Part of the highly anticipated Expo 2020 Dubai site opened to residents and tourists for the first time on Friday.
The Sustainability pavilion, an enormous sunshade encircled with solar-powered trees and embedded with green energy solutions, became the first area to welcome visitors, nine months ahead of the Expo's formal inauguration.
Beneath the large, disc-shaped construction is a preview of the future attractions visitors to the World Fair can expect in October.
Two more pavilions, Mobility and Opportunity, will debut by April as part of the Pavilions Premiere.
Visitors will be able to spot other landmark structures although these are not yet open. They can explore the grounds and see some of the installations already in place.
The pavilions offer all sorts of fun and informative outdoor experiences that will surely inspire environment and technology enthusiasts.
Here is everything you need to know before visiting the Dubai Expo 2020 site.
What will I see?
The Sustainability pavilion will open five days a week to a limited number of visitors.
Visitors will walk past tall solar-studded trees that rotate as they track the Sun. Interactive displays can be seen under a ringed-roof dotted with thousands of photovoltaic panels.
Sustainability is the first of three main theme pavilions to open. Visitors may be able to spot the other two structures – Mobility and Opportunity – while touring the venue. These will open to the public over the next few months.
The exhibitions are designed for all ages and promise fun outdoor experiences. There is a playground for children. The Expo promises live entertainment, activities for children and food trucks as well.
Timings and bookings
Expo 2020 Pavilions Premiere begins on Friday and runs until April 10. Gates open from 3pm to 9pm Tuesday to Thursday and 4pm to 10pm Friday to Saturday.
Tickets cost Dh25 and must be bought online at ticketing.expo2020dubai.com. A limit of 10 tickets per transaction applies.
Physical distancing restrictions mean the tickets must be booked in advance.
The ticket will cover entry to one or two of the pavilions premiered: the Sustainability pavilion, Mobility and/or the Opportunity pavilion depending on the date and availability.
Entry is free for children under five, people with special needs and their companions, as well as adults aged 60 and above.
All visitors, including those eligible for complimentary access, are required to book tickets.
How to get there
Bus
The Expo Rider is a free public bus service dedicated to Expo 2020. The bus will be available every 30 minutes from the Dubai Mall bus station to the Expo 2020 site. Seats on the bus cannot be booked and are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The service from Dubai Mall begins from 2pm on Tuesday to Thursday and 3pm Friday to Saturday.
Taxis or car hire
Visitors can hail a cab on the street or book one using the Careem or Uber apps.
Dubai Taxi Corporation has a limited number of taxis with wheelchair access. Call 800 88088 to book ahead.
To hire an accessible private car and driver, Inclusion Services provides vehicles across the UAE. For more information visit inclusionservices.ae
Personal cars
Free parking is available at the site. Visitors should follow road signs to the theme pavilion listed on their ticket.
Parking is available from 2.30pm Tuesday to Thursday and 3.30pm Friday to Saturday.
Parking will close at 9pm Saturday to Wednesday and 10pm Friday to Saturday.
Valet parking is not available.
Shuttle buses will run from the car park to the nearest visitor entrance.
Buggies will be provided, if needed, for people with special needs, accompanying family or companions to help them reach the main gate from the parking area.
Visitors should carry a valid "people of determination" parking permit from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority. These include a blue card for people with permanent conditions, red card for people with temporary immobility, green for vehicles of companies that transport people with special needs or a yellow card for tourists with disabilities.
Public transport
The Dubai Metro line to the Expo site will not be running but visitors can use the free Expo Rider buses.
Are there special discounts for students, groups?
At present, there are no special discounts but visitors should contact the Expo centre on 800 EXPO [3976] to book for groups larger than 50.
Do I need to pay for anything else on site?
There will be no additional entry charges. Food, drink and souvenirs will be available for purchase.
The Origins Cafe will be open at the Sustainability pavilion and there will be other options across the pavilion concourse.
How much time should I set aside for the visit?
It could take about an hour to walk through a pavilion. There will be more activities and food stalls so the Expo recommends visitors plan for additional time to explore the area.
Will it be a guided tour?
Guides will not be required but volunteers will be present to answer any questions.
Can I visit other areas apart from the theme pavilions?
Before and after a visit to the pavilions, people can glimpse the public spaces, explore the Expo grounds, view installations and artworks.
Can I enter any of the country pavilions?
No. Only the three theme pavilions will be open for the Pavilions Premiere.
The Sustainability Pavilion will be the first to welcome visitors from January 22. The Mobility and Opportunity pavilions will open in the first quarter of 2021.
Is the site accessible for people with special needs?
Yes. Organisers have made sure of this.
Tickets for people with special needs and one companion each are free. All visitors, including people with disabilities, must obtain a ticket online.
Visitors are advised to carry an ID card should a member of the Expo team ask to see some form of identification. This can be any relevant national identity card for people with special needs such as a Sanad card, social security benefit letter, DLA, EU, or ADA disability card.
A limited number of wheelchairs will be available on site free of charge.
There are accessible toilets in the arrival plazas and theme pavilions.
If visitors have medication that must be refrigerated, it can be left at a first aid centre. No other medical equipment can be stored. The product must be carefully packed, sealed and labelled and collected by the end of the day. Any item left behind will be disposed of at the end of the day.
How far in advance can I book a ticket?
Slots can be booked a maximum of two weeks in advance of your chosen journey date.
Must I print my ticket?
Printed tickets are accepted. You can also show your ticket and the linked QR code on your mobile phone or tablet.
Can I rebook if I am late?
Late entrances into the pavilion may not be accepted owing to capacity restrictions.
If the ticket is for the early time slot of 3pm on weekdays or 4pm on weekends, visitors can access the site and pavilions up to 30 minutes after their booked time.
If the ticket is for 4pm or later on weekdays or 5pm or later on weekends, visitors can access the site up to 60 minutes before their booked time and up to 30 minutes after their booked time slot.
Can I move my booking to another date or get a refund?
Tickets are non-refundable, cancellations and date changes are not allowed. All tickets are transferable so visitors can pass their ticket to a relative or friend. Ticket resale is not permitted privately or via a public platform.
Once I have seen the pavilion, what would draw me back in October?
Expo organisers say this is a small but vital piece of the site. Once the entire Expo arena opens, there will be pavilions of different countries, installations, entertainment and international cuisine from around the globe.
What products can I buy at the Expo retail outlets?
A range of products from souvenirs, toys, stationery, homeware, sporting and outdoor goods are on sale at Expo.
Are Covid-19 safety measures in place?
Capacity limits are in place to control the number of people permitted. Thermal cameras at arrival points will check the temperature of all visitors. People must wear face masks at all times. Social distancing norms of at least two metres between people must be maintained. Staff will monitor and ensure safety protocols are observed. Venues will be regularly sanitised. Hand sanitiser stations are positioned at regular intervals. Specialist staff are available to handle medical issues.
What if I have more questions?
Please call the Expo contact centre for additional information on (+971) 800 EXPO [3976].
SPECS
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Persuasion
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarrie%20Cracknell%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDakota%20Johnson%2C%20Cosmo%20Jarvis%2C%20Richard%20E%20Grant%2C%20Henry%20Golding%20and%20Nikki%20Amuka-Bird%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Naga
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMeshal%20Al%20Jaser%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EAdwa%20Bader%2C%20Yazeed%20Almajyul%2C%20Khalid%20Bin%20Shaddad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The 12
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
MATCH INFO:
Second Test
Pakistan v Australia, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am daily at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Entrance is free
How Tesla’s price correction has hit fund managers
Investing in disruptive technology can be a bumpy ride, as investors in Tesla were reminded on Friday, when its stock dropped 7.5 per cent in early trading to $575.
It recovered slightly but still ended the week 15 per cent lower and is down a third from its all-time high of $883 on January 26. The electric car maker’s market cap fell from $834 billion to about $567bn in that time, a drop of an astonishing $267bn, and a blow for those who bought Tesla stock late.
The collapse also hit fund managers that have gone big on Tesla, notably the UK-based Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust and Cathie Wood’s ARK Innovation ETF.
Tesla is the top holding in both funds, making up a hefty 10 per cent of total assets under management. Both funds have fallen by a quarter in the past month.
Matt Weller, global head of market research at GAIN Capital, recently warned that Tesla founder Elon Musk had “flown a bit too close to the sun”, after getting carried away by investing $1.5bn of the company’s money in Bitcoin.
He also predicted Tesla’s sales could struggle as traditional auto manufacturers ramp up electric car production, destroying its first mover advantage.
AJ Bell’s Russ Mould warns that many investors buy tech stocks when earnings forecasts are rising, almost regardless of valuation. “When it works, it really works. But when it goes wrong, elevated valuations leave little or no downside protection.”
A Tesla correction was probably baked in after last year’s astonishing share price surge, and many investors will see this as an opportunity to load up at a reduced price.
Dramatic swings are to be expected when investing in disruptive technology, as Ms Wood at ARK makes clear.
Every week, she sends subscribers a commentary listing “stocks in our strategies that have appreciated or dropped more than 15 per cent in a day” during the week.
Her latest commentary, issued on Friday, showed seven stocks displaying extreme volatility, led by ExOne, a leader in binder jetting 3D printing technology. It jumped 24 per cent, boosted by news that fellow 3D printing specialist Stratasys had beaten fourth-quarter revenues and earnings expectations, seen as good news for the sector.
By contrast, computational drug and material discovery company Schrödinger fell 27 per cent after quarterly and full-year results showed its core software sales and drug development pipeline slowing.
Despite that setback, Ms Wood remains positive, arguing that its “medicinal chemistry platform offers a powerful and unique view into chemical space”.
In her weekly video view, she remains bullish, stating that: “We are on the right side of change, and disruptive innovation is going to deliver exponential growth trajectories for many of our companies, in fact, most of them.”
Ms Wood remains committed to Tesla as she expects global electric car sales to compound at an average annual rate of 82 per cent for the next five years.
She said these are so “enormous that some people find them unbelievable”, and argues that this scepticism, especially among institutional investors, “festers” and creates a great opportunity for ARK.
Only you can decide whether you are a believer or a festering sceptic. If it’s the former, then buckle up.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Abu Dhabi GP Saturday schedule
12.30pm GP3 race (18 laps)
2pm Formula One final practice
5pm Formula One qualifying
6.40pm Formula 2 race (31 laps)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20Znap%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarted%3A%202017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Uday%20Rathod%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%241m%2B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EInvestors%3A%20Family%2C%20friends%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
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
WE%20NO%20LONGER%20PREFER%20MOUNTAINS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Inas%20Halabi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENijmeh%20Hamdan%2C%20Kamal%20Kayouf%2C%20Sheikh%20Najib%20Alou%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGrowdash%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJuly%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESean%20Trevaskis%20and%20Enver%20Sorkun%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERestaurant%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Plus%20VC%2C%20Judah%20VC%2C%20TPN%20Investments%20and%20angel%20investors%2C%20including%20former%20Talabat%20chief%20executive%20Abdulhamid%20Alomar%2C%20and%20entrepreneur%20Zeid%20Husban%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Concrete and Gold
Foo Fighters
RCA records
ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
%3Cp%3EBy%202030%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%20aims%20to%20achieve%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2039.3%20million%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20nearly%2064%25%20up%20from%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20Dh90%20billion%20contribution%20to%20GDP%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20about%2084%25%20more%20than%20Dh49%20billion%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20178%2C000%20new%20jobs%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20bringing%20the%20total%20to%20about%20366%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2052%2C000%20hotel%20rooms%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20up%2053%25%20from%2034%2C000%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%207.2%20million%20international%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20almost%2090%25%20higher%20compared%20to%202023's%203.8%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%203.9%20international%20overnight%20hotel%20stays%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2022%25%20more%20from%203.2%20nights%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Bib%20Gourmand%20restaurants
%3Cp%3EAl%20Khayma%0D%3Cbr%3EBait%20Maryam%0D%3Cbr%3EBrasserie%20Boulud%0D%3Cbr%3EFi'lia%0D%3Cbr%3Efolly%0D%3Cbr%3EGoldfish%0D%3Cbr%3EIbn%20AlBahr%0D%3Cbr%3EIndya%20by%20Vineet%0D%3Cbr%3EKinoya%0D%3Cbr%3ENinive%0D%3Cbr%3EOrfali%20Bros%0D%3Cbr%3EReif%20Japanese%20Kushiyaki%0D%3Cbr%3EShabestan%0D%3Cbr%3ETeible%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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
