If there's one thing most of us can say about 2020, it's that it has given us an appreciation for the simpler things in life. Over the past few months, niche hobbies such as embroidery and origami have shot into the limelight, while baking has become a favourite pastime for many. And it isn't just indoor activities that have risen in popularity, either; roller skating has made quite the comeback. Social media feeds are bursting with related videos and Google Trends reported a surge of online searches for roller skates in May.
In a way, roller skating is the perfect pandemic activity: it can be enjoyed solo, does not involve touching too much equipment, takes place in big open spaces and is the perfect blend of exercise and fun. Add to the fact that parking lots around the world are emptier than usual, and one can see its allure.
TikTok is another big contributor to the trend. Over the past few months, the social media platform has been inundated with videos of TikTok stars on wheels. Ana Coto, an actress in Los Angeles, has gone viral for her suave moves, so much so that she’s being credited with bringing the trend back.
If you'd like to hop on to the roller-skating bandwagon now that the weather is getting cooler, here's what you need to know about picking up the hobby in the UAE.
Which skates to buy
Skates can be broadly divided into two types. Roller skates or quad skates are the classic, old-school four-wheel skates that most people are familiar with. Kamran “Kami” Ahmad, founder of UAE skating community Madrollers, says these skates are good for smooth surfaces, dancing and tricks.
UAE singer and skating enthusiast Claudia Lang-Lenton adds that they are more versatile. “Although you’re likely to fall on your back on your first few attempts, and stopping is not so obvious, they let you do everything others can and are also ideal for dancing. Let’s not forget that they are also super-cute. For stability and reliability, I do not recommend those that attach to the shoe. Roller skates can be a low or high boot, with the latter being more common and offering the best support.”
However, one of the cons of quad skates is that they are not the best for long distances, says Ahmad.
Rollerblades or inline skates are skating shoes where the wheels are fixed in a line. Lang-Lenton says these are more accessible and the usual choice for street and aggressive skating (which focuses on the execution of tricks). “They are faster and a bit more stable when skating for the first time.”
Inline skates come with different wheel counts and diameters. Ahmad breaks it down further: “Two and four wheelers can be good for aggressive skating – mostly for tricks and low-speed skating,” he says.
“Three wheelers are really good for speed skating, but you will have less control. Five wheelers are good for really high-speed skating and long distances.
“Four-wheel inline skating shoes, which most of us are familiar with it, have great control and good speed. That’s why most skaters around the world use these,” he explains.
Where to buy skates in the UAE
Skates are available to buy at branches of Decathlon and HQ Adventure. They can also be purchased online on locoskates.com and inlinewarehouse.com. Don't forget to add safety gear, such as helmets, wrist and elbow guards and knee pads.
Jay A, who founded the Abu Dhabi chapter of Madrollers, says the community also offers free consultations to anyone interested in buying skates.
Where to skate in Dubai
“To have an easy-going and pleasant street-skating experience you need no cars, a smooth floor (beware of interlock tiles), no sand and plenty of space. Most importantly, skating should be permitted,” says Lang-Lenton.
Here’s a look at some of the places in Dubai that meet Lang-Lenton and Ahmad's approval.
Dubai Water Canal: It offers ample space and the ground is smooth. Add in views of Business Bay and Downtown Dubai, and you have the perfect skating location for beginners. However, the area after Sheikh Zayed Road bridge is off-limits to skaters.
Downtown Dubai Boulevard: The ground is extremely smooth and it has views of Burj Khalifa. However, it's best to go with someone who knows the area well to avoid construction zones.
Jumeirah Lakes Towers: A great place to skate if you want a backdrop of skyscrapers, plenty of restaurants and a lake by your feet. The surface is mostly even, however, there are some breaks in the tiles that need a little bit of focus.
Dubai Marina: Another lovely area for its liveliness and water views. However, the floor is not the most pleasant for skating, and will be particularly difficult for quad skaters.
Mushrif Park: Located closer to Mirdif, this park has a track that is perfect for cyclists and skaters. However, it does have some steep slopes that are not recommended for beginners.
Al Mamzar Park: Located along the beach, the park is a good place for aggressive skaters, complete with a big ramp popular with those who enjoy an adrenalin rush.
Bay Avenue Skatepark: The open-air skate park features small concrete slopes, making it perfect for skateboarders and skaters. The Burj Khalifa views are a bonus.
XDubai Skatepark: Located on Kite Beach, the park features a range of ledges, rails, ramps, banks and blocks, as well as the XBowl, for skaters who want to practise tricks. Entry costs Dh45 (for one park user and one spectator) while three months of unlimited access costs Dh399.
Where not to skate in Dubai
While some of Dubai’s well-maintained, smooth streets might tempt enthusiasts to bust out their wheels, know that not all places permit it. Some areas where roller skating is not allowed are Palm Jumeirah Crescent, the rest of Kite Beach, La Mer and Al Seef.
Where to skate in Abu Dhabi
Jay, of Madrollers Abu Dhabi, lists the following locations.
Al Reem Skateboard Park: Located on Reem Island, the destination features a colourful area dedicated to skateboarders and skaters. It's particularly good for aggressive skaters.
Corniche Skatepark: A smooth area with plenty of ramps and rails, this is good those who want to practise slalom skating – a type of freestyle skating involving tricks around a straight line.
Al Wathba Bicycle Track: Surrounded by desert vistas on either side, the 16km-long Al Wathba Bicycle Track is perfect for speed skaters.
Masdar Park: Al Mamsha trail in Masdar Park stretches on for 5.6km around Masdar City, and is for another good destination for speed skaters.
“In Madrollers, we try to incorporate nice views, music and atmosphere for our skaters. We also skate in Al Bandar, Corniche and Marsa Mina – all with marshals guiding the crowed and ensuring a safe skating experience,” adds Jay.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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The biog
Favourite film: The Notebook
Favourite book: What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey
Favourite quote: “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness” Nelson Madela. Hometown: Emmen, The Netherlands
Favourite activities: Walking on the beach, eating at restaurants and spending time with friends
Job: Founder and Managing Director of Mawaheb from Beautiful Peopl
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Oppenheimer
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Key developments in maritime dispute
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
The biog
Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.
His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.
“If you have the ambition and dream of something, follow that dream, be positive, determined and set goals.
"Nothing and no-one can stop you from succeeding with the right work application, and a little bit of luck along the way.”
Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.
He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking.
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'How To Build A Boat'
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How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
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White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SHAITTAN
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EA Sports FC 24
The specs: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Price, base / as tested: Dh101,140 / Dh113,800
Engine: Turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 148hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm @ 2,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed CVT
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The biog
Favourite hobby: I love to sing but I don’t get to sing as much nowadays sadly.
Favourite book: Anything by Sidney Sheldon.
Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.
Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
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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Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 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
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
