As the doors of Dubai Expo 2020 prepared to close, the amount of Post-it notes with goodwill messages to the people of Ukraine only grew on the walls of the nation’s pavilion.
It is five weeks since Russia invaded its neighbour and the plans for many of those working inside Ukraine’s Pavilion were forcibly changed.
Staff previously spoke of their shock and horror at what transpired.
Now they are reluctant to speak openly about what happens next to those returning to Kyiv, while others are planning a new life in Dubai.
Pavilion director Ivan Sydorenko, will remain on site to supervise the dismantling of exhibits, including the thousands of Post-it notes left by visitors that now spread across three of the building’s four floors.
“For now, my only focus is Expo,” said Mr Sydorenko, as he began preparations to hand over the pavilion to the event organisers in a few weeks.
The wall has been signed by presidents, diplomats and pavilion staff, as well as thousands of Expo visitors.
Mr Sydorenko said he planned to return to Ukraine to be with his family.
A screen displaying a QR code inside allowed visitors to donate to a relief fund for those in Ukraine affected by the turmoil.
The UAE has also played its part, delivering humanitarian aid and extending the terms of visas.
Ukrainians who arrived before March 3, 2022, can stay in the country for up to a year without being subject to fines.
Those arriving after March 3 will have visa-free entry for 30 days, as was the policy previously.
Meanwhile at the multicoloured dome that is the Russian pavilion, Ukrainian nationals worked alongside their Russian counterparts.
One Ukrainian, who did not want to give her name or speak of the invasion, said life had continued as normal inside the Russian pavilion where she worked, despite the two nations being at war.
“Russia has many nationalities living together, so why is it a surprise we are together here?” she said.
Russian staff were flown to Dubai as part of a trade agency, to support Russian businesses in Dubai. Others were already living in the UAE and seconded to work at the world’s fair.
One of those Russian businesses is NtechLab, a software firm that used pavilion cameras to deliver visitor numbers, their age and gender and is now working with businesses in Dubai to improve their security.
“Our agency was working in Dubai before Expo, and I’ll continue working with my team in the media sphere here,” said Katarina, the Russia pavilion’s director of international communications.
Expo 2020 Dubai final day — in pictures
HAJJAN
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The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
UAE squad v Australia
Rohan Mustafa (C), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Fahad Nawaz, Amjed Gul, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Muhammad Naveed, Amir Hayat, Ghulam Shabir (WK), Qadeer Ahmed, Tahir Latif, Zahoor Khan
Profile
Company name: Marefa Digital
Based: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Number of employees: seven
Sector: e-learning
Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019
Investors: Friends and family
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
The%20specs
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Results
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Terminator: Dark Fate
Director: Tim Miller
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis
Rating: 3/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
