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Expo 2020 Dubai to host New Year’s Eve spectacular despite COVID-19 concerns

Organizers at Expo 2020 Dubai have announced they will ring in 2022 will a large-scale spectacular – despite scaling back some activities at the site amid rising numbers of COVID-19.

Expo – the largest major global event to be held since the start of the pandemic – has announced a line-up of activities at the site on December 31 including a music festival front-lined by two DJs, two fireworks displays and a midnight ‘ball drop’ at al-Wasl Plaza.

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Organizers say the celebrations will be held against “a backdrop of extensive safety measures that will ensure an unforgettable New Year’s Eve”, according to a statement on its website.

It comes as Expo organizers suspended some activities that require close or direct contact as a precaution against the latest COVID-19 developments in the UAE, state news agency WAM reported on Monday.

COVID-19 cases in the UAE continued to climb on Wednesday, with officials reporting another 665 cases in the previous 24 hours.

The figures reflect a 47 percent rise on Tuesday’s figures of 452 cases and a 120 percent rise from Monday’s figures of 301 cases.

Some of the suspended activities at Expo include shows, and performance arts by roaming artists. Additionally, the Expo increased the number of PCR testing facilities, and enforced a PCR test on all front-line workers at the site as well as the entertainment employees.

However, organizers have promised a line-up of activities on New Years Eve with enhanced COVID-19 safety measures.

Aligned with numerous global time zones across 13 hours of festivities, Expo’s site-wide New Year’s celebrations will begin at 3pm on Friday December 31 and last until 4am on January 1.

DJ star Dimitri Vegas will perform at Expo’s Jubilee Park from 11.30pm followed by a set from Armin Van Buuren, one of the world’s biggest DJs and producers in electronic music.
Numerous Arab, Filipino and Indian DJs will feature throughout the evening too, with a midnight ‘ball drop’ moment at al-Wasl Plaza, two separate fireworks displays at midnight and 3am, as well as celebrations across many of Expo’s 192 Country pavilions – all heralding 2022.
More than 70 restaurants and 120-plus food concepts, including food trucks, food halls, restaurants, bars, kiosks and “never-before-seen concepts by international chefs”, will also be to hand on New Year’s Eve, organizers said.
The newly-opened Festival Garden in Expo’s Jubilee Park, featuring communal seating, a main stage, food trucks, kiosks and carts, will offer music and entertainment for the family, while a variety of restaurants across Expo will offer set menus, DJ performances and entertainment throughout New Year’s Eve.

Tareq Ghosheh, chief events and entertainment Officer at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Celebrated by every country in the world, New Year’s Eve is a unique moment in time – celebrations made ever more poignant over these past two years as we address the pandemic together.”

“As we continue to safely host 192 nations over 182 days, as the largest event ever held in the Arab world, we are thrilled to host a spectacular celebration of top class entertainment and activations, welcoming 2022 with open arms and renewed optimism for a brighter future.”
The largest major global event to be held since the start of the pandemic, Expo’s latest COVID-19 measures include the expansion of the number of on-site PCR testing facilities to four, and free testing for all Country Pavilion staff. While all frontline workers and entertainers continue to be tested on a regular basis, some close contact events, such as parades and roving entertainers, have been temporarily suspended as a short-term precautionary measure.
With more than 90 per cent of the UAE population fully vaccinated, Expo 2020 Dubai has required mandatory vaccination and boosters of all Expo and International Participant staff, volunteers, contractors and service providers.
Visitors ages 18 and above are required to present proof of any vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within the previous 72 hours. In addition, Expo 2020 maintains on site sanitisation stations and mandatory face masks both indoors and outdoors

Read more:

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Expo 2020 Dubai suspends some activities as precaution amid COVID-19 surge concerns

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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