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Here’s a first look at the The Royal Island Beach Club that will be opening on The World‘s Lebanon island in Dubai.

The beach club includes a 100-seat restaurant, cabanas, a lounge area and entertainment facilities. Guests will pay a set fee of AED200 to visit the island while Saturday’s will cost around AED700 with an all-inclusive brunch. The Friday nightclub “Stranded” will be priced around AED250 for entrance and transport. Throughout the week, the Royal Island Beach Club will only be accessible via a 25-minute journey on a private yacht or RTA water taxi. For special events, including the weekly Friday club night Stranded, the RTA plans to run a 100-capacity river taxi from Jumeirah Beach Park.

Looks like it’ll be a new hotspot for Dubai, and where else would they open the first beach/night club on the World Islands other than ‘Lebanon’!

More pictures [Here]

Hotel Missoni’s Cucina Restaurant is one of Middle East’s top 10 restaurants to try out in 2012 according to Arabian Business. They’ve put together a list of all the finest and chic places that have opened up recently or will be opening soon this year in the Middle East and are not to be missed.

Here’s the full list:

1. Hakkasan, Qatar
2. Jamie’s Italian, Dubai
3. S.T.A.Y, Beirut
4. The Ivy, Dubai
5. Gaucho, Dubai
6. Cucina, Kuwait
7. ‘O’ by Okku, Saudi Arabia
8. Zuma, Beirut
9. Roberto’s, Dubai
10. Amador, Abu Dhabi

For picture and more details, check out the gallery [Here].

Arabian Business has compiled a list of the Top 10 employers in GCC based on their research into various issues like salary, benefits, chances of promotion, working conditions, perks and the quality of the people. Kuwait’s MH Alshaya Company came in at #2 on the list as the only retailer to make the grade. Here is the full list:

1. Emirates Airline
2. MH Alshaya Company
3. Omnicom Media Group
4. Batelco
5. Emaar
6. GE (General Electric)
7. Standard Chartered
8. Qatar Foundation
9. Siemens
10. Aramex

Read more about them all [Here]

I just found out that Anya Hindmarch, the British luxury handbag designer who designed Catherine Middleton’s official bags for her wedding and honeymoon, will be coming to Kuwait sometime next year. They have signed a deal with Qatar’s SH Almana Co for the Middle East and they’re planning to open the first store at Dubai Mall early next year with further stores in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Qatar.

[Source]

Last month I had posted about the Battle of the Year 2011 Middle East Qualifier for breakdancing or b-boying. Well it happened yesterday at the Dubai Mall and the UAE crew ‘Over Boys’ won the Braun Battle of the Year Middle East Championships.

The finals will be on 19th November at Arena Montpellier in France.

[Source]

The Hasten Road Rally will be taking place on 3rd December starting from the Marina Waves in Kuwait across all GCC countries all the way to Abu Dhabi. It’s not a race and the challenge is mainly for two people in ordinary cars as a rally team to drive normally on public roads and arrive at points along the route. It’s all about planning the perfect route and not the speed or car you drive. The first one to reach the hotel will be the winner.

Register for the 2011 Hasten Road Rally [Here]

via The Grapevine

The Arab Idol auditions have started and they already had the casting in Egypt, Morocco and Dubai. Next up is Kuwait and the auditions are going to be tomorrow, September 19th at 8am at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Kuwait City.

The show will launch in mid-December on MBC 1 based on the international Idol shows format and will be presented by the Kuwaiti television personality Abdullah Al Tuleihi who also hosted the Minute to Win It game show on MBC 1.

[Source] | [More Info]

I just came across this recap video of the Los Angeles Qualifier for the 2011 Battle of the Year. Looking at these moves just makes me wonder how it’s even humanly possible.

The Battle of the Year local qualifiers have been going on around the world since April and the last one will be the Middle East qualifier in Dubai on 1st October. Turns out that a Kuwaiti crew called Eletrik Crew is participating in the battle and I found one of their videos below.

Watch out for the the final battle which will be on 19th November in Montpellier, France.

[Link]

I just read in the news that the annual sales of Vimto in the Middle East and North Africa crossed the 30 million bottle mark for the first time. According to the Saudi-based manufacturer Aujan Industries, the sales were spiked in the month of Ramadan and the top three markets have been Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE so far.

This just goes to prove that Vimto really is the Middle East’s number one Ramadan drink.

[Source]

According to a new index devised by Save the Children, Kuwait ranks 47 out of 161 countries as one of the best countries for child health care. The Health Worker Index measures the reach of health workers around the world and factors in the proportion of children who receive regular vaccinations and mothers who have access to life-saving emergency care at birth. The World Health Organization says a minimum of 23 health workers are needed for every 10,000 people in order to deliver essential maternal and child health services.

Below are the ranks for the GCC countries:
Qatar – 20
Kuwait – 47
Oman – 54
Bahrain – 59
UAE – 60
Saudi Arabia – 73

[Link]