The countdown clock marking the time between now and October 20, 2020 will soon begin to tick a little louder. This Friday marks just three years until Expo 2020 opens in Dubai. The event will be a window on the world for those who are from this region and a window on the Middle East for all those who will beat a path to Dubai in late 2020 and early 2021. In an era of intolerance and misinformation, we encourage visitors from far and wide to visit the expo and see this region at first hand.
Bill Gates, the Microsoft chairman and philanthropist, has previously talked about visiting the 1962 expo in Seattle, his home town, when he was a child and finding inspiration in what he saw. If Expo 2020 leads to one young mind opening up in a similar way, then it will have far exceeded any expectations placed upon it.
That is, of course, a possibility rather than a certainty. What we do know for sure is that the event’s broad-ranging legacy will benefit the city and the country. District 2020 is designed to encourage SME growth and establish a new community.
The multilateral nature of the event is also worth dwelling upon. The international community is under near historic threat, unions of countries are being disrupted and prominent nations have turned inwards. An expo is, by its very nature, a celebration of multinationalism in one of its purest forms. It is also a reminder that collaboration should not be viewed with suspicion. The staging of the world’s fair in Dubai in 2020 – for the first time in the Arab world – sends out an important message to the world: the city and this country is a vibrant, dynamic and, crucially, an international environment.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 285bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: TBA
On sale: Q2, 2020
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
SHAITTAN
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The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
