Nigerian singer Wizkid is one of a new generation of African artists making inroads into the western charts. Courtesy: Joseph Okpako / Getty Images
Nigerian singer Wizkid is one of a new generation of African artists making inroads into the western charts. Courtesy: Joseph Okpako / Getty Images
Nigerian singer Wizkid is one of a new generation of African artists making inroads into the western charts. Courtesy: Joseph Okpako / Getty Images
Nigerian singer Wizkid is one of a new generation of African artists making inroads into the western charts. Courtesy: Joseph Okpako / Getty Images

Wizkid and Ozuna to perform at Saudi Arabia's Gamers8 festival


Saeed Saeed
  • English
  • Arabic

Reggaeton star Ozuna and Nigerian Afro-pop singer Wizkid are part of the latest batch of international and local artists performing as part of Gamers8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The eSports festival announced 11 more artists to join an already formidable line-up of acts to play at weekly concerts in Boulevard Riyadh City.

The series kicked off with Egyptian pop star Amir Diab and Colombian singer J Balvin performing as part of the festival's opening ceremony on July 14.

Performances by the newly announced artists begin on Thursday, with a set by Saudi spinner DJ Aseel.

This Thursday, Swedish DJ Axwell, Emirati-Yemeni singer Balqees and Egypt’s Mohamed Hamaki will also take the stage.

Puerto Rican singer Ozuna will take the stage on Thursday, July 28 alongside Belgian EDM artists Lost Frequencies and Saudi DJ duo Malkin and Emad. Rapper Lil Pump will also feature in a solo performance on the same day.

Expect a greatest hits set from Wizkid, who will play after a set by Saudi rapper Dafencii.

More local acts are set to feature on other Thursdays during the festival, with Cosmicat and Jeed hitting the DJ decks on August 11 and 18 respectively, followed by The Engineers on August 25 and Jazzy Spa Sounds on September 1.

Already announced to perform in Boulevard Riyadh City are Lebanese pop star Nancy Ajram and EDM producer Marshmello, who will use the opportunity to play the collaborative new single Sah Sah on Thursday, August 11.

More Thursday acts include Moroccan DJ and producer R3hab on August 4, while rapper Russ leads a bill that will include DJ Alan Walker and Egypt electronic act Disco Misr on August 18.

After impressing crowds at Expo 2020 Dubai last year and the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah in February, the Black Eyed Peas will return to the region to perform on August 25 alongside DJ Snake.

Tickets for the concerts are available from the official website, with concert tickets starting from Saudi riyals 240.

What is Gamers8?

Running with the theme Your Portal to the Next World, it is described as “the biggest esports and gaming event worldwide”, where tournaments are played alongside entertainment and cultural offerings.

According to its organiser, the Saudi Esports Federation, more than 1,000 activities, from concerts to comedy and magic shows, are part of the programme.

On the sporting front, Gamers8 invites some of the world’s best players and teams to compete across popular titles, such as Rocket League, Dota 2, Fortnite, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege and PUBG Mobile.

The total prize pool on offer is $15 million, one of the biggest in any esports competition.

The tournaments will be broadcast live on the festival’s social media channels in more than eight languages, including Arabic and English.

Gamers8 runs until September 8 in Riyadh

19 concerts and events coming to Dubai, from Justin Bieber to Jo Koy and 'Romeo & Juliet' — in pictures

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The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre

The specs: 2018 Honda City

Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km

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Warby Parker @warbyparker

Zara @zara

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"

Results

International 4, United States 1

Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (US) beat Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann (International) 4 and 3.

Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im (International) beat Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (US) 2 up.

Adam Scott and Byeong Hun An (International) beat Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau (US) 2 and 1.

Hideki Matsuyama and C.T. Pan (International) beat Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (US) 1 up.

Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen (International) beat Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland (US) 4 and 3.

Graduated from the American University of Sharjah

She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters

Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks

Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding

 

PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS

2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)

The biog

Favourite car: Ferrari

Likes the colour: Black

Best movie: Avatar

Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy

Know your Camel lingo

The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home

Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless

Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers

Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s

Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival

Bio

Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind. 
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.

India cancels school-leaving examinations
RESULT

Chelsea 2

Willian 13'

Ross Barkley 64'

Liverpool 0

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Raghida, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,200m 
Winner: Basmah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Liwa Oasis Group 2 (PA) Dh300,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: SS Jalmod, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Trolius, Ryan Powell, Simon Crisford

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

The biog

Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi

Age: 23

How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them

Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need

Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman

Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs 

Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing

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.

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

Friday’s fixture

6.15pm: Al Wahda v Hatta

6.15pm: Al Dhafra v Ajman

9pm: Al Wasl v Baniyas

9pm: Fujairah v Sharjah

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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Sam Smith

Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi

When: Saturday November 24

Rating: 4/5

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The finalists

Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho

Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson

Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)

Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid

Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola

Directed by Sam Mendes

Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays

4.5/5

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Updated: July 20, 2022, 1:06 PM