Dubai marked the end of the road for Ed Sheeran, for this year at least. After more than 100 shows around the world in 2017, his nearly two-hour performance on Thursday night at the Autism Rocks Arena was the final staging post on what has been an epic year.
Sheeran sold out the venue in minutes when tickets were released in May, but his appearance was thrown into doubt last month after the performer had, in his words, “a bit of a bicycle accident” and cancelled some stops on the tour. Fortunately, he not only came to Dubai, he charmed and conquered the sell-out crowd.
Arriving on stage just after the advertised 10pm start time, Sheeran's performance deviated just once from what is the traditional set-list for the tour (more of that later), as he opened with a trio of crowd pleasers: Castle on the Hill, Eraser and A Team, the latter being played out to a sea of smartphones held aloft by the crowd.
In marked contrast to Chrissie Hynde, who had blotted her own performance in the emirate last month by expressing her anger at concert goers using their phones to film her band The Pretenders while on stage, Sheeran actively encouraged the audience to turn their phone lights on during the song.
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Ed Sheeran in Dubai
Ed Sheeran enjoys jerk chicken at Dubai’s Miss Lily’s
A look at Ed Sheeran's weird history of accidents
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The sold-out arena had the air of a boutique out-of-town festival about it on Thursday night, with the lights of the city twinkling far away in the distance. And those who made the journey to the “middle of the desert”, as Sheeran described it, were in the mood to enjoy the start of the weekend.
There was plenty of mutual appreciation in the air. Sheeran made reference to his recent injury scare saying he “didn’t expect to be on stage” but was very happy to be there, a comment that drew energetic applause. He later said he was “loving the energy” of the Dubai crowd.
After an atmospheric and brooding performance of Bloodstream, Sheeran unexpectedly played Tenerife Sea, dedicating the song to a friend of his who was leaving the tour party and moving to Vancouver.
Crowd favourite Galway Girl drew, unsurprisingly, rapturous applause. How Would You Feel (Paean) arrived soon afterwards, for which Sheeran enlisted the help of P J Smith, a carpenter for the touring crew who also happens, somewhat serendipitously, to be an accomplished pianist. It was a standout moment in an evening of great heights.
Proceedings gathered further pace with an exquisite rendition of Photograph and a lively version of Nancy Mulligan. By the time Thinking Out Loud ticked around, providing another stunning moment, drops of rain were falling on the crowd.
Sheeran closed the show with Sing, before coming back to encore with Shape of You and You Need Me, I Don't Need You. Ever the entertainer, he said "thank you for having me" as he left the stage.
The compliment was, understandably, returned with interest.
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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More Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions:
Racecard
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP
Group A
Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti
Group C
Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia
Group D
Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Baniyas Group 2 (PA) Dh 97,500 (Dirt) 1,400m.
7.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m
7.40pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m
8.50pm Rated Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh 95,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh 85,000 (D) 2,000m
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
