LIVE BLOG: Latest from Expo 2020 Dubai
Expo 2020 Dubai is approaching the end of its first week and anticipation is building for what looks set to be a busy weekend ahead.
Organisers are looking forward to welcoming guests on the second weekend of the world's fair and have stressed the importance of complying with entry requirements.
Visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai have been urged to carry a valid negative PCR result with them if they are not vaccinated against Covid-19 to avoid long delays when entering the site.
Expo spokeswoman Sconaid McGeachin said the on-site testing centre had been very busy during the opening week, with same-day results taking longer than usual.
She urged people to “come to the site prepared to avoid disappointment”.
“If you do not have a vaccination or your PCR result has lapsed, please go and get the test a day before you plan to visit,” she said.
“With so many visitors [during the opening week], it has taken quite some time to process the test results. Due to the sheer numbers, there are long delays.
“It’s not conducive to have people sitting here and waiting on the day. You can use the drive through service, get tested and come back the next day.”
Commenting on a successful first week, Ms McGeachin said the team is also working to “increase the number of buggies” on-site to ferry passengers to and from different areas.
She said it has been a challenge, but they are hoping to introduce a hop-on, hop-off service for visitors within the coming weeks. The buggies will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis.
“At peak times, the availability of buggies has been a challenge. We do have bikes operated by Careem available to visitors, but we are trying to prepare people for a lot of walking. The area is the size of 600 football pitches.
“Maybe plan your journey before time and decipher the areas you want to visit. We have visitor journeys on the website, like the architectural trail.”
During the first day, the world’s fair saw 53,000 visitors flood through the entrance gates and over the past week it has welcomed more than 170 different nationalities.
So far, late afternoon and evening hours had been recorded as the peak times for visitors, with the hot weather during the day and the beautiful illuminations at night the driving force behind that trend.
This weekend, the world’s fair will kick off the first of its monthly Expo Beats music festivals.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday ‘World Beats’, the first in the series, will be on the Jubilee Stage from 4pm until late over the three-day period.
The National has put together a list of things to look forward to when visiting Expo 2020 Dubai this weekend:
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What: Expo Beats — World Beats
When: Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Where: Jubilee Stage
Time: 4pm until late
Details: The mini music festival will feature a daily show by Jill Barber, the three-time Juno Award nominated singer-songwriter. Her critically acclaimed repertoire spans a transformative spectrum from folk, to jazz, to pop, and includes songs in both French and English
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What: Red Arrows Airshow
When: Friday
Where: Above Expo 2020 Dubai site
Time: 4pm to 4.25pm
Details: Look up in awe and watch the impressive Red Arrows take to the skies above the world’s fair in a colourful show of precision and skill
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What: Masterclass with AT Rajamani
When: Friday
Where: Sports, Fitness and Well-being hub in Mobility District
Time: 4pm to 4.45pm
Details: Achieving peak performance on the cricket field
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What: Meet and Greet: Rajasthan Royals
When: Friday
Where: Sports, Fitness and Well-being hub in Mobility District
Time: 6pm to 6.30pm
Details: Get up close and personal with some of your favourite players from the Indian Cricket League
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What: Harmony Under Water
When: Friday
Where: Al Wasl Plaza
Time: 8.30pm to 8.50pm
Details: Stand in awe as Al Wasl Plaza is submerged under water. As the deep blue light washes over you, the great mysteries of the ocean will surround you. Beautiful corals flow in harmony while glowing creatures swim along the ancient ocean floor, plus much more
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What: Ousha and the Moon
When: Friday
Where: Al Wasl Plaza
Time: 9.45pm to 10pm
Details: The girl who swallowed the moon. Tumble into the world of a 12-year-old girl’s dream. A place where the moon speaks and the threads of destiny are wove. A look into the fantastic mind of a child born without speech, whose words would one day capture the heart of a nation
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What: Coaching session Manchester City football team
When: Saturday
Where: Sports, Fitness and Well-being hub in Mobility District
Time: 12 noon
Details: Meet the top coaches from one of the UK’s most decorated football teams, Manchester City. During this interactive session they will give top tips on how to become a world-class footballer
The specs: 2018 Jaguar F-Type Convertible
Price, base / as tested: Dh283,080 / Dh318,465
Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 295hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.2L / 100km
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Read more about the coronavirus
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
MATCH INFO
Arsenal 1 (Aubameyang 12’) Liverpool 1 (Minamino 73’)
Arsenal win 5-4 on penalties
Man of the Match: Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal)
MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
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
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
List of alleged parties
- May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
- 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
- Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
- Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
- Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
- Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
- Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Results:
Men's 100m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 15 sec; 2. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 15.40; 3. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 15.75. Men's 400m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 50.56; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 50.94; 3. Henry Manni (FIN) 52.24.
'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Rating: 1 out of 4
Running time: 81 minutes
Director: David Blue Garcia
Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Top tips
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
