• An outside view of the Sustainability pavilion which features large “energy trees” in the shape of sunflowers are spread throughout the area and also distribute power. These rotate throughout the day to track and store sunlight
    An outside view of the Sustainability pavilion which features large “energy trees” in the shape of sunflowers are spread throughout the area and also distribute power. These rotate throughout the day to track and store sunlight
  • The sprawling Expo 2020 site is prepared to welcome the world later this year
    The sprawling Expo 2020 site is prepared to welcome the world later this year
  • A butterfly finds himself at home in the Sustainability pavilion
    A butterfly finds himself at home in the Sustainability pavilion
  • Sustainability is one of the expo’s key themes and aims to raise awareness of human impact on the environment
    Sustainability is one of the expo’s key themes and aims to raise awareness of human impact on the environment
  • The Sustainability pavilion is set to whet the appetite of visitors ahead of the grand opening of Expo 2020 Dubai in October. All pictures by Pawan Singh / The National
    The Sustainability pavilion is set to whet the appetite of visitors ahead of the grand opening of Expo 2020 Dubai in October. All pictures by Pawan Singh / The National
  • Reem Al Hashimy, director general of Expo 2020 Dubai and Minister of State for International Co-operation, unveils the spectacular Sustainability pavilion
    Reem Al Hashimy, director general of Expo 2020 Dubai and Minister of State for International Co-operation, unveils the spectacular Sustainability pavilion
  • The underground forest zone helps bring nature to life
    The underground forest zone helps bring nature to life
  • Inside the Sustainability pavilion. The pavilion covers 6,300 square metres of the expo site and is entirely operated from solar energy and recycled water
    Inside the Sustainability pavilion. The pavilion covers 6,300 square metres of the expo site and is entirely operated from solar energy and recycled water
  • The Sustainability pavilion boasts an interactive “underground forest” and “underground ocean” to raise awareness on the negative impact humans have on to the planet
    The Sustainability pavilion boasts an interactive “underground forest” and “underground ocean” to raise awareness on the negative impact humans have on to the planet
  • Visitors to the Sustainability pavilion can see how human consumption of daily items, such as meat, fashion items and paper, is harming the environment and leading to climate change
    Visitors to the Sustainability pavilion can see how human consumption of daily items, such as meat, fashion items and paper, is harming the environment and leading to climate change
  • A striking bat decoration is just one of the eye-catching sights on show
    A striking bat decoration is just one of the eye-catching sights on show
  • The Sustainability pavilion includes consumption halls, which demonstrate how humankind has impacted the environment
    The Sustainability pavilion includes consumption halls, which demonstrate how humankind has impacted the environment

Dubai Expo 2020: Public tours of Sustainability Pavilion to restart this week


  • English
  • Arabic

The Sustainability Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai will reopen for public viewing on Tuesday.

The attraction closed temporarily to observe the mourning period for the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, who died last week.

Bookings for Terra can be made at www.expo2020dubai.com up until April 10, with each visit costing Dh25.

The experience is open five days a week with limited operating hours and capacity restrictions because of enhanced health and safety measures.

Visitors who were unable to use tickets during the mourning period will be able to redeem them on any day or can request a refund by contacting 800-Expo or info@expo2020.ae.

The official opening of Expo 2020 Dubai is not until October 1, but members of the public can be part of the 'Pavilions Premiere' event ahead of time.

Sustainability is one of the expo’s three sub-themes and aims to raise awareness of the human impact on the environment.

The Sustainability Pavilion covers 6,300 square metres and is entirely operated from solar energy and recycled water.

A 130-metre canopy acts as a roof for the building and is covered with 1,055 photovoltaic panels that supply energy to the pavilion.

Massive "energy trees" in the shape of sunflowers are spread across the area and also distribute power. These rotate throughout the day to track and store sunlight.

The building's technology will produce annually four gigawatt hours of electricity.

For water, condensation is collected from the air-handling system, which is then filtered, disinfected and blended with near-surface brackish water. It is then desalinated on-site and supplied.

The pavilion uses a greywater recycling system and local plants to reduce water by 75 per cent.

Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions - in pictures

  • The US Pavilion at the Expo 2020 site. Reem Mohammed / The National
    The US Pavilion at the Expo 2020 site. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • The Netherlands pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Courtesy: V8 Architects
    The Netherlands pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Courtesy: V8 Architects
  • The Luxembourg pavilion, under construction at the Expo 2020 Dubai site. Courtesy: Luxembourg pavilion at Expo 2020
    The Luxembourg pavilion, under construction at the Expo 2020 Dubai site. Courtesy: Luxembourg pavilion at Expo 2020
  • France's Expo pavilion. Courtesy: France Expo 2020 Dubai
    France's Expo pavilion. Courtesy: France Expo 2020 Dubai
  • The Swiss pavilion for Expo 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    The Swiss pavilion for Expo 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The Australian pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Courtesy: Australian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai
    The Australian pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Courtesy: Australian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai
  • The Irish pavilion located in the Mobility District, near Jubilee Park. Courtesy: Embassy of Ireland
    The Irish pavilion located in the Mobility District, near Jubilee Park. Courtesy: Embassy of Ireland
  • The Austrian Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Austrian Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Bahrain Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Bahrain Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • Belarus's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    Belarus's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Belgium Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Belgium Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Czech Republic Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Czech Republic Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • Finland's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    Finland's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • France's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    France's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The German Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The German Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Italian Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Italian Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • Japan's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    Japan's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Monaco Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Monaco Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Netherlands' Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Netherlands' Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The New Zealand pavilion for Expo 2020.
    The New Zealand pavilion for Expo 2020.
  • Norway's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    Norway's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Omani Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Omani Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • Poland's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    Poland's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Saudi Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Saudi Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Spanish Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Spanish Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The South Korea Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The South Korea Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Sweden Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Sweden Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • The Swiss Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    The Swiss Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • Thailand's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    Thailand's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
  • An artist's impression of the UAE pavilion.
    An artist's impression of the UAE pavilion.
  • The UK pavilion at Expo 2020.
    The UK pavilion at Expo 2020.
  • Ukraine's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
    Ukraine's Expo 2020 Pavilion.
Profile of VoucherSkout

Date of launch: November 2016

Founder: David Tobias

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers

Sector: Technology

Size: 18 employees

Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake

Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars” 

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

Company Profile

Name: JustClean

Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries

Launch year: 2016

Number of employees: 130

Sector: online laundry service

Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding

Company%20profile
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Kill%20Bill%20Volume%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Quentin%20Tarantino%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Uma%20Thurman%2C%20David%20Carradine%20and%20Michael%20Madsen%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%204.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Aston Villa 1 (Konsa 63')

Sheffield United 0

Red card: Jon Egan (Sheffield United)

 

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

ABU%20DHABI%20CARD
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E5pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(Turf)%202%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E5.30pm%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Rub%20Al%20Khali%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E6pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAl%20Marmoom%20Desert%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E6.30pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELiwa%20Oasis%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAl%20Khatim%20Desert%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7.30pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Al%20Quadra%20Desert%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

Why seagrass matters
  • Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
  • Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
  • Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
  • Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Scoreline:

Everton 4

Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', ​​​​​​​Digne 56', Walcott 64'

Manchester United 0

Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey

Directed by: Pete Doctor

Rating: 4 stars

The Al Barzakh Festival takes place on Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm in the Red Theatre, NYUAD, Saadiyat Island. Tickets cost Dh105 for adults from platinumlist.net

MEFCC information

Tickets range from Dh110 for an advance single-day pass to Dh300 for a weekend pass at the door. VIP tickets have sold out. Visit www.mefcc.com to purchase tickets in advance.

Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows

Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.

Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.

The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.

After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.

The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.

The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.

But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.

It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)

What is THAAD?

It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.

Production:

It was first created in 2008.

Speed:

THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.

Abilities:

THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".

Purpose:

To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.

Range:

THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.

Creators:

Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.

UAE and THAAD:

In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.

Spec%20sheet
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.7%22%20Retina%20HD%2C%201334%20x%20750%2C%20625%20nits%2C%201400%3A1%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20P3%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EChip%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20A15%20Bionic%2C%206-core%20CPU%2C%204-core%20GPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%2C%20f%2F1.8%2C%205x%20digital%20zoom%2C%20Smart%20HDR%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%2B%40%2024%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full%20HD%2B%40%2030%2F60fps%2C%20HD%2B%40%2030%20fps%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EFront%20camera%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7MP%2C%20f%2F2.2%2C%20Smart%20HDR%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%3B%20HD%20video%2B%40%2030fps%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%2015%20hours%20video%2C%2050%20hours%20audio%3B%2050%25%20fast%20charge%20in%2030%20minutes%20with%2020W%20charger%3B%20wireless%20charging%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Touch%20ID%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP67%2C%20dust%2C%20water%20resistant%20up%20to%201m%20for%2030%20minutes%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1%2C849%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Fines for littering

In Dubai:

Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro

Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle. 
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle

In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches 

FINAL SCORES

Fujairah 130 for 8 in 20 overs

(Sandy Sandeep 29, Hamdan Tahir 26 no, Umair Ali 2-15)

Sharjah 131 for 8 in 19.3 overs

(Kashif Daud 51, Umair Ali 20, Rohan Mustafa 2-17, Sabir Rao 2-26)

Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

'Shakuntala Devi'

Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra

Director: Anu Menon

Rating: Three out of five stars

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.

Stat of the day – 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.

The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227-4 at the close.