Bahrain's Ministry of Housing, Municipalities and Environment is currently studying plans to build new towns on the Hawar islands in a bid to meet the country's demand for housing.

Another town will be built on Fisht Al Adhim island, work on which is expected to start soon, according to Housing Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa.

Shaikh Khalid outlined these plans at a two-day seminar at the Diplomat Hotel under the theme New Towns and Urban Communities in the 21st Century: Concepts, Issues and Approaches.

Hospital to get new operation suites

Muscat: Khoula Hospital, the designated National Trauma Centre, will soon be equipped with the country's largest operation suite.

According to Dr C Thomas, hospital director, work on a suite of 10 operation theatres is now under way at the hospital as part of a multi-million rial upgrade of this key referral institution.

Four of the theatres are earmarked for orthopaedic surgery, three for plastic surgery, two for neuro-surgery and one for general surgery. Two more wards comprising a total of 68 beds, will also be built at the hospital as part of the upgrade.

Research centre for Oman university

Muscat: A new research centre, costing $5.5 million, is to be set up at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Muscat, Oman, with financial assistance from Shell International. The new centre will be linked to Shell's research centres worldwide.

$13m plan to improve road

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Ministry of Public Works and Housing plans to repair and improve the Dibba-Masafi Road at a cost of around Dh50 million ($13.6 million).

Salem bin Saleh Al Saleh, director of the roads department at the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, said that the first phase of the project will include repairing the road, replacing the safety barriers in certain spots and improving the traffic signals at a cost Dh9.5 million.

"The ministry will carry out the second phase of the project at a cost of Dh40 million. This will include converting section of the road into a dual carriageway, including around 3.2 km from the Masafi roundabout to the north, and 6.6 km between Dibba and the Fujairah cement factory," Al Saleh said.

Licence for cultural complex

Dubai: The Dubai Municipality has granted a licence to the Sultan bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Establishment to build a cultural-cum-residential complex in Regga Al Buteen area in Deira, Dubai, UAE.