Why Innsbruck?
Even on an overcast day, it’s hard to find much to mark Innsbruck down on. It’s walkable, but big enough to have plenty of energy. The old town is beautiful, yet doesn’t rest too heavily on its history. Gutsy, defiantly modern architectural projects, such as gleaming glass shopping malls built among the late medieval buildings, show a city not prepared to rest on its laurels.
But when the sun comes out, that likeability turns into something much greater. The mountains shoot straight up from the valley floor around the compact city’s fringes and the ski slopes are in plain sight.
A comfortable bed
The city's historic old dame is the Grand Hotel Europa (www.grandhoteleuropa.at; 0043 512 5931), where many a dignitary has stayed over the years. It has kept the opulent lobby and homely, wood-panelled restaurant, but the rooms have been tastefully modernised and feel surprisingly fresh. Rooms cost from €190 (Dh782).
Playing on the historic side is the Hotel Weisses Kreuz (www.weisseskreuz.at; 0043 512 5947 90), where Mozart and his father stayed in 1769. Rooms are fairly simple, but the period detail, such as the wooden ceilings, and perfect central location in the old town make up for it. Doubles cost from €112 (Dh461).
The newly opened Nala (www.nala-hotel.at; 0043 512 58 4444) is the most fun, though. Each room is wildly different (with some design quirks more impractically outlandish than others), most have balconies, and there's a great roof terrace with ski-jump and mountain views. Doubles cost from €98 (Dh403).
Find your feet
Innsbruck’s old town is almost uniformly pretty. Squashed, meandering side streets, gorgeous decorative bulges in buildings, handsome porticoes and splashes of imperial grandeur are all combined.
The Hofburg (www.hofburg-innsbruck.at; 0043 512 587 186) – the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburg dynasty that spread its way across Europe via arranged marriages – is not in the slightest bit subtle. The state rooms are slathered with gilding, stucco work and grandiose ceiling paintings.
Step into the neighbouring Hofkirche (www.tiroler-landesmuseen.at; 0043 512 584 302) to see the egotistical emperor Maximilian's absurdly huge, scene-stealing tomb. It's flanked by 28 giant, incredibly detailed bronze statues.
From there, walk to the first stage of the Norde-kettenbahnen (www.nordkette.com), a combination of funicular and cable cars that will take you 2,256 metres up the Hafelekar Mountain. From there, it's just a short walk to the summit. The €33 (Dh136) Innsbruck Card (www.innsbruck.info) covers all entrance fees and transport.
Meet the locals
The old town isn’t quite as tourist-heavy as you might think, and locals do visit the shops and restaurants. But there are more relaxed hangouts to the south. Wiltenerplatz is an excellent example – the collection of happily buzzy cafes and indie boutiques maintains a constant, convivial hum.
Book a table
This is Austria, thus by law you must eat strudel. Kröll (www.strudel-cafe.at; 0043 512 574 347) is wonderful for this, doing sweet flavours such as strawberry and rhubarb or pumpkin and ginger, plus savoury, such as spinach and feta. Filling, chunky slices cost €4.80 (Dh20).
Dengg (www.dengg.co.at; 0043 512 582 347) has a contemporary vibe that characterises Innsbruck and gives enough seasonal twists on local fare to make it rather exciting. Expect to pay €24 (Dh99) for cheeks of veal, balsamic vegetables, polenta and bolete mushrooms.
Shopper’s paradise
The city is full of alpine adventurers, so it’s no surprise to learn that there are plenty of excellent outdoor gear stores. Sweet Dreams on Wiltenerplatz stands out by selling clothing that’s cool as well as functional.
The Swarovski HQ is only 20 minutes away – its Swarovski Crystal World (www.kristallwelten.swarovski.com) is outstandingly gaudy. But the flagship store on Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse also contains some impressive displays.
What to avoid
The beloved local landmark the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) is pretty, with its 2,500-plus gilded copper tiles, but it’s not the must-see it’s made out to be. The museum in the same building doesn’t let visitors out onto the balcony to look at it from above, either.
Don’t miss
It's difficult to miss the striking Bergisel ski jump (www.bergisel.info, 0043 512 589 259) at the city's southern end. Designed by Zaha Hadid, it's worth visiting even if nobody is practising. The steepness at the top is terrifying, although the views are excellent. Pity the jumpers, though – the first thing they see at the bottom of the slope is a graveyard. There's also a small museum about the sport.
Getting there
Etihad (www.etihad.com; 02 599 0000) flies direct from Abu Dhabi to Munich from Dh3,235 return. From Munich Airport, a train (www.bahn.de) to Innsbruck, changing at Munchen Ost, takes two hours and 19 minutes and costs from €39 (Dh161).
The biog
Fatima Al Darmaki is an Emirati widow with three children
She has received 46 certificates of appreciation and excellence throughout her career
She won the 'ideal mother' category at the Minister of Interior Awards for Excellence
Her favourite food is Harees, a slow-cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled wheat berries mixed with chicken
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Kill%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nikhil%20Nagesh%20Bhat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Lakshya%2C%20Tanya%20Maniktala%2C%20Ashish%20Vidyarthi%2C%20Harsh%20Chhaya%2C%20Raghav%20Juyal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.5%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Signs%20of%20%20%20%20%20%20%20heat%20stroke
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
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
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
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.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL CARD
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
The National selections
6.30pm: Gifts Of Gold
7.05pm Final Song
7.40pm Equilateral
8.15pm Dark Of Night
8.50pm Mythical Magic
9.25pm Franz Kafka
FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
%3Cp%3EFeatherweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Abdullah%20Al%20Qahtani%20v%20Taha%20Bendaoud%0D%3Cbr%3EBantamweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Ali%20Taleb%20v%20Nawras%20Abzakh%0D%3Cbr%3EBantamweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Xavier%20Alaoui%20v%20Rachid%20El%20Hazoume%0D%3Cbr%3EFeatherweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Islam%20Reda%20v%20Adam%20Meskini%0D%3Cbr%3EBantamweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Tariq%20Ismail%20v%20Jalal%20Al%20Daaja%0D%3Cbr%3EBantamweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Elias%20Boudegzdame%20v%20Hassan%20Mandour%0D%3Cbr%3EAmateur%20Female%20Atomweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Hattan%20Al%20Saif%20v%20Nada%20Faheem%0D%3Cbr%3EFeatherweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Maraoune%20Bellagouit%20v%20Motaz%20Askar%0D%3Cbr%3EFeatherweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Ahmed%20Tarek%20v%20Abdelrahman%20Alhyasat%0D%3Cbr%3EShowcase%20Featherweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Mido%20Mohamed%20v%20Yazeed%20Hasanain%0D%3Cbr%3EShowcase%20Flyweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Malik%20Basahel%20v%20Harsh%20Pandya%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Emiratisation at work
Emiratisation was introduced in the UAE more than 10 years ago
It aims to boost the number of citizens in the workforce particularly in the private sector.
Growing the number of Emiratis in the workplace will help the UAE reduce dependence on overseas workers
The Cabinet in December last year, approved a national fund for Emirati jobseekers and guaranteed citizens working in the private sector a comparable pension
President Sheikh Khalifa has described Emiratisation as “a true measure for success”.
During the UAE’s 48th National Day, Sheikh Khalifa named education, entrepreneurship, Emiratisation and space travel among cornerstones of national development
More than 80 per cent of Emiratis work in the federal or local government as per 2017 statistics
The Emiratisation programme includes the creation of 20,000 new jobs for UAE citizens
UAE citizens will be given priority in managerial positions in the government sphere
The purpose is to raise the contribution of UAE nationals in the job market and create a diverse workforce of citizens
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
