Restaurants open during Ramadan

Long Yin

Le Méridien Dubai, Garhoud

04-702 2455

Bistro Madeline

InterContinental,Dubai Festival City

04-701 1111

Asha's

Wafi City, Oud Metha,

04-324 0000

Toscana

Souk Madinat, Jumeirah

04-366 6730

Kisaku

Al Khaleef Palace Hotel, Deira

04-223 1000

Zuma

Gate Village, DIFC

04-425 5660

Epicure

Desert Palm, Al Aweer

04-602 9333

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

DIFC

04-363 7401

Mediterraneo

Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa

04-888 3888

Wagamama

Crowne Plaza, Shaikh Zayed Road

04-305 6060

Bussola, The Westin

Al Sufouh Road, 04-399 4141

Sezzam

Kempinski, Mall of the Emirates

04-341 3600

Certo

Radisson Blu, Dubai Media City

04-366 9111

Noodle House

Madinat Jumeirah, 04-366 6345

Deliveries & Takeaway

Johnny Rockets

Shaikh Zayed Road

04-325 1411

Da Shi Dai

Dubai Marina

04-426 4636

Sumo Sushi

Garhoud

04- 283 0622

Bento Ya

Shaikh Zayed Road

04-343 0222

Malls for Takeaway

Mirdif City Centre (Only take away from fast food outlets)

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Ramadan Kareem to all --Ramadan guide for expatriates

Ramadan Kareem to all......
  • Dos

Dress appropriately

Men and women are expected to dress in an appropriate manner, not showing too much kin and making sure hemlines and necklines are modest. So watch before you step out.

Exchange Ramadan Greetings

While meeting Muslims, it is customary to use the greeting "Ramadan Kareem" and at the end of Ramadan, during the Eid celebrations "Eid Mubarak".

Respect those on fast

Fasting can result in a change of temperament in some people; therefore be considerate towards the people around you.

Accept invitations

If invited to an iftar with friends or colleagues, do go along and always be on time if not a few minutes early. Remember not to go empty-handed; desserts are always a good option to offer the host.

  • Don'ts

Refrain from eating or drinking in public places

From dawn to dusk, no one is allowed to eat, drink or smoke in public places as a sign of respect to those fasting, therefore those who wish to eat or drink are advised to do so in private places.

Do not play loud music

Ramadan is a time for prayer and spiritual reflection, therefore playing loud music at home or in the car should be avoided. At the time of Azaan (call to prayer), the sound of music or TV channels should be put on mute.

Avoid driving during dusk

During sundown people head home to end their fast, therefore if it isn't required to be on the road, refrain from doing so and wait for half an hour.

Do not swear, shout or get angry in public

Ramadan is a time of patience and controlling emotions; swearing or any form of outrage is disrespectful to people as well as to the piousness of the month.

Do not engage in public displays of affection

It is against the customs of the country to engage in displays of affection in public, and even more so during the month of Ramadan.

Do not offer food or drink

Do not offer a Muslim food or drink during fasting hours, believing it to be an act of hospitality. They will understand and appreciate this gesture and not find it offending.

  • How non-Muslims can enjoy the spirit of Ramadan

Ramadan is a month of spirituality, reflection, sharing and helping those in need. In fact, there are several ways in which even non-Muslims in the country can participate and imbibe the spirit of the month. Here are some tips on how you can join in:

Help the needy and give charity

Ramadan is a month of giving charity to the needy. This is the perfect occasion to hold a community charity drive to collect clothes, toys or books, etc. The collected items can then be handed over to one of many charities in the country.

Hold an Iftar

Hold an iftar for your Muslim friends and enjoy every step of the process of preparing this end-of-fast meal. Also invite those who are away from family and who have not eaten a home-cooked meal for a long time. Do ensure that all food is halal.

Fast for a day

Try fasting for a day. See how well you can control your needs and desires. It will also give you an understanding of what your Muslim friends and colleagues go through during Ramadan.

Promotions and activities galore

Shopping malls (extended hours), clubs and restaurants in the city are offering a wide range of discounts. We say go out and soak up the spirit.

Make a difference

Take part in the ‘Yalla Walk - Every Step is a Reward' event aimed at raising awareness about healthy habits and encouraging people to walk in any of the walking tracks across Dubai. Register at www.yallawalk.com

Time for some introspection

Ramadan is the perfect time to engage in introspection and to take a close look at our feelings, thoughts and action, and resolve to make improvements. How about giving up smoking?

Etiquette Workshop

Eton Institute, in partnership with Dubai Knowledge Village and the Shaikh Mohammad Centre for Cultural Understanding, is organising a free one-day workshop on cultural awareness and customs to be observed during Ramadan. The free workshop will give attendees an insight into Islamic and Arabic cultures as well as teach essential etiquette to be observed during the month of fasting.

The workshop will be conducted on July 30 from 10am to 2pm at the auditorium in Dubai Knowledge Village.

People interested in taking part in the workshop are urged to book early as there are limited places available which are offered on a first come first serve basis.

  • For further details, visit www.eton.ac or call 800 3866.
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Ramadan timing at Indian visa and passport centres

Abu Dhabi: During the Holy month of Ramadan, the passport and visa outsourcing centres of the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, operated by BLS International Services Ltd will observe revised timings.

The centres in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah will work from 8am to 6pm from Saturday to Thursday.

The centres in other places will work in two shifts- from 9 am to 12 pm, and 3 pm to 6 pm.

The revised timing will be in force from August 1 to Eid ul Fitr, after which the normal working hours will resume, said a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

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Amer provides visas on wheels

Dubai: The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai has introduced Amer mobile service taking visa transactions to residents' doorsteps.

Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, said the new facility takes the services to the public.

Major General Al Merri said the service launched recently finalised 50 transactions last week.

He said the service was launched by the residency department in order to make it easier for the public and to complete their transactions in a short time.

"The service is open for individuals and companies regardless of their location inside Dubai," he said.

Major General Al Merri said customer satisfaction tops the agenda of the residency department staff in Dubai.

"We are looking to introduce the best kind of e-services to the public and our staff are well trained to serve the customers with accuracy and professionalism in record time," he said.

He said the residency department is following the strategy of Dubai government and of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of Lt General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

Excellence

Major General Al Merri said the project is considered an achievement in delivering services to the public. He said the mobile office is equipped with latest technologies to handle any transaction.

Maj Gen Al Merri said the project aims at connecting the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs with the clients.

He said Amer mobile service works from 8am to 8pm. The staff of the Amer service will visit members of public who wish to use this service.

"This service is done for public with nominal fees," he said. "The project aims to develop and improve e-services at Dubai residency department and to keep up with the latest developments in the field of electronic technology," he said.

Col Yousuf Al Merri, Assistant Director for residency and entry permits, said Amer provides all advanced services of the department.

Phone number: Toll-free access

Lieutenant Colonel Khalid Nasser Al Razzuqi, Assistant Director for Electronic Services, said Amer mobile service is now accessible to individuals, corporations and government departments, and the service request can be placed by calling toll-free number is 800 5111. The service will be delivered at customers' premises.

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Students may be allowed to work part-time

Dubai: Students in the UAE may soon be allowed to work part-time in Tecom free zones, a top official said.

Mana Al Zarouni, Director of Investor Relations and Government Services Oper-ations, Tecom Investments, told XPRESS that expatriate students will soon be able to benefit from part-time internships in free zone companies.

Although he did not give further details, the provisions are believed to be in line with the new part-time work permits announced under Cabinet Resolution No. 25 of 2010.

Under the new legislation announced in January, students on university sponsorships or children above 18 years qualify for the permit as co-dependent sponsored residents.

Additionally, the Ministry of Labour introduced the Juvenile Persons Work Permit specifically for resident children aged between 15-18 years who wish to take up part-time employment.

This work permit, covers the conditions of issuing permits to minors, stating that the parent and employer must provide an undertaking that the minor will not take up hazardous jobs and will not work for more than six hours a day or from 8pm to 6am.

Nuria Gonsalez Martin, HR Director of the Dubai-based RealHR Consultancy & Recruitment. "Students do work as freelancers and volunteers in hospitality and other sectors, but these new provisions will give legality to what they do," it said.

Shyamala Elongo, Director, Inner Universe, a Dubai-based counselling centre, said it would help students be in actual work environments. "Medical schools would expect students to have exposure to an environment involving healthcare," she said.

"Similarly, in engineering and mass communication, internships add value to the CV," she noted.

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Courts enforce rule requiring residence visas for marriage

Sharjah: Federal Courts are growing strict with expatriates who wish to marry here. Sharia courts are now turning down applicants if one partner does not have a UAE residence visa.

Sources from the courts said it was just a regulatory issue concerning the marriage of expatriates here which aimed at controlling abuses of the federal residency law. According to the regulation which was enforced strictly in recent months, women or men on visit visas cannot tie the knot in the UAE, judicial officials told.

Lawyer Abdul Munaim Bin Swaidan told that the regulations are there to control expatriates' entry into the country and that the marriage contract will not be used to obtain a residence visa here.

"This is federal rules and regulations in order to control abuses of the residency law in the UAE ...," said the lawyer. A senior official from the Ministry of Justice said women who are on visit or tourist visas cannot marry in the UAE and the same applies to men.


New rule: Check on illegal means

Lawyer Abdul Munaim Bin Swaidan said people can go back to their home country and marry over there and then bring their wives here.

"Or they can send power of attorney to any of their relatives back home to finalise the marriage ... on their behalf," he said. He said some people bring women on visit visas claiming that they will marry them. "They issue them residence visas as a cover for some illegal practices," he said.

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Visa offices given ultimatum to meet new licensing rules

Abu Dhabi: Embassies in the UAE will not be allowed to deal with Visa Licensing Offices (VLOs) unless they fulfil licensing requirements set by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Abu Dhabi and Dubai Chambers of Commerce.

VLOs help embassies with visa regulations in times when embassies are too pressured to deal with all their clients.

A committee from the ministry and the Chambers has been formed to enforce the new VLO regulations following complaints from members of the public, some of which include over-pricing and not submitting visas on time, or not submitting them at all.

The Visa Licensing Offices Regulations under Federal Law No 4/2010 that comes into effect Thursday gives VLOs a six-month grace period (till January 24, 2012) to comply with the rules.

As part of the new regulations, VLOs must be located in environmentally safe and accessible locations with signs clearly identifying their location.

Personal documentation and paperwork must be kept confidential by the VLO concerned and a spacious workplace must consist of all the required services for clients.

Administrative fees for a visa should not exceed Dh50, and the price of a visa should range from Dh300 to Dh500 depending on the type of visa.

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