Some of the world’s leading minds will share their experiences at Expo 2020 Dubai.
As part of the World Majlis, a series of public forums held in various pavilions throughout the six-month event, vibrant discussions will be conducted, encompassing subjects from technology, sustainability and ethics to the arts, travel and health.
Speakers include London’s Lord Mayor William Russell, Emirati diplomat and author Omar Ghobash, Hungarian chess grandmaster Judit Polgar and Tunisian artist eL Seed.
While some of the topics may be heady, event curator Federica Busa tells The National they will be conducted within the intimate format of an Arabic majlis.
"As people who live and work here, we know the role that a majlis plays in sharing news and where we come together with families, friends and strangers," she says.
"The majlis is the place where you see the pulse of the community and we wanted to bring that spirit to the Expo.”
Busa hopes such an approach will result in spirited and probing conversations.
“It’s different than a standard conference where people come in with an agenda and there is a focus on controlling the message,” she says.
“With the majlis format, the idea is to go in without prepared slides and bullet points, but with an open mind. Bring your passion and expertise and interact with each other.”
Launched by Expo 2020 Dubai five years ago, the World Majlis has previously conducted events in Abu Dhabi, New York, Shanghai and London. Its arrival in Dubai brings together a culmination of the learnings gleaned from those discussions.
The all-English-language sessions will be split into various weekly themes – including Space, Knowledge and Learning, Travel and Connectivity, and Health and Wellness – with events open to the public and streamed online.
“It will be like a great dinner party where participants share ideals, question each other and really get to know each other,” Busa says.
Here are 10 sessions to check out at the World Majlis. All events listed take place between 4pm and 6pm, unless otherwise noted. Entry is free and subject to availability with an Expo pass.
1. Sustainability for All (Tuesday, October 5: UK Pavilion)
We have been talking about it for years, but how can we practically implement sustainability measures in our economy?
A panel of civic and industry leaders, including London's Lord Mayor William Russell and Hungarian environmental academic Diana Urge-Vorsatz, provide insights on how to rethink our communities and lifestyles for the betterment of the planet.
2. Lessons from Space (Tuesday, October 19: India Pavilion)
Reaching for the stars is only half the purpose of space travel.
As learned majlis guests, including Switzerland's first astronaut Claude Nicollier and Nasa scientist Gioia Massa, will reveal, it's how you use the knowledge gleaned to serve our planet that makes the journey worthwhile.
3. Art for Good (Sunday, November 14: Italy Pavilion)
A high-powered panel of visual creatives, including Tunisian artist eL Seed and Kirsha Kaechele, curator of Australia's Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), interrogate the function of art and how it can be a catalyst for change in society.
4. The Business of Compassion (Tuesday, November 16: Terra - The Sustainability Pavilion)
The title is not a misnomer; rather, it's an approach fast becoming an asset to companies and societies.
Badr Jafar, the Emirati social entrepreneur and chief executive of Crescent Enterprises, will feature in a discussion examining ways to build a more inclusive economy, exploring how we need a fresh set of economic indicators other than GDP to measure a society's progress.
5. Tolerance and Inclusivity for Women’s Rights and Empowerment' (Wednesday, November 17: Women's Pavilion, 11am to 12.30pm)
This wide-ranging discussion examines the corrosive effects of gender norms in society, in addition to the role faith-based and educational institutions can play in instilling equality.
Participants include Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda and Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
6. Digital Brain, Digital Morality (Thursday, November 18: Terra - The Sustainability Pavilion)
The responsible use of artificial intelligence and robotics is not only the subject of Hollywood blockbusters, but a salient view essential to developing and protecting society.
Australian futurist Genevieve Bell and British ethicist James Williams will grapple with big questions, such as how can we build trust in technology and how do we subject AI to ethical standards?
7. The Science of Everything (Sunday, December 12: Terra - The Sustainability Pavilion)
Is the digital age leaving science in its wake?
This timely discussion, featuring the UAE's Assistant Minister for Culture and Public Diplomacy Omar Ghobash and Barjeel Art Foundation founder Sultan Al Qassemi, lays the case for the defence of science in the age of online misinformation.
The speakers will provide suggestions on how to build scientific literacy in the age of "fake news".
8. The Winning Match: When the Worlds of Education and Play Meet (Thursday, December 16, Spain Pavilion, 6pm to 8pm)
Be in the midst of Hungarian chess grandmaster Polgar, who – with fellow guests including Mansoor Al Awar, chancellor of Dubai's Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University – looks at how strategy games provide stimulating ways to develop analytic skills.
9. Digital Twins and New Realities (Tuesday, January 11: UK Pavilion)
This panel offers a fascinating look into one of the latest frontiers in technology.
From augmented reality to the concept of mirror worlds (such as looking through camera phones and the use of digital assistants), Bahraini virtual reality artist Najla Al Khalifa and British filmmaker and designer Keiichi Matsuda will explore how we are still coming to grips with these leaps and what they mean for our lives.
10. Off the Beaten Path (Thursday, January 13: India Pavilion)
Travelling is not only a serious business but one that could potentially cause an existential crisis for our planet.
With international travel gradually resuming in the wake of the pandemic, international industry experts – including John Pagano, chief executive of Saudi Arabia's The Red Sea Development Company – will analyse ways we can make journeys sustainable and culturally respectful.
More information is available at expo2020dubai.com
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
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James
Three and a half stars
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
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.
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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Manchester City 4
Otamendi (52) Sterling (59) Stones (67) Brahim Diaz (81)
Real Madrid 1
Oscar (90)
The biog
Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.
His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.
“If you have the ambition and dream of something, follow that dream, be positive, determined and set goals.
"Nothing and no-one can stop you from succeeding with the right work application, and a little bit of luck along the way.”
Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.
He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
Price: Dh375,000
On sale: now
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Results
6.30pm Madjani Stakes Rated Conditions (PA) I Dh160,000 I 1,900m I Winner: Mawahib, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
7.05pm Maiden Dh150,000 I 1,400m I Winner One Season, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Maiden Dh150,000 I 2,000m I Winner Street Of Dreams, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.15pm Dubai Creek Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,600m I Winner Heavy Metal, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm The Entisar Listed I Dh250,000 I 2,000m I Winner Etijaah, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
9.25pm The Garhoud Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,200m I Winner Muarrab, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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
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
