Soldiers in pristine uniforms studied the latest Russian rifles, arms agents pitched for sales, while business deals were struck over coffee in a quiet corner of the exhibition halls.
Remote working, it was said, transformed how the world conducts business since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out last year.
But Idex 2021 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) has proved that Zoom is no match for face to face.
The mammoth defence exhibition is the largest in the region and showcases the latest in military hardware. The UAE Armed Forces awarded Dh5.03 billion ($1.37bn) in contracts on the first day alone. But it is also the first in-person event to be held in the capital since the pandemic broke out last March.
We feel really safe and that's mandatory for doing business
Saeed Al Mansoori, director of Idex, has been working 14-hour days, seven days a week, to ensure the exhibition is a socially distanced success.
"It put pressure on us but we were determined to deliver," he told The National, regarding the challenges of safely staging an exhibition amid the coronavirus crisis.
“We wanted to deliver something the whole world could learn from. We want people to enjoy the show and go home safe and healthy. For me it would be painful to see anyone get hurt or sick. As of now, we are keeping everyone healthy.”
Strict measures were in place across 35,000 square metres of exhibition space running through the 12 exhibition halls. International attendees did not have to follow the mandatory 10-day quarantine in place in Abu Dhabi but all those attending had to take several PCR tests, including one every 48 hours to access the event.
Daily tests for attendees are available in 19 hotels in the Adnec area.
Volunteers walked through the halls enforcing distancing, hundreds of stickers dictated how people entered and exited while sanitiser and masks were strictly enforced. Anyone who left a mask drop for even a few seconds were swiftly warned by staff.
“Six months ago, things were unpredictable and changing. The facilities the government has built since March made us confident we could do it,” said Mr Al Mansoori, referring to the UAE-wide PCR testing facilities and vaccine deployment.
After the dignitaries made their tour of the halls on Sunday, the exhibitors and attendees got down to business.
Unmanned and autonomous weapons from boats to surveillance systems dominated the display. Waging military warfare in the 21st century seems to increasingly mirror a simple games console that wouldn’t look out of place in your own home.
“It’s my fifth Idex and I can see how companies keep on innovating especially in homeland security and defence,” said Charles-Hubert Dufour, of French anti-drone maker Cerbair.
Mr Dufour's company was showcasing the Chimera, a portable drone hunter that can bring down a small unmanned object. “We feel really safe and that’s mandatory for doing business.”
But these advanced weapons sat alongside more typical pieces of military kit such as the AK-19 assault rifle from legendary Russian arms company Kalashnikov.
The AK-19 is making its global debut at Idex and people crowded around the stand to get a glimpse of the gun that looks uncannily similar to the original AK-47 first produced in the 1940s.
The Russian exhibits were among the most popular, along with Emirati defence group Edge. The 25-company strong Edge launched a series of new products on Sunday alone including new unmanned aerial vehicles.
"It was fantastic to be back doing business," said Alan Peaford, editor of Arabian Aerospace, looking at the Edge stand.
“So much depends on face to face meetings,” he said.
“There seems to be a total commitment throughout Abu Dhabi to make this happen and to keep us safe. A lot of international visitors that I have spoken to have commented on the pleasant surprise of how well we have been able to operate despite the restrictions.”
By 5pm the halls had grown quiet. Many had gone to take the free PCR tests, while others mused on the hard deals won and lost on the first day of an event that seemed to lift the global Covid-19 gloom.
“All the feedback I received today has been good,” said Mr Al Mansoori.
“We had 5,000 plus workers to make sure this show is safe, perfect and people are healthy. It has been perfect.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
CREW
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERajesh%20A%20Krishnan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETabu%2C%20Kareena%20Kapoor%20Khan%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Racecard
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
The National selections
6.30pm: Chaddad
7.05pm: Down On Da Bayou
7.40pm: Mass Media
8.15pm: Rafal
8.50pm: Yulong Warrior
9.25pm: Chiefdom
England Test squad
Ben Stokes (captain), Joe Root, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
Scribe
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Everton%20Fixtures
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The currency conundrum
Russ Mould, investment director at online trading platform AJ Bell, says almost every major currency has challenges right now. “The US has a huge budget deficit, the euro faces political friction and poor growth, sterling is bogged down by Brexit, China’s renminbi is hit by debt fears while slowing Chinese growth is hurting commodity exporters like Australia and Canada.”
Most countries now actively want a weak currency to make their exports more competitive. “China seems happy to let the renminbi drift lower, the Swiss are still running quantitative easing at full tilt and central bankers everywhere are actively talking down their currencies or offering only limited support," says Mr Mould.
This is a race to the bottom, and everybody wants to be a winner.
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULT
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
Arsenal: Aubameyang (13')
Chelsea: Jorginho (83'), Abraham (87')
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
Price: From Dh139,995
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Al Jazira 3 (O Abdulrahman 43', Kenno 82', Mabkhout 90 4')
Al Ain 1 (Laba 39')
Red cards: Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain)
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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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.