The National Day holidays are almost upon us and the UAE is full of activities for your child. You could enjoy the weather by visiting one of the region's family parks, or perhaps by taking a day trip to Hatta or Fujairah. But if you prefer to stay closer to home, here are some of the events taking place next week?
Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Choral Group presents its annual Christmas Concert, The Christmas Gift, on Nov 29 and 30 at 7.30pm, St Andrew's Church. A shortened children's matinee will take place at 3pm on Saturday. Tickets cost Dh40 for evening shows, Dh20 for the matinee and are available at Spinneys Khalidiya from the video desk (for reservations, e-mail @email:adcgchoir@yahoo.com).
Dubai: The National Day festivities, running from Dec 2 to 5, include daily fireworks at the Heritage Village a parade from Sheikh Rashid Palace, parachuting shows, camel riding, competitions, demonstrations and exhibitions. Dubai's most beautiful monuments will also open up to the public over this period.
Al Ain: Palms Rugby Club has started a Saturday-lunchtime barbecue. Kids can play or swim in the pool, and a buffet runs from 12pm to 3pm. Adults Dh55 for full barbecue and salad buffet, Dh30 for the salad-only buffet; children under 12, Dh27.50. Children under five, free.
Abu Dhabi:Take your children to see a movie under the stars. Hydra OpenAir Cinema, running in Abu Dhabi from Dec 1, will host a family night showing Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa on Dec 3 at Emirates Palace. Adults, Dhs50, children, Dhs30 (@email:www.hydraopenair.com).
Dubai: The Russian Festival Ballet will be performing The Nutcracker at the Madinat Theatre, from Dec 2 to Dec 6, at 4.30pm and 8.30pm. Adults Dhs195, children Dhs95. Children be three years old or above. Call 04 366 6546 for details.
Al Ain: A Christmas decoration- making workshop will take place on Saturday from 1 to 4pm in the Markahinya area. The session costs Dh100 per child. Children must be six years old or above. For directions and to reserve a place, email @email:moomail4me@gmail.com or text 050-544-6491.
Abu Dhabi: On the Dec 1, Al Shohub School will be holding a National Day Charity Bazaar in aid of the Make a Wish Foundation. The bazaar will be held from 11am to 2pm. For details contact @email:rita_ssbk@yahoo.com
Dubai: Music-loving children will enjoy Encore, running for the third year at the Madinat Theatre. Stars of London's West End will appear on stage singing songs from the shows that made them famous, including The Phantom of The Opera, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. The show runs from tomorrow until Sunday at 8.30pm. Tickets are Dh 175.
Al Ain: The UAE National Day parade starts in the town centre at 9am on Thursday. Children from local schools will take part in the parade in will be dressed in national and international dress. The Hilton hotel is offering a barbecue after the event.
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Tickets are sold out for the Friday and Saturday, but entry on Thursday is free. There will also be a family stand with a range of activities for children between the ages of one and eight, including bouncy castles and face painting. For a small fee, a creche area will be available for three to six-year-olds (use is limited to of two hours per child, with a maximum capacity of 25 children). Parental supervision is required for children under three at all times (@email:www.dubairugby7s.com).
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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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The biog
Age: 30
Position: Senior lab superintendent at Emirates Global Aluminium
Education: Bachelor of science in chemical engineering, post graduate degree in light metal reduction technology
Favourite part of job: The challenge, because it is challenging
Favourite quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Gandi
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
