When Hannah, 17, first went to her local skatepark in Georgia in the US, she didn’t feel entirely comfortable. “The skate scene is dominated by men and the environment seemed very intimidating,” she says.
Her father initiated a dialogue with a skater, who then taught Hannah (last name withheld upon request) feet placement and basic moves. While she wears the hijab – and has heard stories of racial profiling – Hannah says she hasn’t faced any negative experiences. “Most men are surprised and curious to see a girl skating. It’s nice to see that they don’t outwardly judge me [because of the hijab].”
In the two years she’s been skating, Hannah has only met three other black female skaters.
“Like me, they seemed pretty shy to try skateboarding or take up space.”
Both [skating and religion] have an aspect of personal development to them. You are constantly tripping, falling, learning
Hafsah,
social media representative, Skater Uktis
Although Hannah has received quiet nods and smiles of encouragement from fellow male skaters, she says she craves the company of other women with similar interests. “I most definitely wished there were more Muslim women on the skate scene,” she says.
As it turns out, there were many others like her who were looking for a safe and inclusive space to practise the sport. Obsessed with skater culture and its brands, Hannah stumbled upon Skater Uktis (uktis translating as sisters from the Arabic) on social media. The group started in 2020, and connects female Muslim skaters around the world; prior to the pandemic, it also hosted skating meet-ups.
From London to the rest of the world
Skater Uktis came together when a group of skaters noticed there were no women in the scene in London, let alone Muslim women. As a way to increase representation and inspire others to enter the arena, the group founded a community that has now grown to 21 representatives from 14 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and even as far away as Norway.
The global community believes that a Muslim female skate crew is also a subtle way of tackling Islamophobia in the West. People will have an opportunity to interact with Muslim women and see that nothing restricts them from prasticing an outdoor sport such as skateboarding. Skater Uktis members come from all spectrums of religiosity, and many choose to wear a hijab, niqab or abaya.
Sport and spirituality
The crew also encourage members to grow spiritually and contribute to society. They host online spiritual sessions, or halaqahs, on topics such as mindfulness, leadership, social justice and race in the context of Islam. The skating and spiritual meet-ups, or seshs, are open to women of all backgrounds and faiths.
“People often wonder, ‘What do these seemingly diverse things, skating and religion, have to do with each other?” says Hafsah (last name withheld upon request), the social media representative for Skater Uktis. “Both have an aspect of personal development to them. You are constantly tripping, falling, learning. You become aware of yourself, and your strengths and weaknesses.”
Skater Uktis also provides a platform for Muslim women to nurture their leadership qualities. “The idea is to reroute it back to Islam and the position of women in Islam,” says Hafsah.
Hafsah cites the example of how Aisha, the wife of the Prophet Mohammed, took an active role, by narrating more than 2,000 of the Prophet Mohammed's sayings and leading a battle, but also that she is said to have raced her husband for fun.
The cultural expectation is that we have to be serious and responsible
Nadeen Alhamad,
Skater Uktis representative, Palestine
“Muslim women are in several domains, be it education or sports. We want to overcome the cultural idea that restricts women to one domain,” Hafsah says.
More than just child's play
Nadeen Alhamad, 23, is Skater Uktis' representative from Jenin, Palestine. She bought her first skateboard in 2019 and travelled to a skatepark in Ramallah. “I used to practise near my apartment, but then I went to Ramallah because it has a much bigger skating scene,” she says. “There were some really good skaters there.”
Although it is usual to see hijab-wearing woman in Palestine, it is unconventional to see older girls in the skatepark. “Some women are shy to participate in sports. The cultural expectation is that we have to be serious and responsible. If you spot a woman on a skateboard, it is seen as a toy.”
Alhamad met Skater Uktis members at the park, who in turn, introduced her to the community. She remembers the encouragement she received and, as a current Skater Uktis representative herself, she now extends the same support to other women and encourages them to try their hand at the sport.
“I want it to be a comfortable space for all of us. I tell them: ‘Skateboarding can be challenging, but if you want to, you can do it.’”
Hannah echoes the sentiment. “This space is open to change. I see so many people who don’t go to skateparks because they are afraid they will be made fun of. We need more girls in the skate space to create a familiar, friendly and inclusive environment.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More coverage from the Future Forum
Scoreline
Germany 2
Werner 9', Sane 19'
Netherlands 2
Promes 85', Van Dijk 90'
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
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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
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OTHER IPL BOWLING RECORDS
Best bowling figures: 6-14 – Sohail Tanvir (for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008)
Best average: 16.36 – Andrew Tye
Best economy rate: 6.53 – Sunil Narine
Best strike-rate: 12.83 – Andrew Tye
Best strike-rate in an innings: 1.50 – Suresh Raina (for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in 2011)
Most runs conceded in an innings: 70 – Basil Thampi (for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018)
Most hat-tricks: 3 – Amit Mishra
Most dot-balls: 1,128 – Harbhajan Singh
Most maiden overs bowled: 14 – Praveen Kumar
Most four-wicket hauls: 6 – Sunil Narine
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 285bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: TBA
On sale: Q2, 2020
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
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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
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
RACECARD
6pm Emaar Dubai Sprint – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m
6.35pm Graduate Stakes – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.10pm Al Khail Trophy – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 2,810m
7.45pm UAE 1000 Guineas – Listed (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
8.20pm Zabeel Turf – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 2,000m
8.55pm Downtown Dubai Cup – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 1,400m
9.30pm Zabeel Mile – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,600m
10.05pm Dubai Sprint – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,200m
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
You Were Never Really Here
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Joaquim Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov
Four stars
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
