Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
It was the harrowing image of a father in Rafah cradling his deceased son that prompted Dubai resident Stephen Melia to make a bold decision to help earlier this year, one that will test his mental and physical limits.
The 36-year-old father-of-one from the UK is preparing to run five consecutive 112km ultra-marathons on Kite Beach from November 18, covering a total of 560km to raise awareness for the Gaza in Our Hearts campaign by Dubai Cares, which supports emergency relief aid for the people affected by the war. His aim is to raise Dh560,000 ($152,484) for the cause – Dh1 for every 1000 kilometres.
“Joining with Dubai Cares for Gaza is the best way of getting these funds to the correct places. I have a two-year-old son myself, and I can’t begin to imagine the heartbreak that father must have felt, and the daily suffering the people of Palestine endure. It made me feel sad, disappointed, and angry. But I decided to channel those emotions and found an opportunity to give back in my own way,” the mindset coach told The National.
“This year, I started running and decided that would be my challenge. I know it’s going to be a painful week, and I’ll face some dark moments. But I’m choosing to do this, so how can I complain when I see what’s happening in Palestine and the wider region?”
Planning the route
Mr Melia began planning for the run in May, researching various distances to create the challenge. Before committing to the ultra-distance, he tested his endurance by completing five consecutive half marathons, progressing to a 50km run, and eventually doing a 100km run on the indoor track at Dubai Sports World, which took him a little under 10 hours.
“For the first few months, I trained on my own just to see if this was even possible,” he said. “I know running 112km every day will be a different experience, but I follow the same advice that I give my clients: if you have a goal and the determination to achieve it, nothing can stop you.”
Initially, the idea was to run the entire length of Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, but Mr Melia adjusted the route to a more accessible 6km loop of the Kite Beach track. "Running a short loop also makes it easier for people to join me along the way.
“People have been reaching out, telling me they’re preparing to run the farthest they ever have with me during this challenge,” he said. “That makes me happy because it’s not just about my personal goal and raising awareness for Gaza, but also about encouraging everyone to make movement their medicine. It’s for anyone going through a tough time or struggling at work. Let’s run and chat along the way.”
Training for the ultra-run
Mr Melia began training with a coach in June, focusing on a mix of long runs, shorter intense efforts, strength training, and recovery techniques like stretching and ice baths to prevent injury.
For nutrition, he has been experimenting with different foods and gels to prepare his gut for consuming about 8,000 calories a day during the challenge. “We’re looking at meals like burritos, tacos, and peanut butter sandwiches, along with flapjacks and carb gels to keep my glycogen up,” Mr Melia said.
“As my runs get longer, I’ll start them as early as 3am and begin eating big meals and drinking sugary drinks at that time to get my body used to it. Someone even suggested sprinkling gels on my food, which I’ll try. Hydration and electrolytes are also necessary to prevent cramping and fatigue.”
Setting up for the event
Mr Melia and his support crew will set up at the zero km mark on the Kite Beach track, running 3km out and back to easily access his gear and nutrition. “All my pairs of shoes, change of clothes, food, and drinks will be there. I’ll take a five to 10-minute break every 30km to eat something substantial.”
He plans to run about 15 hours a day to complete the distance but is preparing for any scenario. “We can probably control the first day of the challenge because I’ll be fresh. The battle will really begin on day two and I’m just going to listen to my body and coach. I don’t want to fixate on the daily mileage. We’ll assess each km as it comes.”
Still, Mr Melia is confident he will be able to cover that distance no matter what. “Not finishing is always an option, but it’s not on my mind. I hope to have people around me, giving me the energy to keep going. I want to do this for the people of Palestine and to make my son proud. Even if I have to walk or crawl, I’ll get it done with the support of my family, friends, and the community.”
You can view Mr Melia's fund-raising page here.
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
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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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Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
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
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
The%20Little%20Mermaid%20
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham v Ajax, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
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A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
Ponti
Sharlene Teo, Pan Macmillan
The biog
Most memorable achievement: Leading my first city-wide charity campaign in Toronto holds a special place in my heart. It was for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women program and showed me the power of how communities can come together in the smallest ways to have such wide impact.
Favourite film: Childhood favourite would be Disney’s Jungle Book and classic favourite Gone With The Wind.
Favourite book: To Kill A Mockingbird for a timeless story on justice and courage and Harry Potters for my love of all things magical.
Favourite quote: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
Favourite food: Dim sum
Favourite place to travel to: Anywhere with natural beauty, wildlife and awe-inspiring sunsets.
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What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
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Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
THE DETAILS
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Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
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
The specs: 2018 Infiniti QX80
Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km
