Dubai opens world’s tallest building amid fiscal crisis

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Dubai has opened the world’s tallest skyscraper, hoping to shift international attention away from the Gulf emirate’s deep financial crisis and rekindle the optimism that once fueled its turbocharged growth.

Thousands of residents and tourists crowded around the tapering half-mile-high tower, which stands at least 160 stories high.

Dubai’s hereditary ruler unveiled a plaque at the tower’s base, kicking off inaugural festivities that included traditional Gulf Arab dance performances and skydivers landing parachutes emblazoned with the colors of the United Arab Emirates flag near the tower’s base.

The exact height of the tower remains uncertain. The building’s developer has said it stands more than 2,625 feet tall.