President Sheikh Mohamed and Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday attended the inauguration of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Solo.
The mosque, which is named after the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, is a smaller replica of the one in Abu Dhabi.
“I was pleased to join President Joko Widodo in Solo, Indonesia to inaugurate the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque,” Sheikh Mohamed, who is in Indonesia for the G20 Summit, said on Twitter.
“Named in honour of the UAE’s Founding Father, the Mosque represents his values of peace and goodwill, reflecting the long-standing ties that exist between our two countries.”
Sheikh Mohamed offered the $20 million building as a gift to Indonesia during his trip to the Muslim country in July 2019.
The replica is almost identical to the original, only smaller, with four minarets and a central dome surrounded by four smaller domes.
The architects have included Indonesian detailing. Local materials were used for construction where possible.
The mosque can house 10,000 worshippers at a time.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi can accommodate more than 40,000.
The three-hectare plot in central Java also hosts a UAE-sponsored Islamic centre for teaching Indonesian clerics the importance of religious moderation.
In 2020, Sheikh Mohamed directed a mosque to be built in Abu Dhabi’s diplomatic area in honour of the Indonesian president.
He also renamed Al Maarid Street, behind Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, President Joko Widodo Street, in recognition of the leader's role in strengthening ties between the two countries.
The road was inaugurated in October 2020 in a ceremony that coincided with the anniversary of Mr Widodo’s election.
Diplomatic ties between the UAE and Indonesia began in 1976.
The Indonesian embassy opened in Abu Dhabi in October two years later, at the level of charge d’affaires.
Sheikh Zayed visited the South-East Asian country in May 1990, a year before the UAE embassy opened in Jakarta.
Since then there have been frequent state visits between the two countries.
Mr Widodo visited Abu Dhabi in August when he met with Sheikh Mohamed.
The countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that is expected to boost bilateral non-oil trade from about $3 billion currently to $10 billion in the next five years.
The agreement covers trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights, Islamic economics, customs procedures and trade facilitation, economic co-operation, small and medium enterprises, digital commerce, as well as legal requirements and institutional issues.
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The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.7L/100km
On sale: now
Price: Dh149,000
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Profile Box
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif
Based: Manama, Bahrain
Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($100,000)
Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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