Tag Archives: technology
A spectacular blend of sound, music and lights
A spectacular blend of sound, music and lights Lily B. Libo-on / 18 March 2014 Sharjah’s Roman style amphitheatre to serve as venue for international cultural and art events. The more than Dh140-million Sharjah Amphitheatre, a huge Roman-style theatre with state-of-the-art technology unprecedented in the Middle East, is nearing completion in time for the opening of the epic oratorio Clusters of Light on March 26. The opening of the amphitheatre will signal the emirate’s celebration of the Sharjah Capital of Islamic Culture of the Arab Region 2014. Sharjah has earned this new title as it continuously honours the emirate’s contributions in preserving, promoting and spreading the culture of Islam. The new technology which blends sound, lighting, and music in a spectacular fashion, with more than 400 animated lights, 120 sound speakers, and 21 projectors creating a unique effect, is built on Al Majaz Island project, which is the first of 24 heritage, tourism, cultural, and architectural projects of Sharjah this year. Estimated to cost more than Dh140 million, the project is an open-air semi-circular theatre spanning 7,238sqm that can accommodate up to 4,500 people. It features a vast viewing platform through which artists can ascend, and is equipped with a high-quality and accuracy-advanced audio system that has never before been used in the region. After the epic oratorio Clusters of Light, the amphitheatre will become Sharjah’s centerpiece of international cultural and art events to be hosted at its modern VIP conference rooms and galleries which are complemented with a number of shops, restaurants and green spaces. Shaikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Centre and Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Sharjah Capital of Islamic Culture 2014 Celebrations, said the Al Majaz Island project includes a Dh13-million bridge between the island and Khalid Lagoon Street. “The Al Majaz Amphitheatre is more than 90 per cent complete.” Upon its completion, Al Majaz Island is expected to become a prominent tourism site, an ideal venue for future artistic, cultural and tourism movements in Sharjah and in the UAE. “It will also contribute to securing infrastructure that promotes the global theatre movement, which will entrench the position of the UAE and Sharjah as a hub for international tourism. It will be a tourist destination that is culturally integrated,” said Shaikh Sultan. He also said that Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment and e-Commerce company, has been chosen as the venue management for the soon to be completed Al Majaz Island Theatre for a period of three years. Currently, the Al Majaz Island Theatre is one of the most ambitious and significant projects undertaken in Sharjah. It will also act as the hub for all of Sharjah’s numerous cultural activities aside from being the focal point for the celebrations of Sharjah’s 2014 Capital of Islamic Culture. “We knew from the off-set that the management of such an important venue would need the highest levels of experience and expertise,” he said. The Sharjah Amphitheatre will serve Sharjah residents as well as visitors to the Emirate and the UAE. It is expected to host the best quality cultural performances from the region and around the world. lily@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Suspected ‘murder’ turns out to be a cat run over by vehicle
Suspected ‘murder’ turns out to be a cat run over by vehicle Staff Reporter / 18 March 2014 Concerned citizen calls police after seeing a woman burying some blood-stained object. A concerned Abu Dhabi citizen reported a suspected murder to the police after he witnessed a woman getting out of her car and burying something. He also saw bloodstains all over the place. The ‘murder’ victim later turned out to be a cat, which was run over by a vehicle. The citizen residing in Madinat Khalifa in Abu Dhabi notified the police’s Operations Room after he saw the woman “fleeing” when he approached the scene. He had seen the woman take out something wrapped in a jacket from the car and burying it. “There were blood stains all over the place,” he told the police. The police rushed medical examiners from the Crime Scene Department, a Criminal Investigations Department (CID) team and a police patrol to the spot. They dug out a cat, which died after it was apparently run over. Colonel Dr Rashid Mohammad Borshid, Head of the CID at the Abu Dhabi Police GHQ, urged people to abstain from “suspicious or frightening behaviour” so that precious time of the security forces is not wasted. news@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Shaikh Mohammed receives Tunisian prime minister
Shaikh Mohammed receives Tunisian prime minister (Wam) / 16 March 2014 The Vice-President was briefed by Jomaa on the inclusive security, political and economic situation in Tunisia and the government efforts to combat extremism. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, received Tunisian Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa and his accompanying delegation on Saturday. Shaikh Mohammed reviewed with the Tunisian high-profile guest relations of cooperation between the UAE and Tunisia, especially in areas of investment, tourism and trade exchange. The Vice-President was briefed by Jomaa on the inclusive security, political and economic situation in Tunisia and the government efforts to combat extremism and promote security and stability in the country. Shaikh Mohammed emphasised the support of President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, government and people of the UAE for the brotherly Tunisian people to get out of the tunnel of social, living and security instability. He expressed his hope for the return of internal scene in Tunisia to normalcy, and for stability, as well as cultural, tourist and economic openness to the world. For his part, the Tunisian prime minister expressed the gratitude of his government and the people of Tunisia to the UAE for its supportive stances towards the Tunisian people economically and politically. He said that his country needed more support and assistance to ride out the current economic crisis so as to be able to hold the legislative and presidential elections by the end of the year. The meeting was attended by Shaikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Development and International Co-operation, and head of honorary mission accompanying the Tunisian prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, and a number of senior officials. In attendance also from the Tunisian side were Foreign Minister Mongi Hamdi, Tunisian Ambassador to the UAE Tareq Baltayeb and members of the delegation accompanying the prime minister. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
