Tall storeys

Lack of imagination is one thing, but Dubai's developers have literally run out of names for the next round of doubtless world record-breaking developments. Take shopping malls as an example: currently under construction are Dubai Mall, the Mall of the Emirates, and the Mall of Arabia. Turn to towers, where Emirates Towers and the Burj Al Arab (=Arab Tower) already cast their long shadows. And now with Emaar planning the Burj Dubai (=Dubai Tower) rivals Nakheel have been left at something of a loss.

So with that sudden burst of stunning originality that so often characterises Gulf urban development, they have come up with "Al Burj".

The latest, greatest, mega-biggest-ever skycraping monstrosity in the land of sand will effectively have no name. It will just be The Tower.