• The Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, inaugurates Kalba's Clock Tower Square. Wam
    The Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, inaugurates Kalba's Clock Tower Square. Wam
  • Kalba's Clock Tower Square. Wam
    Kalba's Clock Tower Square. Wam
  • The Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, inaugurates Kalba's Clock Tower Square. All photos: @HHShkDrSultan
    The Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, inaugurates Kalba's Clock Tower Square. All photos: @HHShkDrSultan
  • The new clock tower aims to draw in the crowds as pandemic restrictions ease and visitors flock to Sharjah.
    The new clock tower aims to draw in the crowds as pandemic restrictions ease and visitors flock to Sharjah.
  • Last year, a number of projects were announced to transform Sharjah's east coast exclave of Kalba.
    Last year, a number of projects were announced to transform Sharjah's east coast exclave of Kalba.
  • Dr Sultan inaugurates phase 1 of the Al Hosn Heritage Neighbourhood project in Kalba.
    Dr Sultan inaugurates phase 1 of the Al Hosn Heritage Neighbourhood project in Kalba.
  • Sheikh Dr Sultan laid the cornerstone of the tower in April.
    Sheikh Dr Sultan laid the cornerstone of the tower in April.
  • The tower is 42 metres tall and has a viewing platform overlooking the town and sea.
    The tower is 42 metres tall and has a viewing platform overlooking the town and sea.
  • Roads surrounding the square have been developed to provide easy access.
    Roads surrounding the square have been developed to provide easy access.

Sharjah Ruler opens 60-metre tall Kalba clock tower


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A clock tower that offers stunning views of Kalba is now open.

The Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, on Thursday inaugurated Kalba's Clock Tower Square.

Sheikh Dr Sultan laid the cornerstone of the tower in April.

The tower is 60 metres tall and has a viewing platform overlooking the town and sea.

In the centre of the square are 12 main fountains that represent the number of hours and 60 smaller ones for 60 minutes.

The tower has two viewing decks – one of 33 metres and the other at 46 metres above the ground.

There is also a restaurant on the first deck.

The tower has seven floors and the diameter of the clock face is five metres.

A spacious dome in the tower has a gilded mosaic, with Islamic decorations on the facade.

Extensive landscaping has transformed an area of 2,100 square metres and there are now 940 parking spaces along Corniche Street for visitors.

Last year, a series of ambitious projects were announced to transform Sharjah's east coast exclave of Kalba.

It included the restoration of one of the emirate's most historic houses, construction of the Clock Tower Square and the opening of a revamped Corniche.

Kalba is home to historic forts, mountains and mangroves. Along with Khor Fakkan to the north, these two Sharjah exclaves are emerging as major tourism destinations.

In 2020, Sharjah opened a Dh1 billion ($272m) road that cuts the travel time between the exclave and Sharjah city in the west to only an hour, instead of 90 minutes.

The emirate also plans to open a new waterfront hotel in Kalba soon.

With more people than ever exploring the country despite the pandemic restrictions on international travel being lifted, Sharjah has positioned itself as a staycation destination.

Ruler of Sharjah inspects projects in Kalba - in pictures

  • Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi inspects modern development projects in Kalba, Sharjah. All photos: WAM
    Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi inspects modern development projects in Kalba, Sharjah. All photos: WAM
  • Sheikh Dr Sultan is keen to personally follow up on modern projects and review their developments.
    Sheikh Dr Sultan is keen to personally follow up on modern projects and review their developments.
  • The Al-Kitab Rest Project, located on the mountains of Wadi Al-Hilu, will be 850 metres above sea level.
    The Al-Kitab Rest Project, located on the mountains of Wadi Al-Hilu, will be 850 metres above sea level.
  • The mountain-top project will include various services and facilities.
    The mountain-top project will include various services and facilities.
  • Sheikh Dr Sultan was briefed on a new road leading to the project.
    Sheikh Dr Sultan was briefed on a new road leading to the project.
  • He also ordered the afforestation of Jabal Al-Kitab Mountain with 3,500 seedlings from his nursery at El Badi Palace.
    He also ordered the afforestation of Jabal Al-Kitab Mountain with 3,500 seedlings from his nursery at El Badi Palace.
  • Before leaving Kalba, Sheikh Dr Sultan inspected the new corniche.
    Before leaving Kalba, Sheikh Dr Sultan inspected the new corniche.
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Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

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The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

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Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

How to report a beggar

Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)

Dubai – Call 800243

Sharjah – Call 065632222

Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372

Ajman – Call 067401616

Umm Al Quwain – Call 999

Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

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Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

The specs

Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: eight-speed PDK

Power: 630bhp

Torque: 820Nm

Price: Dh683,200

On sale: now

Apple's%20Lockdown%20Mode%20at%20a%20glance
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GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
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ICC men's cricketer of the year

2004 - Rahul Dravid (IND) ; 2005 - Jacques Kallis (SA) and Andrew Flintoff (ENG); 2006 - Ricky Ponting (AUS); 2007 - Ricky Ponting; 2008 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI); 2009 - Mitchell Johnson (AUS); 2010 - Sachin Tendulkar (IND); 2011 - Jonathan Trott (ENG); 2012 - Kumar Sangakkara (SL); 2013 - Michael Clarke (AUS); 2014 - Mitchell Johnson; 2015 - Steve Smith (AUS); 2016 - Ravichandran Ashwin (IND); 2017 - Virat Kohli (IND); 2018 - Virat Kohli; 2019 - Ben Stokes (ENG); 2021 - Shaheen Afridi

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Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

COMPANY PROFILE

Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2014

Number of employees: 36

Sector: Logistics

Raised: $2.5 million

Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Ukraine

Capital: Kiev

Population: 44.13 million

Armed conflict in Donbass

Russia-backed fighters control territory

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs

Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo

Gearbox: 7-speed automatic

Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 350Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km

Price: Dh235,000

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)

2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)

2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)

2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)

2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

 

Scores

Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool
Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield Town
Burnley 1-0 Brighton
Manchester United 4-1 Fulham
West Ham 3-2 Crystal Palace

Saturday fixtures:
Chelsea v Manchester City, 9.30pm (UAE)
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur, 11.45pm (UAE)

What is graphene?

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.

It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.

Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.

By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.

At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.

It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.

But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.

In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties. 

 

Updated: March 17, 2022, 6:09 PM