The Olympics looms closer but is Brazil ready? A closer look at the five major issues of concern facing host city Rio de Janeiro.
Will the Yellow Line be ready – and safe?
The new Metro line linking Barra da Tijuca and the Olympic Village with the tourist-heavy Zona Sul was supposed to be ready months ago. After several delays, officials say it will now open on August 1, just four days before the start of the Games. Some residents continue to doubt whether it will be ready, while others question the speed with which the final hurdles have been overcome. Without it, fans and athletes will face several hours of daily nose-to-tail traffic.
Which world leaders will show their faces?
It was initially predicted that the Opening Ceremony of the first Olympic Games in South America would be attended by more than 100 world leaders but such a claim has not been repeated, especially of late. Local websites claim that, due to the messy political situation in the country and rising fears surrounding health and safety, only 45 leaders will attend the August 5 event at the Maracanã. The only confirmed attendee so far is UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon.
Will there be light?
Although the physical structures of the venues have been completed for some time, the infrastructure of some are still being installed. The electrical energy of the Olympic Park is still not complete and could create supply risks for other venues, as well as athletes’ accommodation in the Olympic Village. Test events experienced power problems earlier this year when a lack of light at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre caused scoring screens to switch off during swimming and diving tests.
Could WhatsApp cause chaos?
A Brazilian judge last week ordered local telephone companies to temporarily block access to WhatsApp amid an ongoing battle with the popular messaging service regarding its failure to cooperate in a drug trafficking investigation. It was the third time the service has been blocked in eight months and, with more than 10,000 athletes and 500,000 tourists expected to arrive in Brazil next week, any further ban could cause mayhem for both users and the Facebook-owned company.
Will there be a late ticket rush?
A Rio 2016 official confirmed last week that 1.7 million tickets remained unsold for the Olympics but added he was confident a last-minute rush would ensure a sell-out. He refused, however, to address claims 40,000 tickets have been returned due to safety fears in the city. With Brazilians having little pedigree or historical interest in sports such as fencing, skeet shooting or handball, camera crews may have to get creative with their angles or risk showing several rows of empty seats.
UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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Lampedusa: Gateway to Europe
Pietro Bartolo and Lidia Tilotta
Quercus
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
SPECS
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The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Bib%20Gourmand%20restaurants
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Blah
Started: 2018
Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and talent management
Initial investment: Dh20,000
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 40
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
Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km
MORE ON THE US DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
