The India pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has been completed with officials describing it as a "permanent footprint" and testament to close ties with the UAE.
The $70 million (Dh257 million) pavilion has received certificates for building completion and fire clearance, officials told the media in India on Thursday.
India commerce secretary
The four-storey pavilion built across a 0.5-hectare plot is one of the largest at the Dubai South site.
“It’s ready to go into operation,” BVR Subrahmanyam, India’s commerce secretary, told a press conference in New Delhi.
“The building is very innovative, it showcases heritage, the past, present and future. It captures the journey we are on, our dreams and ambitions. It’s absolutely stunning.
“We are among the few that have a permanent pavilion so it will be a footprint in Dubai forever after this over.”
Most of the Expo pavilions must be dismantled after the World Fair ends on March 31.
The India pavilion will be one of at least three structures to remain.
Mr Subrahmanyam described it as “a permanent asset for India in a major trading nation”.
About 200 revolving panels have been fitted as part of a constantly changing facade with orange and brown shaded blocks.
At night, this will be converted into a massive screen on which Indian tourist destinations and dance sequences will be projected.
High-tech software has been used to create green tunnels bursting with medicinal herbs in a section dedicated to yoga and meditation on the lower floor. A separate section is focused on the country’s space exploration programmes.
The upper floors will cover industry, gems and jewellery and the Bollywood movie business.
Mr Subrahmanyam said the Expo provided a major opportunity for forging trade deals with some of the 192 countries represented.
Each of India’s states will participate in the World Fair that opens on October 1 with some hosting exhibitions on renewable energy, others on green technology, solar energy, industrial investment and agricultural exports.
“Dubai is good for business, India is open for business. It’s a nice confluence,” the senior official said.
“I hear a large number of MoUs (memorandums of understanding) will be signed. Everybody will be available on that campus, the mini city that has come up.”
Inside the pavilion, models of the Hindu temple being constructed in Abu Dhabi will be on display along with replicas of other shrines in India including the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Outside the pavilion, a giant spinning wheel, or charkha, has been set up as a symbol of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi’s call to weave cloth instead of relying on foreign goods during India’s independence struggle against the British.
The World Fair is typically held every five years for up to six months. Expo 2020 was postponed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic but permitted to keep the name.
The event is due to open on October 1 and will welcome millions of visitors throughout its six-month run.
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Huddersfield Town permanent signings:
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
McIlroy's struggles in 2016/17
European Tour: 6 events, 16 rounds, 5 cuts, 0 wins, 3 top-10s, 4 top-25s, 72,5567 points, ranked 16th
PGA Tour: 8 events, 26 rounds, 6 cuts, 0 wins, 4 top-10s, 5 top-25s, 526 points, ranked 71st
Arsenal's pre-season fixtures
Thursday Beat Sydney 2-0 in Sydney
Saturday v Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney
Wednesday v Bayern Munich in Shanghai
July 22 v Chelsea in Beijing
July 29 v Benfica in London
July 30 v Sevilla in London
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
England v South Africa schedule:
- First Test: At Lord's, England won by 219 runs
- Second Test: July 14-18, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 2pm
- Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
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Calvin Harris
Columbia
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Andy Murray (GBR) v Benoit Paire (FRA)
Grigor Dimitrov (BGR) v Roger Federer (SUI)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Gilles Muller (LUX)
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) Novak Djokovic (SRB)
England v South Africa schedule
- First Test: Starts Thursday, Lord's, 2pm (UAE)
- Second Test: July 14-18, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 2pm
- Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
- Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester, August 4-8
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West Indies v India - Third ODI
India 251-4 (50 overs)
Dhoni (78*), Rahane (72), Jadhav (40)
Cummins (2-56), Bishoo (1-38)
West Indies 158 (38.1 overs)
Mohammed (40), Powell (30), Hope (24)
Ashwin (3-28), Yadav (3-41), Pandya (2-32)
India won by 93 runs
Madrid Open schedule
Men's semi-finals
Novak Djokovic (1) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 6pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11pm
Women's final
Simona Halep (3) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 8.30pm
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
Juventus v Napoli, Sunday, 10.45pm (UAE)
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Tomorrow 2021
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
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Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
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- 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
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Tim Southee (capt), Trent Boult (games 4 and 5), Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson (games 1-3), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner
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- Con Coughlin: Choice of the British people will be vindicated
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- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
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Saturday, November 24
Italy 3-66 New Zealand
Scotland 14-9 Argentina
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MWTC info
Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.
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TOURNAMENT INFO
Opening fixtures:
Friday, Oct 5
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers
Saturday, Oct 6
4pm: Nangarhar Leopards v Kandahar Knights
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Balkh Legends
Tickets
Tickets can be bought online at https://www.q-tickets.com/apl/eventlist and at the ticket office at the stadium.
TV info
The tournament will be broadcast live in the UAE on OSN Sports.
THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
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Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am
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Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
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War on waste
Abu Dhabi GP starting grid
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2 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
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13 Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
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19 Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
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Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
