This weekend, a host of big names were spotted out and about in Dubai.
Egyptian actor and singer Mohamed Ramadan, Moroccan producer RedOne, Nigerian-American actress Yvonne Orji, and model and Bigg Boss runner-up Asim Riaz were among those in the UAE.
Here, we round up what the rich and famous have been up to in the emirate.
Mohamed Ramadan premieres 'Ya Habibi' at Palm Fountain
Ramadan has been spotted frequently in Dubai since September, however, this weekend was a particularly notable appearance, as he arrived to see the Palm Fountain at The Pointe play his popular song, Ya Habibi.
From Fnajeen Restaurant and Cafe, the Egyptian singer watched as the fountain lit up and the water danced in the background behind him.
He was also seen out enjoying Dubai's lively nightlife scene, dining at Bagatelle Dubai and Opa.
Ramadan seems to have checked into the Palazzo Versace Dubai, where he has regularly been posing for poolside photos and posting them on Instagram.
He also paid Saif Ahmad Belhasa's Fame Park a visit last week.
RedOne's celebrity dinner in Dubai
Last week, Ramadan dined at Cipriani Dubai with Moroccan producer and singer RedOne, Dutch fashion designer Laila Aziz, and Emirati MBC anchor Mahira Abdel Aziz.
"A lovely dinner with amazing people," RedOne wrote on Instagram.
Shama Sikander
Indian actress and singer Shama Sikander celebrated Diwali in Dubai.
The Bypass Road star posted a photo of herself poolside at a Dubai hotel and under an elegantly lit arch.
Asim Riaz at the Burj Khalifa
Indian model Riaz is best known for appearing on reality TV show Bigg Boss.
He has been in the UAE for a week, posting photos from the Burj Khalifa and by a pool in Downtown Dubai.
Yvonne Orji's Dubai tour
American-Nigerian actress Yvonne Orji is in Dubai, being shown around by the Visit Dubai Africa team with a jam-packed itinerary.
On her first day in the emirate, she visited the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Aquarium at The Dubai Mall and dined at Ce La Vi Dubai with her parents. Day two was filled with cultural attractions, including visits to the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding, the Gold and Spice Souk and an evening desert safari.
"We kicked it with a falcon, spotted an Arabian oryx, rode camels (also: ate camel meat and drank camel milk – who knew?!), were serenaded by an Emirati band – they messed around and invited me up to sing back-up, and we ended the night sitting in the still of the desert sky," she said of the evening.
She also celebrated her mother's birthday in the UAE, with lunch and a spa treatment at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, before dinner at Armani Hotel Dubai.
On her fourth day, they checked out the JBR Aqua Fun Water Park and headed to Global Village in the evening.
Carlinhos Maia's desert trip
The Brazilian influencer is also in Dubai, where he was filmed by Belhasa meeting the animals at his Fame Park.
On Maia's Instagram, he has shared photos from Dubai Marina, out in the desert on a camel and in a swimming pool with a Burj Khalifa backdrop.
He seems to have arrived in Dubai after a holiday in the Maldives.
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Read more:
Mohamed Ramadan in Dubai: Egyptian star on his UAE golden visa and why he's focused on Africa
All the celebrities spotted in Dubai this week: From Khabib Nurmagomedov to Megan McKenna
From Bella Hadid to Ramy Youssef: 11 American Muslim celebrities who have opened up about their faith
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How to help or find other cats to adopt
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
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
UAE'S%20YOUNG%20GUNS
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MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
More from UAE Human Development Report:
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
Impact in numbers
335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
10 million people given access to clean and affordable drinking water
50 million homes powered by renewable energy
6.5 billion litres of water saved
26 million school children given solar lighting
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
more from Janine di Giovanni
The%20specs
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Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
New Zealand
Penalties: Barrett (7)
British & Irish Lions
Tries: Faletau, Murray
Penalties: Farrell (4)
Conversions: Farrell
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon
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SPECS
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The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
THE%20STRANGERS'%20CASE
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THREE
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SPECS
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
AL%20BOOM
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
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GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
