Largest shopping mall in Dubai

Dubai, a renowned shopping centre for West Asia, plans to set up the world's largest shopping mall, that will have the largest gold market, by November 2006.

Dubai is the hub of trade and tourism in the Gulf and part of the United Arab Emirates. It will set up the 9-million-sq-ft Dubai Mall that will be as big as 50 football fields and include residential facilities. Situated near Bur Dubai, it will be flanked by a 4.3-million-sq-ft artificial lake and look like an ocean liner.

Meanwhile, London too plans to erect Europe's tallest building, the slender pyramid-shaped Shard of Glass. This will have two viewing platforms, with the higher one 800 feet above the ground.

Vatavaran fest in Delhi

Vatavaran 2003, the three-day Environmental and Wildlife Film Festival was held recently in New Delhi. This second edition focuses on the the theme Water for Life and will give away eight National Awards.

Around 154 new film entries were screened at the exclusive festival. They were on issues related to the environment, wildlife and conservation. They included films on medicinal plants, coral reefs of the Lakshadweep Islands and the need to integrate tribal wisdom with modern science.