Update: The Jo Koy show that was due to take place on Saturday has been postponed to May 26
The annual Dubai Fitness Challenge kicks off this week. And, in keeping with the annual citywide exercise initiative, The National pulls together some of the many ways to keep active – as well as a couple of events for culture enthusiasts.
Here's what's on across the Emirates from October 23 to 28.
Monday
Ahead of Dubai Fitness Challenge, which starts on Saturday, residents over the age of 16 can sign up for a Les Mills x adidas class, which will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for “largest high-intensity interval training class”.
The high-octane 30-minute session itself begins at 5am on November 12, led by Les Mills trainers Ben Main, Caley Jack and Kaylah Blayr, but registration is open now via the adidas app and booking is recommended to not miss out.
Tuesday
Take the family on an outdoor adventure at the Bear Grylls Explorers Camp in Ras Al Khaimah.
The nature-focused venue on Jebel Jais is offering a half-term package for three people, inclusive of a two-day adventure that features a survival course crafted by Bear Grylls and his team. The course covers essential survival skills in the wild, as well as activities such as high ropes and archery. The package also includes a one-night stay at the venue's cabin area.
Those who want to experience the survival course alone can sign up for the individual package at Dh290 per person (down from Dh350).
Tuesday and Wednesday; Dh950 for three people; Ras Al Khaimah; 056 501 5831
Wednesday
Register for the limited-capacity Dubai Run, where participants take over the 14-lane Sheikh Zayed Road for a few hours. This year's event on November 26 is free to attend and is open to participants of all ages and fitness abilities.
Participants can choose between a 5km or 10km route, with the first run starting at 4am as the event must finish by 8.30am so the roads can reopen.
Register at www.dubairun.com and then collect the Dubai Run bib, without which you will not be allowed to participate. Bibs can be collected at Fitness Village: Run and Ride Central at One Central.
Thursday
World-renowned violinist David Garrett is performing at the Dubai Opera, as part of his world tour.
The German musician is known for his genre-defying artistry, pioneering the crossover trend where he blends traditional sounds with popular music. He has a long track record of multi-platinum and gold albums. He released the album Iconic this year, which is also the moniker for his world tour. Concertgoers can expect a night of tunes and virtuosic showpieces.
Thursday, from 8pm; from Dh295; Dubai Opera; dubaiopera.com
Friday
Join a wellness weekend retreat in the Liwa Desert.
Organised by Samadhi, the three-day affair will be held at the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, and is designed to encourage participants to set out on “a journey of renewal” via yoga, meditation and other mindfulness practices. The retreat will be led by Estefa Pastor.
The first day focuses on self-reflection with a vinyasa flow in the afternoon and restorative yin yoga in the evening. Yoga sessions continue the next day, plus a brunch, sound bath and cacao ceremony. The last day starts with an early pranayama and vinyasa flow session, followed by brunch before checkout.
Friday to Sunday; price on request; Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort, Al Mirayr, Abu Dhabi; samadhi-wellness.com
Saturday
Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy is performing at the Etihad Arena on Saturday.
The comic is known for his funny quips about his Filipino heritage, as well as parenthood and other observations about family life and pop culture. He has a number of Netflix specials under his belt, and the Abu Dhabi show marks the stand-up's second performance in the UAE.
Saturday, 7.30pm; from Dh180; Etihad Arena, Yas Island; etihadarena.ae
Sunday
Dubai Fitness Challenge, which started on Saturday, will be in full swing today. The annual event encourages residents to complete 30 minutes of exercise each day for 30 days.
While you can sign up for one-off events, there is a massive fitness village at Kite Beach, which has 24 zones, offering courts for padel, cricket, football and basketball, plus yoga sessions and circuit training.
Various fitness villages across the city, where you can rent courts for everything from padel to badminton as well as circuit training. This year these are located at places such as Danube Sports World Fitness Hub, Al Mamzar Beach Park and Inspiratus Sports District Fitness Hub.
More information about events, bookings, courts and activities can be found online.
Until November 26; 3pm-10pm from Monday to Friday; 7am-10pm on Saturday and Sunday; dubaifitnesschallenge.com
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
SPECS
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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.
SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
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The specs: 2018 Maserati Ghibli
Price, base / as tested: Dh269,000 / Dh369,000
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 355hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.9L / 100km
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
More on Quran memorisation:
FA CUP FINAL
Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')
Watford 0
Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Honeymoonish
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TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women & the Food That Tells Their Stories
Laura Shapiro
Fourth Estate
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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.
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
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
