English singer-songerwriter Ed Sheeran is set to perform in Dubai. Sarah Dea / The National
English singer-songerwriter Ed Sheeran is set to perform in Dubai. Sarah Dea / The National

Ed Sheeran in Dubai: Organisers announce concert will be dry, as will J Lo and Elton John shows



The organiser of three forthcoming pop concerts in Dubai has announced that alcohol will not be served at them.

117 Live confirmed that Ed Sheeran’s concert on November 23, Jennifer Lopez’s show on November 17 and Elton John’s live performance on December 8 – all at Dubai Autism Rocks Arena - will be dry.

It however will be offering all guests a complimentary Dh50 food and beverage voucher when arriving at the arena.

It added that if customers who have already purchased tickets do not wish to attend under these circumstances "they will be offered the option of a refund".

"If attendees have purchased hospitality packages or VIP tables with food and beverage options, they will also be offered a refund on beverage packages."

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Tonight's Fiesta de Los Muertos music festival will appeal to all cultures, families, says arena owner

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The decision not to serve alcohol at the events comes from the land owner Ahli Holding Group.

Sheeran’s concert was initially in doubt after the pop superstar broke his arm last month in a cycling accident.

However, he has recovered sufficiently to continue his Asian tour and performed last night in Malaysia.

Tickets are still available for the J Lo and Elton John shows and can be purchased at 117live.com.

J Lo is also set to perform tonight at a Dubai Airshow gala dinner.

Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

EMIRATES'S REVISED A350 DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULE

Edinburgh: November 4 (unchanged)

Bahrain: November 15 (from September 15); second daily service from January 1

Kuwait: November 15 (from September 16)

Mumbai: January 1 (from October 27)

Ahmedabad: January 1 (from October 27)

Colombo: January 2 (from January 1)

Muscat: March 1 (from December 1)

Lyon: March 1 (from December 1)

Bologna: March 1 (from December 1)

Source: Emirates

HIV on the rise in the region

A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.

New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.

Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.

Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.  

Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.

FIGHT CARD

Welterweight Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Tohir Zhuraev (TJK)

Catchweight 75kg Leandro Martins (BRA) v Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)

Flyweight Corinne Laframboise (CAN) v Manon Fiorot (FRA)

Featherweight Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB)

Lightweight Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) v Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG)

Featherweight Yousef Al Housani (UAE) v Mohamed Arsharq Ali (SLA)

Catchweight 69kg Jung Han-gook (KOR) v Elias Boudegzdame (ALG)

Catchweight 71kg Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)

Featherweight title Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)

Lightweight title Bruno Machado (BRA) v Mike Santiago (USA)

Afro salons

For women:
Sisu Hair Salon, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
Boho Salon, Al Barsha South, Dubai
Moonlight, Al Falah Street, Abu Dhabi
For men:
MK Barbershop, Dar Al Wasl Mall, Dubai
Regency Saloon, Al Zahiyah, Abu Dhabi
Uptown Barbershop, Al Nasseriya, Sharjah

MATCH INFO

Chelsea 1 (Hudson-Odoi 90+1')

Manchester City 3 (Gundogan 18', Foden 21', De Bruyne 34')

Man of the match: Ilkay Gundogan (Man City)