Expo 2020 Dubai is proving a massive online hit with tens of millions of virtual visits racked up from across the world, thanks to a packed line-up of international pavilions, colourful parades and star-studded musical performances.
Expo organisers on Tuesday said virtualexpodubai.com had recorded more than 31 million visits since the extravaganza opened on October 1.
The sprawling Expo site itself has already attracted more than 6 million visits, with the impressive footfall backed up by the event's online connection with the world.
The dazzling opening ceremony raked in the highest views at 6 million.
We designed it so children from North America, Africa, Asia or Europe feel as mesmerised when they log in as when children from Abu Dhabi, Dubai or Sharjah walk into the site
Rehan Asad,
Expo chief programme officer
More than 3 million viewed Alicia Keys' concert this month as she debuted her new double album, Keys.
It was the best night for viewership after the opening ceremony with people keen for a first glimpse of the new songs.
Residents of Lesotho, a small mountainous nation in Africa, paid close attention to their king’s visit in October.
More than 45,000 logged in for Lesotho’s country day, the highest yet, celebrated at the Al Wasl dome.
National pride on display
Country pavilions attracting the highest online traffic are Australia followed by Japan, India, China and Brazil.
The Expo tech team adds entertainment events online daily, give visitors a 360-degree view of country pavilions and adds gaming to draw in the youth.
Virtual visits clock in at more than 31.6 million and are driven by live tours.
“It has been a phenomenal journey,” said Rehan Asad, Expo’s chief programme officer.
“We look into analytics on a daily basis.
“We understand what people like and what they do not like and adapt to that.”
Africa’s kingdom in the Sky checks in
Lesotho, a country with a population of only 2.1 million, set a record for the numbers that viewed a country day ceremony online.
People continued to watch as their King Letsie III toured the country pavilion with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
Lesotho officials shared an Expo link resulting in 45,232 people watching the National Day from afar.
“Until today, Lesotho’s National Day is one of the most visited,” Mr Asad said.
Located on a highland plateau and surrounded by South Africa, the country has the title of Africa’s Kingdom in the sky as the only nation entirely above 1,000 metres in elevation.
Favourite country pavilions
Step-by-step tours give people a close-up view inside each pavilion. The Expo team partnered with Google to bring the experience to life.
Australia is the most visited pavilion virtually followed by Japan, India, China, Brazil, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, US, Russia, South Korea, Germany, Philippine and the UK.
The top 10 countries that drive online viewership are the UAE, India, Philippines, Egypt, US, Saudi, Indonesia UK, Italy and Japan.
“What is encouraging is that it’s not all in this region or the West,” Mr Asad said.
“It’s from technologically advanced countries but also countries that are not. That is the true spirit of Expo.”
Eyes of the world on Expo
Organisers said new users account for 70 per cent of those clocking in every week.
“Normally when you launch a new website you don’t see new users but we have seen this from day one,” said Mr Asad, who has worked in the technology industry for 25 years.
The viewership base moved from 65 per cent male and 35 per cent female to the current ratio of 50.1 per cent female and 49.9 per cent male.
About 80 per cent traffic is from mobile phones, 10 per cent from desktops and 5 per cent from tablets and other devices.
More than 1 million children play animation games. The Mobility, Sustainability and Opportunity pavilions include games where children can learn while they play.
The entire Expo site has been re-created on the popular Minecraft platform with more than half a million people downloading the Expo 2020 app.
Did Covid-19 make the Expo go virtual?
The digital experience was not dictated by the Covid-19 pandemic but was part of the mission plan way back in 2012.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, made a commitment in 2012 to take the first virtual Expo to the world and this was included in the 2013 bid document.
“What is remarkable is making that commitment in 2012 when technology was in a different place,” Mr Asad said.
“We worked on that promise and designed it so that children from North America, Africa, Asia or Europe feel as mesmerised when they log in on their devices as when children from Abu Dhabi, Dubai or Sharjah physically walk into site and get mesmerised.”
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
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Cold War (Poland)
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Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
RESULTS
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
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Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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Pathaan
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The%20Letter%20Writer
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THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Take Me Apart
Kelela
(Warp)
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
China and the UAE agree comprehensive strategic partnership
China and the UAE forged even closer links between the two countries during the landmark state visit after finalising a ten-point agreement on a range of issues, from international affairs to the economy and trade and renewable energy.
1. Politics: The two countries agreed to support each other on issues of security and to work together on regional and international challenges. The nations also confirmed that the number of high-level state visits between China and the UAE will increase.
2. Economy: The UAE offers its full support to China's Belt and Road Initiative, which will combine a land 'economic belt" and a "maritime silk road" that will link China with the Arabian Gulf as well as Southeast, South and Central China, North Africa and, eventually, Europe.
3. Business and innovation: The two nations are committed to exploring new partnerships in sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, energy, the aviation and transport industries and have vowed to build economic co-operation through the UAE-China Business Committee.
4. Education, science and technology: The Partnership Programme between Arab countries in Science and Technology will encourage young Emirati scientists to conduct research in China, while the nations will work together on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, renewable energy and space projects.
5. Renewable energy and water: The two countries will partner to develop renewable energy schemes and work to reduce climate change. The nations have also reiterated their support for the Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency.
6. Oil and gas: The UAE and China will work in partnership in the crude oil trade and the exploration and development of oil and natural gas resources.
7. Military and law enforcement and security fields: Joint training will take place between the Chinese and UAE armed forces, while the two nations will step up efforts to combat terrorism and organised crime.
8. Culture and humanitarian issues: Joint cultural projects will be developed and partnerships will be cultivated on the preservation of heritage, contemporary art and tourism.
9. Movement between countries: China and the UAE made clear their intent to encourage travel between the countries through a wide-ranging visa waiver agreement.
10. Implementing the strategic partnership: The Intergovernmental Co-operation Committee, established last year, will be used to ensure the objectives of the partnership are implemented.
