• The towers of Mina Plaza are reduced to rubble in Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    The towers of Mina Plaza are reduced to rubble in Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • A worker cleans up a nearby security office a day after the demolition of Mina Plaza. Victor Besa / The National
    A worker cleans up a nearby security office a day after the demolition of Mina Plaza. Victor Besa / The National
  • A worker cleans away broken tree branches at Al Mina Fruits and Vegetable Market a day after the Mina Zayed demolition. Victor Besa / The National
    A worker cleans away broken tree branches at Al Mina Fruits and Vegetable Market a day after the Mina Zayed demolition. Victor Besa / The National
  • The towers of Mina Plaza are reduced to rubble in Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    The towers of Mina Plaza are reduced to rubble in Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • A pile of debris remains after the demolition of Mina Plaza on Friday. Victor Besa / The National
    A pile of debris remains after the demolition of Mina Plaza on Friday. Victor Besa / The National
  • The surrounding areas the morning after the demolition of the Mina Zayed Plaza. Victor Besa/The National Section
    The surrounding areas the morning after the demolition of the Mina Zayed Plaza. Victor Besa/The National Section
  • Workers are now removing the pile of rubble that once formed the Mina Plaza towers in Mina Zayed. Victor Besa / The National
    Workers are now removing the pile of rubble that once formed the Mina Plaza towers in Mina Zayed. Victor Besa / The National
  • A pile of debris is all that remains from Mina Plaza, a complex of towers that stood incomplete for more than a decade. Victor Besa / The National
    A pile of debris is all that remains from Mina Plaza, a complex of towers that stood incomplete for more than a decade. Victor Besa / The National
  • A pile of debris remains after the demolition of Mina Plaza on Friday. Victor Besa / The National
    A pile of debris remains after the demolition of Mina Plaza on Friday. Victor Besa / The National
  • Mina Zayed reopened to the public after the demolition of Mina Plaza was complete and the area was deemed safe. Victor Besa / The National
    Mina Zayed reopened to the public after the demolition of Mina Plaza was complete and the area was deemed safe. Victor Besa / The National
  • A cleaner tidies up at Al Mina Fruits and Vegetable Market a day after the demolition of Mina Plaza. Victor Besa / The National
    A cleaner tidies up at Al Mina Fruits and Vegetable Market a day after the demolition of Mina Plaza. Victor Besa / The National
  • A pile of debris is all that remains from Mina Plaza, a complex of towers that stood incomplete for more than a decade. Victor Besa / The National
    A pile of debris is all that remains from Mina Plaza, a complex of towers that stood incomplete for more than a decade. Victor Besa / The National
  • Cleaning operations are under way at Mina Zayed after the demolition of Mina Plaza on Friday. Victor Besa / The National
    Cleaning operations are under way at Mina Zayed after the demolition of Mina Plaza on Friday. Victor Besa / The National
  • Road blocks prevent people from entering the Mina Plaza area following the demolition of the towers. Victor Besa / The National
    Road blocks prevent people from entering the Mina Plaza area following the demolition of the towers. Victor Besa / The National
  • A pile of debris is all that remains from Mina Plaza, a complex of towers that stood incomplete for more than a decade. Victor Besa / The National
    A pile of debris is all that remains from Mina Plaza, a complex of towers that stood incomplete for more than a decade. Victor Besa / The National
  • Cleaning operations are under way at Mina Zayed after the demolition of Mina Plaza on Friday. Victor Besa / The National
    Cleaning operations are under way at Mina Zayed after the demolition of Mina Plaza on Friday. Victor Besa / The National
  • A cleaner tidies up at Al Mina Fruits and Vegetable Market a day after the demolition of Mina Plaza. Victor Besa / The National
    A cleaner tidies up at Al Mina Fruits and Vegetable Market a day after the demolition of Mina Plaza. Victor Besa / The National
  • Mina Zayed reopened to the public after the demolition of Mina Plaza was complete and the area was deemed safe. Victor Besa / The National
    Mina Zayed reopened to the public after the demolition of Mina Plaza was complete and the area was deemed safe. Victor Besa / The National
  • Cleaning operations are under way at Mina Zayed after the demolition of Mina Plaza on Friday. Victor Besa / The National
    Cleaning operations are under way at Mina Zayed after the demolition of Mina Plaza on Friday. Victor Besa / The National
  • A pile of debris is all that remains from Mina Plaza, a complex of towers that stood incomplete for more than a decade. Victor Besa / The National
    A pile of debris is all that remains from Mina Plaza, a complex of towers that stood incomplete for more than a decade. Victor Besa / The National
  • Mina Zayed reopened to the public after the demolition of Mina Plaza was complete and the area was deemed safe. Victor Besa / The National
    Mina Zayed reopened to the public after the demolition of Mina Plaza was complete and the area was deemed safe. Victor Besa / The National
  • Traders begin to return to their shops after closing to make way for the demolition of Mina Plaza. Victor Besa / The National
    Traders begin to return to their shops after closing to make way for the demolition of Mina Plaza. Victor Besa / The National
  • Police tape keeps people away from the demolition zone at Mina Zayed. Victor Besa / The National
    Police tape keeps people away from the demolition zone at Mina Zayed. Victor Besa / The National
  • Traders return to their stalls at the plant market to tidy up following the demolition of Mina Plaza. Victor Besa / The National
    Traders return to their stalls at the plant market to tidy up following the demolition of Mina Plaza. Victor Besa / The National

Demolition dust settles: workers clear Mina Plaza rubble to make way for new development


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  • Arabic

It was all over in a matter of 10 seconds. But after the dust cleared from the record-breaking demolition of Mina Plaza, and shops reopened across the port in Abu Dhabi, workers began to clear away the rubble to make way for the new development.

On Friday, Modon Properties, the company behind the demolition and development project in Mina Zayed, said 6,000 kilograms of explosives and 18,000 individually programmed detonators were used to bring down the three towers.

Roads were sealed off well in advance of the 8am detonation and shops were closed to ensure the area was evacuated of any people for the controlled explosions.

By Friday evening, traders were allowed to reopen their shops and, the following day, workers were seen clearing the rubble.

Work to regenerate the area will be carried out in phases, starting with the fish market, which is due for completion late next year.

“The structure is up and we started sealing the building of the façade; the next market most likely to move is the plant,” said Bill O'Regan, acting chief executive of Modon Properties.

He said the new development would also include a new plant, furnishing, fruit and vegetable markets to replace the existing ones.

Other markets could also be added, such as antiques, spices, and seasonal local produce.

“So it will become a destination where people can spend their day; you will come for fruits and veggies, but stay for hours,” he said.

Mina Zayed development plans:

  • Construction is under way to transform Mina Zayed into a top tourist and commercial destination. This shows the fisherman's wharf with the new fish market. Courtesy: Department of Municipalities and Transport / Modon
    Construction is under way to transform Mina Zayed into a top tourist and commercial destination. This shows the fisherman's wharf with the new fish market. Courtesy: Department of Municipalities and Transport / Modon
  • The entrance to Mina Zayed's new fish market. Courtesy: Department of Municipalities and Transport / Modon
    The entrance to Mina Zayed's new fish market. Courtesy: Department of Municipalities and Transport / Modon
  • The new fish market is being built beside the old one. Courtesy: Department of Municipalities and Transport / Modon
    The new fish market is being built beside the old one. Courtesy: Department of Municipalities and Transport / Modon
  • Mina Plaza will be demolished on November 27, heralding the start of the redevelopment. Victor Besa / The National
    Mina Plaza will be demolished on November 27, heralding the start of the redevelopment. Victor Besa / The National
  • Existing markets will be retained. Victor Besa / The National
    Existing markets will be retained. Victor Besa / The National
Education reform in Abu Dhabi

 

The emirate’s public education system has been in a constant state of change since the New School Model was launched in 2010 by the Abu Dhabi Education Council. The NSM, which is also known as the Abu Dhabi School Model, transformed the public school curriculum by introducing bilingual education starting with students from grades one to five. Under this new curriculum, the children spend half the day learning in Arabic and half in English – being taught maths, science and English language by mostly Western educated, native English speakers. The NSM curriculum also moved away from rote learning and required teachers to develop a “child-centered learning environment” that promoted critical thinking and independent learning. The NSM expanded by one grade each year and by the 2017-2018 academic year, it will have reached the high school level. Major reforms to the high school curriculum were announced in 2015. The two-stream curriculum, which allowed pupils to elect to follow a science or humanities course of study, was eliminated. In its place was a singular curriculum in which stem -- science, technology, engineering and maths – accounted for at least 50 per cent of all subjects. In 2016, Adec announced additional changes, including the introduction of two levels of maths and physics – advanced or general – to pupils in Grade 10, and a new core subject, career guidance, for grades 10 to 12; and a digital technology and innovation course for Grade 9. Next year, the focus will be on launching a new moral education subject to teach pupils from grades 1 to 9 character and morality, civic studies, cultural studies and the individual and the community.

About Proto21

Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group

Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

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Women & Power: A Manifesto

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Profile Books and London Review of Books 

City's slump

L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1

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UAE rugby season

FIXTURES

West Asia Premiership

Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles

Dubai Tigers v Bahrain

Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Division 1

Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II

Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II

Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens

Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II

Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II

 

LAST SEASON

West Asia Premiership

Winners – Bahrain

Runners-up – Dubai Exiles

UAE Premiership

Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners – Dubai Hurricanes

Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Conference

Winners – Dubai Tigers

Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers