There's plenty of variety across the UAE calendar this week — with events for foodies, sports enthusiasts and Broadway buffs alike.
This is The National's round-up of seven things to do over the next seven days, from February 20 to 26.
Monday
The annual food and beverage sourcing event, Gulfood, opens at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Monday.
More than 5,000 exhibitors are showcasing their products at the event, which runs until Friday. One of the key items on the agenda is Table Top, where renowned chefs are set to hold masterclasses and talks on sustainability and culinary fusions.
Chefs in attendance include Michelin-lauded Heinz Beck.
Visitor registration is required. More information is at gulfood.com
Tuesday
The WPT Modon Abu Dhabi Padel Master starts on Tuesday at Bab Al Nojoum, Hudayriyat Island in Abu Dhabi.
Global padel stars will descend upon the UAE capital to compete, while spectators can explore a fan village that includes family activities and food trucks.
The event is the first master tournament on the World Padel Tour's 2023 calendar. Padel athletes will be battling for a share of the €250,000 ($265,094) prize fund at the event, the highest amount ever awarded in a WPT tournament.
Tickets start at Dh50. More information is available at Abu-dhabi.platinumlist.net
Wednesday
Comedian Kevin Hart is performing at the Etihad Arena on Wednesday, bringing his Reality Check tour to Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Hart, who was named Yas Island's chief island officer in a tourism campaign early last year, last performed in Abu Dhabi in 2016. The Jumanji: The Next Level actor has promised that “big things are coming”.
Tickets start at Dh439. More information is available at www.etihadarena.ae
Thursday
French record producer and DJ Bob Sinclar is performing at CouCou at Palm Jumeirah on Thursday.
Guests can expect to hear the artist's house hits, including World Hold On, Love Generation and Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now). On the menu is an array of dishes such as burrata, truffle tuna with yuzu, guacamole and snails in garlic butter.
February 23; Dh2,000 minimum spend per person; dinner starts at 8pm, Sinclar to perform from 11.30pm onwards; The Palm Tower; 052 451 2188
Friday
Shrek The Musical, based on the Oscar-winning animated film, is playing at Dubai Opera.
The show had its premiere on Broadway in 2008 and was nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Actor and Best Actress in 2009.
Since its run on Broadway, it’s been performed on stages across countries including the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Singapore, China and Thailand.
Tickets start at Dh275
Saturday
At the Dubai Festival Arena, personal development company Mindvalley, headed by Vishen Lakhiani, is hosting its first seminar in emirate.
The two-day affair includes sessions about conscious parenting, improving memory and starting a wellness journey. British therapist Marisa Peer, the founder of Rapid Transformational Therapy, is one of the speakers at the event.
Tickets start at Dh1,833. More information is available at mindvalley.com
Sunday
Alserkal Art Week returns on Sunday with a full week of exhibitions and pop-up events.
Some of the highlights in this year's Art Week include a solo exhibit by Rana Begum, featuring the artist's exploration of light and colour. The week-long event will also bring back Slow Art Walks, a series where guests are invited to tour the venue's galleries with a focus on “feeling and mindfulness” through art, rather than “observation and understanding”.
More information is available on alserkal.online
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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.
Results
Final: Iran beat Spain 6-3.
Play-off 3rd: UAE beat Russia 2-1 (in extra time).
Play-off 5th: Japan beat Egypt 7-2.
Play-off 7th: Italy beat Mexico 3-2.
