Sheikh Hamdan tours Idex 2021 as organisers declare event a success

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed toured the International Defence Exhibition and Conference, and the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Dubai's Crown Prince viewed many of the latest defence technology products and visited the stand of Emirati defence company Tawazun.

He also visited the exhibits of Edge, the UAE defence conglomerate, Calidus, who make combat vehicles, and Arquus who launched their new armoured vehicle called Scarabee on Tuesday.

All three companies are based in Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Hamdan stopped by the Saudi pavilion, which exhibits a number of the Kingdom's companies specialising in defence industries.

At the end of the tour, Sheikh Hamdan said he was happy Idex went ahead, despite the current pandemic.

He also expressed his confidence in the professionalism of local companies, and their ability to accomplish the aspirations of the nation and its leadership.

Sheikh Hamdan was accompanied by Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, and Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Teleworking.

Lt Gen Abdullah Al Marri, Commander-in-chief of Dubai Police was also in attendance.

This year's Idex has seen multiple million-dirham deals, with Dh20.56bn worth of contracts being awarded in four days, about the same as 2019 levels.

“We are hopeful that we will pass the figure tomorrow,” Brig Gen Al Hassani said.

The largest contract was a Dh485m deal awarded to UAE based International Golden Group, while Al Tuff International and MBDA UAE secured deals worth Dh136.6m each.

The arms fair ends on Thursday.

Idex 2021

Visitors at the RCWS Remote Controlled Weapons Station located at the KOREA exhibition area in ADNEC. Victor Besa / The National
IDEX visitors practice social distancing. Victor Besa / The National
The Guardian XTREME MRAP by IAG- International Armored Group. Fully certified to STANAG-4569 level II Ballistic and Blast Certification. Victor Besa / The National
Visitors look at the Korean made K-12C3 7.62mm machine gun at the SNT stand. Victor Besa / The National
Abu Dhabi Police Ambulance on display. Victor Besa / The National
A UAE officer looks at the UAE made PGWDTI Bynuna Sniper Rifle System. Victor Besa / The National
The UAE made Bynuna Sniper Rifle System with a precision scope. Victor Besa / The National
Exhbition visitors practice social distancing while lining up for coffee. Victor Besa / The National

Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding

Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.

Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.

For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae

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Coming soon

Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura

When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Akira Back Dubai

Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5