Against the scenic backdrop of the Great Wall near Beijing, the Zayed Charity Run was held in the Chinese capital for the first time.
The four-day event drew more than 15,000 participants, with races ranging from a 5km family outing, 10km race, half-marathon and full marathon. There was even a run for people of determination and an innovative race involving robots.
On Friday, the UAE Embassy in Beijing launched Al Bait Al Emarati, or Emirati House, a cultural pop-up at the entrance of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall that will stay open until Monday. The programme highlights the UAE’s heritage through folk arts, handicrafts, cuisine and live performances.
Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, the UAE ambassador to China, told The National how proud he feels of the growing relationship between the two countries.
“We have seen the highest number of UAE national boys and girls participating in the Zayed Charity Marathon here in Beijing,” he says.
“This event is marvellous, amazing and it’s very successful. This is the start, I think, for the next phase of our relationship. Our next phase will be built in the youth. The UAE’s relationship with China is not only for the UAE, not only for China, it’s for the region and the globe.”
Lt Gen Mohamed Helal Al Kaabi, chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of the Zayed Charity Run, was also overjoyed at the turnout, especially with representation from the Emirates.
“I am proud, especially in this occasion. We were more than 200 people – boys and girls – running from the UAE. This is the first time actually, this high number, they came. I’m looking forward to have them in each race with Sheikh Zayed’s charity to gain experience.”
But it was the two race days that best reflected the strengthening ties, offering both healthy competition and camaraderie.
Lamees Abu Hlaiaq, an Emirati mother of three, joined the 10km category in her first international competition, a moment she describes as “very beautiful".
“I felt proud I was competing for my country. I was holding the UAE flag up high while running the whole path. I felt a lot of pride and a sense of achievement,” she told The National.
She added that the charitable cause gave the event added meaning, while the spirit of community made it memorable.
“I was able to meet other people from different nationalities, especially from China, and they are such a great people and sweet and very kind. We ran for the same cause, which is to run for kindness.”
Family also played a key role. Abu Hlaiaq, who is a public health expert, said she was impressed with the set-up of the 5km family run, which she initially believed was just a recreational “fun run”. However, this one was different in that it required all members to cross the finish line together, with a small prize offered to the top winners.
She called it a very smart idea as it encouraged bonding while introducing children to physical activity. She hopes to bring the idea back to the UAE.
This admiration was mutual. Vivi Zhang, a Beijing resident, also ran in the same event. She had never been to the UAE, but said she was wowed by the Ayala dance performance in national dress.
“I think everyone here is enjoying it and it definitely conveyed the traditional culture,” she said. “I think the UAE is going to be my very next destination for travelling.”
Edward Chiang, who is also from Beijing, came to Saturday’s race day to support his friend. However, he said that he did some research on the event and was awed by its philanthropic background. He says he has a family member admitted in the hospital suffering from a disease, so he felt it was extra poignant to be at the race.
“This is a bonding moment between two countries. Love and care have no boundaries. It doesn’t really matter if you’re from other countries or from China, as long as you need help, people are here to help,” he said.
Meanwhile, Emirati runner Khalifa Hasham, who has been running since childhood, joined the half-marathon on Sunday. He has competed in more than five Zayed Charity Runs across different distances.
Participating in Beijing gave him the chance to not only continue running in the event, but also see the host country for himself.
“I’m really astonished by China,” he said. “I have heard a lot from my friends, from my brother. This is my first time visiting China, but not my last – for sure.”
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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
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Avedis Hadjian, (IB Tauris)
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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Schedule:
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbocharged
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 445bhp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh474,600
On Sale: Now
Biography
Favourite drink: Must have karak chai and Chinese tea every day
Favourite non-Chinese food: Arabic sweets and Indian puri, small round bread of wheat flour
Favourite Chinese dish: Spicy boiled fish or anything cooked by her mother because of its flavour
Best vacation: Returning home to China
Music interests: Enjoys playing the zheng, a string musical instrument
Enjoys reading: Chinese novels, romantic comedies, reading up on business trends, government policy changes
Favourite book: Chairman Mao Zedong’s poems
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
RESULT
Bayern Munich 3 Chelsea 2
Bayern: Rafinha (6'), Muller (12', 27')
Chelsea: Alonso (45' 3), Batshuayi (85')
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
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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
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MATCH DETAILS
Juventus 2 (Bonucci 36, Ronaldo 90 6)
Genoa 1 (Kouame 40)
Sri Lanka World Cup squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal.
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
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