Latest news with #ClockTower
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Clock Tower stops ticking again; original patron's kin raise concern
Dehradun: The iconic Clock Tower in Dehradun—one of the city's oldest landmarks—has stopped functioning once again amid ongoing beautification work. For the family that originally commissioned the structure in the 1940s, the sight of malfunctioning clocks and repeated alterations is disheartening. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The maintenance work led to the clocks stopping several weeks ago. Spot visits this week revealed inconsistent functioning—while five of the tower's six clocks showed the correct time on Thursday evening, one remained out of sync. "The state to which this iconic landmark has been reduced is disappointing and disheartening," said Vijay Singh, grandson of Lala Balbir Singh, in whose memory the structure was commissioned. Completed in 1953, the tower stands at one of Dehradun's busiest intersections. It was commissioned by Lala Sher Singh, a prominent landlord, in memory of his father, at a cost of nearly ₹1.5 lakh. Originally, six clocks were imported from Switzerland, contributing to its rare hexagonal design. The structure also bears the names of freedom fighters, adding to its historical significance. Over time, however, the original Swiss clocks were replaced—though authorities are unaware of when or how the change occurred. "Sometimes we regret handing the tower over to the city council. This was a historic landmark; it still is. It meant so much to our family and the whole city. Now it has become a prop that undergoes a facelift every few months, it seems. Authorities should be focused on maintaining the existing structure. Instead, they keep revamping the whole thing, adding new embellishments that don't last long," Singh told TOI. The family also said they only learn about changes through news reports. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "We are never informed or involved in this process. Not even historians are. Authorities keep experimenting with this iconic landmark. At the time of its commission, it created history for its hexagonal structure. Now it is being lost," he added. In Sept last year, the tower fell silent for two days after unidentified individuals stole its wiring. In Dec, it suffered further damage when a truck rammed into its boundary wall. Over the years, TOI has reported multiple such incidents that have left the landmark defaced. Authorities have stated that the current restoration will offer long-term protection, with a double boundary to prevent vehicle collisions and a green belt around the main structure. While the Dehradun Municipal Corporation has jurisdiction over the tower, the ongoing beautification is being executed by Dehradun Smart City Limited.
Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Look: Did you know there was once a Dh1 banknote? Here's what it looked like
The first one-dirham coin began circulating on May 19, 1973. It was issued 534 days after the birth of the UAE, and we're today commemorating its 52nd anniversary release. Dirham is derived from the Greek word drachma, meaning 'handful'. The term 'dirham' persisted through the Ottoman Empire after centuries of trade and currency usage. Now, the UAE dirham could rival your smartphone as the one thing almost always in your pocket or purse. Whether it's for paying for parking or getting a cup of chai, the Dh1 coin has become part of our daily lives. But did you know there was once a Dh1 banknote? It was released right after the first Dh1 coin. The Dh1 banknote featured UAE landmarks and icons, including palm trees, an oil-drilling structure, camels, pearls and a boat sailing in water shaped as the UAE's silhouette. Today, it's a valuable collector's item, often found in auctions and museums. Meanwhile, one distinct feature of the Dh1 coin is that it bears the same reverse side since it was first introduced in 1973. The dallah (the traditional Arabic coffee pot used for centuries to brew and serve Arabic coffee gahwa) represents Arabian identity and Gulf hospitality. It is also a constant reminder that all are welcome in the UAE. The Dh1 coins were first produced at the Royal Mint, UK, and the designs were the work of Geoffrey Colley, an English artist, engraver and sculptor, who designed more than 150 coins for countries like the UAE, Nigeria, Bahrain, Iceland and Iraq. In 1981, the UAE introduced its first-ever commemorative coin, a 5-dirham piece, to mark the 15th century of the Hijri (Islamic) calendar. The obverse side features a falcon, the UAE's national bird. This coin remains the largest and heaviest ever circulated in the country. As the UAE dirham completes its 52 years, the currency celebrates its unified form representing the seven emirates. The 1973-born banknotes began their journey in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100, displaying the watermark of an Arabian horse - which was later changed to falcon, the national bird of the UAE. The earlier denominations were imprinted with landmarks that represented each emirate separately with the name of emirate on the banknote. For example, Dh1 carried the picture of the Clock Tower and Police Fort in Sharjah, while Dh5 note had Fujairah's Old Fort on it. The Dh10 note showed an aerial view of Umm Al Quwain and the Dh50 note displayed the palace of Ruler of Ajman. The Dh100 was imprinted with a picture of Al Rams area in Ras Al Khaimah. Representations from Dubai and Abu Dhabi were introduced with Dh1,000 notes in 1976, which featured Al Jahili Fort of Abu Dhabi and an old fort of Dubai. Before the dirham, Gulf rupee was used Another interesting fact that many people might not be aware of today is that long before the UAE dirham even existed, the currency that was used in the UAE was the Gulf rupee. As reported by Khaleej Times in previous stories, Prior to the introduction of UAE dirham, the region used several currencies including the Indian rupee, the Gulf rupee, the Qatari riyal, Dubai riyal and Bahraini dinar (used in Abu Dhabi) during different phases. A lot of different currencies were used in the Trucial States before the dirham was born. In 1957, special notes called the 'external rupees' or 'Gulf rupees' were printed in India for circulation in the Gulf. Other GCC countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar also used them. The Gulf rupees were in circulation from 1957 to 1966. In 1966, India devalued its currency, and by that time oil had been discovered in the Trucial States. From 1966 to 1973, the currency used in the Trucial States was the Qatar-Dubai riyal.
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Clearing the mess: MC to give work of 7 roads to pvt firm
Ludhiana: Dusty roads, dusty trees, and a miasma of dust that hangs thick and still. Air in Ludhiana seems to be perpetually heavy with dust. Even if roads are swept, the dust simply settles back on the surface. Stumped by the problem of ever present dust, the MC has decided to outsource work of cleaning, maintenance of plantation on roads and mechanical sweeping of seven main roads of the city. The private firm to which the 31.6km stretch will be given will be responsible for everything except construction of new roads. Selected roads are Old GT Road, Pakhowal Road, Hambran Road, Malhar Road, Rotary Club Road (Ishmeet Singh Road and Dana Mandi Road), Gill Road, and Model Town Road (Deep Hospital Road and Mintgumri Road). The civic body will hire a firm that will deploy adequate number of mechanical sweeping, washing, and vacuum machines, along with manpower, to fulfil the project requirements. Mechanical sweeping will involve comprehensive cleaning of roads, including parking areas. The task of removing horticultural waste, plastic, litter, C&D waste, and bin clearing will also go to the contractor. This includes cutting of grass and beautifying the central verge, which entails cleaning and clearing wild growth, as needed. MC officials said that the vehicles used by the contractor should have GPS equipment and other advanced systems, such as the Offsite Real-Time (OSRT) Monitoring System, so that movement of vehicles can be checked from anywhere. The firm should ensure installation of at least two cameras (front and back) of a minimum of 5MP on each machine. Confirming the move, MC executive engineer Balwinder Singh said that it is important to maintain cleanliness on city roads. He added that if the project turned out to be a success, it could be expanded to other roads as well. The MC has limited staff strength to maintain cleanliness and horticulture. Hiring more staff is not financially feasible for the civic body, which finds it difficult to pay existing sanitation employees. To be taken as a box: Roads to be given in private hands Old GT Road - 7.7 km Pakhowal Road - 4 km Hambran Road - 6 km Malhar Road - 1.9 km Rotary Club Road, Ishmeet Singh Road, and Dana Mandi Road - 5.3 km Gill Road - 4.8 km Model Town Road, Deep Hospital Road, and Mintgumri Road - 1.9 km Total Road Length - 31.6 km PMIDC to hire consultant for Europe-style roads Recently, the state government announced plans to transform 12.4 kilometres of roads in Ludhiana on the pattern of European countries. Roads such as Old GT Road (Sherpur Chowk to Jagraon Bridge) – 6.5 km, Chaura Bazaar (starting from Clock Tower) – 1.75 km, and Ghumar Mandi Road (from Fountain Chowk to Aarti Cinema) – 4.2 km; have been selected for the transformation. However, Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC) is yet to hire a consultant for the project. Civic officials said that these things are to be done at the PMIDC level. MSID:: 121248705 413 |
Metro
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Most lavish gifts to US presidents including £1,000,000 in jewels and pandas
When it comes to the art of diplomatic gift-giving, there is one unspoken rule – keep it symbolic to the nation's culture and history. A painting here, a commemorative sword there. Nothing too flashy, which could raise eyebrows in Washington. Yet, leave it to Donald Trump to contemplate on breaking that tradition and accept a Boeing 747-8, courtesy of Qatar's Royal Family. Worth £303 million, the aircraft could reportedly replace the aged Air Force One – but also violate bribery and corruption rules within the constitution. To fully understand how unorthodox this gesture is, Metro has examined some of the most expensive gifts ever given to US presidents. To begin with, the late king of Saudi Arabia presented Barack Obama with a gold and silver watch, a gold-plated brass replica of the Makkah Clock Tower, and another watch, this one white gold. First lady Michelle Obama accepted a diamond and emerald jewellery set and a diamond and pearl jewellery set. And Obama's daughters Sasha and Malia a set of diamond, emerald and jewels. In total, the bling is estimated to have cost almost £1 million. Nowhere near this price tag, but still lavish, George W Bush was gifted an emerald, ruby, and diamond encrusted, solid gold sword and dagger by a foreign shah. In 1972, president Richard Nixon travelled to China with his wife, Patricia, who mentioned – off the cuff – her fondness for giant pandas. As a gesture of goodwill, Chinese prime minister Zhou Enlai gifted them two giant pandas who were later transferred to Washington's National Zoo, drawing in tens of thousands of people over the years to come. It was reported that the two animals were worth £47 million. Honourable mentions include an ornate desk carved out of timber from the British ship HMS Resolute, gifted by Queen Victoria to president Rutherford B Hayes; two lions to president Martin Van Buren by the Sultan of Morocco; and 300 pounds of raw lamb from Argentina to George W Bush. Putting all these together and they would still not come even close to the cost of the Qatari jet being gifted to Trump. The Republican told reporters on Monday: 'I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. 'I could be a stupid person and say, ''No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.'' Critics of the plan worry that the move threatens to turn a global symbol of American power into an airborne collection of ethical, legal, security and counterintelligence concerns. More Trending Jessica Levinson, a constitutional law expert at Loyola Law School, said: 'This is unprecedented. We just haven't tested these boundaries before.' Trump tried to tamp down some of the opposition by saying he wouldn't fly around in the gifted Boeing 747 when his term ends. Instead, he said, the plane would be donated to a future presidential library, similar to how the Boeing 707 used by president Ronald Reagan was decommissioned and put on display as a museum piece. 'It would go directly to the library after I leave office,' Trump said. 'I wouldn't be using it.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: SOS sign at detention centre in Texas pleads 'help we are not terrorists' MORE: Trump calls European Union 'in many ways nastier than China' MORE: White House reaches deal with China after trade war
Buzz Feed
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
The "Back To The Future" Experience At Universal Fan Fest Nights Is W-I-L-D, Here's What It's Like
Hello, fellow movie fans! In case you hadn't heard, Universal Studios Hollywood JUST launched the very first "Fan Fest Nights" (think of it as Halloween Horror Nights meets Comic-Con), and it's no secret the most highly-anticipated attraction at this event is " Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley." This highly immersive experience takes places at Universal Studios' backlot in Courthouse Square, which is the ACTUAL location where they filmed the iconic Clock Tower scene (and more) in Back to the Future. And there's an entire storyline with actors you can follow and interact with. So, yeah, you basically get to "live" inside Back to the Future for a night, and it's SO. FUN. So, in case you go (or can't make it and just wanna see), here are all the best Back to the Future details, Easter eggs, and just really cool things I saw and experienced at Fan Fest Nights. Check it out... 1. First of all, before you even get on the tram to the backlot, you'll get a taste of what's to come when you bump into the Clock Tower lady from Hill Valley's Preservation Society. (Be sure to grab one of the iconic blue "Save the Clock Tower" flyers she's handing out!) 2. Getting you even more into the mindset of being "immersed" in Hill Valley, the typical Tram tour video has been replaced with a special video from Doc Brown advising you to do things like "observe, interact, and above all, don't cause a paradox." 3. When you arrive at the backlot, if your timing is lucky, you'll actually get to see Marty wandering into town (just like in the movie)! And you are 10000% welcome to interact with him (and all the other actors). 4. And there are perfect replicas of the Lyon Estates billboard and signs before you even arrive at Courthouse Square. 5. OKAY, so when you do finally step foot into Courthouse Square, you'll instantly feel transported to 1955. And there are all kinds of great details to look out for that callback to the film. 6. For example one of the first things you'll probably notice is Biff's Ford Super De Luxe Convertible. 7. There's also Doc Brown's 1949 Packard Custom 8 Victoria Convertible over at the gas station. 8. Closer to the entrance, you'll see a replica of a "Re-Elect Mayor 'Red' Thomas" sign. 9. And, of course, not-so-subtly, the "Welcome to Hill Valley" square sign that Marty walks by in the film. 10. There's Ruth's Frock Shop, where Lorraine gets her dress for the "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance. 11. And if you look more closely at the shops you'll see a lot of great Easter eggs. For example, the jewelry shop has a sign that says: Timeless Classics (~timeless~ get it?!). 12. And the stationary store has some fun science fiction books that are very on brand, like A Man Returns (Marty's goal is to return to 1985!), The Traveler from Orange County (time TRAVEL!), and I'll Have What She's Having * by Tony Lindas, who is the Manager of Props and Placemaking at Universal Studios Hollywood. 13. At the Realtor's office, you'll see homes for sale throughout Hill Valley including a couple of houses for sale on streets like "S. Hill Valley Circle" and "N. Courthouse Drive." 14. We don't get Lou's Cafe, sadly, however there is a thematic "Valley Diner & Cafe"... 15. ...as well as a "Hill Valley Hotel." 16. But there IS Roy's Records, which doesn't have "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" for sale, but they do have a nice record player for sale in the window. 17. And there's even a toy shop with some fun details in the window, including this train set, which looks a lot like the train in Back to the Future Part III. 18. Also, be on the lookout (up high) for a fun "Hill Valley High School" sign above the "Enchantment Under the Sea" stage... 19. ....as well as the panthers that have been added to the Clock Tower over at Courthouse Square (also way up high). 20. Now, back to the BIG things. As I mentioned, this is a totally immserive event. So fans are encouraged to cosplay as BTTF characters. And you get to interact with the actors playing the characters from the film as much as you want! 21. Like, you can help George McFly come up with something clever to say to Lorraine. 22. You can ask Biff for a photo (although there's a 100% change he'll be ~mean~ to you, because, ya know, he's a bully). 24. And, of course, you can talk to Marty and try and help him figure out how the heck he's going to get back to 1985! Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 25. FYI, there are ~major~ events that happen throughout your visit, and the whole story plays out in a roughly 1-hour loop, so if you miss one of the major events, you can hang out and see it again a little later. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 26. Like, you can see Marty trying to avoid Lorraine's (his mom) romantic advances. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 27. Or watch Marty and Doc hash out their plan to get Marty BACK to the future. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 28. You can see Strickland Strickland. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 29. And you can even see Marty play up on stage with Marvin Berry and the Starlighters at the "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 30. But, of course, the pièce de résistance is the recreation of the Clock Tower lightning strike. Now, FAIR WARNING, you will not actually see a Delorean/Time Machine drive down the road during the recreation. However, you will see a cool projection and lighting sequence timed to the music that recreates the scene. And it's pretty spectacular. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 31. And they've also added some cool special effects to recreate the lightning striking the tower and then going through the wires on Marty's path. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed TBH, I was HOPING they'd at least have a Time Machine drive through the square for this recreation, but I get it, it's probably too dangerous to have that happen with a ton of people wandering around. (STILL, would've been cool!) 32. There's also a REALLY great photo op they've set up with the iconic flames on the road and spinning license plate*. And this is just up and running all night, so get your pics in whenever you want! Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed *TECHNICALLY, the whole spinning license plate thing happens earlier in the movie, in 1985 when Einstein (the dog) time travels, but I'll give them a pass here because it looks cool and is a fun effect and photo op they've set up, LOL. Here's me (as Jennifer! LOL), just to give you a sense of what that looks like: Darren Leis / BuzzFeed 33. But, don't worry, you can get your Time Machine moment in with this other A+++ photo op that also includes EINSTEIN. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed The line gets REALLY long for this photo op, as you can imagine, so just keep that in mind when planning! As you can see, there's a TONNNNN to do at " Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley," and if you love the films, 10/10 would recommend you check this out! You can purchase tickets NOW for Universal Fan Fest Nights to see it all IRL. The remaining event dates are May 2–4, 9–11, and 16–18, 2025.
