Etisalat removes iconic building ‘golf balls’ after storm

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AP) – The iconic “golf balls” on Etisalat buildings are coming down. The Emirati telecommunications company has taken down the spheres atop their buildings at their headquarters in Abu Dhabi and in Dubai. The move came after a major thunderstorm struck the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, bringing strong winds and rainfall that caused flooding. The state-run WAM news agency reported late Friday that the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority asked Etisalat to remove the sphere from its Abu Dhabi headquarters as it was “severely damaged by strong winds.” Etisalat is one of two telecommunications companies in the UAE. It is 60-percent government-owned and opened its shares to foreign investors in September.