Take the little ones to a cooking class at Dubai Hills Mall. Photo: Osteria Mario and Shvili
Take the little ones to a cooking class at Dubai Hills Mall. Photo: Osteria Mario and Shvili
Take the little ones to a cooking class at Dubai Hills Mall. Photo: Osteria Mario and Shvili
Take the little ones to a cooking class at Dubai Hills Mall. Photo: Osteria Mario and Shvili

Things to do in the UAE this week: From an anime exhibition to children's cooking classes


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Visiting comedians are everywhere in the UAE right now, dominating the country's calendar of events this week.

But there are also activities for the little ones, including a cooking class and a stage production of a famous children's book.

Here, The National rounds up seven things to do in the Emirates, from May 15 to 21.

Monday

Head to the Dubai Opera on Monday for a night of comedy with three international female comics.

One of them is Atsuko Okatsuka, from the US, who was born in Taiwan to Japanese and Taiwanese parents, and spent her early childhood in Japan. She rose to mainstream fame when she did the “drop challenge” on TikTok that took the internet by storm. She has since become a social media favourite for her quirky comedy.

Monday; 9pm; from Dh200; Dubai Opera; dubai.platinumlist.net

Tuesday

Take the little ones to The Theatre at Mall of the Emirates for a stage production of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved children's picture book, The Snail and the Whale.

The play follows the story of a young girl and her father as they reimagine the story of a tiny snail's adventure around the world. It is recommended for audiences aged four and up.

Tuesday; 4:30pm; from Dh135; Mall of the Emirates, Al Barsha 1; dubai.platinumlist.net

Wednesday

Shvili Georgian restaurant and Osteria Mario at Dubai Hills Mall. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
Shvili Georgian restaurant and Osteria Mario at Dubai Hills Mall. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National

Also for children, newly opened twin restaurants Osterio Mario and Shvili at Dubai Hills Mall are hosting cooking classes.

The two-hour cooking sessions will teach the little ones how to make their own pizzas and the famed Georgian dish khachapuri. The classes are free when parents dine and tables must be booked in advance.

Every Sunday and Wednesday; from 1pm; free for dine-in guests; Dubai Hills Mall; 052 929 2088

Thursday

Stand-up fans in Abu Dhabi can also enjoy a comedy night at the Park Rotana on Thursday.

Three American comedians — Mike Marino, Robby Slowik and Laura Hayden — will take the stage, making quips about their jet-setting experiences, love and loss, plus mundane observations about everyday life.

Until Sunday; 8:30pm; Dh160; Al Salam Street, Eastern Road, Abu Dhabi; platinumlist.net

Friday

On Friday and Saturday, Michelin-starred restaurant Hakkasan is hosting a four-hands dinner with its executive chef, Andy Toh, and chef Zor Tan of Born, an acclaimed restaurant in Singapore.

Seven courses will be served at the limited-time culinary collaboration, featuring a combo of Eastern and Western dishes that include a king crab dumpling with truffle, cornfed chicken bao, wild turbot with fermented capsicum and Jasmine-smoked roasted duck.

Friday and Saturday; Dh998 per person; Atlantis, The Palm; 04 426 0752

Saturday

At the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Saturday, Egyptian singer Angham and Yemeni crooner Fouad Abdelwahed willserenade fans with their Khaleeji and Arabic pop hits.

Both artists are widely popular across the Arab world. Fans can expect Angham to perform songs such as Omri Maak, Loha Bahta and her newest single Shebr W Nos. Meanwhile, Abdelwahed's supporters can expect hits such as Ana Sootek, Qalbi Elsahjeer and Ana Asdaq.

Saturday; 9pm; from Dh295; City Walk; dubai.platinumlist.net

Sunday

Visit the Comic Craze exhibition at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The satirical, comic and critical cartoon show features works of 49 Emirati artists. It also includes clips from popular Japanese anime, which were dubbed in Arabic and viewed by many generations in the Arab world.

Until August 31; 10am-6pm; free entry; Al Hosn; culturalfoundation.ae

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

POWERWASH%20SIMULATOR
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Naga
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Essentials

The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.

Scorline

Iraq 1-0 UAE

Iraq Hussein 28’

Unresolved crisis

Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.

Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.

The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.

Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021

Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.

Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.

Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.

Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.

Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.

Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.

Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”

Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI. 

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

MATCH INFO

Day 1 at Mount Maunganui

England 241-4

Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28

New Zealand 

Yet to bat

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Ferrari
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Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Xpanceo

Started: 2018

Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov

Based: Dubai, UAE

Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality

Funding: $40 million

Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The bio

Favourite vegetable: Broccoli

Favourite food: Seafood

Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange

Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania

Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.

Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Schedule:

Pakistan v Sri Lanka:
28 Sep-2 Oct, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
6-10 Oct, 2nd Test (day-night), Dubai
13 Oct, 1st ODI, Dubai
16 Oct, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi
18 Oct, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi
20 Oct, 4th ODI, Sharjah
23 Oct, 5th ODI, Sharjah
26 Oct, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
27 Oct, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
29 Oct, 3rd T20I, Lahore

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Updated: May 15, 2023, 4:03 AM`