A rip-roaring ride - or a rip-off through the Mediterranean...



About this time a year ago, I fled the blazing heat of Abu Dhabi to fly to Sweden. A fat lot of good it did me; I was constantly wiping away perspiration. Civilised as the Swedes are, their notion of when and how to use air conditioning, even in newish buildings, had me longing for the over-cooled indoor environments to which I was accustomed in the Gulf. Knowing what temperatures are likely to be in the UAE just now, I expect little sympathy after my most recent European ordeal: a nine-hour return drive in France, with a hefty slice of work in between each leg, all accomplished within 30 hours and using a car showing increasing signs of advanced age, one being that it has no air conditioning.

There was one consolation: the driving, between the Mediterranean coast and Lyon, was done on successive evenings so that the heat was felt mainly in the early part of each journey. But I quickly discovered the flaws in my simplistic belief that no car actually needs AC provided the windows can be wound down. A visit to the bank, cap in hand, may soon be necessary. But let me be upbeat for a moment. Even a flying trip to Lyon was enough to remind me what a beautiful city it is. In my first travels between the English Channel ports and the south of France, it was no more than a place where you could guarantee to be stuck in gigantic traffic jams because the autoroute went straight through the heart of the city. Then a network of new bypasses made things much easier, whichever route you chose.

It took the first of what has become a series of working visits to make me appreciate the city itself, the grandeur of the boulevards and squares and the exquisite qualities of Lyonnaise cuisine. Other parts of French compete for culinary capital status, but Lyon's claim has a lot of merit. The city is not, however, perfect. No hotel that charges ?145 (Dh740) for a small room for one night (after first asking for ?175) should also be a hotel that cannot produce a scrap of food after breakfast, or a teaspoonful of anything to drink before 6pm.

And no attendant-supervised car park should employ attendants who help themselves, as I strongly suspect was the case, to the most valuable coins in the little stash kept for those ubiquitous road tolls. That spot of petty larceny did at least remind me of a warning I have been meaning to pass on ever since my return to France at the end of April. Anyone contemplating a motoring visit to France should build le péage into their calculations when working out the budget.

Drive from the exit of the Channel Tunnel at Coquelles to the Croisette in Cannes and you will pay a grand total of ?126.48 (Dh653) in tolls, according to www.mappy.com, a mine of road travel information. Bearing in mind the shock you should also expect when you need to fill your tank, take your place after me in the queue for appointments at the bank.

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
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  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

The bio

Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions

School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira

Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk

Dream City: San Francisco

Hometown: Dubai

City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala

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Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

Paltan

Producer: JP Films, Zee Studios
Director: JP Dutta
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Sonu Sood, Arjun Rampal, Siddhanth Kapoor, Luv Sinha and Harshvardhan Rane
Rating: 2/5

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Moonfall

Director: Rolan Emmerich

Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry

Rating: 3/5

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m

Winner Bella Fever, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Mike de Kock (trainer).

7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Woven, Harry Bentley, David Simcock.

7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m

Winner Fore Left, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.

8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m

Winner Rusumaat, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.

8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.

9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m

Winner Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Beyond Reason, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

Cracks in the Wall

Ben White, Pluto Press 

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

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