2024 Paris Olympics: as they happened
The 2024 Paris Olympics has spawned many inspirational stories, from Simone Biles seemingly defying the laws of gravity to Algerian boxer Imane Khelif overcoming online critics to win gold.
Many will have been happy enough to cheer on from the comfort of a couch, but others might be inspired to follow in the footsteps of the athletes and sign up for a gym class or take up a new sport.
For those in the latter camp, here are some suggestions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Women's boxing
Khelif's journey through has got the world talking. Not allowing critics to slow her down, the Algerian took home a gold medal on Friday. Across the UAE, there are lots of ways to get into women's boxing.
Final Round in Umm Suqeim, Dubai, has a ladies-only workout space fitted with 10 stations for boxing exercises, from kick-boxing with a bag to practising jabs, uppercuts and hooks with a trainer holding pads. Other gyms across the emirate offering similar classes include Boxica in Studio City, Warehouse's women-only gym and Seven Wellness, both in Al Quoz.
Golden Ring is a boxing, kick-boxing and Muay Thai school tempting first-timers with three introductory sessions, while Rocky Road (both in Al Quoz) offers a split boxing training session, ideal for those who want to team up with a friend.
In Abu Dhabi, Cobra Fitness has sparring for adults, plus boxing and Muay Thai lessons for children and adults.
Breakdancing
Breaking, or breakdancing as it is more commonly known, was added to this year's Olympic line-up. Victor Montalvo, dubbed the LeBron James of breakdancing, was the favourite to win, but Canadian Philip Kim, better known as Phil Wizard, took home gold.
Australia's Rachael Gunn, nicknamed Raygun, went viral online after scoring zero during the round-robin stage of the competition, later becoming the subject of mocking memes online owing to her unusual approach. But the athlete hit back at trolls on social media, saying: “Don’t be afraid to be different.”
Tempo is a dance school in JLT that offers everything from salsa to belly dancing classes, alongside breakdancing lessons for children and teenagers. For adults, it's a little trickier, but there are plenty of hip-hop and street dance classes to explore.
Step Up Academy in Springs Souk and Hip-Hop Cardio in Business Bay both offer class packages for adults, while gym StudioRepublik offers drop-in classes for hip-hop, Afro-fusion, contemporary dance and more. James and Alex Dance Studio in Media City has drop-in classes – including all-level hip-hop available to book directly and through partners such as ClassPass.
Gymnastics
All eyes were on Biles after heartbreak at Tokyo 2020, but the American became the word's most decorated gymnast by winning three golds and a silver in Paris.
Inspired by Biles? Then check out Shams Gymnastics Club in Al Safa, which offers twice-weekly gymnastic training sessions for adults that can be purchased on a term-by-term basis. FitRepublik in Sports City provides both adult gymnastic sessions and callisthenics strength training classes. Fly High Fitness in Dubai Investment Park 1, meanwhile, offers six beginner-friendly adult gymnastic classes per week.
Want to hone a skill? Topstretching in Dubai Marina runs split training classes, too.
Surfing
Surfing was a new addition to the Olympics in Paris and made headlines with the standout picture of the competition: Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina riding a huge wave which gave him a 9.90 score and set an Olympic record.
While mimicking Medina is more that a stretch, there are plenty of opportunities to dip a toe in the water in the UAE. Surf House Dubai in Umm Suqeim 2 has been established in the region since 2005 and offers private, couple and group classes for all levels. Amphibious Surf School along Jumeirah Public Beach in Umm Suqeim 3 likewise serves mixed-group sizes and provides private surfing lessons.
In the capital, Surf lo Dhabi recently announced it will open on Hudayriyat Island in October, complete with the world's longest ride, largest barrel as well as highest man-made wave. The park is designed for surfers of all skill levels, from beginners to elite.
Skateboarding
Skateboarding was introduced to the Olympics at Tokyo 2020 and all the talk in Paris was the wide ranging ages taking part. Zheng Haohao, 11, competed for China, while Andy Macdonald, 50, represented Britain.
Dubai Skateboarding School in Damac Hills offers a range of tutorial packages, including an adult and/or family-friendly bundle, while GoSkate can help you get set up with a certified instructor.
Shooting
It was on nobody's bingo card that this year's shooting would create new style icons. South Korean shooter Kim Yeji's baseball cap and glasses get-up (a magnifying lens on one eye and a sight blocker on the other) was the first to catch spectators' attention, followed by Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec's casual demeanour as he shunned ear protectors and specialised lenses, consequently stealing the show.
Feeling inspired? JA Shooting Club in Jebel Ali offers beginner's sessions for indoor target shooting and outdoor clay pigeon shooting.
Both Al Forsan International Sports Resort in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club offer shooting packages with professionals on hand to train and assist.
Climbing
Climbing is another sport that debuted in Tokyo, mirroring the rise of bouldering and rope climbing as weekend activities in the real world. In Paris, the sport was split into two categories – bouldering/lead combined and speed climbing, meaning more opportunities for medals and the chance to flex different skill sets this time around.
Ascents Sports Academy in Wafi City Mall offers private training sessions for up to two aspiring climbers and a beginner's course package deal for those keen to get to grips with the sport. Intro sessions can be booked directly or via ClassPass. Rock Republic in Dubai Investment Park 1 also offers a two-hour private coaching session alongside drop-in sessions.
Mountain Extreme in Al Quoz offers a short induction class before starting.
In Abu Dhabi, Clymb on Yas Island has the tallest indoor climbing wall in the Middle East and offers five experiences, including guided sessions.
Obstacle course
Obstacle racing will be added to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Some may recognise the sport from the Japanese game show Sasuke, which has inspired spin-offs worldwide, including the popular American Ninja Warrior. Each show recruits people to compete in different rounds of physical feats through qualifying courses to win life-changing cash prizes.
Keen for the challenge? Bounce UAE (located in Marina Mall and Khalifa City in Abu Dhabi; and Festival City and Al Quoz), has an adventure obstacle course that features warped walls familiar to the game's viewers, challenging opponents on speed, strength and timing. Bia Warrior ladies' gym in Al Quoz has several weekly ninja warrior sessions, while Wellfit gym, located in Meyden and JVC, has drop-in obstacle classes, too.
For those ready to test their skills, forthcoming races include Tough Mudder, XQuarry's Gladiator Obstacle Course and Desert Warrior Challenge Dubai.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The biog
Name: Mohammed Imtiaz
From: Gujranwala, Pakistan
Arrived in the UAE: 1976
Favourite clothes to make: Suit
Cost of a hand-made suit: From Dh550
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.
Profile Idealz
Company: Idealz
Founded: January 2018
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Size: (employees): 22
Investors: Co-founders and Venture Partners (9 per cent)
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Biography
Favourite drink: Must have karak chai and Chinese tea every day
Favourite non-Chinese food: Arabic sweets and Indian puri, small round bread of wheat flour
Favourite Chinese dish: Spicy boiled fish or anything cooked by her mother because of its flavour
Best vacation: Returning home to China
Music interests: Enjoys playing the zheng, a string musical instrument
Enjoys reading: Chinese novels, romantic comedies, reading up on business trends, government policy changes
Favourite book: Chairman Mao Zedong’s poems
READ MORE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS
European arms
Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons. Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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.
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
