Activists Fight Bid To Remove Puerto Rico’s ‘Colonial Cats’

Hundreds of cats have long slinked through the cobblestone streets of Puerto Rico’s historic district, stopping for the occasional pat on the head as delighted tourists and residents snap pictures and offer bits of food.

The cats are so beloved they even have their own statue in Old San Juan.

But officials say their population has grown so much that the U.S. National Park Service wants to implement a “free-ranging cat management plan” and is considering options that could include removing the animals.

The idea has outraged many people, who worry the cats will be killed.

“This is like Disney World for cats,” said Alfonso Ocasio, who has been going to Old San Juan since 2014 to feed the cats a couple times a week. “I don’t know how these people dare face the world with their proposal.”

Black cats, white cats, calico ones and tabbies roam the seaside paths surrounding the historic fort known as “El Morro” that guarded San Juan Bay in the colonial era. The shy and surly ones crouch in the bushes away from cameras and human hands while others perch on nearby rocks to groom or stare at passerby as the ocean laps behind them.

They’re known as “cobblestone” or “colonial” cats, but not everyone loves them.

“Encounters between visitors and cats and the smell of urine and feces are ... inconsistent with the cultural landscape,” the National Park Service wrote in its plan.

The agency said the plan aims to improve “visitor experience,” protect cultural and natural resources, reduce health and safety concerns and alleviate “nuisance issues.” It also noted that cats are likely killing wildlife in the area.

Officials so far are offering two options: Remove the cats or retain the status quo. The latter would include maintaining feeding stations, spaying or neutering cats, and removing those that have not been tagged, work currently done by the nonprofit group Save a Gato.

On Wednesday night, dozens of people gathered for the first of two public meetings on the issue. But when National Park Service officials said there would be no hearing and asked people to only write down their comments, the crowd erupted in anger.

“This doesn’t make sense!”

“We have doubts! We have questions!”

“Let’s defend the cats!”

The crowd kept yelling, demanding a public hearing until officials relented. They opened the doors to a small theater as one elderly activist blew on the emergency whistle of his keychain to herd the crowd in.

People spoke one by one amid loud applause. Their biggest concern was that the cats would be euthanized, even though the National Park said it is still receiving public comments and that any decision would be based on those.

“These are the initial stages,” said Myrna Palfrey, superintendent of the San Juan National Historic Site. “We don’t have any answers right now.”

Several nonprofit organizations demanded evidence to support statements in the plan that some people did not want the cats around and that they were possibly hunting wildlife in the area.

“I see tourists completely enamored of those cats,” said Nydia Fernández, who lives in Old San Juan and walks around the historic fort three times a week, where hordes of cats congregate.

A final decision is months away, but the proposal to remove cats saddens Ocasio, an animal lover who spends up to $15 a week feeding cats in Old San Juan. He said he adopts those that are sick and elderly, caring for them in their last days.

Among the residents who spoke was Toru Dodo, who moved to Puerto Rico from California earlier this year and lives in Old San Juan.

He questioned what officials were going to do with the cats, whether ecological assessments have been done beyond trap cameras and what consequences would result from removing them, notably with the rat population.

Dodo also asked what would happen if people keep abandoning cats in the area, which activists say is a problem.

“I’m not alone in wanting to know the answers,” he said amid claps and cheers. “These are one of the wonders of Old San Juan.”

By DÁNICA COTO

Status Of Women In Qatar, Host Of World Cup

The foreign fans descending on Doha for the 2022 World Cup will find a country where women work, hold public office and cruise in their supercars along the city’s palm-lined corniche. They’ve been driving for decades, unlike in Saudi Arabia, where women gained the right just a few years ago.

There are Qatari female ambassadors, judges and ministers, even race jockeys. The emir’s mother, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser al-Missned, is one of the most famous women in the Arab world. In a region where rulers’ wives and mothers keep a low-profile, she behaves like a Western-style first lady — advocating for social causes and grabbing headlines as a style icon.

Yet the emirate has for years sat near the bottom of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, which tracks gaps between women and men in employment, education, health and politics.

It’s a traditional society that traces its roots to the interior of the Arabian Peninsula, where an ultraconservative form of Islam known as Wahhabism originated. Rights groups say that the Qatari legal system, based on Islamic law or Shariah, hinders women’s advancement.

Here’s a look at the situation of women in the tiny sheikhdom that has undergone a massive social transformation from a generation ago, when most women kept close to home.

RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS

Qatar’s constitution enshrines equality among citizens. But the U.S. State Department and human rights groups say the Qatari legal system discriminates against women when it comes to their freedom of movement and issues of marriage, child custody and inheritance. Under Shariah law, for example, women can inherit property, but daughters receive half as much as sons. Men can easily divorce their wives, while women must apply to courts from a narrow list of acceptable grounds. Men can marry up to four wives without issue, while women must obtain approval from a male guardian to get married at any age. Under a rule rarely enforced, Qatari women under the age of 25 also must secure a male guardian’s permission to leave the country. Husbands and fathers may bar women from traveling. Unmarried Qatari women under 30 cannot check into hotels. Single women who get pregnant face prosecution for extramarital sex. There is no government office dedicated to women’s rights.

POLITICS
Just last year, emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani appointed women to two Cabinet posts, bringing the number of female ministers to three — the highest number in Qatar’s history. Prominent Qatari women hold other high-level positions, too. The female deputy foreign minister gained prestige as the spokeswoman for Qatar’s critical diplomatic efforts amid the U.S. military and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan. Another powerful woman is Sheikh Tamim’s younger sister, the head of the Qatar Museum Authority who has become one of the international art world’s most popular figures. Last year, Sheikh Tamim appointed two women to the country’s advisory Shura Council. But the legislative elections for the 45-member council were a stark testament to Qatari women’s limited role. Female candidates did not win a single seat.

WORKFORCE

Laws guarantee the right to equal pay for Qatari women and men. But women do not always receive it. They also struggle to obtain high-level posts in private companies and the public sector, even though more than half of all college graduates are women. There is no law prohibiting gender discrimination in the workplace. Laws ban women from jobs broadly defined as dangerous or inappropriate. Women also must seek permission from a male guardian to work in the government and special institutions. Despite the obstacles, some women have managed to succeed professionally.

TRADITIONAL ROLES

Traditional roles in Qatar are enshrined in laws that differentiate between women’s and men’s rights and responsibilities. Wives, for instance, are legally in charge of the household and are required to obey their husbands. They can lose financial support if they defy their husband’s wishes. Religious and tribal customs mean that conservative families frown on women mingling with unrelated men, even for business. Although women have made major forays in recent years, the world of politics and finance remains male-dominant. With Islam encouraging female modesty, Qatari women typically wear a headscarf and loose cloak known as the abaya. Bedouin women are more conservative and some cover their faces with the niqab veil.

What's News In The Bahamas, November 2022

As cooler temperatures approach in many places, travellers seeking to escape the fall chill should look no further than The Bahamas. With the addition of even more direct flights, seasonal hotel reopenings in the Out Islands, and a variety of new attractions and events, the destination makes for the perfect tropical escape.

The Bahamas' 'Stingray Whisperer' Video Wins Travel Weekly's Silver Magellan Award — The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism won a Silver Magellan Award under Travel Weekly's "Destination Marketing-Website" category for its "Stingray Whisperer" video. The video is an interview with Keith Cooper — aka Grandfather Stingray — about his work with wild stingrays and his guided tours to see them, which visitors can book through Grand Bahama Island's West End Ecology Tours.

Long Island to Break Ground on New Cruising Port

— Long Island is set to develop a $250 million cruise port in partnership with Azul Destinations and Calypso Cove Destinations. The port — which will be called Calypso Cove and is scheduled to open by early 2024 — will be able to accommodate 13,000 cruise passengers daily and will feature a 200-room hotel, golf course, casino, and more.

Bahamasair Launches Direct Flights to Grand Bahama Island

— Beginning 17 November, Bahamasair will offer twice-weekly direct flights to Freeport — the second-largest city in The Bahamas — from Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina. The flight will take less than two hours.

Shake Shack to Open in The Bahamas

— Shake Shack will make its Caribbean debut in 2023 at Atlantis Paradise Island. Resort guests will be able to order the brand's signature beef burgers and milkshakes in addition to exclusive, destination-inspired menu items only available at Shake Shack Atlantis.

The Cove Eleuthera Reopens with Elevated Experiences

— Following the resort's seasonal closure, The Cove Eleuthera will reopen on November 7. Its interiors have been refreshed, and its Freedom Restaurant & Grill was completely refurbished. The resort is also introducing an updated fitness experience featuring a dedicated yoga room that will offer guided lessons.

The Exuma Half Marathon Returns

— The Exuma Half Marathon will take place on 12 November 2022 and invites both locals and visitors to participate. Funds raised from the event will benefit one graduating student from the local L.N. Coakley High School.

The Bahamas Wins Big in Caribbean Journal's 2022 Travel Awards

— The Bahamas scored several top accolades in Caribbean Journal's 2022 Travel Awards, including "Caribbean Destination of the Year," while Small Hope Bay Lodge in Andros snagged first place in the "Adventure Hotel of the Year" category.

PROMOTIONS AND OFFERS

For a complete list of deals and discounted packages in The Bahamas, visit www.bahamas.com/deals-packages.

U.S. Residents Can Travel from Nassau to the Out Islands for Free — U.S. residents should take advantage of a limited-time offer to explore the Out Islands at a discount. Pre-booked hotel stays of four nights or longer at participating Out Island properties will come with two free airline and two free Bahamas Ferry tickets from Nassau. The booking window is now through December 31, 2022, for travel until June 30, 2023.

Save Big with Thanksgiving at Caerula Mar Club — Guests staying at Caerula Mar Club for four nights or more during Thanksgiving will receive 10% off their accommodations and a $100 resort credit, as well as a free holiday dinner prepared by executive chef Carlos Alvarez. The day after Thanksgiving, guests will receive a picnic basket filled with delicious Thanksgiving leftovers to enjoy at the beach. To claim this offer, e-mail Caerula Mar Club at reservations@caerulamar.com.

ABOUT THE BAHAMAS

Explore all the islands have to offer at www.bahamas.com or on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram to see why It's Better in The Bahamas.

Christian Monastery Possibly Pre-Dating Islam Found In UAE

SINIYAH ISLAND, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An ancient Christian monastery possibly dating as far back as the years before Islam spread across the Arabian Peninsula has been discovered on an island off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, officials announced Thursday.

The monastery on Siniyah Island, part of the sand-dune sheikhdom of Umm al-Quwain, sheds new light on the history of early Christianity along the shores of the Persian Gulf. It marks the second such monastery found in the Emirates, dating back as many as 1,400 years — long before its desert expanses gave birth to a thriving oil industry that led to a unified nation home to the high-rise towers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The two monasteries became lost to history in the sands of time as scholars believe Christians slowly converted to Islam as that faith grew more prevalent in the region.

Today, Christians remain a minority across the wider Middle East, though Pope Francis was arriving in nearby Bahrain on Thursday to promote interfaith dialogue with Muslim leaders.

For Timothy Power, an associate professor of archaeology at the United Arab Emirates University who helped investigate the newly discovered monastery, the UAE today is a “melting pot of nations.”

“The fact that something similar was happening here a 1,000 years ago is really remarkable and this is a story that deserves to be told,” he said.

The monastery sits on Siniyah Island, which shields the Khor al-Beida marshlands in Umm al-Quwain, an emirate some 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Dubai along the coast of the Persian Gulf. The island, whose name means “blinking lights” likely due to the effect of the white-hot sun overhead, has a series of sandbars coming off of it like crooked fingers. On one, to the island’s northeast, archaeologists discovered the monastery.

Carbon dating of samples found in the monastery’s foundation date between 534 and 656. Islam’s Prophet Muhammad was born around 570 and died in 632 after conquering Mecca in present-day Saudi Arabia.

Viewed from above, the monastery on Siniyah Island’s floor plan suggests early Christian worshippers prayed within a single-aisle church at the monastery. Rooms within appear to hold a baptismal font, as well as an oven for baking bread or wafers for communion rites. A nave also likely held an altar and an installation for communion wine.

Next to the monastery sits a second building with four rooms, likely around a courtyard — possibly the home of an abbot or even a bishop in the early church.

On Thursday, the site saw a visit from Noura bint Mohammed al-Kaabi, the country’s culture and youth minister, as well as Sheikh Majid bin Saud Al Mualla, the chairman of the Umm al-Quwain’s Tourism and Archaeology Department and a son of the emirate’s ruler.

The island remains part of the ruling family’s holdings, protecting the land for years to allow the historical sites to be found as much of the UAE has rapidly developed.

The UAE’s Culture Ministry has sponsored the dig in part, which continues at the site. Just hundreds of meters (yards) away from the church, a collection of buildings that archaeologists believe belongs to a pre-Islamic village sit.

Elsewhere on the island, piles of tossed-aside clams from pearl hunting make for massive, industrial-sized hills. Nearby also sits a village that the British blew up in 1820 before the region became part of what was known as the Trucial States, the precursor of the UAE. That village’s destructions brought about the creation of the modern-day settlement of Umm al-Quwain on the mainland.

Historians say early churches and monasteries spread along the Persian Gulf to the coasts of present-day Oman and all the way to India. Archaeologist have found other similar churches and monasteries in Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

In the early 1990s, archaeologists discovered the first Christian monastery in the UAE, on Sir Bani Yas Island, today a nature preserve and site of luxury hotels off the coast of Abu Dhabi, near the Saudi border. It similarly dates back to the same period as the new find in Umm al-Quwain.

However, evidence of early life along the Khor al-Beida marshlands in Umm al-Quwain dates as far back as the Neolithic period — suggesting continuous human inhabitance in the area for at least 10,000 years, Power said.

Today, the area near the marshland is more known for the low-cost liquor store at the emirate’s Barracuda Beach Resort. In recent months, authorities have demolished a hulking, Soviet-era cargo plane linked to a Russian gunrunner known as the “Merchant of Death” as it builds a bridge to Siniyah Island for a $675 million real estate development.

Power said that development spurred the archaeological work that discovered the monastery. That site and others will be fenced off and protected, he said, though it remains unclear what other secrets of the past remain hidden just under a thin layer of sand on the island.

“It’s a really fascinating discovery because in some ways it’s hidden history — it’s not something that’s widely known,” Power said.

The All-New Four Seasons Hotel And Private Residences Nashville Is Now Open

There's a new landmark in Nashville, rising 40 storeys above the vibrant city and buzzing with energy, passion and warm hospitality. Welcome to the all-new Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Nashville.

"There is a beautiful synergy between this city and Four Seasons renowned style of hospitality," says Christian Clerc, President, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. "With each new opening we seek to become part of and contribute to the local culture and community to create truly authentic experiences for those who visit us. Here in Nashville, the connections we have forged have come so naturally thanks to the city's quintessential Southern hospitality, and we couldn't be more thrilled to be here."

The art and light filled Four Seasons encompasses 235 hotel guest rooms and suites, along with a unique chef-driven restaurant and bar concept, a full-service spa and resort-style pool deck, modern event spaces, and much more. With panoramic city and river views and interiors celebrating local heritage and craftsmanship, the stage is set for an all-new luxury experience befitting of this dynamic city that continues to attract creative talent and an increasing number of visitors from across the country and around the world.

"Nashville has always been a place where people come together, whether in the storied venues that have shaped American music, the local havens that continue to further its food culture, or the stadiums and arenas where we cheer on our favourite sports teams. Our aim at Four Seasons is to showcase the very best of the city – from the famous to the many wonderful people and places you might not have heard of yet, but you will," says General Manager Richard Poskanzer, a seasoned Four Seasons hotelier – and music lover – who leads a team of more than 300 professionals ready to welcome guests with open arms. Residents of the building's 144 Four Seasons Private Residences are also part of the expanding community in and around the property.

Four Seasons has already established relationships within the city's music and arts communities, including Songwriter City, which has collaborated with the Hotel to offer the Suite Sounds package – an opportunity to meet and spend time with industry professionals in an intimate setting. Guests are also encouraged to experience "songwriters in the round," wherein a group of chart-topping writers talk – and play – through the artistic process.

Located within walking distance to the city's major sporting and entertainment venues as well as its most legendary musical landmarks, the Hotel team has also spent months combing all areas of the city, from the flashiest to the most off-beat in search of immersive experiences. "If you and your friends want to hit the town for some dancing, we can recommend places best suited to your mood. If shopping is your mission we can do that too, and if the family's come along, we can certainly help plan activities that everyone will enjoy," says Hotel Manager and Tennessee native Bradley Russell.

Mimo Restaurant and Bar, Where Southern Italian Cuisine Meets Southern Hospitality

Aptly named for Tennessee's state bird, the mockingbird, guests of Mimo Restaurant can expect inspired takes on classic Italian dishes featuring locally-sourced ingredients enhancing fresh-caught seafood and other offerings. Many selections are presented family-style for sharing, with scratch-made pastas, breads, pickles and more in abundance at breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

Helming the kitchen team is Aniello "Nello" Turco, a Neapolitan chef who first gained international recognition when he earned a Michelin star at Mio at Four Seasons Hotel Beijing.

"Mimo is a place where Chef Nello's signature caviar linguine, enhanced with local fried okra, happily shares a table with not-so-classic fried chicken and waffles elevated with homemade sauces that offer hints of soy and Calabrian chilies," says Director of Food and Beverage Alex Hernandez.

The adjacent Mimo Bar is a destination unto itself where the local favourite Tennessee whiskies and craft brews are just the beginning. Bar Manager Michael Geffin, originally from Miami, has had the enviable of getting to know the local drinking scene and creating a menu to both introduce out of town Hotel guests and surprise and delight locals with something completely new. Case in point: the signature First Citizen cocktail, inspired by historic figure Timothy Demonbreun, that adds Southern peach liqueur to the Italian vermouth and floral Spanish gin of the beloved Italian Negroni. In addition to creative and precise cocktails, more than a dozen taps and a 350-label wine list are enhanced by Chef Nello's bar bites.

Spa, Wellness and a Resort-Style Pool Deck
While results-driven treatments are certainly on the menu at The Spa at Four Seasons, it's a different kind of relaxation experience that invites guests to come together, chill out and enjoy being pampered with friends, one's partner, or on their own.
"Restoration, in all its forms, is the inspiration behind our spa menu," notes Spa Manager Coleman Phillips.

Highlights include a luxurious Gold Body Scrub that takes advantage of the mineral's anti-inflammatory properties to revitalize tired skin; the Gua Sha Facial using tailored massage rituals to sculpt, revive and oxygenate; and the Hot Stone Massage, now popular around the world but originally inspired by the Native American practice of warming stones in fire to ease aching muscles.

Featured skincare brands include Omorovicza, from the ancient spa city of Budapest, Hungary, and a well-established cult favourite of Nashvillians in the know; in addition to Italian brand Pietro Simone. The Spa includes six treatment rooms – including a couple's suite – and also offers a full-service salon with manicure and pedicure services.

A 24/7 state-of-the-art fitness centre designed by celebrity trainer and Four Seasons partner Harley Pasternak is adjacent to the Spa, overlooking the 7th floor resort-style pool deck. Next spring, Four Seasons will introduce Riviera, a poolside dining and drinking experience.

Whether in town for business or pleasure, or looking for a staycation close to home, Four Seasons Hotel Nashville is offering a variety of introductory packages to introduce guests to Music City, Four Seasons-style. Call +1 615 610 5001 for reservations, or book online at: https://www.fourseasons.com/nashville/

Dubai To Cash In On A World Cup A Short Flight Away

The FIFA World Cup may be bringing as many as 1.2 million fans to Qatar, but the nearby flashy emirate of Dubai is also looking to cash in on the major sports tournament taking place just a short flight away. Some soccer fan clubs have already said they’ll be commuting to Qatar during the cup on 45-minute flights from Dubai, the skyscraper-studded, beachfront city-state in the United Arab Emirates. Other fans plan to sleep on cruise ships or camp out in the desert amid a feverish rush for rooms in Doha. Dubai’s airlines, bars, restaurants, shopping malls and other attractions now hope to benefit, further boosting their rebounding tourism industry in the crucial fall and winter months after the blows delivered by the coronavirus pandemic. “If you can’t stay in Qatar, Dubai is the place you’d most like to go as a foreign tourist,” said James Swanston, a Middle East and North Africa expert at Capital Economics. “It’s somewhere safe, somewhere more liberal in terms of Western norms. It’s the most attractive destination.”

Now home to the world’s tallest building, cavernous malls — including one with an indoor ski slope — and thriving nightclub scene, Dubai has seen explosive growth fueled by its boom-and-bust real estate market that’s transformed the one-time pearling village over the last 20 years.

Its long-haul carrier Emirates helped make Dubai International Airport the busiest in the world for foreign travel and provides a steady stream of new visitors who stay for layovers or longer. And while still an autocratic sheikhdom like its other Gulf Arab neighbors, Dubai has a relatively more-liberal view on drinking and nightlife.

In the lead-up to the tournament, concerns about hotel room space and high prices for the rooms available have trailed Qatar, which lacks hotel capacity for all teams, workers, volunteers and fans at the World Cup. So Doha has created camping and cabin sites, hiring cruise ships, and encouraging fans to stay in neighboring countries and fly in for games.

Qatar has estimated it will have 45,000 hotel rooms for the tournament.

Surrounding nations, like Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, also suggest they could see a spike in visitors — even though Bahrain is the only among them that allows alcohol. Even Iran, months ago, suggested developing plans for World Cup tourists to stay on its Kish Island. Apparently, nothing came of the idea and now the Islamic Republic is gripped by nationwide protests.

Meanwhile, Dubai has over 140,000 hotel rooms, putting it easily into the top 10 destinations worldwide as far as available hotel rooms go, said Philip Wooller, a senior director at STR, a company that monitors the hotel industry. Dubai also offers price ranges greater than what Qatar can at the moment, given the demand, he said.

“I think Dubai is an incredibly eclectic city,” Wooller said. “You can buy a room for $100 or you can buy a room for $5,000.”

Still, he added, he expects “Qatar will be able to accommodate most of the fans coming to the World Cup (but) there will be a knock-on in Dubai.”

Dubai appears fully poised to take advantage of the tournament.

Its low-cost carrier, FlyDubai, plans as many as 30 round-trip flights a day during the World Cup, shuttling fans between Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, or DWC, in the city-state’s southern reaches, to Doha International Airport, Qatar’s old main airport.

Other airlines that may use Al Maktoum airport include KLM, Qatar Airways and Wizz Air, while private jets will fly from there as well to the tournament, said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. That could help boost the profile of an airfield that Dubai hopes will expand in the future as Dubai International Airport nears its capacity.

“It’s a great experience for us to see DWC suddenly so busy for the World Cup,” he said. “It will give exposure to the convenience of the airport for so many people that (airlines may) actually favor operating from there.”

The expected economic boost from the World Cup for Dubai comes after its turnaround since suffering through the pandemic. It spent billions for its delayed Expo 2020 world’s fair — which largely attracted visitors already in the UAE.

Dubai, like much of the world, had a lockdown early in 2020. However, by July that year, it announced it was reopening for tourists. Though Dubai faced a surge of international criticism when cases spread from the emirate months later, around New Year, Dubai and the rest of the UAE widely rolled out vaccines.

The UAE dropped its mandatory mask policy about a month ago.

“Dubai is on a lot of people’s radars as one of the most phenomenal places to come and visit,” said Dennis McGettigan, the CEO of an eponymous empire of Irish bars in Dubai and elsewhere. “And I think the World Cup has added a layer” of desire to visit.

McGettigan said his bar business is already up as much as 40% on its sales, compared to 2019, something he linked to pent-up demand for socializing after the worst days of the virus. He said he’s overstaffed his locations and expects strong business through the tournament.

But McGettigan and others acknowledged headwinds Dubai faces in attracting World Cup tourists — the strong U.S. dollar. The Emirati dirham has long been pegged to the dollar, making a Dubai trip now more expensive for those using British pounds, euros and other currencies.

Other financial dangers also lurk for tourist-reliant Dubai, built on the promise of globalization.

“We still need to be cautious of global economic pressures, including rising interest rates, high oil and commodity prices, supply chain issues that are creating inflationary pressures which could impact Dubai’s economic recovery,” said Sapna Jagtiani of S&P Global Ratings.

McGettigan doesn’t expects that to be too much of a damper. His firm also will be organizing a massive fan zone venue in the grassy expanses of Dubai Media City, complete with musical performances, massive televisions and even a winter-themed area in Dubai’s desert environs.

“I, for one, am absolutely delighted to see everything back on full steam ahead and actually a little bit more,” he said.

By JON GAMBRELL

Travelore's Holiday Gifting Recommendations Include The World's First Naturally Black Gin & The Fastest Way To Open Your Wine

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