Dubai's Emirates Airline issues visa, Covid-19 test guidelines for Nigerian & other tourists

Dubai-based carrier, Emirates, has issued guidelines for tourists on Tuesday.

The fresh travel update comes after UAE authorities announced the resumption of visit visas to Covid-vaccinated tourists from August 30. 

Holders of all types of visa and/or entry permits granted by authorities in the UAE can now fly to Dubai. The approved visa categories are: Employment, short or extended stay, visit, and newly issued residence visa. 

Here are the procedures for tourists travelling to Dubai: 

- Check if you need a visa. Depending on your nationality you can get a visa on arrival, or you can apply for your prearranged visit visa from Dubai Immigration before you travel. 

- GDRFA or ICA approval is not required for tourists travelling to the UAE. 

Passengers arriving from the following countries must follow specific protocols: Covid-19 test protocols for travellers from Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Indonesia are as follows: 

- A valid negative Covid19 PCR test certificate with a QR code issued within 48 hours of the time the sample was collected from an approved health facility 

- A rapid PCR test report with a QR code for a test conducted at the departure airport within six hours of departure

50 facts about #Expo2020Dubai with about 30 days to go

Let the count down begin....

The final touches are being applied to the site at Expo 2020 Dubai, with less than 50 days to go until the world fair opens its doors. 

Nevertheless, there is still so much we do not know about the exhibits and pavilions. Much of this is deliberate, as participating countries are keen to keep their attractions under wraps to build anticipation. Some details, however, are starting to slip out. 

The National found out 50 facts you may not yet know about Expo 2020 Dubai. 

1. More than 100 robots manufactured in China will greet visitors, deliver food, help with directions and take photographs.

2. There will be two-hour Khaleeji-led “jam sessions” once a month, called Jalsat Nights @Expo.

3. More than 30,000 volunteers have signed up to help at Expo 2020 Dubai. Emiratis make up 61 per cent of all 18 to 24 year olds within the workforce. 

UAE residents of numerous nationalities make up the remainder. 

4. The Korean pavilion will showcase the best of K-Pop, with several bands booked to perform, including Stray Kids, who have been appointed pavilion ambassadors. 

5. Multi-sensory studio Bompas & Parr will host a theatrically decadent, multisensory experience at Expo 202 Dubai, entitled “Introducing The Future of Food: Epochal Banquet”. The two-hour culinary odyssey will take place in September. 

6. Opti, a golden robot known as the guardian of the Opportunity Pavilion, is an Expo mascot. 

7. India's four-storey structure and facade is made up of 600 individual blocks that are capable of kinetic movements, symbolising “India on the Move". 

8. Expo 2020 Metro Station, with an aircraft wing design, was built to take passengers to the entrance of the World Fair. It is the final station on Dubai’s new Route 2020 and can hold 29,000 people per hour during peak hours. 

9. The World Chess Championship will be hosted at Expo 2020 in November. 

10. If you want to be treated like a VIP while visiting Expo 2020 Dubai, you can sign up for the Jubilee Experience, giving you access to a special lounge, valet parking and other perks. 

It costs Dh10,000. 

11. Israel's pavilion is themed around a sand dune, with an open design so people can interact with the exhibits even if they do not enter the structure. 

12. The Spanish pavilion will include a hyperloop vehicle made by Zeleros. The craft arrived in July. 13. Vaccination against Covid-19 is not mandatory for visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai, but it is recommended. 

14. Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Arabic Language Day, World Poetry Day and Mother's Day will all be celebrated at Expo 2020 Dubai, with events held in a specially built amphitheatre. 

15. Australia's pavilion mascots are called Wattle and Jali, who are a koala and a butterfly. Jali means tree in the Bundjalung indigenous language, and like a tree Jali is an old spirit that connects the above with the below. 

16. Each country participating in Expo 2020 Dubai will be able to celebrate their national day — or an honour day — during the six-month event. The celebrations will be hosted in Al Wasl Plaza. 

17. Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman has recruited a group of female musicians to join an all-women ensemble for Expo 2020 Dubai. The Firdaus Orchestra will perform several times during the world fair. 

18. There will be daily fitness sessions held in the Expo 2020 Dubai park, from jogging to cycling tours. 

19. Sweden's pavilion is called “The Forest”. The wooden structure is designed to reduce CO2 emissions and act as a carbon sink. 

20. One of the highlights of the six-month Expo will be the celebration of the UAE Golden Jubilee, held over the course of a month, starting in early November. 

21. Expo 2020 Dubai will have a Youth Pavilion built and managed entirely by young people, for young people. An open creative space, it is designed to be a centre-point for youth activities at the world fair. 22. The disc-shaped Sustainability Pavilion is entirely operated by solar energy. Each E-Tree has an average of 120 rotating solar panels and follows the sun from sunrise to sunset. 

23. Expo 2020 Dubai is not just about entertainment! Business leaders will be encouraged to connect, and budding entrepreneurs will be nurtured under the Thrive Together programme, designed to leverage the connecting power of the world fair. 

24. Everyone flying to Dubai with Emirates during Expo 2020, between October 1 and March 31, 2022, will receive a complimentary Expo 2020 Dubai day pass. Those who are in transit will also be able to avail themselves of the offer. 

25. Every morning from October 1, thousands of students from schools in the UAE will host song and dance shows inside the massive Al Wasl dome. 

26. The Australia pavilion is planning to host a cricket exhibition match. 

27. British people living in the UAE should mark February 10 in their diary, as that is when UK National Day will be celebrated at Expo 2020 Dubai. 

28. Fancy a snack? Head to Singapore's pavilion where chefs from some of the city's most famous restaurants and street stalls will serve traditional coffee and snacks, including tapioca, green bean fritters, traditional chicken and beef satay. 

29. A shaded area in Expo 2020 Dubai called Ghaf Avenue is named after the traditional trees that grow in the UAE desert and provide a habitat for so many insects and mammals. 

30. Celebrated singer Ragheb Alama and Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi are both booked to perform during Expo 2020 Dubai. 

31. The exterior of Russia's colourful pavilion echoes the concept of the traditional matryoshka wooden stacking dolls, and the interior design is modelled on a similar concept, with a small entrance leading to a much wider space within. 

32. Expo 2020 Dubai will run 10 theme weeks throughout the six-month extravaganza. The first will tackle climate and biodiversity, and the second space. Other themes include tolerance and inclusivity, travel and connectivity, and food, agriculture and livelihoods. 

33. A rapid-response ambulance centre is to be set up at Dubai Investments Park to serve Expo2020. Five emergency vehicles will be stationed there. 

34. Morocco's pavilion is made entirely of rammed earth, using a traditional Moroccan construction technique to create 22 stacked rectangular sections. It was inspired by the Moroccan villages of the south. 

35. The only hotel at Expo 2020 Dubai is now taking bookings — for Dh1,000 a night including entry tickets. The Rove Expo 2020 has commanding views of the dome of Al Wasl Plaza, one of the main attractions of the event. 

36. The Expo 2020 Dubai site is bigger than 600 football fields. 

37. Russian ballerinas and principal dancers from Moscow’s famous Bolshoi Theatre will perform during Expo 2020 Dubai. 

38. The US pavilion will have an enormous model of the Space X Falcon 9 booster on display, plus Moon rock samples brought back by Apollo missions. 

39. Singapore's pavilion is built on the smallest plot, but plans to make a big impact with hanging gardens, exotic flowers and edible plants. Its designers aim to show how nature can thrive in a limited space. 

40. The Expo site will stay open later on Thursdays and Fridays, and visitors can enjoy music concerts and events starting as late as 10.30pm. 

41. The attractions at the newly revealed Saudi pavilion break three Guinness World Records. The structure features the largest interactive floor, the longest water feature and the biggest screen. 

42. Ireland was the first country to complete its Expo pavilion structure, which was inspired by the megalithic Newgrange light box, which dates back 5,000 years. 

43. The Austrian pavilion is made up of 38 cones coated on the interior with a layer of clay and reeds to keep it cool for visitors during Expo 2020 Dubai. 

44. Nearly a dozen contemporary artworks have been commissioned and installed around the Expo 2020 site, including a gigantic iridescent, oil drill-shaped sculpture by Kuwaiti artist Monira Al Qadir. 45. It took nine shipments for the three sets of 21-metre high gates designed by Asif Khan to reach Dubai. The portals were built in Bavaria, but are so large, they could only be transported along German motorways at night. 

46. Football legend Lionel Messi helped publicise Expo 2020 Dubai, and starred in an advert where he kicked a ball through the hole at top of the dome of Al Wasl Plaza. 

47. Switzerland's pavilion will include an installation called Swiss Fog Magnified, created with a thousand crystal glass droplets, varying in size, hanging from a mirrored ceiling. 

48. Japan's pavilion will showcase “omotenashi”, or Japanese hospitality, and visitors will be welcomed by traditional Origami shapes. One exhibit includes a mysterious floating mist feature. 

49. A robotic arm that will dig through the Martian soil will be on display at the Italian pavilion. The space drill is part of the ExoMars 2022 mission, which will be launched next year. 

50. Entry to Expo 2020 Dubai is free for under 18s, anyone aged 60 and over, and people with disabilities. Students with a valid identity card from any academic institution in the world can also enter free of charge.

Photos: This is Spotify’s Most-Streamed Artist Ever

In a new shift.....

Justin Bieber has been declared the most-streamed artist ever on Spotify, breaking a record that was previously held by fellow pop star and Scooter Braun client, Ariana Grande, who had hit 82 million in one month. 

Earning over 83.3 million streams last month — the highest number for any platform ever on the service — he eclipses his peers and proved that even if Justice wasn’t quite the return to form fans hoped it might be, fans clearly still found something to love on it. 

Surely the success of “Peaches,” his collaboration with Giveon and Daniel Caesar that went No. 1 hasn’t hurt those numbers any. Right behind Bieber in the rankings were The Weeknd, with 74.5 million monthly listeners and then Ed Sheeran who earned 72.4 million during his current comeback period featuring the new single “Bad Habits” and a reported “next stage” of his career. Of course, Abel Tesfaye has been in his superstar lane for a while now, and the release of last year’s After Hours only continued his massive success. 

Abel is another artist on the brink of releasing new music, so Justin might have a run for his money coming pretty soon. 

For now, it’s his moment to enjoy.

Kanye West claims his record label released his 10th studio album, #DONDA without his approval

Oh no!

Kanye West claimed his record label released his 10th studio album without his approval in a shocking post shared to Instagram on Sunday. 

The 44-year-old rapper took to social media hours after the midnight release of Donda, which had already been delayed by more than one year. 

'Universal put my album out without my approval and they blocked Jail 2 from being on the album,' he shared in grey block lettering. Donda was released on multiple streaming services Sunday morning, more than one year after it was first announced. 

His manager, Bu Thiam, confirmed that the record had dropped on social media, posting a screengrab of one of the album's 26 tracks alongside the caption: 

'Listening now Donda.

This African country makes the list of Coolest Country Pavilions at #Expo2020Dubai

The coolest country pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai:

Australia

Get ready to say G’day to the men and women from the Land Down Under. Australia’s Expo 2020 pavilion comes complete with music stage at the very entrance, meaning we can expect plenty of live performances, musicians and dancers to throughout the six-month run of the world fair. Talk about putting talent front and centre.

Belgium

The Belgian pavilion mirrors the country’s reputation of being the powerhouse of European mobility. But the key talking point here is the lush Green Arch exterior that champions biomimicry, a concept whereby solutions to modern day issues are modelled on nature. Visually it’s an absolute stunner and truly pays testament to the fair’s principles of sustainability. 

China

Dubai loves to do things large, and so does China. Boasting the largest country pavilion at the show, China’s impressive pavilion has floated into town in the shape of a traditional lantern. It is home to a fusion of ancient innovations cast in a modern light, but it is after dark that this behemoth structure comes to life, delivering a dazzling digital light show on its façade.

Cuba

Rumba music. Vintage cars. Sensational beaches. Cuba is known for lots of things, and one of our favourites is a certain mixed drink that has made its way onto bar menus across the globe. Head to the Cuban pavilion at Expo 2020 and you’ll be able to try a faux mixed drink version of the sweet, minty beverage while you learn about the history of the sugar cane capital of the world through a collaborative game. Once you’re refreshed and well-versed in Cuban history, you’ll also get to learn to dance the nation’s iconic cha-cha-cha in an enlivening true South American experience. Consider it a holiday without the air miles.

Finland

An Arabic tent made of snow. That’s how the Finland pavilion is being billed and, in homage to the host nation, the Finns have delivered a mightily cool design. The sweeping, drape-like exterior mimics a curtain opening, which we think is a pretty apt nod to the curtain raising on this blockbuster event at long last.

Hungary

Hungary has more thermal hot springs than any other country in Europe, and that fact is something that is championed all throughout this H20-centric pavilion. Guests can dip into an interactive exhibition showcasing Hungary's unique water resources, curative waters, bathing culture and balneology. We think the mushroom-cap-style architecture will make a splash, too.

Jamaica

Shipping containers take the centre stage at Jamaica’s spontaneous street party-style pavilion. Guests here will come face to face with some of the nation’s greatest sports people (fingers crossed Bolt himself is racing into town in the next six months) as you learn their stories and revel in the country’s rich art and history. But it’s not just in the arena where the Caribbean island has struck gold. Inside the music studio, tune into the likes of Bob Marley and celebrate the nation’s inimitable rhythm.

Luxembourg

Easily one of Expo’s most aesthetically appealing pavilions, Luxembourg’s space is designed to reflect the country’s ideas of openness, taking the shape of a Möbius ribbon, an infinite form. And get this: within the exhibit, if you aren’t in the mood to go down a flight of stairs, you take a slide that sends you straight to the pavilion’s ground floor. In fact, it’s the only pavilion offering this brilliant alternative to merely walking down the stairs, and we love the innovation.

Monaco

Expo visitors, start your engines. Monaco has made use of a sense-spinning kaleidoscope design to explore art, culture and innovation. Just by looking around, visitors can go on a Grand Prix of the famed sovereign city-state. To learn more about the natural side of things, passers through can pull into the pavilion’s Garden of Opportunities and immerse themselves in the country’s sunny climate and peak into what the future holds.

Seychelles

Many of the exhibitions and installations we’ve tipped so far have been land-based. So why not take a deep dive into the aquatic side of things? At the Seychelles pavilion guests can go on a treasure hunt below the waves. A strong theme of preservation accompanies visitors through the swell, and the hunt if as engaging as it is enriching.

Singapore

Swing by the Singapore Pavilion and you’ll be hard pressed to find where the architecture begins and the nature ends. It’s a veritable viridescent scene that’s more tropical rainforest than pavilion and arrives in the UAE with the message that architecture should be an extension of nature. It looks wild, and we’re betting it is.

South Korea

Like much of the world around us, the infrastructure surrounding the South Korean pavilion changes as time goes on. During the day, bright hues of red and yellow illuminate the tent-like structure, but in the evening, the pavilion takes on a new complexion as bursts of blue and pink light up the night. Inside, visitors can experience so-called wonder walks to experience South Korea’s developments in science and technology through augmented reality. You’ll find Time Out here pretty early on in proceedings.

The Netherlands

A cone-shaped vertical farm really sets the Dutch pavilion apart, and also gives it one of the smallest footprints in the entire Expo roster. The mushrooms sprouting in the farm will be used for anything from nutrition to construction. Tenders will be keeping the plants fit and healthy with the help or a revolving ladder that scales the cone. Well worth watching the watering process.

Tanzania

Home to Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa, Tanzania is a popular destination for adventure tourists. Now, everyone can embark on a lifetime in the country’s Expo 2020 pavilion, all without having to set foot on an aeroplane. Try to spot some of the nation’s most elusive animals on a virtual safari, or take a bird’s eye view of the Tanzanian fields. It’s the only place at Expo 2020 to spot an elephant whetting its whistle.

The Plus

This is our favourite pavilion to date – even as much as we love floppy-eared elephants taking a drink. Potato chip brand Lay’s has teamed up with Pepsi to bring The Plus pavilion to Expo 2020. Inside, along with being surrounded by the tasty snack, guests can learn all about the history of the humble potato chip, and its journey from the farmer’s hand to crunchy crisps in a bag, as well as the recycling possibilities each bag brings. Similar to the bubbles in a can of soda, the pavilion’s Equalization Zone will seek to inspire those visiting to rise to the occasion, and advocates for gender equality through a sensorial football interaction. Drink it in.

UAE

The final entry on this list but by far and away the most important pavilion you need to visit on your Expo exploration. The UAE pavilion showcases Emirati achievements (from construction the world’s tallest building to reaching Mars) and culture, and is set over four enchanting storeys.

Glad Tanzania Pavilion made the Time Out Dubai list, but in my view, also look out for Qatar, Saudi, Malaysia, USA, and Thailand Pavilions.

The Malaysia Pavilion was one of the best 3 at the #Expo2015 held in Italy.

UAE to give tourist visas to anyone vaccinated against COVID-19 from ALL countries including Nigeria

The UAE will begin accepting tourist visa applications for people who are vaccinated against the coronavirus from all countries starting from August 30, state news agency WAM reported on Saturday.

Applicants must have taken the full doses of the COVID-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organization. 

“This decision applies to countries from which entry was previously prohibited, given that people take the mandatory rapid PCR test at the airport. Previous requirements remain valid for non-vaccinated groups,” WAM reported. 

“It is possible to register vaccination certificates for travelers wishing to enjoy the advantages obtained by individuals who received the vaccine in the country, through the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship’s platform and the Al Hosn application.” The UAE had reported 998 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, 1,559 new recoveries and one death. This brings the country's tally up to 715,394 cases, 700,548 recoveries and 2,036 deaths. 

According to the UAE government’s website, the rules of traveling to Dubai as of July 6 are as follows: For Emirati nationals: 

A citizen of the UAE arriving at one of Dubai’s airports is exempt from the PCR test at the departure airport. However, he or she will be tested on arrival in Dubai. 

For UAE residents, visitors and tourists: 

If a person is travelling from any destination including the Gulf countries, he or she must present a negative result of a PCR test at the departure airport. This test should have been conducted within 72 hours before travelling to Dubai. 

The traveler will also be required to take another PCR test on arrival at Dubai airport if he or she is travelling from: 

Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Somaliland, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe.

Culled From AlArabiyaNews.

Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Manchester United! #Ronaldo #ManUtd #ManU #CR7

Manchester United have agreed a sensational deal for superstar player Cristiano Ronaldo to return to the club, 12 years after he departed for Real Madrid.

The 36-year-old is set to return to Old Trafford for a £12.8million fee which could rise to £19.4million with add-ons after the club stepped in following the collapse of his talks with their fierce rivals Manchester City. 

United said the deal was subject to the agreement of personal terms, visa and a medical, which is being carried out in Lisbon. He will reportedly earn a salary of £480,000-a-week, making him by far the highest earner at United. 

Ronaldo scored 118 goals during six seasons in Manchester between 2003 and 2009, helping the club under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson win three Premier League titles, a Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, two League Cups and one FA Cup.

Tickets go on sale for the world's biggest observation wheel, Ain Dubai, Bluewaters Island

Dubai keeps breaking world records!

The world's largest Ferris wheel is currently the High Roller in Las Vegas, which is 167.6m (550ft) in height. 

When Ain Dubai is unveiled this autumn, it will knock it off its perch. 

Last year, the TV documentary Impossible Engineering showed how the enormous wheel was constructed in Dubai. Now visitors will finally get to ride it from October 21. The record-breaking wheel is over 250m (820ft) in height, made up of 48 double-glazed cabins and can take 1,750 passengers at one time. 

In size and scale, Ain Dubai towers over any wheel to come before it. It's twice the size of the London Eye, which is 'only' 135m (443ft) tall and carries up to 800 passengers. When it came to the build, over 9,000 tonnes of steel was employed to create the structure. And it's held up by four legs each weighing the same as a Boeing 747 jumbo jet. The largest type of crane in the world was used in the process, and each part of the wheel was transported to the site by a barge. The hub and spindle – which connects all the legs together – is the heaviest part of the construction, though the rim of the wheel weighs about the same as 16 Airbus A380 jets. 

Ain Dubai is built on the city's manmade Bluewaters Island and offers views of the Dubai skyline, inviting passengers to 'gaze at the sunset's golden rays glittering across the skyscrapers'. When darkness falls, Ain Dubai – which will open both day and night – will be illuminated by LED lighting. 

Ain Dubai claims passengers can enjoy '19 truly unique and customisable experiences' on the wheel, from celebration packages to dining in the cabins. 

There are three main types of cabin - Observation Cabins, Social Cabins and Private Cabins. 

Ain Dubai says the Observation Cabins will offer 'never-seen-before Instagrammable 360-degree views' of the city. 

The Social Cabins feature beverage-inclusive packages 'that offer something for everyone', and passengers can upgrade to a premium cabin for 'VIP treatment'. 

Passengers can also book a ticket for the Ain Dubai Sky Bar Cabins, which serve drinks as the wheel rotates. 

Finally, the Private Cabins are geared towards events, offering celebration packages for the likes of birthdays, weddings, cultural festivities and business functions. 

Each rotation on the wheel takes approximately 38 minutes, though passengers can book two rotations of roughly 76 minutes. 

Tickets are now on sale for trips on the world's largest and tallest observation wheel, Ain Dubai. 

Ain Dubai ticket prices start from £26 (AED 130) and can be purchased at www.aindubai.com.

Photos: Kanye West sets himself on fire at his #Donda album party! Kim Kardashian wears a wedding dress!!

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian compliment each other!

Kanye West dropped jaws during his Donda listening party as he set himself completely on fire.

The rapper, 44, was dramatically set ablaze for several excruciating seconds near the end of his epic album party. 

The inferno began inside a replica of Kanye's childhood home, where the Stronger rapper sat still as he was consumed by the flames. Kim Kardashian wore a wedding dress and veil as she dramatically joined her estranged husband Kanye West on stage at the listening party for his new album, Donda on Thursday evening. The reality star wore a Balenciaga Couture dress while walking out onto the stage at Soldier Field in Chicago for the final song of the show, No Child Left Behind, which caused a frenzy at the stadium. 

Despite the appearance, insiders say Kim and Kanye are not back together, however are forever family, according to TMZ.