Virgin Hyperloop One, the futuristic transportation company that wants to use magnetic levitation to revolutionise travel, will undertake a study with Saudi Arabia's Economic City Authority to develop the world's longest test track.
Virgin Hyperloop, which counts Dubai logistics company DP World as its biggest shareholder, is also considering plans for a research and development centre as well as a manufacturing and certification facility north of Jeddah.
“Having Hyperloop at King Abdullah Economic City is going to act as a catalyst for a Saudi Silicon Valley effect and galvanise our software development, high technology research and manufacturing industries,” ECA secretary general, Mohanud Helal, said.
Hyperloop technology relies on depressurised tubes carrying passenger or cargoes in pods at speeds of up to 1,080 kilometres per hour, nearly three times faster than a conventional high-speed rail.
The study would include development of a 35-km test and certification track; look into opportunities to develop local expertise; as well as commercialise and scale the technology in Saudi Arabia. Development of localised hyperloop supply chains and setting up more innovation clusters across the kingdom will be part of the study, which is focused on the King Abdullah Economic City, located 100km north of Jeddah.
Virgin Hyperloop's interest in installing its technology in Saudi Arabia is a result of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's efforts to bring the company into the fold of Vision 2030.
In April 2018, Prince Mohammed unveiled a proposed transit pod that could shrink journey time between Riyadh and Jeddah to 76 minutes from more than 10 hours. It could position Saudi Arabia as the gateway to three continents, the company said. Travel time from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi would take 48 minutes compared to more than 8.5 hours today.
The kingdom is ramping up investments in technology as it seeks to modernise its economy and reduce dependency on oil revenues under its economic road map Vision 2030.
Saudi Arabia and British tycoon Richard Branson, who stepped down as the chairman of Virgin Hyperloop last year, announced in 2017 that the Public Investment Fund, the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, planned to invest around $1 billion (Dh3.67bn) into Virgin's space ventures.
There are other companies also attempting to bring the technology to market, including Tesla's Elon Musk and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
In numbers: China in Dubai
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
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
Pakistan T20 series squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammed Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
