Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, visited Hatta on Sunday to review progress being made on an ambitious master plan aimed at transforming the area into a major tourist attraction.
Sheikh Ahmed was briefed on developments taking shape under the Hatta Master Development Plan, set out by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
He learnt of the successes of key archaeological sites in the beauty spot, hospital expansion plans and the construction of a hydroelectric power plant, which is a first for the region, state news agency Wam reported.
He was told of efforts to ease access to and from the town through the Hatta Border Crossing, which handles 350,000 travellers each month.
The tour also took in Hatta Heritage Village and Sharia Farms, which contain the oldest documented charitable endowment in the history of the UAE, dating back 130 years.
Sheikh Ahmed said the Hatta scheme was integral to Dubai's wider development goals and commended the work of all involved in the wide-ranging plans.
Bright future for Hatta
In October 2021, Sheikh Mohammed unveiled a bold vision for Hatta.
There are plans to build a beach, a new lake, a cable railway, several hotels, and 120km of bicycle paths.
In January 2022, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, issued orders to form a supreme committee to oversee the mega project.
The Hatta Master Development Plan, part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, sets out to draw further tourism, business and investment to the area.
Hatta, near the border with Oman, has already become an adventure getaway, with mountain biking and kayaking popular activities.
Sheikh Ahmed later visited a private school in Hatta which serves 500 pupils.
He also inspected Hatta Dam, where he was told of building work on a huge hydroelectric power plant.
The station is planned for completion towards the end of 2024 and will have a production capacity of 250 megawatts. One megawatt can typically power 500 to 1,000 homes for a year.
It is expected to have a storage capacity of 1,500 megawatt hours and a lifespan of up to 80 years.
Sheikh Ahmed was joined on the official tour by Mattar Al Tayer, Dubai’s chairman of the Supreme Committee to Oversee the Development of Hatta; Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and chief executive of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority; Maj Gen Mohammed Al Marri, director general of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai; Dawood Al Hajri, director general of Dubai Municipality; Dr Amer Sharif, chief executive of the Dubai Academic Health Corporation, and other senior officials.
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MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
