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Museum of Future in Dubai welcomes 4 million visitors

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DUBAI, Aug 4 (WAM/APP): Dubai’s Museum of the Future celebrates another remarkable milestone, with more than 4 million visitors from around the globe since its official opening on 22 February 2022. This achievement reinforces the museum’s status as one of the world’s leading cultural and scientific landmarks, and among the most visited destinations both regionally and globally.

This recent milestone comes less than four years after the museum’s opening, underscoring its growing appeal as an exceptionally unique destination that blends science fiction, immersive experiences, and visionary foresight within an integrated system of knowledge and culture. The museum truly embodies Dubai’s vision and mission to pioneer in foresight future-shaping.

The Museum of the Future continues to fulfil its role as a global hub for innovation and future thinking, a unifying platform for changemakers, thought leaders, experts, and a key driver of scientific and technological progress on a global scale.

Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Museum of the Future, stated that the museum’s record number of visitors is a vivid embodiment of the exceptional vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to consolidate Dubai’s position as a global hub for the future and a destination that embraces creators, scientists, and innovators from around the world.

He added: “The Museum of the Future embodies the ambition of Dubai to become a global capital for designing and shaping the future; a beacon of hope that brings together optimists and aspirants from all cultures and nationalities. The museum is not merely an architectural monument, it is a platform for empowerment and capacity-building, aiming to ignite the spark of inspiration in those who aspire to shape the future by posing big questions and anticipating possible answers.”

Al Gergawi added: “The Museum of the Future is a vibrant centre for knowledge and thought, striving to enhance cultural and intellectual exchange and to revive the civilisational role of the Arab region in shaping the future of humanity. The museum will continue to make impactful contributions in supporting Dubai’s and the UAE’s future strategies across various fields, whether through its dialogue platforms, knowledge programs, or global partnerships with prestigious institutions and research centres.”

“We believe that the future is not something to be waited for but rather created. From this perspective, the Museum of the Future embraces the culture of future foresight that has transformed the UAE into one of the world’s most advanced countries in less than fifty years. Like our city Dubai, the museum will remain a symbol of tolerance, coexistence, openness, creativity, and innovation, attracting diverse cultural, philosophical and social perspectives to establish a future rooted in the values of the UAE and the Arab world, and inspired by the journey of humanity,” Al Gergawi concluded.

Located in the heart of Dubai, the Museum of the Future is a prominent destination for government officials, decision-makers, experts, intellectuals and hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. It serves as a global platform for converging visions and ideas as well as a permanent platform for dialogue around the challenges and opportunities facing the future of humanity.

Since its opening, the museum has hosted 423 events, conferences, forums, and seminars, covering diverse topics such as AI, sustainable cities, and the future of education, health, economy, work, and technology. These events have also addressed the arts and numerous other fields, all with a focus on placing humanity’s well-being at the forefront.

The Museum of the Future has firmly established itself as one of Dubai’s leading cultural landmarks and a top destination for visitors from around the world.

It has also become a key destination for leaders, officials and dignitaries during their visits to the UAE. Over the past year alone, the museum has welcomed a number of international dignitaries, including the Prime Minister of Lebanon, the Vice President of Tanzania, the Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium, the Prime Minister of Vietnam, and the former President of the Republic of Liberia.

The museum’s guests included Andry Rajoelina, President of the Republic of Madagascar; Félix Ulloa, Vice President of the Republic of El Salvador; Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic; and Željka Cvijanović, Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Museum of the Future also welcomed 610 international media delegations, who covered its wide range of activations, experiences and events, highlighting its key role in shaping conversations about the future. It also drew visitors from over 180 nationalities, reinforcing its role as a cultural and interactive bridge between people from around the world.

Throughout the year, the Museum of the Future continues to strengthen its position as a dynamic platform, hosting a diverse range of unique events and initiatives that explore future challenges from scientific, humanitarian, and technological perspectives. The Dubai Future Forum is one of the most prominent of these initiatives, as it is the largest global gathering of futurists. It has hosted more than 3650 experts from over 100 states, acting as a platform for exchanging visions on the future paths of some of the most vital sectors.

The Museum of the Future hosts dozens of conferences, events, and global gatherings annually, including prominent activities as part of the ‘Dubai AI Week,’ which took place last April under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Dubai Future Foundation Board of Trustees. The event welcomed more than 30,000 participants and experts from around the world, as well as the largest global technology companies and the most promising startups.

The 2025 edition of ‘Dubai AI Week,’ organised by the Dubai Center for Artificial Intelligence, is an initiative of the Dubai Future Foundation. It included 10 major events across the city, more than 250 panel discussions and workshops and witnessed the launch of over 30 initiatives, partnerships and agreements between government entities, the private sector, investors and startups.

The Museum of the Future has launched a series of intellectual lectures, titled ‘Lessons from the Past at the Museum of the Future’. As part of this series and throughout 2025, the world-renowned historian and researcher, Dr. Roy Casagranda, has been delivering lectures, drawing on his extensive expertise in the history of civilisations and his unique ability to present past stories and experiences in an inspiring way. This initiative aligns with the museum’s commitment to strengthening its role as a platform for intellectual innovation, sustainable learning, and future foresight. The new program, which includes over 10 exclusive lectures, aims to explore key milestones in history in an interactive manner that highlights aspects that can be utilised and invested in effectively.

Both the ‘Future Talks’ and ‘Future Experts’ series play a central role in the museum’s annual agenda. Held regularly, these sessions tackle cutting-edge topics such as AI, sustainability, education, the arts, and the economy, featuring a select group of international thinkers, decision-makers, and experts.

In a unique intellectual and cultural setting, the Museum hosts the ‘Ramadan Majlis’, bringing together a distinguished group of experts and thinkers for discussions that explore the role of values in shaping the future. These discussions focus on how ethical principles can guide the development of modern technologies, with the aim of fostering a more humane and responsible future.

The Museum is committed to empowering younger generations with future readiness skills through programs like the annual ‘Future Heroes Summer Camp.’ This initiative offers children and young adults a unique chance to explore the future through hands-on workshops and immersive experiences, equipping them with the creativity and knowledge to navigate the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

The museum also hosts a series of workshops around future-focused careers that keep pace with the latest professional trends. These workshops focus on specialised sectors such as agri-tech, vertical farming, and careers in sustainability, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of the skills required in an ever-changing world.

The museum’s hosting of the international Gaming Matters event marked a milestone in exploring the future of the video games industry. It brought together leading global companies such as Epic Games and Walt Disney, along with experts and designers from the esports sector, to exchange insights on future trends in this rapidly growing field.

The Museum of the Future reflects Dubai’s ambitious spirit, where creativity and innovation know no bounds. It represents the confluence of the past, present, and future in an exceptional architectural landmark designed to reflect human progress and serve as an open platform for imagination, experience and discovery.

With over 4 million visitors, the museum proves that it’s not just a unique architectural icon but also a vibrant space for engaging with and shaping the future, within an inspiring environment that celebrates the human mind and its capacity for imagination and change.

Nepal values time-tested friendship with China: prime minister

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KATHMANDU, Aug 4 (BRNN/APP): Nepal values the “time-tested friendship” with China and looks forward to further advancing bilateral relations, Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said Friday.

Over the past seven decades, Nepal-China relations have grown stronger, grounded in mutual trust and guided by shared values, Oli said at a reception held to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Nepal and China.

Nepal firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and China has consistently respected Nepal’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, he said.

He added that Nepal deeply values the time-tested friendship with China, which is both a close neighbor and a trustworthy development partner.

The country looks forward to further developing bilateral relations by expanding cooperation, deepening connections and creating new paths for mutual benefit, said the prime minister.

Oli highlighted China’s achievements in pursuing national rejuvenation, saying these achievements benefit China and also contribute to regional stability and global progress.

Speaking at the reception, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song noted that the two countries have built strong trust over the past 70 years. “In a world full of changes and challenges, China is ready to strengthen high-level exchanges with Nepal, deepen political mutual trust, and firmly support each other’s core interests on the global stage,” Chen said.

He added that China is ready to assist Nepal in addressing its development challenges with Chinese solutions.

Seminar to explore Minsk regional archaeological heritage on 15 August

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MINSK, Aug 4 (BelTA/APP): The National Tourism Agency will hold an on-site seminar focusing on the Minsk regional archaeological heritage on 15 August to mark Archaeologist Day, BelTA learned from the National Tourism Agency of Belarus.

The event will spotlight regional tourism opportunities and promote networking among Belarusian travel professionals.

“Seminar participants will visit the ancient hillforts on the Menka River and in the town of Zaslavl, the Museum of Belarusian Malyavanka [traditional painted rugs]. The program also includes a walking tour of Volozhin’s historic downtown featuring St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, the palace-park complex of the Tyszkiewicz noble family and the exhibition celebrating Volozhin Yeshiva.

Last year, a similar seminar explored the Menka archaeological site as a case study. The seminar brought together officials from the Tourism Department of the Sports and Tourism Ministry, representatives of the National Tourism Agency, tour operators and travel information centers, licensed tour guides and tourism education specialists. The roundtable discussion was held to discuss “Archaeological Heritage as a Tool for Promoting Historical and Cultural Tourism”.

Belarus clinch 2025 Continental Futsal Championship bronze

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MINSK, Aug 4 (BelTA/APP): Belarus secured third place at the 2025 Continental Futsal Championship in Nonthaburi, Thailand, BelTA has learned.

In the bronze medal match on 3 August, Aleksandr Chernik’s squad dominated Chinese Taipei with a 6-1 victory.

The semifinal saw Belarus fall 1-3 to Thailand. Earlier group stage results included wins against Zambia (4-0) and Australia (2-1), with a single loss to Saudi Arabia (2-4) in Group B.

The championship concludes with Saudi Arabia facing Thailand for gold, while Australia claimed fifth place with a narrow 1-0 win over New Zealand.

For the Belarusian team, this tournament serves as the first stage of preparations for the UEFA Futsal Euro 2026, set to be held in early 2026 across venues in Lithuania, Latvia, and Slovenia.

Currency rates of NBP

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KARACHI, Aug 04 (APP):Following are the selling/buying rates of major currencies issued by the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), here on Monday.
CURRENCY                   SELLING          BUYING
USD                              284.52              281.47
GBP                               378.00               373.54
EUR                               329.51               325.65
JPY                                 1.9269               1.9044
AED                                75.85                 74.96
SAR                                77.48                 76.55

Kazakhstan’s GDP growth estimate for 2024 revised upward to 5%

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ASTANA, Aug 04 (Kazinform/APP) : According to official data from the National Statistics Bureau, Kazakhstan’s economic growth in 2024 was recorded at 5%, Kazinform News Agency reports citing the Ministry of National Economy. By preliminary estimates, GDP growth was at 4.8%.
As the National Statistics Bureau says, in 2024, economic growth was largely fueled by non-oil sector’s development. Production of goods augmented by 6.3% (by preliminary data – 5.5%), and services sector reported a 4.6% growth.
One of the key factors is a 6.8% ramp-up in manufacturing industry (previously 5.9%), marking the highest indicator since 2011. A significant contribution was also made by the construction sector at 15.3% (previously 13.1%) and agriculture at 13.7% (previously 13.3%).
Domestic trade volumes grew by 8.9% (previously 8.8%), transport and warehousing services increased by 9.4% (previously 8.5%).
These results became possible due to support of real sector, transport-logistics infrastructure development, stimulation of investment activity and expansion of accessibility of financial tools.  The comprehensive implementation of economic policy contributed to the strengthening of domestic demand, rise in business activity and the expansion of production potential. Earlier it was reported that the IMF projects 3% growth in 2025 in updated outlook.

Belarusian Railways set to increase Minsk-Moscow line service frequency

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MINSK, Aug 4 (BelTA/APP): Belarusian Railways is considering increasing the frequency of trains on the Minsk-Moscow route, Belarusian Railways head Valery Verenich said in an interview to BelTA.

In January-June 2025 Belarusian Railways transported over 28 million passengers across all routes, with domestic travel accounting for 93.1% of the total volume. International passenger traffic to Russia (including transit) reached 1.7 million, a 14.2% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Moscow and St. Petersburg remain the most popular destinations, comprising nearly 86.4% of direct international passenger traffic.

“Moving forward, we plan to maintain all existing international routes while exploring options to increase frequency on the Minsk-Moscow line,” Valery Verenich said.

Regarding domestic services, Belarusian Railways launched regular electric train service between Mozyr, Kalinkovichi and Minsk in November 2024 to strengthen regional connectivity. The new route has already served nearly 300,000 passengers.

EXCHANGE RATES FOR CURRENCY NOTES 

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KARACHI, Aug 04 (APP):EXCHANGE RATES FOR CURRENCY NOTES
CURRENCY          SELLING                      BUYING
USD                     284.52                      281.47
GBP                     378.00                      373.54
EUR                     329.51                      325.65
JPY                      1.9269                     1.9044
SAR                      75.85                      74.96
AED                      77.48                      76.55
LIBOR
LIBOR FOR CALCULATING INTEREST ON SPECIAL USD BONDS
LIBOR 1M 4.3513
LIBOR 3M 4.3212
LIBOR 6M 4.2395
US DOLLAR Indicative FBP Rates
CURRENCY SIGHT/
15 DAYS1M2M 3M4M 5M 6M
USD281.30280.01277.36275.10272.57 269.99267.66
EUR326.08325.00 322.49320.48 318.13 315.65 313.46
GBP373.74372.10368.64365.69 362.39358.97355.88

Foreign exchange rates

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KARACHI, Aug 04 (APP): The Exchange Rates Committee of Financial Markets Association of Pakistan issued the following exchange rates bulletin, here on Monday.

CONVERSION RATES FOR AUG 04, 2025 FOR FOREIGN CURRENCY FOR FORWARD COVER FOR DEPOSITS (EXCLUDING FE 25 DEPOSITS)

SBP SETTLEMENT VALUE DATE AUGUST 06, 2025

USD 282.6872
GBP 372.5818
EUR 322.6309
JPY 1.8767

President felicitates Green Shirts on winning T20 series against West Indies

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 4 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday congratulated the Pakistan cricket team on winning the T20 series against West Indies.

The president, in a statement, lauded the national team’s determination, hard work, and teamwork.

“Pakistani players have won hearts with their outstanding performance. This victory is the result of the national team’s hard work,” he remarked.

The president expressed the hope that the national team would continue to achieve successes in the future too.