Shops in Sweihan. On Sunday, temperatures in the Al Ain town hit 51.8°C, the highest recorded by any community on Earth that day.
Shops in Sweihan. On Sunday, temperatures in the Al Ain town hit 51.8°C, the highest recorded by any community on Earth that day.
'The National' visited Sweihan when the temperature was a more clement 44°C, but not right for cooking eggs.
'The National' visited Sweihan when the temperature was a more clement 44°C, but not right for cooking eggs.
Shakeel KP, a restaurant owner in Sweihan, says this summer is the hottest he has experienced in 12 years.
Shakeel KP, a restaurant owner in Sweihan, says this summer is the hottest he has experienced in 12 years.
Elhadrami Alhashmi, an Emirati camel trainer and businessman, says Sweihan is hotter than his hometown of Liwa.
Elhadrami Alhashmi, an Emirati camel trainer and businessman, says Sweihan is hotter than his hometown of Liwa.
Thursday's temperatures in Sweihan meant an attempt at frying an egg in the 44°C heat did not deliver the desired effect.
Thursday's temperatures in Sweihan meant an attempt at frying an egg in the 44°C heat did not deliver the desired effect.
Residents of Sweihan say the heat is unbearable.
Residents of Sweihan say the heat is unbearable.
Sweihan's heat melts ice cream in minutes.
Sweihan's heat melts ice cream in minutes.
Residents of Sweihan say they avoid going outdoors during the daytime.
Residents of Sweihan say they avoid going outdoors during the daytime.
Haris Hassan, 50, from Kerala, is the owner of Mega Fun Electronics in Sweihan. He says daytime heat is too much for even a five-minute walk.
Haris Hassan, 50, from Kerala, is the owner of Mega Fun Electronics in Sweihan. He says daytime heat is too much for even a five-minute walk.
Sweihan resident Tareef Otham has cut down on his daily outdoor exercise routine to avoid the heat.
Sweihan resident Tareef Otham has cut down on his daily outdoor exercise routine to avoid the heat.
Abdullah OK, 21, from India, sells fruit and vegetables in Sweihan.
Abdullah OK, 21, from India, sells fruit and vegetables in Sweihan.
Hawa El Hadey, a travel agent who moved from Abu Dhabi city to Sweihan 13 years ago, says the heat is not too bad.
Hawa El Hadey, a travel agent who moved from Abu Dhabi city to Sweihan 13 years ago, says the heat is not too bad.
Syed Ali, 31, from Pakistan works as a maintenance supervisor and has been living in Sweihan for five years.
Syed Ali, 31, from Pakistan works as a maintenance supervisor and has been living in Sweihan for five years.
Muhammad Shafi, 35, from Kerala, has been in Sweihan for six months.
Muhammad Shafi, 35, from Kerala, has been in Sweihan for six months.
Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.
Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.
Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.
Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.

Environment

Sweihan in Al Ain at 52°C: what life is like in the 'hottest place on Earth’

The city’s long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced

Haneen Dajani
Haneen Dajani

June 11, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

On Sunday, the temperature at Sweihan in Al Ain reached 51.8°C, the highest on Earth that day.

The city's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have known and it felt like an inferno.

The National was in town on Thursday when the temperature was 44°C.

This reporter and a colleague tried to fry an egg on the bonnet of the car, but the heat was not enough to cook it hard.

Eggs need to reach a temperature of 70°C to cook thoroughly.

A pan was placed in direct sunlight for 30 minutes before the egg was introduced.

I felt like I was inside an oven

After cooking for 45 minutes, bubbles came out of the egg.

The weather has not been easy on Sweihan residents, who said stepping outdoors for a few minutes was becoming unbearable.

Walking, biking or driving in the afternoon was extremely difficult.

“It was very hot. I felt like I was inside an oven,” said Tareef Otham, from Syria.

“These days, whenever I drive in the afternoon, the steering wheel burns my hands even though I use the windshield screens when the car is parked.

“I wait for a few minutes for the air conditioning to cool the steering wheel a bit before I start driving.”

The 54-year-old Arabic teacher has been living in Sweihan for 21 years.

“This year it got hotter earlier than usual. And at night it doesn’t get any cooler,” he said.

The heat has forced him to cut down on his daily outdoor exercise routine.

“I’m used to walking for an hour every evening, but since the beginning of June I have cut it down to 30 minutes. I can’t tolerate it,” he said.

Elhadrami Alhashmi, a camel trainer and trader, moved to Sweihan 10 years ago.

"I am originally from Liwa in Al Dhafra," said the 34-year-old.

He said Sweihan feels hotter than Liwa.

Liwa is about 150 kilometres to the south-west of Abu Dhabi city and is home to the Empty Quarter, the largest desert in the Arabian Peninsula.

“The heat this week has become the talk of the town,” Mr Alhashmi said.

“And just as we always record the hottest temperature here in the summer, we also record the coldest winters. It reached zero and below at times,” he said.

“This year, winter was warmer though, and we didn’t get a drop of rain.”

On Sunday, Mr Alhashmi said he did not leave his house.

But Naseeb, from India, walked for a kilometre at 1.30pm on Sunday.

“At some point, I felt it was difficult to breathe. I tried to walk in shade as much as possible,” he said.

Resident Tareef Otham has cut down on his daily outdoor exercise routine to avoid the heat. Haneen Dajani
Resident Tareef Otham has cut down on his daily outdoor exercise routine to avoid the heat. Haneen Dajani

The 25-year-old salesman at an electronics shop in the town’s co-operative society walks to work each day.

“I was only wearing my cap and sunglasses. It was just too hot,” he said.

He has been living in Sweihan for a year.

“I used to work in Oman. Sweihan is hotter than Oman and my hometown Kerala. I prefer to live in a cold place,” he said.

Muhammad Shafi, 35, a waiter in the co-operative society's cafeteria, said he uses an umbrella or puts a box on his head when he walks to work and goes home.

He leaves for work at 1.30pm and returns home after 1am.

“I live five minutes away, but even the short walk is unbearable in this weather,” he said.

“There are no trees or shade to walk under. I carry water with me to survive.”

Shakeel KP, owner of Al Dahrooj restaurant in the town’s public market, said he gets just a few customers during daytime.

The 32-year-old Indian has been in Sweihan for 12 years.

“People try to avoid the heat during the day, so most come at night,” he said.

At about 3pm, he had three customers.

“At night, we get 10 to 15 customers,” he said.

“In June and July it always becomes very hot, and this year it feels even hotter,” he said.

Hawa El Hadey, a travel agent who moved from Abu Dhabi city to Sweihan 13 years ago, thinks the heat is not too bad.

“It is open here, and the heat is slightly more bearable than in busy cities such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ajman,” said the 32-year-old from Sudan.

“Sweihan is very beautiful. It is considered one of the hottest places, but I find it less humid.”

She drives home for lunch at 2pm every day.

“It gets very hot while driving home at that time. The drive is only five minutes, and I reach home before the AC starts cooling the car,” she said.

UAE weather - in pictures

A woman shields herself from the sun in Abu Dhabi. All photos taken on June 6, 2021.
A woman shields herself from the sun in Abu Dhabi. All photos taken on June 6, 2021.
Camels graze close to the solar park in Sweihan, where temperatures rose above 50°C. Courtesy: Noor Abu Dhabi
Camels graze close to the solar park in Sweihan, where temperatures rose above 50°C. Courtesy: Noor Abu Dhabi
The Gulf has had a hot start to the summer with temperatures hitting 45C daily in early June. Pawan Singh / The National
The Gulf has had a hot start to the summer with temperatures hitting 45C daily in early June. Pawan Singh / The National
Hazy weather across Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Hazy weather across Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Downtown Dubai's skyscrapers obscured by the humid haze. Antonie Robertson / The National
Downtown Dubai's skyscrapers obscured by the humid haze. Antonie Robertson / The National
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Babumoshai Bandookbaaz

Director: Kushan Nandy

Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami

Three stars

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
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Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETwig%20Solutions%20(with%20trade%20name%20Twig)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChafic%20Idriss%2C%20Karam%20El%20Dik%20and%20Rayan%20Antonios%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Ebootstrapped%20(undisclosed)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E13%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-seed%20%E2%80%94%20closing%20the%20round%20as%20we%20speak%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20senior%20executives%20from%20the%20GCC%20financial%20services%20industry%20and%20global%20family%20offices%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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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Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
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VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

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Company%20Profile
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How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENever%20click%20on%20links%20provided%20via%20app%20or%20SMS%2C%20even%20if%20they%20seem%20to%20come%20from%20authorised%20senders%20at%20first%20glance%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAlways%20double-check%20the%20authenticity%20of%20websites%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EEnable%20Two-Factor%20Authentication%20(2FA)%20for%20all%20your%20working%20and%20personal%20services%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EOnly%20use%20official%20links%20published%20by%20the%20respective%20entity%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDouble-check%20the%20web%20addresses%20to%20reduce%20exposure%20to%20fake%20sites%20created%20with%20domain%20names%20containing%20spelling%20errors%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
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The biog

Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.

Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella

Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Director: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 4/5

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh135,000

Engine 1.6L turbo

Gearbox Six speed automatic with manual and sports mode

Power 165hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 240Nm @ 1,400rpm 0-100kph: 9.2 seconds

Top speed 420 kph (governed)

Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures

Monday, Sept 30

Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)

Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)

Know before you go
  • Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
  • If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
  • By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
  • Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
  • Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

 

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