Tag Archives: dubai
All new Dubai mosques will be eco-friendly
All new Dubai mosques will be eco-friendly Ahmed Shaaban / 18 August 2013 All mosques to be built in Dubai starting next year will be environment-friendly. Dubai’s Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF) secretary-general Tayeb Al Rais said the first of these eco-mosques, which is also the first in the Middle East, was expected to be completed and opened in the first quarter of next year, with some 60 per cent of the work already finished. “We do want to make all mosques built in the emirate in the future power- and water-saving, and help reduce harmful gas emissions from the air-conditioners.” The new eco-mosques would reduce water consumption by 20 per cent and electricity by 25 per cent, he said. “All construction work at the mosque, named ‘Khalifa, the Merchant’, is being done according to the set schedule.” Al Rais said the Dh22-million mosque’s 25-metre-long minaret was now completed with work continuing on external decoration and the internal finish. The utility buildings and power station attached to the mosque had been completed. “The mosque, to be the biggest in the emirate, is being built in the Garhoud area…and can accommodate 3,500 worshippers.” The eco-mosque was being constructed in a total area of 105,000 square feet, he added. “Solar panels shall be used in heating ablution water, as well as imam accommodation and other utilities.” The mosque was equipped with a technique for recycling and purifying ablution water, and using it for agriculture work and the toilets. “Eco materials have been used in the construction of the mosque to be in line with the renewable power resources and heat insulation system.” The mosque was also using “advanced technology” to curb the use of harmful gases used in air-conditioning, he said. “This strategy is aimed to enhance the performance of these buildings, curb power and water consumption, and boost public health.” – ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Hamdan wins endurance race
Hamdan wins endurance race 18 August 2013 Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, emerged winner of the 130-km preparatory race of the World Endurance Cup 2014 held in Normandy, France, on Friday. At the end of the race, which was held in four stages, Shaikh Hamdan was crowned the champion amid a storm of applause by spectators who attended the race. Shaikh Hamdan kisses his horse.- WAM “I dedicate this win to all the young UAE riders and wish them good luck for the World Cup race next year,” said Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. According to Dubai-based Al Bayan Arabic daily, a total of 63 jockeys representing as many as 32 countries from across the globe too taken part in the race. Each participating country had two riders take part in the race, whereas three jockeys from UAE, Spain, France and Poland represented their countries, the paper said. The UAE team included Shaikh Hamdan, Shaikh Rashid bin Dalmouk Al Maktoum, and Abdullah Ghanim Al Meri. Shaikh Hamdan prevailed in the race riding his horse Nekos in an estimated time of 6.14.34 hours. Shaikh Hamdan rides with the UAE National flag.- WAM Shaikh Hamdan at the presentation ceremony after winning the endurance race in France.- WAM Continue reading
Seven warehouses gutted in Sharjah
Seven warehouses gutted in Sharjah Afkar Abdullah / 13 August 2013 Huge amounts of thick black smoke billowed in the Sharjah sky on Monday morning after a massive fire completely gutted seven car and furniture warehouses, with eight firefighting teams from four emirates needed to control it. Eight firefighting teams from four emirates took part in the operation to put out the blaze in Sharjah on Monday. — KT photo by M. Sajjad Two workers suffered smoke inhalation, with one being treated on the scene and the second at Al Qasimi Hospital. No further injuries were reported but financial losses were incurred in the blaze, which hit old buildings in Sharjah Industrial Area Number 5. A Khaleej Times photographer said he saw about 100 cars out of a total of several hundred that appeared to be damaged as a result of the inferno, while nearby warehouses were evacuated and workers were told to leave the area due to the risk the fire would spread further. He saw about 50 firefighters and 30 police officers on the scene, handling the blaze. UAE Civil Defence Director-General Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi told Khaleej Times five firefighting teams from Sharjah, and one each from Dubai, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain were in attendance. He said the entire firefighting operation started about 10.30am and finished six hours later, at 4.30pm. Emergency services were still cooling down the area by 7.30pm. Sharjah Civil Defence Deputy Director Colonel Nasser Juma bin Hindi said the Civil Defence operations room was notified about the accident about 10.50am, with the fire spreading rapidly due to the huge amount of car tyres and other flammable materials stored at the warehouse. “Fire fighters immediately rushed to the fire site to douse the flames which spread to neighbouring warehouses and the rapid spread of the fire required the intervention of Dubai, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain Civil Defences in addition to water supplied by Sharjah Municipality to control the blaze.” The cause of the accident is being investigated by the Sharjah Police forensic laboratory, who were handed over the premises after the cooling process was completed. – afkarali@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
