Opera, ballet, new restaurant openings and free film screenings are just some of the great events to look forward to as temperatures rise in the month of April. The Arts & Life team rounds up their top picks.
April 2 See a Bollywood film
Head down to Mushrif Park for the final film of the 7th Art Al Fresco screening, PK. The movie, directed by Rajkumar Hirani and starring Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, with Sanjay Dutt and Anushka Sharma, is a touching and charming drama about an alien who gets lost on Earth and his mission to get back home, while tackling the social issues and religious dogmas that affect India.
• 6.30pm, Mushrif Park, Abu Dhabi
April 6 World Art Dubai
The second edition of the country’s only affordable art fair welcomes galleries from all over the world. It is the perfect place to pick up a unique piece of art from emerging talents, who will be selling works for between Dh1,000 and Dh10,000.
• From 2pm to 9pm, running until April 9, Dubai World Trade Centre; www.worldartdubai.com
April 7 Watch an acclaimed Emirati documentary
Catch the UAE's first public screening of award-winning documentary Nearby Sky, following its success at film festivals in Dubai, Hong Kong and Edinburgh. Nearby Sky follows the life of Fatma Al Hameli, the first female Emirati camel owner to attend the country's camel beauty contests and auctions.
• 7pm, Vox Cinemas Nation Towers, Abu Dhabi
April 8 A night at the ballet
The principal dancers and leading soloists from the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia will take the stage for a gala performance at Dubai World Trade Centre. Special guests of Gala Ballet – Iana Salenko, principal dancer of the Berlin State Ballet and Royal Ballet, London, and Steven McRae, principal dancer of Royal Ballet, London, will also perform. There will also be a second show on April 9.
• Tickets are from Dh580 on www.platinumlist.net
April 8 Catch American Idol for the last time
The influential TV talent show will come to an end after 15 successful seasons with today’s grand finale. See judges Harry Connick Jr, Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez cry rivers of tears as the show’s last winner is crowned. Previous idols who have gone on to mainstream success include Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, though victory isn’t a guarantee of future glory – anybody remember 2013’s Candice Glover?
• 4am, OSN First HD, (repeated 8pm); www.osn.com
April 10 Abu Dhabi Festival
The emirate’s greatest cultural celebration returns for a 13th edition with a typically impressive bill, including an intimate duet between French opera star Natalie Dessay and her husband Laurent Naouri (pictured) on April 10; a headline show Chinese pianist Lang Lang on April 14; two themed concerts from Orchestre de Paris on April 15 and April 17; and a closing gala from Cuban dance star Carlos Acosta on April 25 and April 26.
• All at Emirates Palace stage; visit www.abudhabifestival.ae for tickets and the full programme
April 11 Portrait of a Nation
The UAE’s leading contemporary artists reflect upon their homeland with the opening of this new group exhibition. Featuring commissioned pieces and some from Abu Dhabi Music and Art Foundation’s collection, this event is part of the Abu Dhabi Festival.
• Runs until May 10. Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi; www.abudhabifestival.ae
April 14 Start the weekend with an elegant dining experience
Experience an authentic and lavish Middle Eastern culinary experience at Siraj. The newly opened restaurant’s menu is inspired by the region, with a menu focusing on fusing Emirati flavours with Levantine dishes. Guests are welcomed with a sprinkle of rose water and the scent of Arabic oud.
• Open from 12 noon to 1am daily, level 2, Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai; www.sirajrestaurant.com
April 16 Feel the funk
In a major coup for the UAE, a brand-new show from funk legends Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley will receive its world premiere at NYUAD’s Arts Centre. Entitled Funk: Evolution of a Revolution, it will use multimedia to trace the 50-year history of funk – alongside live performances from two men who helped define the world’s grooviest genre during their lengthy tenure in James Brown’s band.
• 8pm, free on registration, East Plaza, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi; www.nyuad-artscenter.org
April 18 Delicious and gluten-free
Check out the newly opened Tawa Bakery at Abu Dhabi’s Al Muneera Plaza, which is 100 per cent gluten-free. This is a perfect option for those who have coeliac disease, allergies or intolerances to the protein that is found in wheat, rye, barley and oats, or for those who would just like to hang out in the latest new beachside spot.
• 12pm to 10pm daily, Al Muneera Plaza, Abu Dhabi; www.tawabakery.ae
April 20 Race plastic boats
Challenge your designing skills by signing up for what is dubbed the first plastic-boat race to take place in Abu Dhabi. Let the creative juices flow and decorate your boats, and build sculptures and kites from recycled material for the competition at Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana. Or simply unwind and indulge in snacks and fresh juices with family and friends, while cheering for your favourite team.
• For more details, call 02 657 0224
April 20 Check out an explosive science show
The Ministry of Science duo Mike Goble and Emma Blackwell make learning fun with their explosive show, which will be staged at Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre. Youngsters and adults will see the entertaining side to science lessons as the artists showcase the lighter sides of physics and chemistry, with liquid nitrogen and hydrogen bottle rockets.
• Ductac, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai. Tickets are from Dh135 on www.ductac.org
April 21 Celebrate The Capital Club's 8th birthday
Practise your favourite James Bond line with a special 007-themed bash. That means the fellas must come looking suave and the ladies in glamorous gowns. Gourmet food and beverages will be supplied alongside musical entertainment. The only catch is that you need to come along with a club member.
• 8pm, Capital Club Dubai, DIFC. Tickets for club guests are Dh650. For membership details, visit www.capitalclubdubai.com or call 0 4 364 0111
April 27 Archival Photography: Practices and Projects in the UAE
Find out what constitutes an archive, how archives are built and maintained, and why they are important in this discussion among representatives of the leading archives in the UAE. Speakers include Karen Davies from the Crown Prince Court in Abu Dhabi, and Abdallah Al Bastaki from The National Archives.
• From 6.30pm to 8pm, Warehouse 421, Abu Dhabi; www.warehouse421.ae
April 29 One more outdoor concert before the summer
While sonically poles apart, Rudimental and Disclosure both struck gold in the halcyon summer of 2013 with the same formula of working radio-friendly hooks and timely vocal collaborations into their respective genres: drum n’ bass and deep house. Both acts will appear on the same bill for the first time at a new mini-festival at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre – likely to be the last gig at the venue before summer hits.
• From 4pm to 1am, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre; tickets, from Dh399, at www.lovemusicyourway.com
artslife@thenational.ae
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
IF YOU GO
The flights: FlyDubai offers direct flights to Catania Airport from Dubai International Terminal 2 daily with return fares starting from Dh1,895.
The details: Access to the 2,900-metre elevation point at Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 transport vehicle cost around €57.50 (Dh248) per adult. Entry into Teatro Greco costs €10 (Dh43). For more go to www.visitsicily.info
Where to stay: Hilton Giardini Naxos offers beachfront access and accessible to Taormina and Mount Etna. Rooms start from around €130 (Dh561) per night, including taxes.
Step by step
2070km to run
38 days
273,600 calories consumed
28kg of fruit
40kg of vegetables
45 pairs of running shoes
1 yoga matt
1 oxygen chamber
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
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
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Fanney Khan
Producer: T-Series, Anil Kapoor Productions, ROMP, Prerna Arora
Director: Atul Manjrekar
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Rajkummar Rao, Pihu Sand
Rating: 2/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
All the Money in the World
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Charlie Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer
Four stars
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Company%C2%A0profile
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The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
