Why Goa?
The behemoth Indian subcontinent can take years, if not longer, to get to grips with. In contrast, Goa, India’s smallest state, allows you to cover its length in a day. But by the time you lay your bags down and start sipping on coconut water with the ocean waves licking at your feet, you’ll realise it makes little sense to rush about here.
A week or two weeks can give you a fairly good idea of the landscape, from the streets of Panjim, the capital, to the palm-fringed villages; all strewn with architectural remnants from the colonial days. Then, there are the beaches. Creamy stretches of sand and warm water that draw swarms of visitors: young and old, hippies and hipsters, party-goers and paradise-seekers.
The Portuguese ruled Goa for 451 years, and the influence remains apparent in the customs and costumes, food and drink, intermingling of cultures and the peculiar fusion of Indian and European norms – Goa is not just about the beaches, as package-holiday companies will have you believe; It’s a combination of these eccentricities that distinguish Goa from the rest of India, giving it a loveable, welcoming charm.
A comfortable bed
The Park Hyatt Resort & Spa (www.goa.park.hyatt.com, 0091 832 272 1234) in south Goa is close to the airport and set on 45 tranquil acres along Arossim beach. It has excellent dining options as well as entertainment for children. Doubles from 12,000 rupees (Dh708).
To experience the grandeur of an original and lovingly restored palácio, a Portuguese mansion with antique furniture and decor, book a suite at Siolim House Heritage Boutique Hotel (www.siolimhouse.com, 0091 832 227 2138). Opt for one of two large suites upstairs but note there is no air conditioning.
Yogamagic Eco Retreat (www.yogamagic.net, 0091 832 652 3796), in Anjuna in north Goa, will appease any yogi who wants to practise in style under the guidance of authentic instruction, while lounging in luxury tents or suites made from local, sustainable materials. Doubles from 9,000 rupees (Dh531).
Find your feet
While the beaches are great, try to explore Goa from different angles. Hire a cab for the day for around 2,000 rupees (Dh118) and visit the historic churches and basilicas of Old Goa or book an exploratory walking tour (www.choltacholta.com, from 2,200 rupees [Dh129]).
Visit the magnificent Church of the Immaculate Conception in Panjim, shop at 18th June Street and discover the Hindu temples.
No visit is complete without eating with locals at a beach shack (try Curlies at Anjuna, www.curliesgoa.com or Anushka at Arossim – ask a local for directions). Nature lovers can book an intriguing wildlife tour with the guide, photographer and snake charmer Rahul Alvares (www.rahulalvares.com, from 2,300 rupees [Dh135]).
Meet the locals
Venture away from the tourist-jammed northern beaches of Baga, Calangute and Candolim and take a train (www.konkanrailway.com for schedules and fares) from Pernem in the north or a bus or taxi from Panjim down to the Agonda, Palolem and Patnem beach cluster in the south. For cultural stimulation, attend an exhibition, musical performance or indie film screening at Sunaparanta, Goa Centre for the Arts in Panjim (www.sgcfa.org, 0091 832 242 1311).
Book a table
Book an afternoon-long lavish tasting feast of Indo-Portuguese food such as prawn cutlets, vegetable soup and whole baked fish from 600 rupees (Dh35), made with locally sourced ingredients at the marvellously restored Palácio Do Deao in Quepem (www.palaciododeao.com, 0091 832 266 4029). The complimentary tour of the landscaped gardens is a treat.
For less fanfare, book a table at Mum's Kitchen (www.mumskitchengoa.com, 0091 9011 095557) in Panjim, where locals and tourists come to sample the famous vindaloos for around 180 rupees (Dh10).
Candlelight (0091 832 227 0157) in Siolim, while bordering on dive-ish, serves moderate portions of Goan favourites. The owner tightly guards the semolina prawn recipe.
Shopper’s paradise
Head to 18 June Street in Panjim, for a mishmash of clothing, souvenir and bookstores. Bargain at Benz (www.benznx.in, 0091 932 610 4111), a sari store off the main drag. The designer Wendell Rodricks's store (www.wendellrodricks.com; 158, near Luis Gomes Garden, Campal, Panjim) is worth a visit for bespoke resortware. Sacha's Shop (House #E526, SV Road, Panjim, 0091 832 222 2035) stocks an eclectic mix of affordable local clothing, accessories and homeware.
The markets around the state are worth a visit, too (www.goatourism.gov.in/shopping/local-markets).
What to avoid
While security has tightened in recent years, keep a watchful eye on your belongings, especially if you’re staying in a beach shack.
Don’t miss
Explore a palácio. The historian Luis Dias conducts bespoke tours of the old Mint House of the Estado da India belonging to his family, giving insight into Goa's multilayered past (www.luisdias.wordpress.com, diasfluis@gmail.com).
Getting there
Jet Airways (www.jetairways.com) flies direct from Abu Dhabi to Goa, from Dh1,260 return. Etihad (www.etihad.com) flies to Goa, with a stop in Mumbai, from Dh1,490 return.
weekend@thenational.ae
The specs
Common to all models unless otherwise stated
Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi
0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)
Power: 276hp
Torque: 392Nm
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD
Price: TBC
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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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
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
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDamian%20Szifron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shailene%20Woodley%2C%20Ben%20Mendelsohn%2C%20Ralph%20Ineson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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.
Top 10 most polluted cities
- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
