The National

For the less adventurous members of society, a trip up the Burj Khalifa would take around two minutes in the comfort of a high-speed lift. Not for Spider-man, however. Having already scaled landmark skyscrapers in Chicago and Paris without support cables, safety harnesses or nets, France’s nimble-footed “urban free solo climber” Alain Robert is now campaigning to conquer the 828-metre-high tower.

The country's main indexes rebounded yesterday as declines posted last week were seen as overdone, fund managers said. The Dubai Financial Market General Index gained 1.5 per cent to 1,605.89. Emaar Properties, the developer of the Burj Khalifa, gained 1.5 per cent to Dh3.30.

Filming of the movie hit the international headlines last year when Cruise, 49, was photographed dangling from the outside of the Burj Khalifa in one scene. Other parts of the film are set at Dubai International Financial Centre and on the Palm Jumeirah. Further shoots took place in Prague, Moscow, Mumbai and Vancouver.

The company best known for developing the world's tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, gained more than 9 per cent in the last three trading days of the week, closing at Dh2.68 per share yesterday. However, that is still about 50 per cent below the company's book value of Dh5.10.

The world’s tallest tower plunged into partial darkness for an hour yesterday to commemorate Earth Hour, the world’s biggest awareness event dedicated to fighting climate change. The Burj Khalifa joined landmarks such as the London Eye, the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids and the Forbidden City in Beijing in the campaign, which aimed at attracting a billion people this year.

If there were an award for the strangest place I've met an interview subject, then Michael Kaplan would win it hands down. I was swimming in the sea in Aruba when I was introduced to the costume designer, who was on the Caribbean island to make an appearance at the Aruba International Film Festival.

The Burj Khalifa may have set another record yesterday when Afif Hanna, a five-day-old boy, visited the 124th floor. Afif’s parents, Amjad Hanna and Maram Haddad, said they took him to visit the observation deck of the world’s tallest building because it represented the sky-high ambitions they had for their first child. “If he can achieve the highest point in the world in five days, hopefully he can achieve much more,” said Mr Hanna. “I want him to be a big man.”

Ara Gallery in Burj Plaza, Downtown Dubai, has announced the five finalists of its Art At The Top competition, a search for an artist to display their work in At The Top on the pinnacle floor of the Burj Khalifa. Hamad Al Falasi, Hamdan Buti Al Shamisi, Nashwa Zakariya, Nasir Nasrallah and Zeinab Alhashemi have all got to the final round after submitting their portfolios in an open call announced on June 18.

A former employee of a hotel in the world's tallest building yesterday admitted peddling stolen goods for Dh300,000 in cash. A Dh53,000 Rolex watch swiped from the Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa led to the discovery of the money in the home of the South African waiter.

Eager crowds may catch their final glimpses of Tom Cruise this week as filming outside the Burj Khalifa for Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol wraps up. The Hollywood star has been dangling off the world's tallest tower this week, reprising his role as Ethan Hunt in the fourth instalment of the spy thrillers. On Saturday, he dropped down to the observation tower on the 124th floor to the shock - and delight - of tourists inside.