Najwa Karam and Mohammed Abdo will perform virtual Eid concerts this week.
The Lebanese diva and legendary Saudi Arabian crooner will headline the Ma'ayadeen Ma'akoom (loosely translated to “celebrating Eid with you”) concert series, which also features Iraqi singer Majed Mohandis and Bahraini-Saudi artist Rashed Al Majed.
The concerts will be performed live, from Monday, May 25 to Thursday, May 28, from undisclosed empty venues and will be streamed exclusively through MBC’s Shahid online platform, under its paid subscription tier Shahid VIP.
Why are these shows a big deal?
While the online concerts model has been embraced in the region by mostly smaller independent artists, the Ma'ayadeen Ma'akoom concerts is the region's most high-profile virtual music offering and features some of the cream of Arabic pop music talent.
While the news follows a similar Eid concert series running from an empty Al Majaz Amphitheatre from Monday, May 25 to Wednesday May 27 – featuring Emirati Mohamed Al Shehhi, Iraq singer-songwriter Hatem Al Iraqi and Lebanese pop star Yara – it will be the Ma'ayadeen Ma'akoom event that the industry will be keenly following.
This is down to the high profile players involved in organising the event, including the Saudi Arabian government’s General Entertainment Authority, giant record label Rotana and pan-Arab broadcaster MBC.
With the regional pop music industry hit hard by concert cancellations due to Covid-19, the success of the Ma'ayadeen Ma'akoom concerts could point the path forward for other big Arab acts who are yet to be convinced to take to the online stage.
Here is a look at the performance schedule:
Monday, May 25: Majid Al Mohandis (11pm UAE time)
The 48-year-old Iraqi singer's success lies down to appealing to his mixed fan base. A dynamic performer, he can keep it smooth and soulful with ballads like Aatshan or keep it youthful with danceable numbers such as Bayni W Baynak and Saharni Hawaha.
Wednesday, May 27: Mohammed Abdo (12am UAE time)
Popularly known as "Fanan Al Arab" or "Artist of the Arabs" the Saudi Arabian singer, composer and oud player is considered a cultural treasure. His place in Arab pop music history is down to his often brilliant live performances and popularity of albums such as Masa' Al Khair and Al Amakin.
Wednesday, May 27: Rashed Al Majed (11pm UAE time)
One of the hardest working artists in the regional music business. At 50 years of age, the Bahraini-Saudi crooner, musician and producer has about 40 records under his belt, as well as 28 studio albums. Al Majed's first album, Ah Ya Qalbi, came out in 1985, and his most recent was Moseeba, which dropped in 2013. UAE fans saw him last year when he performed as part of the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics World Games at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.
Thursday, May 28: Najwa Karam (11pm UAE time)
It will be interesting to see how one Arab world's most electrifying performers takes to the online concert concept. Najwa Karam concerts are fun affairs due to her brilliant chemistry with both her band and crowds. With no audience in the venue and her musicians spread further apart due to social distancing, how will Karam cope? The gig is worth checking out to find that answer.
For more details on the Ma'ayadeen Ma'akoom concerts go to www.shahid.net
Match info:
Burnley 0
Manchester United 2
Lukaku (22', 44')
Red card: Marcus Rashford (Man United)
Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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ZIMBABWE V UAE, ODI SERIES
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday - Zimbabwe won by 7 wickets
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
The%20specs
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Pakistan Super League
Previous winners
2016 Islamabad United
2017 Peshawar Zalmi
2018 Islamabad United
2019 Quetta Gladiators
Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286
Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Price, base / as tested: Dh101,140 / Dh113,800
Engine: Turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 148hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm @ 2,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed CVT
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
