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UAE to Open Expo City Dubai in October

Exterior view of the new Expo City Dubai, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 20 June 2022. (EPA)
Exterior view of the new Expo City Dubai, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 20 June 2022. (EPA)
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UAE to Open Expo City Dubai in October

Exterior view of the new Expo City Dubai, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 20 June 2022. (EPA)
Exterior view of the new Expo City Dubai, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 20 June 2022. (EPA)

Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced on Monday the opening of the Expo City Dubai in early October.

Sheikh Mohammed made the announcement after the historic success of Expo 2020 Dubai, which was visited by more than 24 million people and left a mark on the 170-year history of World Expositions.

"Today, we announce the transformation of the exhibition site into Expo City Dubai, a new city that represents the ambitions of Dubai."

He tweeted the announcement, adding that "Expo City Dubai will be an environmentally-friendly city that caters to families and future generations. A city connected to a port and two airports, and also to beautiful memories in the hearts and minds of millions of people."

The new city will include a new museum, a world-class exhibition center, and the headquarters of cutting-edge and fast-growing companies. It will continue to host the pavilions of Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, and others.

"It will be a city that embodies the dreams of every city."

Expo City Dubai – the legacy plan of Expo 2020 Dubai and part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan – builds on the momentum and resounding success of the six-month World Expo to create an environmentally-friendly, tech-enabled city of the future.

The city will open on October 1, 2022, and will include several flagship pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Expo Dubai also contains a group of diverse attractions, offices, recreational facilities, restaurants, cafes, sports clubs, and a shopping center reachable via the Dubai Metro.

The city includes the Dubai Exhibition Center, which provides world-class services for hosting exhibitions and conferences.

Several of Expo 2020 Dubai's most important attractions will remain in the new city, including the iconic al-Wasl Plaza, the Garden in the Sky observation tower, and the Surreal water feature. Alif, the Mobility Pavilion and Terra, and the Sustainability Pavilion will live on as interactive educational experiences.

Later this year, the Opportunity Pavilion will become the Expo 2020 Dubai Museum – a new addition highlighting the history and impact of the World Expos and celebrating the success of the six-month event.

Other attractions for visitors include the Women's Pavilion, which highlights women change-makers from around the world, and the Vision Pavilion, honoring the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

Visitors will also be able to explore the falcon-inspired UAE Pavilion and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion. Details of several other Country Pavilions – including reworked versions of Luxembourg, Australia, Pakistan, India, Morocco, and Egypt will be announced in the coming months.

Expo City Dubai will be free of single-use plastic and retain 80 percent of the infrastructure and buildings that have been constructed. It will also be the first WELL-certified community in the region, demonstrating the built environment's positive impact on health and wellness.

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Gulf

Jeddah Port Welcomes First Group of Sudanese Pilgrims

The directorate reaffirmed its readiness to manage pilgrim influxes at all ports -SPA
The directorate reaffirmed its readiness to manage pilgrim influxes at all ports -SPA
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Jeddah Port Welcomes First Group of Sudanese Pilgrims

The directorate reaffirmed its readiness to manage pilgrim influxes at all ports -SPA
The directorate reaffirmed its readiness to manage pilgrim influxes at all ports -SPA

The General Directorate of Passports at Jeddah Islamic Port welcomed the first group of Sudanese pilgrims arriving for the 1447 AH Hajj season, completing their entry procedures with speed and efficiency, SPA reported.

The directorate reaffirmed its readiness to manage pilgrim influxes at all ports by deploying state-of-the-art technology and multilingual, highly qualified personnel to ensure a smooth transit process.

Also on Friday, the General Directorate of Passports at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah welcomed the inaugural flight of Moroccan pilgrims arriving for the 1447 AH Hajj season.

The directorate reaffirmed its full readiness to manage the influx of pilgrims across all air, land, and sea ports by deploying state-of-the-art technology and multilingual, highly qualified personnel to ensure a smooth transit process.

Gulf

King of Bahrain: Iran Must Cease Meddling in Our Internal Affairs

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA file)
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA file)
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King of Bahrain: Iran Must Cease Meddling in Our Internal Affairs

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA file)
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA file)

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa called on Thursday Iran to cease interfering in the internal affairs of his country and Arab Gulf nations, stressing that the “nation comes above all and that Bahrain is a trust borne by all its citizens.”

In remarks to the media, he said the recent Iranian attacks against Bahrain’s “security, stability, and the safety of its people exposed those who betrayed the nation and aligned themselves with the enemy.”

“In times when nations face mounting challenges and when people are test, true positions are revealed,” he added, noting: “While the Bahrain Defense Force remained highly vigilant in defense of the kingdom, a small group of individuals chose to collaborate with the enemy and cooperated with those who violated national sovereignty.”

“This was a grave act of treason and an unforgivable crime,” he declared in remarks carried by Bahrain’s state news agency BNA.

King Hamad stressed that Iran must cease meddling in the internal affairs of Bahrain and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, expressing his “deep anger” over the recent developments and adding that the people of Bahrain share this sentiment.

He questioned “how one could not feel anger when those entrusted with the nation’s interests have betrayed it, and when those elected to represent the people stood with traitors who were rejected by public.”

“Public opinion stands united in rejecting such actions and called for the expulsion of those who cooperated” with Iran’s aggression, he went on to say.

“Those who betray the nation do not deserve the honor of belonging to it or the privilege of living on its land. Citizenship is not merely granted, but a binding covenant, and those who break it forfeit their right to it,” announced King Hamad.

Moreover, he expressed regret over the positions of some lawmakers “who sided with traitors instead of upholding their responsibility to protect national interests.”

He underscored the importance of maintaining unity and integrity within the Council of Representatives, adding: “Those who chose to align themselves with those who attacked the nation should go to them, as there is no place among the people for those who side with the country’s enemies.”

“The peoples of the GCC fully support the rulings against those found guilty of betrayal, including imprisonment and the revocation and withdrawal of nationality, and have called for further measures,” he went on to say.

“These deterrent measures are not acts of retribution, but a safeguard for the majority of loyal citizens, and a necessary step to prevent circumstances that could require the armed forces to assume control under military provisions in defense of Bahrain,” said King Hamad.

“Those lawmakers face two options: either to issue a clear apology to the people of Bahrain that restores trust, or to join those they chose to align with, who have left the country or been expelled under final court rulings for acts of betrayal,” he warned.

He stressed that parliamentary membership “is a trust and representation is an honor not deserved by those whose actions are tainted by betrayal. There is no place for them among the people, nor any honor in representing them going forward.”

Furthermore, King Hamad said that stability will not be restored, nor will normal life resume, “until ranks are cleansed of every traitor and accomplice.”

He reiterated that “the nation stands above all and that Bahrain is a trust borne by all.”

Gulf

UAE Announces Travel Ban on Nationals to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq

The flag of the UAE. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The flag of the UAE. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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UAE Announces Travel Ban on Nationals to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq

The flag of the UAE. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The flag of the UAE. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The United Arab Emirates foreign ministry on Thursday announced a travel ban on Emirati nationals going to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq, citing regional developments including the Middle East war.

Iran has targeted the Gulf nation throughout the Middle East conflict sparked by a US-Israeli attack before a fragile ceasefire was announced, including missiles fired at civilian and energy infrastructure.

"In light of current regional developments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) announces a travel ban on UAE nationals travelling to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Lebanese Republic, and the Republic of Iraq," state news agency WAM reported.

It said the ministry called on "all UAE nationals currently in these countries to expedite their immediate return" to the UAE.