During Ramadan, the nights come alive – not just because of iftars and suhoors, but also because some of the UAE's best attractions offer great deals on tickets.
Here are just a few of our top picks of post-iftar activities this month.
DUBAI
Alserkal Avenue
The theme of the holy month at Alserkal Avenue is Maintenance, and the area's Ramadan programme includes quirky iftar and suhoor experiences, art and self-care workshops, thought-provoking discussions, exhibition openings, guided tours, film screenings and more. From old-school board game nights in A4 Space to majlis storytelling at The Yard, plus a special edition of Alserkal Lates, there's enough going on to make sure you go back night after night. Check out the full programme here.
alserkalavenue.ae
Dubai Parks and Resorts
There are two deals worth shouting about at the theme park complex this Ramadan. Firstly, enjoy an iftar buffet at the Mughal-e-Azam Ramadan tent in Bollywood Parks for just Dh50, which includes access to the park and new shows at Rajmahal Theatre. Guests who want to have a go on the rides can pay Dh10 per attraction. Alternatively, pay Dh99 to get access to all the rides and attractions at the park, as well as the shows and the iftar buffet.
At Motiongate Dubai, you can join everyone’s favourite ogre couple, Shrek and Fiona, for an iftar at Candy Apple restaurant, and get access to the park and its rides, for Dh260.
www.dubaiparksandresorts.com
IMG Worlds of Adventure
The world’s biggest indoor theme park is offering three packages this month, with general admission priced at Dh99 (compared to the usual Dh300). If you add on an iftar buffet, entry is Dh135. Meanwhile, park admission with iftar buffet and a cinema ticket costs Dh149. The offers are valid for UAE residents, and the park is open from 3pm to 9pm. These deals are available until May 30.
imgworlds.com
Flow
This home-grown, healthy eatery at Jumeirah Emirates Towers Boulevard is offering a series of talks throughout Ramadan. Every Wednesday from 8pm, Emirati experts are sharing their knowledge on topics such as health, poetry, arts and culture, with a view of promoting conversation and debate, while guests enjoy healthy eats. Iftar costs Dh98 per person, and the talks are free.
On May 15, artist, designer and illustrator Khalid Mezaina is discussing his work and inspirations while on May 22, author and artist Jalal Luqman will be talking about his achievements as the UAE's first digital artist. He recently published his first book, The Armagondas, an epic fantasy graphic novel inspired by true events. Finally, on May 29, Eman Al Mughairy, who works as an Abu Dhabi Youth Hub project manager, will be discussing cultural diplomacy, the Year of Tolerance and "connecting for positive change".
www.flowdubai.com
Hub Zero
For every Dh200 you spend at indoor activity centre Hub Zero, which is based in Dubai’s City Walk, throughout Ramadan, you’ll get the opportunity to win a bunch of prizes. This includes an iPhone XR, an Apple Watch Series 4 and an annual pass to the park. Entry is free, and you pay as you go.
Hub Zero features 18 rides, virtual reality attractions, arcade games, a laser experience, plus karaoke rooms, pool tables and places to eat. It’s open until midnight.
www.hubzerodubai.com
The Smash Room
Smash glasses, TVs, computers – basically whatever you can find – well into the early hours of the morning at The Smash Room this Ramadan, as it’s open until 2am throughout the holy month. The Al Quoz-based attraction claims a typical 30-minute session can help burn 400 calories, so it’s a great post-iftar workout that’ll also let you de-stress.
There’s also an Eid package that’s been set up for families, starting from Dh200 for two adults and two children. It includes 40 glasses and two electronic items to smash, so you can get destructive together.
www.thesmashroom.ae
ABU DHABI
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Every Friday and Saturday throughout Ramadan, a series of short, looped film screenings, curated by artist Rinku Awtani, are taking place at the capital’s museum. Heartwarming tales from around the world with the theme of multiculturalism will be told, highlighting values of empathy, courage and exploration in both documentary and animation format. Entrance to the screening is included in the museum’s general admission ticket, which costs Dh63. Admission is free for children under 13.
Between May 15 and 17, the museum will also be open until midnight, and on May 18 opening hours will extend to 1am.
Finally, towards the end of the holy month, on May 24 and 25, a weekend of free activities will take place, from 2pm to 6pm, which aim to celebrate Islamic art.
All month, the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum Cafe is offering a set menu for iftar for Dh120.
www.louvreabudhabi.ae
Manarat Al Saadiyat
Catch the last weekend of Manarat Al Saadiyat's Ramadan Arcade, which takes place from May 15 to 18. A series of activities is spread across five main zones, covering games, art and photography workshops, performances, retail, learning, food and more. The arcade and gaming zones are home to modern and retro games, as well as karom tournaments and traditional Emirati games.
Outside, food trucks will be serving all sorts of cuisines, while pop-up vendors sell everything from clothes to jewellery and crafts. These are all run by Mirbad, a non-profit organisation founded by young Emirati women. On top of all that, there are workshops and talks on topics as diverse as majlis traditions and astrophotography, as well as nightly performances and poetry readings.
The Ramadan Arcade is open from 9pm to 2am.
www.manaratalsaadiyat.ae
The Cultural Foundation
A special programme of activities has been devised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi at the Cultural Foundation, led by a group of speakers, writers and artists from across the UAE. For instance, cultural expert Ali Al Saloom will lead a series of iftar events on May 18 and 25, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, clarifying cultural dos and don’ts, helping residents with any social challenges they might be facing, and demonstrating ways to embrace the holy month.
Emirati singers Abdullah Al Qasmy, Ali Bobar and Ammar Bobar will be performing anasheed, a type of Islamic chanting, on May 17 and 24, from 10pm to midnight.
On May 15 and 22, from 10pm to midnight, The Cultural Foundation’s Writing Society will host workshops. Emirati author and scriptwriter Amal Al Duwaila has curated a series called Writing to Allah, where she will teach writers how to enhance their creativity, build methods of storytelling, improve their technical skills and hone their personal style.
Finally, on May 16 and 23, between 10pm and midnight, Emirati artist and architect Abdalla Al Mulla will be teaching people how to create Ramadan lanterns using a range of materials.
www.culturalfoundation.ae
Yas Island theme parks
There are three theme parks on Yas Island, and each of them are offering great Ramadan deals this year. At Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, where you'll find the world's fastest roller coaster, park guests get free entry on weekend evenings (6pm to 10pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday), and can enjoy the rides and attractions on a pay-as-you-go basis. Tickets for one ride cost Dh60, while you can get unlimited access for just Dh100 (this excludes Karting Academy, Simulators and Driving Experience).
Yas Waterworld is offering 50 per cent off its standard annual passes, which give families unlimited access to the waterpark. The offer is available until the last day of Ramadan, and costs Dh495 for adult and junior passes (it's valid for 12 months from the date you buy it). Also, if you buy a single day ticket (which are half price in Ramadan) you can get that discounted off the price of your annual pass (final price will depend on the price of the ticket you bought).
Meanwhile, at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, every Thursday and Friday, guests visiting the park after 6pm can get access to the rides, as well as an iftar buffet at the Hollywood Trattoria. It costs Dh249 for adults and Dh199 for children. The park is open until 10pm on Thursdays and Fridays all month. Kids under four enter for free.
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
Virtual banks explained
What is a virtual bank?
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority defines it as a bank that delivers services through the internet or other electronic channels instead of physical branches. That means not only facilitating payments but accepting deposits and making loans, just like traditional ones. Other terms used interchangeably include digital or digital-only banks or neobanks. By contrast, so-called digital wallets or e-wallets such as Apple Pay, PayPal or Google Pay usually serve as intermediaries between a consumer’s traditional account or credit card and a merchant, usually via a smartphone or computer.
What’s the draw in Asia?
Hundreds of millions of people under-served by traditional institutions, for one thing. In China, India and elsewhere, digital wallets such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and Paytm have already become ubiquitous, offering millions of people an easy way to store and spend their money via mobile phone. Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are also among the world’s biggest under-banked countries; together they have almost half a billion people.
Is Hong Kong short of banks?
No, but the city is among the most cash-reliant major economies, leaving room for newcomers to disrupt the entrenched industry. Ant Financial, an Alibaba Group Holding affiliate that runs Alipay and MYBank, and Tencent Holdings, the company behind WeBank and WeChat Pay, are among the owners of the eight ventures licensed to create virtual banks in Hong Kong, with operations expected to start as early as the end of the year.
Abu Dhabi card
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,400m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 2,200m
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
The National selections:
5pm: Valcartier
5.30pm: AF Taraha
6pm: Dhafra
6.30pm: Maqam
7pm: AF Mekhbat
7.30pm: Ezz Al Rawasi
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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
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)
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
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Wydad 2 Urawa 3
Wydad Nahiri 21’, Hajhouj 90'
Urawa Antonio 18’, 60’, Kashiwagi 26’
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
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Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
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
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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
Honeymoonish
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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
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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