Burj Khalifa beckons you to Sky At The Top

October 15, 2014

Dubai, Oct 15: The UAE is well renowned for its limit-pushing feats, and during a sneak preview of Burj Khalifa’s newest attraction on Tuesday, it’s clear even the sky isn’t the limit here.

Ascending a knee-wobbling 555 metres above ground, ‘At The Top Burj Khalifa Sky’ opens to the public today and is the world’s highest observation deck — outgrowing its closest competitor in China by a staggering 67 metres.

Spread across two levels on floors 124 and 148, the new observation decks offer unmatched views of the ever-expanding city, with many calling level 148 the ‘hero’ as it’s now noted as the highest viewing point on earth in a building.

At Tuesday’s unveiling, the world’s tallest building added its seventh string to its record-holding bow and Country Manager for Guinness World Records Talal Omar told Khaleej Times the UAE is setting the benchmark when it comes to record making.

“Burj Khalifa was officially opened in 2010 and since then we’ve seen six records successfully attempted by it in terms of building records. But that has inspired other people to attempt records and since then we’ve seen the highest base jump from Burj Khalifa, as well as the highest building climb from it. I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

Rising 24 floors above the original ‘At The Top’, ‘Sky’ is set to see visitor numbers soar over the next few years and Emaar Properties executive director Ahmad Al Falasi is confident it will see a big increase on last year’s 1.8 million footfall.

“I urge all who live here and visit here to enjoy your bit of the sky,” he said at Tuesday’s preview.

Up, up and away

So what can we expect to see? With a stopover level on 125 hosting 360-degree indoor views, visitors will also get a new video perspective of the city with ‘Dubai — A Falcon’s Eye View’. But for those of you with a stomach to handle another 23 floors up, you won’t be disappointed.

Housing a premium food and drink lounge with panoramic views, level 148 also offers a brand-new, hands-on interactive experience for visitors allowing them to discover iconic destinations in Dubai using a life-size screen and sensory motion technology.

But enjoying the view from a steep height may mean even steeper pricing for some with pre-booked tickets costing Dh400 while immediate entry tickets will set you back Dh500. And it’s a view that just isn’t tempting enough, said British tourist Christopher Read.

“I’ve just been to At the Top and paid Dh125 for the privilege. I think that’s a fair price, so to me Dh400 is a little much and I honestly can’t see the view being all that different.”

But from what he’s seen so far in Dubai, people will always pay for the best, he said.

“I get the attraction though. To say you’ve visited the highest viewing deck in the world is pretty cool so I don’t think they’ll struggle to sell tickets, especially here.”

So if the dizzying prices don’t faze you, why not climb to even dizzier heights and become part of history.

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Syrian Town erupts after Israeli forces enter Beit Jinn; heavy casualties reported

News Network

November 28,2025

Several Syrians were killed and more than two dozen others injured in Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Damascus, amid intensified incursions by the occupying regime since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rule.

Syrian state TV reported that the casualties occurred during an overnight Israeli assault involving helicopters and drones on the town of Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside. The attack followed an Israeli military unit’s entry into the town, where they were surrounded by local residents, leading to gunfire and direct confrontations.

According to the report, “The occupation army’s helicopters and artillery shelled Beit Jinn, located at the foothills of Mount Hermon, resulting in 13 martyrs and 25 injured civilians.” The broadcaster did not specify the full extent of damage.

Al-Ikhbariyah Syria confirmed that the shelling coincided with Israeli soldiers entering Beit Jinn, while artillery pounded surrounding areas. The broadcaster stated that the escalation began after local residents clashed with an Israeli patrol that had infiltrated the southern town and “kidnapped” three young men.

Following a two-hour exchange of heavy fire, Israeli forces withdrew and repositioned on the hill of Butt al-Warda at the town’s outskirts.

Israeli media acknowledged that six soldiers were wounded in the clashes—three of them seriously—describing the confrontation as a “sudden ambush” that forced the deployment of reserve units and air support to secure an exit route. No further details were provided.

The aggression has fueled renewed displacement from Beit Jinn, with residents fleeing to nearby villages amid increasingly frequent Israeli attacks.

The raid came just a day after Israeli troops carried out another ground incursion into Umm al-Luqas village in Quneitra province. According to SANA, an Israeli unit in four vehicles entered the village, raided several homes, and later withdrew.

Syria condemned the repeated incursions as violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and UN resolutions, urging the international community to enforce compliance and pressure Israel to halt its operations and withdraw fully.

Israel has expanded its attacks across Syrian territory following the collapse of the Assad government last year. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly instructed his forces to push deeper into Syrian territory and seize strategic positions.

Meanwhile, critics say the HTS-led interim government’s inaction and growing normalization gestures toward Israel have emboldened Tel Aviv to intensify its military operations. HTS, formerly linked to al-Qaeda, seized control of Damascus last December, formally ending Assad’s rule.

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