mechanical power steering and a new ‘coasting function’, in vehicles equipped with the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK). The new electro-mechanical power steering offers even better precision and response, while increasing efficiency and reducing general fuel consumption.

The athletic 350hp 3.4-litre boxer engine consumes a mere 8.2 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres; that’s 16 per cent less than its predecessor. And, with an emission level of 194 g/km CO2, it is the first Porsche sports car to make it below the 200 g/km mark.

The Carrera S, featuring a 3.8-litre boxer engine, produces 400 hp and manages to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds. Pressing the ‘Sport Plus’ button on the optional Sport Chrono package cuts that to 4.1 seconds. The redesigned, lightweight body is an intelligent aluminium-steel construction, providing an overall weight reduction of up to 45 kilogrammes, offering significantly greater rigidity. Aerodynamic optimisation measures, including a wider, variably extending rear spoiler, means the lift of the new 911 Carrera is further reduced.

In addition to the exterior, the iconic sports car has been transformed throughout. Porsche’s Design Team from Weissach created a completely new interior, based on cues from the Carrera GT. The driver is now even more closely integrated with the cockpit, thanks to the centre console rising up to the front with the high-mounted shift lever located especially close to the steering wheel, in typical motor sport fashion.

Ahmed Al Dhahry concluded, “Expectations have been high since initial images were released last year, and we anticipate strong demand given the model’s attractive design and outstanding driving features. The inauguration of our new facility provides the perfect environment for the launch of this iconic model, and we are confident that this combination will mark the foundation of even more success in the future.”

First deliveries of the new Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupé start on the 11th of February 2012. Basic retail prices in Abu Dhabi are as follows:

911 Carrera Coupé              AED 334,000

911 Carrera S Coupé          AED 395,600

Street soccer skills perfected in new six-week clinic at the Dome@Rawdhat

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 24 January, 2012: Abu Dhabi’s home of football, the Dome@Rawdhat, has launched the UAE’s first street soccer academy, a new six-week programme teaching the art of street soccer to fancy footwork enthusiasts.

The Streetkings Football Academy will kick-start on 5 February and is open to all ages and abilities.  The popularity of street soccer is quickly growing in the UAE; the inaugural Streetkings tournament at the Dome last month saw more than 120 people take part and the launch of the new academy is in direct response to the positive feedback of street soccer in the emirates.

Streetkings founder Edward van Gils is due to make a surprise visit during the programme and will take the players through a special training session.  A former player at Dutch league side AZ Alkamar, van Gils is a cult figure around the world because of his awe-inspiring abilities to effortlessly manipulate a football in a flamboyant show of ball control, imagination and showmanship.

Van Gils and his colleague Izzy Hitman have worked with fellow Dutchman Khalid Hamdaoui, another former professional footballer and now full time coach at the Dome@Rawdhat and Manchester United Soccer Schools in Abu Dhabi, who will deliver the new academy sessions.

The first six-week programme runs every Sunday evening and will teach three age groups how to apply street soccer tricks, ball control, beat moves, positioning and highly skilled passing during a game of football.  Registration is now open for the academy which costs AED680 for six sessions which includes a branded Streetkings kit of t-shirt, shorts and socks.

Age Group Time
6-12yrs   5:00pm – 6:00pm
13-17yrs 6:15pm – 7:15pm
18yrs+  7:30pm – 8:30pm

Streetkings has set up a permanent home in Abu Dhabi and the first academy programme of its kind in the region will be followed by additional sessions in April 2012 and June 2012.  More one-day tournaments and special events are also in the planning stages.

“The ethos behind street soccer is to be as creative as possible and have some fun with the football,” said van Gils, who is known as the Godfather of street football.  “The new academy will focus on developing the players’ technical skills as well as building their confidence, discipline, dedication and attitude, both on and off the pitch.”

Street soccer has taken off around the world, and van Gils has appeared in major brand television commercials with famous footballers such as Ronaldinho and Ruud van Nistelrooy. 

The Dome@Rawdhat was built by Reem Investments to create a vibrant sporting community at the gateway to Abu Dhabi.  The area has become a magnet for players of all ages, currently hosting more than 12,000 footballers and their families every month on its indoor and outdoor pitches.  It is also home to the hugely successful Manchester United Soccer Schools which launched in October 2010.

Registration for the clinic and tournament is now open at www.thedome.ae or by calling 02 449 8480 or 050 662 7701.

January 2012, Riyadh: Cleveland Clinic has signed an affiliation agreement with Saudi Arabian professional managed healthcare company, Healthcare Development Holding Co. to collaborate on medical education and training to enhance and promote relationships and knowledge sharing programs with healthcare providers in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“We are very pleased to build upon Cleveland Clinic’s longstanding relationships with leaders from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to share medical knowledge and enhance care to patients in the country,” says Toby M. Cosgrove, M.D., President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic. “Sharing medical best practices and furthering the Cleveland Clinic’s mission across borders benefits patients worldwide.”

“Cleveland Clinic is a worldwide renowned healthcare institute that would definitely add great value to the healthcare reform that Saudi Arabia is witnessing under the leadership of the Minister of health His Excellency Dr.Abdullah Al-Rabee’a.” commented Wael Kaawach M.D MBA, CEO of Healthcare Development Holding company (HDH), who expressed his excitement about this affiliation. “It is our vision in HDH to be the leading healthcare development company through enhancing both the infrastructure and quality of healthcare services in Saudi Arabia, and this affiliation is a big step towards achieving this vision” Cleveland Clinic has over 40 years relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and continues to show it in its commitment in many ways. This establishment of a base in Riyadh allows HDH to collaborate with Cleveland Clinic to transfer much needed intellectual property to support the advancement of healthcare in Saudi Arabia.

The employees at Cleveland Clinic’s affiliate office in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will help to foster relationships with key stakeholders through multiple Cleveland Clinic education, training programs, and knowledge sharing initiatives. The Cleveland Clinic office will provide expanded access to patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that may need medical second opinions and or appointments request from Cleveland Clinic physicians in the US.

In addition, the Cleveland Clinic affiliate office team will be organizing educational lectures and symposiums to add value to the medical community on best practices to treat medical conditions that are prevalent in the region.

Dubai office to serve as regional hub and gateway to Indian Sub-Continent and Africa

DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 21, 2012  – CareFusion, a leading global medical technology company, announces today the opening of its Middle East regional office in Dubai, UAE.

Ian Milburn, Regional Director Middle East and Indian Sub-Continent at CareFusion said: “As healthcare expenditures in the Middle East and North Africa are expected to reach USD 125 billion in 2015 , the region and the GCC in particular are strategic growth markets for our International business”.

The 3,000sq feet CareFusion regional office, located in Dubai’s JLT area, will be dedicated to clinical and technical support of customers across the Middle East region. It will also provide state-of-the-art training facilities for CareFusion customers, distributors and health professionals in the region.

Ian Milburn added: “This is a demonstration of our commitment to the region. Dubai is the perfect hub to serve CareFusion’s numerous customers in the region and our gateway to the Indian Sub-Continent and Africa”.

CareFusion’s family of products is present in several key hospitals across the region, in particular with Alaris® infusion products, ventilation products and through well-recognized brands such as Pyxis® automated dispensing systems, Rowa™ automation solutions and ChloraPrep®* preoperative skin preparation products, all of them helping hospitals improve patient safety and reduce costs.

Dubai, UAE – Emirates Grand Hotel Group has opened its chic new Lebanese restaurant Fakhreldine Restaurant & Café  on Sheikh Zayed Road in the presence of dignitaries from the hotel, invited guests and the media. The ribbon cutting ceremony marks the official opening of the restaurant which will offer the finest Lebanese dining experience with its impressive menu of healthy and mouthwatering dishes.

Frank Owens, Group General Manager, Emirates Grand Hotel said: “It is our pleasure to invite you and join us in celebrating the launch of this new venue, the Fakhreldine Restaurant & Café, which will provide a new dimension of hospitality. Pamper yourself with the tastiest and mouth watering recipes using only the freshest, most nutritional, and genuinely authentic locally prepared ingredients, having the taste of Lebanon. Fakhreldine is more than just a restaurant, it is an experience!”

Fakhreldine Restaurant & Café opened with a vision of creating the finest Lebanese dining experience. The highly skilled chefs of Fakhreldine infuse creativity and passion for perfection in every dish they create to provide a comprehensive range. No wonder every dish excites and delights though prepared with terrific simplicity. There is plenty to be had in this brightly lid restaurant with a professional staff making all its guests effortlessly cosseted.

Amir Zeidan, Restaurant Manager, adds: “Though the restaurant has just been opened, it continues to seduce our guests who are spoilt for choice. The chefs create the most fascinating dishes that always satisfy the senses. The restaurant not only serves the best of foods but a world class service to make your meal truly memorable. Come with your family and friends and enjoy the food in the friendly environment of Fakhreldine that offers you an outstanding dining option with a wide variety of Shisha to enhance your experience.”

Located in the heart of Dubai, Fakhreldine Restaurant & Café also cater for take aways or home delivery. You can also enjoy the excellent dishes anytime of the day at Fakhreldine when it starts operating for 24-hours beginning January 2, 2012. For any queries, please call +971 4 386 3861 or email info@fakhreldinerestaurant.com

An Islamic art exhibition titled “A Journey through the World of Islamic Miniatures” opened yesterday at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization on the sidelines of the Islamic Arts Festival. The exhibition will run until 17 January 2012.

The Islamic miniatures exhibition was opened by Ms Manal Ataya, Director General of the Sharjah Museums Department (SMD), and Hisham Al Madhloum, Director of the Arts Directorate at the Sharjah Department of Culture and Information, in the presence of VIPs with a particular interest in Islamic art.

Organised by the Sharjah Department of Culture and Information, the exhibition is being held in cooperation with the Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage, and the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Sharjah.

The exhibition features copies of some scientific and art manuscripts, as well as contemporary paintings by Fatima Al Zahra Hassan, and aims to highlight the art of Islamic miniatures.

The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is taking part in this exhibition as part of the 14th edition of the Islamic Arts Festival, which opened on 7 December at various venues around Sharjah.

The main theme of the festival is “Monamnamat”, meaning ‘miniatures’, which is one of the ancient Islamic arts which associated with Islamic manuscripts. Islamic miniatures encompass various patterns produced throughout the Islamic state from the beginning of the 4th Hijri century. The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization will also be running a workshop entitled “The Art of Miniatures”, in collaboration with artist Fatima Al Zahra Hassan, on 17 December, on the sidelines of the exhibition.

Speaking about the exhibition, Ms Ataya, said, “The organisation of the miniature art exhibition is part of our support of this important festival, with the participation of the Department of Culture and Information in highlighting Islamic artworks. It is also held as part of activities carried out by the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization throughout the year with the aim of emphasising the effective role of Sharjah’s museums in highlighting Islamic Civilization and raising public awareness about this rich and deeply-rooted civilization, thus enhancing Sharjah’s position as the Capital of Islamic Culture this year.”  

Ms Ataya explained that the exhibition provides a chance to convey the Islamic message and highlight the rich Islamic art treasures, while the festival offers an important platform for artists and talented people to pass on their creative works and contributions in the development of the Islamic art and cultural movement.

For his part, Hisham Al Madhloum said, “We are proud of Sharjah’s status as one of the most important destinations for Islamic art, culture and civilisation, and as one that gives great attention to these areas, and hence we are always keen to organise events and exhibitions that enhance the emirate’s distinctive cultural identity, in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah”.

Al Madhloum added that the art exhibition emphasises the leading position occupied by the UAE and Sharjah on the region’s art, intellectual and cultural stage, while the art festival highlights the importance of the UAE’s contributions to enhancing art and deeply-rooted culture, as such events help boost the country’s vast, rich elements and attractions that influence human knowledge.