Latest news with #Sharjah
Arabian Business
7 hours ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
UAE real estate: BEEAH announces new Khalid Bin Sultan City project in Sharjah
BEEAH has announced the launch of Khalid Bin Sultan City, its first real estate development in Sharjah. The project marks the organisation's expansion into the real estate sector, building on its expertise across the environment, energy, technology, real estate, and healthcare sectors. The project was unveiled under the patronage of Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and in the presence of Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah. BEEAH reveals Sharjah's new freehold project Named after the late Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, the development is described by BEEAH as a continuation of his legacy in design and urban planning. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the master-planned, mixed-use project will span a 1.5-kilometre-long plot, including BEEAH's LEED Platinum-certified headquarters in Sharjah, and will offer 1,500 freehold residential units. The city includes residential, commercial, cultural, and recreational zones. It will be divided into seven neighbourhoods, each centred around a plaza designed to be accessible within a five-minute walking distance. The project includes children's hubs, wellness clinics, sports facilities, and outdoor cafés. The development also includes a two-kilometre shaded linear park. The central park features cycling and running tracks, sculpture gardens, wellness areas, and shaded courtyards. The layout incorporates native trees, colonnades, and recessed façades to reduce ground temperatures and improve pedestrian comfort. According to BEEAH, the project was designed following the directive of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council of Family Affairs and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of BEEAH. The city is built on four pillars – sustainability, technology, culture, and people. It will feature net-zero ready infrastructure, renewable energy systems, recycled water facilities, and sustainable mobility. It will also include AI-driven digital infrastructure and decentralised digital identities. Public art, a cultural centre, and architecture reflecting the local identity are also part of the plan. 'BEEAH's journey in real estate marks a transformative milestone with Khalid Bin Sultan City, a flagship real estate project that brings our principles of sustainability, technology, culture, and community to an urban scale. The city builds directly upon lessons learned from creating one of the world's most advanced office buildings – demonstrating how technology can scale sustainable impact across entire communities rather than just individual structures,' Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO and Vice Chairman of BEEAH said. The city will also include a design and business district with incubator spaces for the creative economy and venues to support entrepreneurship and circular design. This district will be connected to residential, retail, and entertainment zones. 'Our experience as a world-class visionary developer of landmark projects has led to today's announcement of Khalid Bin Sultan City, and the formalisation of BEEAH's wider expansion into real estate. This is a natural progression of our determination to build tomorrow's smart and sustainable cities. Inspired by our earlier achievements, we are now applying these same principles on an urban scale – demonstrating how technology can scale sustainable impact across entire communities rather than just individual structures. This city is a testament to the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi and Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, whose unwavering commitment to sustainable development has guided BEEAH's journey,' he added. BEEAH's move into real estate follows earlier infrastructure and development projects. These include the organisation's Sharjah headquarters, the Jawaher Boston Medical District – designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop – and the Sharjah Creative Quarter, designed by Taller de Arquitectura – Mauricio Rocha in collaboration with Daniel Rosselló. 'We have designed Khalid Bin Sultan City as a dynamic ecosystem where diverse perspectives and talents converge, sparking new ideas and solutions for a sustainable future. We believe that building a better future starts with how we live today. This is why the city's design goes beyond utility – celebrating heritage, art, and identity through vibrant public spaces and cultural landmarks. The master plan and signature architecture by Zaha Hadid Architects bring this vision to life, blending innovation and beauty to create an environment that inspires, invites, and endures. It is a city where people can thrive, connect, and experience the best of sustainable living – all within a walkable, vibrant, and culturally rich environment,' Nada Taryam, CEO of Real Estate at BEEAH added. Khalid Bin Sultan City will offer villas, townhouses, and apartments in phases. As a freehold development, it is open to buyers of all nationalities. More details about unit types and services will be shared in future announcements. The announcement comes as Sharjah's real estate sector continues to grow. Transactions reached AED 13.2 billion in the first quarter of 2025, up 31.9 per cent year-on-year, according to the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department. The sector's growth is attributed to investor confidence, infrastructure development, and government support.
The National
9 hours ago
- Health
- The National
Thousands of outdoor workers offered support to deal with soaring temperatures
After two months of record temperatures in the UAE, authorities in Sharjah are offering advice on how to stay safe in extreme heat. Summer has arrived early as the UAE experienced its hottest May on record, with peak daily temperatures averaging higher than 40°C, with the mercury rising to 51.6°C in the Sweihan area. It followed the hottest April since records began in the early 2000s. The Ministry of Health and Prevention has now stepped in with targeted health campaigns to protect those most at risk. Outdoor workers, the elderly and infirm are most likely to suffer from the effects of exposure to heat, and the ministry is working alongside the Sharjah Supreme Council for Family Affairs to launch the 14th Heat Exhaustion and Disease Prevention Campaign. It aims to coincide with the midday work ban period that comes into force throughout July and August, to reduce exposure of construction workers during the hottest time of day. 'Let me be clear, protecting workers from heat-related illnesses isn't just a health issue,' said Mohammed Al Zarooni, director of the ministry's Representative Office in Sharjah. 'It's a national duty, a moral responsibility and a shared commitment that calls for all of us to work together. Through this campaign, we're emphasising the importance of early preparation and timely action. "It shows how prevention is not just a policy goal; it's a shared national responsibility. And more importantly, it sends a clear message of support and solidarity to our labour communities, who are a vital part of our society.' Support on site Education will be delivered on site for workers, to focus on risks and symptoms of heat exhaustion. It will also offer advice on first-aid practices and prevention methods to avoid heat-related illness that range from a rash or cramps to exhaustion and heat stroke in extreme cases. Medically, hyperthermia is classified when someone's temperature rises above their baseline average, usually 37°C. The government campaign will target 10,000 workers with free medical check-ups, including blood pressure and glucose testing, eye exams and blood donation drives. Meanwhile, inspection campaigns by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation will be stepped up across work sites in Sharjah to ensure compliance with the midday work ban. Workers will also be offered protective equipment, food and drinking water. "This campaign reaffirms Sharjah's deep and ongoing commitment to public health, especially during the summer months, when high temperatures pose serious challenges to one of the most important segments of our society: our field workers,' said Mona Al Hawai, of the ministry's Health Promotion Department. 'Protecting the health of our community, especially those who may not always have direct access to services, is at the core of what we do. Through this campaign, we're going to deliver health lectures directly at work sites, offer basic medical check-ups and distribute protective supplies in multiple languages so that health information is not only available but accessible to everyone who needs it.' Data from the World Health Organisation showed that of about 489,000 heat-related deaths each year, most are in Asia and Europe. Last year, there were 269 deaths in India thought to be related to high temperatures. A further 161 recorded deaths were directly linked to heatstroke, as reported by India's National Centre for Disease Control. In Europe, the WHO estimates the current annual death toll of 175,000 related to extreme heat will climb in the years ahead. Vulnerable workers Delivery riders in the UAE are often exposed to extreme summer heat. Employers are stepping up support by increasing the number of shaded rest areas and introducing other packages to protect riders from heatstroke. Through its corporate responsibility programme, Careem is offering delivery captains flexible shifts to avoid peak heat hours and has introduced air-conditioned mobile rest areas, hydration kits and free health check-ups for those choosing to work during the hottest hours. "Summer in the UAE presents significant challenges for delivery work,' said Mudassir Sheikha, chief executive and co-founder of Careem. 'To ensure our captains feel supported during the hottest months of the year, we regularly host workshops to understand their needs and how we can help. This year we've extended these services to more than 60,000 delivery captains across the UAE – not just those working with Careem." Food delivery firm Deliveroo provides riders with cooling vests to help reduce body temperature and also has rest areas located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The company also has what it calls a Roo Bus, which acts as a pitstop area. The firm says "cooled buses are accessible to riders throughout the week, allowing riders to take a break from the weather" in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Ajman, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. "Rider safety and wellbeing is a top priority for Deliveroo and we have been working and continue to work with the authorities, our rider agencies and partners on ways to support riders, especially over the summer season," said a Deliveroo spokesperson.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Do you struggle to lift five kilograms? Your health could be at risk, study finds
Scientists at the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates have devised a simple test that they can say can predict an increased risk of developing a host of health problems in older adults. All you have to do is try to pick up a five-kilogram weight. Struggle with that, they say, and you have a significantly higher risk of experiencing a lower quality of life, higher rates of depression, chronic lung diseases, hip fractures, joint disorders, high cholesterol, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, osteoarthritis and more. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports under a no-nonsense title: 'The simple task of lifting five kilograms serves as a predictor of age-related disorders in old adults.' The large-scale study involved 51,536 'geriatric adults' — that is to say 50 and older, a definition that may annoy some — from 14 European countries as well as Israel. It was a roughly even split between men and women, with about a third of the group aged between 60 and 69, another third between 70 and 79, and the rest younger or older. (About 4 per cent were 90 and above.) Participants were asked to report if they had difficulty lifting five kilograms in 2013 — 80.5 per cent said they did not — and were then followed for several years to see which diseases developed among each group. For a given disease, participants were excluded if they already had it in the baseline year. Take high blood pressure. In 2013, just under 60 per cent of the group were free of a diagnosis of high blood pressure. Of those, 21.5 per cent went on to develop it. But among the participants who had trouble lifting the weight when the study began, that number amounted to 26.2 per cent. For hip fractures, the overwhelming majority (97 per cent) did not have one when the study started. But in the years that followed, 3.5 per cent of those who had trouble lifting the weight experienced a hip fracture, versus just 1.5 per cent of those who did not struggle with the weight. Parsing the data between younger and older ages, the researchers found that men and women under 65 who had trouble lifting five kilograms were most at risk of developing depression, low quality of life, low hand-grip strength (which can also indicate risks of other diseases) and Alzheimer's. For older men and women who struggled with the weight, risk of Alzheimer's dropped somewhat while the other three conditions remained top of list. But for almost every condition the researchers tracked, struggling to lift five kilograms at the start of the study was a clear indicator of greater risk at the end. The only diseases that didn't fit the pattern were cancer and diabetes, where risk did not change. The reason for the design of the study was simple. 'Muscle weakness is a risk factor for multiple diseases,' the researchers wrote in their report. 'However, most protocols to assess muscle weakness require clinical settings. A difficulty lifting 5 kg may be a simple measure of muscle weakness in domestic settings. However, no relevant study on assessing muscle weakness has been reported.' They aimed to fill that gap. 'We suggest that difficulty lifting 5 kg may be a valuable indicator of muscle weakness and poor health in domestic settings. Our findings strongly suggest that this simple, everyday test could be a valuable early indicator of overall health and potential future health challenges.' If you're looking to try this test at home and don't have a five-kilogram weight handy, there are a number of household objects that come in at about the same mass, including a metal folding chair, a gallon of paint, two reams of printer paper or two bags of flour (conveniently marked 2.5 kg each).The average house cat also tips the scales at about five kilograms, if you can get your hands on one. Multivitamins are mostly useless, finds study of nearly 400,000 participants More than 46,000 people observed in a coffee study. Here's what happened to the ones who took theirs black Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here.
Zawya
10 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Kuwaiti developer Aqarat's board approves 15% capital increase
A listed Kuwaiti developer which has large assets in Kuwait and the UAE has approved a 15 percent rise in its capital to fund expansion plans. Kuwaiti real estate company Aqarat said its board met on Wednesday and endorsed the increase from around 106 million Kuwaiti dinars ($350 million) to KWD122 million ($403 million). In a bourse statement, Aqarat said the board approved the increase following a study prepared by global consultancy firm BDO Global. At the end of 2024, Aqarat had paid-up capital of KWD106 million ($350 million) and assets of nearly $1.5 billion, according to its annual report. Its market capitalisation at the end of last year was about $2.7 billion. Aqarat is currently building thousands of houses for foreign workers in Kuwait. It is also working on a $1 billion project in the emirate of Sharjah for the development of nearly 1,100 villas and townhouses, which will be completed in early 2028. Aqarat's expansion plan follows a decision by Kuwait in February to ease some of its longstanding restrictions on foreign residents buying property. (Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
Zawya
11 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
SCC approves recommendations to support Sharjah Airport Authority
The Sharjah Consultative Council (SCC) held its seventeenth and final session for the second ordinary term of its eleventh legislative chapter, during which it approved a set of recommendations to support Sharjah International Airport Authority. The session, chaired by Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, focused on recommendations prepared by the Committee for Drafting Proposals concerning Sharjah International Airport. These recommendations followed discussions held in the Council's 14th session on 22nd May 2025, attended by the Authority's Chairman and Director along with department representatives. Council members emphasised the importance of supporting and developing the Airport Authority as a vital gateway for Sharjah and a key driver for economic and tourism growth. They called for enhancing infrastructure, expanding services, and improving operational efficiencies to meet the demands of increased global travel and trade. Jassim Al Hanaee Al Naqbi, Chairman of the Proposal Drafting Committee, stressed the comprehensive and future-focused nature of the recommendations. He highlighted the need to upgrade services and anticipate rising passenger numbers. The Council urged continuous development efforts aligned with growth plans. It also stressed the need to grant airport staff the same employment benefits offered to other entities operating within the airport environment. Recommendations included support for Emiratisation policies and encouraging Emirati graduates to work with companies affiliated with the Authority. It called for specialised training programs to open new career paths in aviation for local youth. The Council recommended issuing local legislation to manage idle equipment and vehicles within airport facilities, ensuring efficient space usage and minimising operational disruptions due to financially struggling companies. In future planning, the Council emphasised reviewing growth rates in air traffic and airline rights up to 2050. It suggested evaluating whether to continue expanding the current airport or to consider establishing a new international airport to meet long-term demands. The Council concluded its session with thanks extended to committee members, participating departments, and individuals who contributed to the recommendations and overall discussions. Vice President Halima Al Owais reviewed key Council achievements during the term. In his closing remarks, Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi praised the Council's role as a model of consultative governance under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. He emphasised national loyalty, collective responsibility, and the importance of continuing progress in future terms. The session concluded with Secretary General Ahmed Saeed Al Jarwan reading Amiri Decree No. (20) of 2025, issued by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, ordering the end of the second ordinary term of the Council's eleventh legislative chapter, effective after the completion of the session on 19th June 2025.
