Qaboos opens Grand Mosque

The Grand Mosque in Muscat has been officially inaugurated by Oman's ruler Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

Built at the Sultan's personal expense, work on the mosque began in 1995. Located in the Wilayat of Bausher, the site covers an area of 416,000 sq m and the complex is built over an area of around 40,000 sq m.

The three entrances consist of three pedestrian passageways leading into the grounds of the complex, each ending in its own separate open area, off which lead a series of arcades.

The main musalla (prayer hall) is square with a central dome rising to a height of 50 m above the floor. The dome and the main minaret are the mosque's chief visual features. The musalla has been designed to hold over 6,500 worshippers, while the women's musalla can accommodate 750.

New bridge over Jordan river

Amman: A new bridge between Jordan and the West Bank has opened to make travel between the two areas easier.

The new King Hussein Bridge has four lanes and was built by Japan's Sumitomo construction firm with a $11.5 million grant from Japan. It spans the River Jordan to link Jordan with the West Bank and Israel, a report said.

It said the bridge replaces the historic wooden bridge, which was first built in the early 20th century and originally known as the Allenby Bridge. Officials said at least 12,000 vehicles would use the bridge per day.

Club moves into $397,800 HQ

Manama: The Karnataka Social Club (KSC) has moved into its new BD150,000 ($397,800) purpose-built complex, adjacent to its old premises on the Shaikh Isa Avenue, Bahrain.

It was constructed on a 660-sq-m plot of land taken on a 20-year lease. Work on the three-storey building was completed by the Al Namal Group of Companies.

Al Areen renovation complete

Manama: Al Areen Wildlife Park in Bahrain has completed a BD40,000 ($106,000) facelift of its lecture hall and cafeteria.

The remodelling project concludes an extensive two-year upgrade of the 8-sq-km park, which included expanding and reconstructing all animal enclosures, completing a land reclamation project, and implementing a massive reforestation programme.

The latest renovation phase also included revamping the visitor centre entrance, extending outdoor patio areas and creating new ones next to an expanded aviary, renovating the lecture hall and upgrading the food outlet.