Ancient Moon rock and Mars meteorite part of Expo 2020 Dubai's stunning space show

Follow the latest updates on Expo 2020 Dubai here

Visitors who boldly go to the international pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai will see fascinating space objects such as Moon rocks and Martian meteorites.

As a new era of space exploration gathers momentum, many countries will use the global platform of the world's fair to highlight their stellar achievements.

France, the US, Russia and host nation the UAE are among the participants sharing a treasure trove of items brought back to Earth.

The six-month extravaganza will get under way on October 1, with millions of visitors expected from all around the world.

The National highlights some of the most interesting space shows visitors can experience during the world fair.

Marvel at the Moon at US pavilion

One of the largest Moon rock samples collected during the Apollo missions is going on display.

The mare basalt is estimated to be about 3.75 billion years old and is older than nearly all Earth surface rocks.

“Visitors will get up close to an actual lunar sample. American astronaut Jack Schmitt collected it near the lunar module landing site on Apollo 17. It is one of the largest samples brought back from the Moon,” Matthew Asada, deputy commissioner general for the USA Pavilion, told The National.

“The USA Pavilion’s theme ‘Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of the Future’ is strongly linked to US achievements in space.

“One of the exhibition’s star attractions is an eight-minute immersive media show which explores the future of America’s technological advances in the current century and beyond.

“This experience touches on the biggest and boldest ideas that the United States has to offer and presents the cutting edge of what’s possible – from the democratisation of space to quantum computing and more.”

A Martian meteorite sample found during the 2012-2013 season in Antarctica will also be on display.

An exact replica of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket welcomed guests into the US pavilion at the Dubai Expo. All photos by Reem Mohammed / The National
Organisers with the US pavilion are trying to find a new home in the UAE for the Falcon 9 booster model.
Space and technology was a major focus at the pavilion.
John Rakolta Jr, US ambassador to the UAE, during the handover ceremony of the pavilion, where he said Moon rock samples and a Mars rover replica would be on display during the world's fair.
Mr Rakolta said historic artefacts like US founding father Thomas Jefferson's Quran, which dates back 200 years, would be shown, as well.
The pavilion has a star-covered facade

Other highlights include a model of the Mars Opportunity Rover, which landed on the planet on 2004 and “died” in 2018 because of a dust storm.

Visitors will also be able to see a live feed transmitted from the Mars Perseverance rover – one of Nasa’s most expensive and ambitious Mars missions to date.

“And finally, as visitors exit the Pavilion, they will be greeted by the tallest structure on the Expo 2020 site by an international participant – a 43-metre SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket,” Mr Asada said.

“Standing tall as an example of sustainability in action, Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital-class reusable rocket, allowing the most expensive parts to be re-employed, bringing down the cost of space travel considerably.”

The US has a history of celebrating its achievements in space during world's fairs.

The Seattle Space Needle in the US state of Washington was built for the 1962 expo, which had ‘The Age of Space’ theme.

At the 1964 world's fair in New York City, the United States Space Park featured rockets and spacecraft.

French astronaut calls in from space

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet will speak to visitors at the Al Wasl Plaza in October during a live call from the International Space Station.

Mr Pesquet flew to the space station on April 23 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon and became the first French commander of the ISS.

He has gathered a large following on social media with his remarkable images of Earth.

Erik Linquier, commissioner general for France at Expo 2020 Dubai, told The National that the astronaut will visit the event in person in 2022.

“He’s at the ISS right now but he will be present in the pavilion, probably in January or February,” he said.

A ‘travel to Mars’ feature will be part of the French Pavilion’s main exhibition, where visitors will be transported virtually to the Red Planet through interactive displays.

From October 20-23, visitors will be able to observe colourful galaxies and nebulae with an advanced telescope made available at the French Pavilion by Unistellar.

“Space is really important because for us it's clearly linked with the main theme of Expo, when you talk about smart and sustainable cities,” Mr Linquier said.

“A large part of information and actions that will be used to reach the Sustainable Development Goals go through space, whether it is meteorological, geographical or geological information, geographical or geological information.”

Russia's star showing

The trailer of a commercial Russian movie being filmed on the ISS from October 5 to October 17 will be revealed at the Russian pavilion.

The film, titled The Challenge, follows the story of a Russian doctor who is sent to the space station to save the life of a cosmonaut.

Russian actress Yulia Peresild and award-winning director Klim Shipenko will fly into space for the movie.

“They have been preparing since May, undertaking intensive training and preparing for the flight,” Yekaterina Pribytkova, director of international communications at the Russian Pavilion, told The National.

“The movie, in my opinion, represents both characters’ story, as well as the challenges the actress would possibly face while filming in space.

“And, most importantly, it shows Russia’s innovations in space.”

The former Soviet Union has a long history of presenting its space achievements during expos, around the same time when the first space era took off.

At the 1958 expo in Brussels, the USSR displayed models of two satellites that were launched two months before the world fair.

A special display celebrating Yuri Gagarin, the first man to fly into space, was shown at the 1961 expo in Turin, Italy.

UAE celebrates historic exploits

Some of the UAE’s greatest achievements in space will be celebrated at the national pavilion.

These include sending the first Emirati astronaut, Hazza Al Mansouri, to the ISS, launching the first Arab mission to Mars, building the first lunar rover and selection of the first Arab female astronaut.

A space-themed show at the Al Wasl Dome will highlight UAE’s progress in space in colourful projections.

Space Week at Expo 2020

Space will be one of the thematic weeks at the expo.

From October 17-23, astronauts, policymakers, scientists and other leaders in space will gather to discuss progress being made in the field.

The event will take place before the International Astronautical Congress – the world’s largest space conference – at the World Trade Centre from October 25-29.

Sarah Al Amiri, the Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairperson of the UAE Space Agency, will attend the space week. Shelli Brunswick, chief operating officer of the Space Foundation, will also be speaking.

Behind-the-scenes of Expo 2020 Dubai's opening ceremony - in pictures

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

MATCH INFO

Manchester United v Manchester City, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

Match is on BeIN Sports

How to donate

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.

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

Selected fixtures

All times UAE

Wednesday
Poland v Portugal 10.45pm
Russia v Sweden 10.45pm

Friday
Belgium v Switzerland 10.45pm
Croatia v England 10.45pm

Saturday
Netherlands v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Denmark 10.45pm

Sunday
Poland v Italy 10.45pm

Monday
Spain v England 10.45pm

Tuesday
France v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Wales 10.45pm

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

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.

Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

Rating: 4/5

While you're here

David Powell: Thanks to Brexit, support for independence is growing among Scots

Damien McElroy: Johnson must take heed to Churchill's comments on Irish divisions

Gavin Esler: For British territories, Brexit will amount to being cut off from Westminster

WISH

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chris%20Buck%2C%20Fawn%20Veerasunthorn%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ariana%20DeBose%2C%20Chris%20Pine%2C%20Alan%20Tudyk%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Jebel Ali Dragons 26 Bahrain 23

Dragons
Tries: Hayes, Richards, Cooper
Cons: Love
Pens: Love 3

Bahrain
Tries: Kenny, Crombie, Tantoh
Cons: Phillips
Pens: Phillips 2

The specs

Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder

Transmission: CVT auto

Power: 181bhp

Torque: 244Nm

Price: Dh122,900

Mobile phone packages comparison

Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.

Results:

2.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.

Winner: AZ Dhabyan, Adam McLean (jockey), Saleha Al Ghurair (trainer).

2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.

Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.

3.15pm: Conditions (PA) Dh60,000 2,000m.

Winner: Hareer Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

3.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,700m.

Winner: Kenz Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

4.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh 200,000 1,700m.

Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.

4.45pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m.

Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.

Abu Dhabi GP weekend schedule

Friday

First practice, 1pm
Second practice, 5pm

Saturday

Final practice, 2pm
Qualifying, 5pm

Sunday

Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps), 5.10pm

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

Scoreline

Germany 2

Werner 9', Sane 19'

Netherlands 2

Promes 85', Van Dijk 90'

Company%C2%A0profile

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETuhoon%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYear%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFares%20Ghandour%2C%20Dr%20Naif%20Almutawa%2C%20Aymane%20Sennoussi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Ehealth%20care%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E15%20employees%2C%20%24250%2C000%20in%20revenue%0D%3Cbr%3EI%3Cstrong%3Envestment%20stage%3A%20s%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWamda%20Capital%2C%20Nuwa%20Capital%2C%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Huroob Ezterari

Director: Ahmed Moussa

Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed

Three stars

Killing of Qassem Suleimani

National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate

Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead

Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble

Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks

Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground

Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile

TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel

The Meg
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Starring: Jason Statham, Bingbing Li, Rainn Wilson
Two stars

INDIA SQUAD

Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami

Apple product price list

iPad Pro

11" - $799 (64GB)
12.9" - $999 (64GB)

MacBook Air

$1,199

Mac Mini

$799

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

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars

Ancient Moon rock and Mars meteorite part of Expo 2020 Dubai's stunning space show

‘The greatest show on Earth’ is set to make a cosmic impression with astronaut appearances and rare space objects on display

Marvel at the Moon at US pavilion

French astronaut calls in from space

Russia's star showing

UAE celebrates historic exploits

Space Week at Expo 2020

Behind-the-scenes of Expo 2020 Dubai's opening ceremony - in pictures

MATCH INFO

MATCH INFO

How to donate

Financial considerations before buying a property

ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS

Selected fixtures

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Wicked: For Good

While you're here

WISH

Jebel Ali Dragons 26 Bahrain 23

The&nbsp;specs

Mobile phone packages comparison

Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Results:

Abu Dhabi GP weekend schedule

Desert Warrior

Scoreline

Company%C2%A0profile

Killing of Qassem Suleimani

INDIA SQUAD

Apple product price list

The specs

Specs

The specs