Denmark has announced that construction of what will be the world's longest submerged tunnel, connecting it with neighbouring Germany, is due to begin next year.
A rare cross-border initiative between the countries, the tunnel could become the most expensive infrastructure project in Denmark's history, with an estimated price tag of 52.6 billion Danish crowns (Dh28bn).
The Femern Belt link, which includes an 18-kilometre-long rail and road tunnel with an electrified double-track railway and a four-lane motorway, will connect the Danish island of Lolland and Puttgarden in Northern Germany.
Construction work in Denmark is due to start on Lolland on January 1, 2021, the Danish transport ministry said last week.
The consortium in charge of the project had planned to begin construction in mid-2020, but "among other things because of the corona-crisis this had not proved possible", the ministry said
On the German side, the start of work awaits a court decision to validate approval already given by authorities.
Unlike other underwater tunnels, like the Channel Tunnel linking Britain and France, and Japan's Seikan Tunnel under the Tsugaru Strait, which both have longer underwater sections, the new tunnel between Denmark and Germany will not be under the seabed.
Instead, the tunnel will be constructed from hollow concrete sections that will be submerged and placed into a trench dug into the floor of the Baltic Sea.
The tunnel, which should be operational by mid-2029, will link the German and Danish regions in 10 minutes by car and seven minutes by train, instead of an hour by ferry, or a 160-kilometre detour through the Danish region of Jutland.
"The Femern Belt link will be a new gateway to Europe and a new gateway for future green transport solutions," Danish transport minister Benny Engelbrecht said.
In March, EU state aid regulators approved Danish financial support to the project, saying that the positive effects of the project would clearly outweigh any potential distortion of competition.
Denmark's government first announced plans for the project in 2015 with a completion date in 2024, but the tunnel is now expected to open for traffic in 2029.
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
Lexus LX700h specs
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More on animal trafficking
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
INFO
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
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
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THE SPECS
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Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
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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
Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
