Follow the latest updates on Expo 2020 Dubai here
Visitors who boldly go to the international pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai will see fascinating space objects such as Moon rocks and Martian meteorites.
As a new era of space exploration gathers momentum, many countries will use the global platform of the world's fair to highlight their stellar achievements.
France, the US, Russia and host nation the UAE are among the participants sharing a treasure trove of items brought back to Earth.
The six-month extravaganza will get under way on October 1, with millions of visitors expected from all around the world.
The National highlights some of the most interesting space shows visitors can experience during the world fair.
Marvel at the Moon at US pavilion
One of the largest Moon rock samples collected during the Apollo missions is going on display.
The mare basalt is estimated to be about 3.75 billion years old and is older than nearly all Earth surface rocks.
“Visitors will get up close to an actual lunar sample. American astronaut Jack Schmitt collected it near the lunar module landing site on Apollo 17. It is one of the largest samples brought back from the Moon,” Matthew Asada, deputy commissioner general for the USA Pavilion, told The National.
“The USA Pavilion’s theme ‘Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of the Future’ is strongly linked to US achievements in space.
“One of the exhibition’s star attractions is an eight-minute immersive media show which explores the future of America’s technological advances in the current century and beyond.
“This experience touches on the biggest and boldest ideas that the United States has to offer and presents the cutting edge of what’s possible – from the democratisation of space to quantum computing and more.”
A Martian meteorite sample found during the 2012-2013 season in Antarctica will also be on display.
Other highlights include a model of the Mars Opportunity Rover, which landed on the planet on 2004 and “died” in 2018 because of a dust storm.
Visitors will also be able to see a live feed transmitted from the Mars Perseverance rover – one of Nasa’s most expensive and ambitious Mars missions to date.
“And finally, as visitors exit the Pavilion, they will be greeted by the tallest structure on the Expo 2020 site by an international participant – a 43-metre SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket,” Mr Asada said.
“Standing tall as an example of sustainability in action, Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital-class reusable rocket, allowing the most expensive parts to be re-employed, bringing down the cost of space travel considerably.”
The US has a history of celebrating its achievements in space during world's fairs.
The Seattle Space Needle in the US state of Washington was built for the 1962 expo, which had ‘The Age of Space’ theme.
At the 1964 world's fair in New York City, the United States Space Park featured rockets and spacecraft.
French astronaut calls in from space
French astronaut Thomas Pesquet will speak to visitors at the Al Wasl Plaza in October during a live call from the International Space Station.
Mr Pesquet flew to the space station on April 23 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon and became the first French commander of the ISS.
He has gathered a large following on social media with his remarkable images of Earth.
Erik Linquier, commissioner general for France at Expo 2020 Dubai, told The National that the astronaut will visit the event in person in 2022.
“He’s at the ISS right now but he will be present in the pavilion, probably in January or February,” he said.
A ‘travel to Mars’ feature will be part of the French Pavilion’s main exhibition, where visitors will be transported virtually to the Red Planet through interactive displays.
From October 20-23, visitors will be able to observe colourful galaxies and nebulae with an advanced telescope made available at the French Pavilion by Unistellar.
“Space is really important because for us it's clearly linked with the main theme of Expo, when you talk about smart and sustainable cities,” Mr Linquier said.
“A large part of information and actions that will be used to reach the Sustainable Development Goals go through space, whether it is meteorological, geographical or geological information, geographical or geological information.”
Russia's star showing
The trailer of a commercial Russian movie being filmed on the ISS from October 5 to October 17 will be revealed at the Russian pavilion.
The film, titled The Challenge, follows the story of a Russian doctor who is sent to the space station to save the life of a cosmonaut.
Russian actress Yulia Peresild and award-winning director Klim Shipenko will fly into space for the movie.
“They have been preparing since May, undertaking intensive training and preparing for the flight,” Yekaterina Pribytkova, director of international communications at the Russian Pavilion, told The National.
“The movie, in my opinion, represents both characters’ story, as well as the challenges the actress would possibly face while filming in space.
“And, most importantly, it shows Russia’s innovations in space.”
The former Soviet Union has a long history of presenting its space achievements during expos, around the same time when the first space era took off.
At the 1958 expo in Brussels, the USSR displayed models of two satellites that were launched two months before the world fair.
A special display celebrating Yuri Gagarin, the first man to fly into space, was shown at the 1961 expo in Turin, Italy.
UAE celebrates historic exploits
Some of the UAE’s greatest achievements in space will be celebrated at the national pavilion.
These include sending the first Emirati astronaut, Hazza Al Mansouri, to the ISS, launching the first Arab mission to Mars, building the first lunar rover and selection of the first Arab female astronaut.
A space-themed show at the Al Wasl Dome will highlight UAE’s progress in space in colourful projections.
Space Week at Expo 2020
Space will be one of the thematic weeks at the expo.
From October 17-23, astronauts, policymakers, scientists and other leaders in space will gather to discuss progress being made in the field.
The event will take place before the International Astronautical Congress – the world’s largest space conference – at the World Trade Centre from October 25-29.
Sarah Al Amiri, the Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairperson of the UAE Space Agency, will attend the space week. Shelli Brunswick, chief operating officer of the Space Foundation, will also be speaking.
Behind-the-scenes of Expo 2020 Dubai's opening ceremony - in pictures
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The five pillars of Islam
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
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
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Prophets of Rage
(Fantasy Records)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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The years Ramadan fell in May
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Red flags
- 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.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
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South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Most F1 world titles
7 — Michael Schumacher (1994, ’95, 2000, ’01 ’02, ’03, ’04)
7 — Lewis Hamilton (2008, ’14,’15, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20)
5 — Juan Manuel Fangio (1951, ’54, ’55, ’56, ’57)
4 — Alain Prost (1985, ’86, ’89, ’93)
4 — Sebastian Vettel (2010, ’11, ’12, ’13)
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')
Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)
Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
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Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
