Dubai Formula One theme park suspended

Union Properties PJSC today announced a Board decision to suspend the construction and opening of its F1-X theme park project, which was scheduled to open in Dubai 2009. The decision was taken due to the current financial market and the drying up of liquidity from banks and financial institutions.

The suspension will delay the opening of The Formula One entertainment concept until 2010.

Penny Fischer, Marketing Director from F1-X said today that, "the project is founded on a strong business model that withstands recession whilst allowing for the future growth of Dubai. With construction more than 50% complete, the core of international expertise on the ground and operational plans virtually complete, it is hard to believe that a financial partner will not come forward in coming days or weeks to capitalise on the opportunity."

F1-X is the first family entertainment concept of its kind ever developed. Based on the pinnacle of motor sport, Formula One - a single sport - it has been designed for core fans and non- sporting enthusiasts alike. The park has something for everyone including bespoke rides and simulations, F1 team showcases and experiences, and even a walk back in time through 1950's Europe and the birth of the pinnacle of motor sport.

motorsport.com

Love in your eyes

Beyonce and other celebs at the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards in L.A.

Singer Beyonce sits during the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles February 12, 2009.

Singer Beyonce walks on stage to accept her award for Outstanding Female Artist at the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles February 12, 2009.

Actress Halle Berry hosts the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles February 12, 2009.

Former Vice President Al Gore speaks, as Dr. Wangari Maathai watches, after they were presented with the Chairman's award at the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles February 12, 2009.

Actor Will Smith poses with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith (L) and singer Jennifer Hudson at the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles February 12, 2009.

Singer Beyonce performs "Halo" at the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles February 12, 2009.

Actress Halle Berry and actor Tyler Perry host the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles February 12, 2009.

Singer Jennifer Hudson lifts her award for Outstanding New Artist at the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles February 12, 2009.

Rapper Sean "P. Diddy" Combs (L) and actor Will Smith pose at the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles February 12, 2009.


Actresses Jada Pinkett Smith (L) and Rosario Dawson pose at the 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles February 12, 2009.

Agencies

Rihanna first live concert in Malaysia

Grammy-award winner, Rihanna, is coming to Malaysia for the first time! Her debut concert, Rihanna Live in KL 2009 is scheduled for February 13, 2009, Friday, 8.30pm at Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil. Rihanna Live in KL 2009 is part of the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour, the second world concert tour by the Barbadian singer to support her album Good Girl Gone Bad. It consists of 3 legs with 61 shows and has run for over 6 months, starting in Canada. Supporting acts throughout the tour included Akon, Ciara, David Jordan, Chris Brown and various local European acts during the second European leg. Chris Brown and Rihanna performed 11 shows in New Zealand and Australia, and one show in the Philippines.

Rihanna also performed in Singapore on her first solo Southeast Asian Tour in November 2008. She is coming back for the second leg and Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta has been confirmed as the tour venues.

Awesome animal shows

High-five ... bottlenose dolphins jump up to touch a visitor's hand after a show at the Dolphinarium in Dubai Creek Park last year

Electrifying ... a diver clad in Japanese kimono swims with an eel next to a traditional New Year's decoration during a rehearsal for the New Year's attraction at Sunshine International Aquarium in Tokyo. The special fish-feeding performance in kimono outfit was held from January 1 to January 7, 2009

Halloween hippo ... Cuddles, a 43-year-old hippopotamus, eats a pumpkin at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, during a sneak preview for "Boo at the Zoo", an annual Halloween event featuring a haunted nature trail and animal pumpkin feeding

White Belugas wear Santa hat as they pose with a trainer during a Christmas show at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise aquarium in Yokohama, in Kanagawa prefecture, in 2007. The aquarium started its Christmas events to attract visitors through the Christmas Day

Cheese ... a girl sits next to a monkey as she poses for a photo at the end of an animal show held as part of the week-long May Day Holiday activities at the Shanghai Wild Animal Park in Shanghai

Killing machine ... a tourist dives in a cage partially immersed in a crocodile pen in Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin.

Swimming face-to-face with a massive saltwater crocodile might not be everyone's idea of fun but thrill-seekers are snapping up northern Australia newest tourist attraction

Ouch! ... a tiger rides a horse in a circus show in Xiamen in southeast China's Fujian province last year. The circus shows were being held during a golden week holiday to mark China's National Day, the 59th anniversary of the founding of communist China

Slithering snakes ... a trainer sits inside a glass house containing boas at a zoo in Jinan, Shandong province. The performance with the snakes is being held to attract visitors during the week-long May Day holiday

Look at moi ... Sara the walrus performs during a show at Dolphinarium in Istanbul

Fierce ... Odin, a five-year-old White Bengal Tiger dives into the water for a piece of meat thrown to him by a trainer during a big cat show at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California

Pretty in pink ... a chihuahua named Peanut dressed as Elle Woods from the Broadway show 'Legally Blonde', poses for photographers in Times Square after winning the fourth annual Times Square Dog Day Masquerade canine costume contest in New York in October last year

The hawk has landed ... trainer Matt Kettle holds an eaglehawk - Australia's largest bird of prey after her first open air flight near Sydnet's Taronga Zoo in December last year. Four-year-old Nonami is being trained to star in Taronga Zoo's daily Free Flight Bird Show



AP