Organisers and workers are in the final stretch of testing stunning structures for the World Fair that will begin in Dubai in a month.
After a year-long postponement, officials spoke of a buzz of anticipation about Expo 2020 Dubai’s promise to inject confidence, optimism and cheer in a world still reeling from the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, the gates to the Expo site were filmed being opened to allow photo and camera crews inside.
Yousuf Caires, a senior vice president of Expo Live, described an upbeat mood.
“It’s a time of excitement for everybody, our site is visible and it’s alive,” he told The National.
We know how much the world is waiting for this. Everybody expects Expo to do something great.
Yousuf Caires,
Expo senior vice president
"It’s almost 30 days for expo so the excitement level is high, the pitch is high, the expectation is high.
“We know how much the world is waiting for this, how much this country, our community here in UAE, is waiting. Everybody is expecting Expo to do something great and we are trying to give everyone a really great experience.”
Dozens of exhibits have been set up by countries across the 438-hectare Dubai South site and conferences have been planned through to March 2021.
Mr Caires said the aim was to impact lives beyond the six-month fair.
The Expo Live programme is the first in the history of the World Fair to award grants to organisations and individuals focused on finding solutions to worldwide issues.
Innovators from across the world will speak to visitors about path-breaking work in sectors including education, empowering women and farmers’ rights.
“The last year was extremely tough for start-ups across the world and we were very fortunate to be able to support some of them,” Mr Caires said.
“They will tell their story and inspire people. We hope to find a lot more change makers here at the Expo.”
Pavilion of Lights - France
At the Expo site, workers are racing to complete some structures, others are adding finishing touches to the interiors of pavilions.
Electrical, engineering, communications systems, fire and life safety tests are being carried out to ensure structures are safe for the thousands expected to visit daily when doors open on October 1.
Planners are also fine-tuning the programming that will be on offer.
Designers and engineers are finishing work on a dazzling light show and the interiors of the France pavilion, one of the standout structures that draws inspiration from famed artist Claude Monet.
Construction work on the France Pavilion was completed in April.
“We are currently finalising the interior scenography of the permanent exhibition. The journey will take the public on a stroll through the history of progress, a founding concept of the World Expos since the mid-19th century,” said Erik Linquier, commissioner general for France at Expo 2020 Dubai.
“As the ‘Pavilion of Lights,’ we are completing the light shows that will light up the pavilion and the World Expo.”
Organisers have a packed schedule designed to encourage visitors to stay after they watch stunning displays of waves of light bursting across an overhead canopy.
“We can’t wait to welcome the world to the France Pavilion,” Mr Linquier said.
“Expo 2020 Dubai is expected to be the biggest event of the year, and I believe that it will be a successful event as Expo 2020’s organisers have relentlessly worked on sanitary and security measures to ensure the visitors’ safety.”
The country will celebrate its National Day one day after the opening and has promised to showcase art, science and innovation.
“Our motto 'France, light, speed, inspiration' reflects our ambitious programme … to lead visitors along a path that highlights unique and daring French innovations and creations,” he said.
Luxembourg - team ready to move in
Luxembourg, the first country in June 2016 to officially confirm its participation with a national pavilion, said it was poised at the final mile.
“The last touch-ups are being made and our team moves into the office within the next days. Slowly but surely our pavilion is coming to life, and we cannot wait to open the doors very soon,” said Maggy Nagel, commissioner general of Luxembourg at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The contractor and project consultant have almost concluded their testing of the electrical, plumbing, fire safety and operational elements. The eye-catching structure holds a giant slide in the central hall and is filled with trees and plants.
Ms Nagel said hosting the World Fair had never been more crucial.
“Collaboration and coming together as one is considered more vital than ever before,” she said.
“We at the Luxembourg pavilion are fully aligned with the precautions taken by Expo 2020. In this spirit, we have implemented various precautionary measures across the area and within the building of the pavilion. We cannot wait to welcome the world to the Luxembourg pavilion.”
Italy to engage visitors online too
Paolo Glisenti, commissioner of the Italian pavilion, said staff would soon test multimedia installations, interior light and sound design as part of final fit-outs.
He said the effort would expand to engaging audiences online, so that people unable to make it to Expo 2020 Dubai would still be part of the excitement.
A 3D replica of Michelangelo's David is attracting attention as the striking centrepiece.
The life-size copy of the famous 16th-century marble statue has been placed under an unusual roof made from the hulls of boats and painted in the national colours.
“I believe Expo will set a new model for global events in the foreseeable future by creating the perfect mix between virtuality, connecting at distance and physical participation,” Mr Glisenti said.
“We have finalised our programme for the first three months of Expo leaving room for updating and adjusting the events to take place in the second quarter”.
How to help or find other cats to adopt
RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
UAE group fixtures
Sunday Feb 23, 9.30am, v Iran
Monday Feb 25, 1pm, v Kuwait
Tuesday Feb 26, 9.30am, v Saudi
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza, Rohan Mustafa, Alishan Sharafu, Ansh Tandon, Vriitya Aravind, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Basil Hameed, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Ayaz, Zahoor Khan, Chirag Suri, Sultan Ahmed
Contracted list
Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
Crazy Rich Asians
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan
Four stars
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
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Super Bowl LIII schedule
What Super Bowl LIII
Who is playing New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams
Where Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States
When Sunday (start time is 3.30am on Monday UAE time)
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):
Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Match will be shown on BeIN Sports
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
As it stands in Pool A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
Remaining fixtures
Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm
Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm
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
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
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Summer special
Hidden killer
Sepsis arises when the body tries to fight an infection but damages its own tissue and organs in the process.
The World Health Organisation estimates it affects about 30 million people each year and that about six million die.
Of those about three million are newborns and 1.2 are young children.
Patients with septic shock must often have limbs amputated if clots in their limbs prevent blood flow, causing the limbs to die.
Campaigners say the condition is often diagnosed far too late by medical professionals and that many patients wait too long to seek treatment, confusing the symptoms with flu.
If you go
The flights
The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
The stay
Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
