Arts, music and pop culture dominate this week's UAE calendar of events ― from the star-studded Middle East Film & Comic Con to musical throwbacks at the Rewind festival.
Here, The National rounds up seven things to do in the Emirates, from February 27 to March 5.
Monday
The Sikka Art and Design Festival has returned for the 11th year, filling the narrow alleyways of Dubai's Al Fahidi district with art.
The festival brings together visual artists, performers, designers, musicians and other creatives to present artworks, concerts, murals, poetry readings and film screenings.
The theme for this year’s event is New creativity. Same Path, with a wide variety of artworks and creative exhibitions on show until March 5.
Sikka Art and Design Festival runs until March 5 in Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Dubai. More information is available at sikkartandesign.com
Tuesday
A yoga flow class will be held at Infinity des Lumieres on Tuesday.
The immersive museum at The Dubai Mall will transform into a yoga studio,featuring the venue's light and sound technology. A special soundtrack has been created for the event.
People of all levels can join the flow, from beginner yogis to experienced ones. The event is taking place every Tuesday and Saturday over the next three weeks.
8.30am-9.30am; tickets start at Dh150 per person with discounts offered on three or five session packages; my.coredirection.com
Wednesday
The Abu Dhabi Festival kicks off on Wednesday at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental with a two-hour performance by acclaimed opera singer Juan Diego Florez.
The performance will feature a programme of arias followed by a repertoire of Peruvian and Latin American songs accompanied by a live orchestra. The show starts at 8pm with tickets from Dh75.
The festival's theme this year is The Will for Evolution, reflecting the UAE’s drive for progress and prosperity. A line-up of live performances are scheduled across the capital, as well as in the US and Germany. Some of the artists include two-time Grammy Award-winning jazz musician Gregory Porter and the New York Arab Orchestra.
Abu Dhabi Festival starts March 1 and runs until March 19. More information is available on abudhabifestival.ae
Thursday
Luxurious yachts are on display at Dubai Harbour for the Dubai International Boat Show.
The event features talks from boat makers and other industry professionals. There is also an exhibition of luxury cars, as well as a dedicated session for those who are interested to learn about diving and underwater photography.
March 1 to 5; 3pm-9pm; tickets start at Dh30; boatshowdubai.com
Friday
The Middle East Film & Comic Con opens on Friday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
The three-day event will feature a number of A-list celebrities attending to speak in panel discussions and meet fans. Stars in the line-up include David Harbour, who plays Hawkins police chief Jim Hopper in Stranger Things; Matt Smith, who portrays Daemon Targaryen in the hit show House of the Dragon; as well as Anthony Daniels, the man who brought Star Wars's C-3PO to life.
Tickets for MEFCC, which is on from March 3 to 5, start at Dh135 for a one-day pass; celebrity meet and greets are additionally charged. More information is at www.mefcc.com
Saturday
British music festival Rewind, featuring artists from the 1980s and 1990s, is coming to Bla Bla in Dubai.
The throwback line-up includes Tony Hadley, who rose to fame in the 1980s as the lead singer of Spandau Ballet, English synth-pop singer Marc Almond and Heather Small, the former lead vocalist of the band M People.
Doors open at noon; tickets start at Dh350; livenation.me
Sunday
At The Theatre, Mall of Emirates, a stage adaptation of popular British children's show Fireman Sam will be staged on Sunday.
Featuring song and dance numbers, the play follows the titular character's journey in saving a visiting circus where a tiger is on the loose.
The show is brought by Mark Thompson Production from the UK. All ages can watch the show and children under the age of two can attend for free.
March 4 and 5; 2pm and 4pm; from Dh135; feverup.com/en/dubai
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Score
Third Test, Day 1
New Zealand 229-7 (90 ov)
Pakistan
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
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
Match info
Who: India v Afghanistan
What: One-off Test match, Bengaluru
When: June 14 to 18
TV: OSN Sports Cricket HD, 8am starts
Online: OSN Play (subscribers only)
Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Understand What Black Is
The Last Poets
(Studio Rockers)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Secret Nation: The Hidden Armenians of Turkey
Avedis Hadjian, (IB Tauris)
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
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A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books
More on Quran memorisation:
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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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
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Dubai Creek Open in numbers
- The Dubai Creek Open is the 10th tournament on this year's Mena Tour
- It is the first of five events before the season-concluding Mena Tour Championship
- This week's field comprises 120 players, 21 of which are amateurs
- 15 previous Mena Tour winners are competing at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
World Cup warm up matches
May 24 Pakistan v Afghanistan, Bristol; Sri Lanka v South Africa, Cardiff
May 25 England v Australia, Southampton; India v New Zealand, The Oval
May 26 South Africa v West Indies, Bristol; Pakistan v Bangladesh, Cardiff
May 27 Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton; England v Afghanistan, The Oval
May 28 West Indies v New Zealand, Bristol; Bangladesh v India, Cardiff
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
