Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
Michael Cinco has a bad case of the flu. You wouldn’t know at first glance, however, as his eyes are shielded by his signature, almost visor-like sunglasses.
The Filipino designer – who has dressed some of the world’s most glittering names, so famous they can be described in a single word: Beyonce, Kylie, Gaga – is so immaculately presented, you would never have guessed he was in the hospital mere hours before.
But there is no rest for the wickedly talented. The morning after returning to the UAE from Montenegro, Cinco, 48, is back in his Dubai Design District atelier, flitting across the elegant cream-and-grey interior like a man not laid low by a virus.
“I’m so sorry, I’m sick,” he apologises, as he first glides into a reception room, decked head to toe in black – a T-shirt, jacket and trousers – despite the humid summer climes outside. One may expect certain diva-like qualities from a man who has clothed prima donnas such as Mariah Carey, but Cinco, I am relieved to discover, has none, apart from keeping on his trademark sunglasses during the entire hour I spend with him in his studio.
It's very beneficial to be based in Dubai, it gave us an opportunity and a platform; it's a new city. When I showcase in Miami or Los Angeles, they are very interested in Dubai, because it's a vibrant city and it's a melting pot
And I would have been disappointed by anything less; indeed, the Catbalogan-born designer has rarely been photographed without them, at least as far as I can see while sleuthing on Google Images.
The fact he has spent decades crafting such a recognisable image makes sense: he believes the hallmark of a designer’s success is when their touch becomes instantly identifiable. “One of my clients told me that she was at a wedding and, when she saw the bride’s gown, she knew it was Michael Cinco,” he says, of the moment when he felt he’d achieved that badge of honour. “I think that’s the best thing for a designer, when they have created a style that they can claim is their own.”
From Aishwarya Rai to Victoria Swarovski
And Cinco can certainly attest to that, having been behind some of the most acclaimed dresses in recent memory. That voluminous blue gown worn by Aishwarya Rai at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival that saw her dubbed a modern-day Cinderella? That was a Michael Cinco creation. The Filipino designer was also behind the purple butterfly-train dress sported by the Bollywood actress to the same festival a year on, a crystal-smothered concoction that took 3,000 hours to craft.
Cinco is best known for such lavishly ornate pieces, another example being the bespoke wedding gown he created for crystal heiress Victoria Swarovski when she wed real-estate investor Werner Muerz in 2017. "Victoria just found me on Instagram," he says. "Now she has one of the most expensive wedding gowns ever created." The gemstone-speckled design, complete with a six-metre train and lace embellishments, weighed in at 46 kilograms, with a value of more than $1 million (Dh3.67 million). "It's more expensive than the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress," he adds.
It is, Cinco says, his favourite gown of his career so far. "As they say, it broke the internet," he says with a smile. He's not wrong: the wedding was covered by publications across the world, from People magazine to The Independent. "It gave me a lot of mileage. Also, after the blue dress Aishwarya Rai wore in Cannes, I got a lot of Indian clients who wanted to create their wedding gowns with me."
Celebrities in Michael Cinco:
Most of the designer's customers – about 90 per cent, he estimates – are from the Gulf, with the rest primarily plucked from Russia, Europe and the US. When it comes to his most high-profile clients, Cinco hasn't met many of them in person and instead liaises with their stylists through his public relations manager in the US. He did, however, spend time with Carey, who wore his label when she performed in Dubai in 2017. "When she came, I met her in her hotel room," he divulges. "She's a diva and a legend, you know? So it was like a dream when I met her for a fitting. She was very nice. And when she talked, she spoke in a sing-song, almost."
If most customers want to meet Cinco, however, then they have to come to him. Many of his international clients fly to Dubai just to hold fittings with the designer, who has dressed members of the emirate’s royal family as well as dignitaries from across the world. “There was one very famous Malaysian family once,” he recalls. “I didn’t know that they were that rich at the time. They came here and when trying to organise the fitting, I asked them, ‘what time is your flight?’ They said the flight is at 6pm so I told them to come at noon so they had the time to go to the airport. You know what they told me? ‘It’s OK if we’re late, it’s our own plane.’”
From the island of Samar to global fame
This incredible rise to fame has not been without its challenges, however, particularly as a Filipino taking his designs overseas. “You don’t judge a designer by his nationality, you judge a designer because of the beautiful work that he does.” But persuading clients to see his work as worth their time and money was, Cinco says, the hardest obstacle to overcome in the earliest days of his label. “The young designers of today, they have to realise that fashion is not all about glamour. Fashion is very, very hard work. It’s a very cruel world, actually, because you will be judged, you will be criticised and you will hate it sometimes. It’s not like you post a dress on Instagram and you became a fashion designer the next day.”
Cinco's skin was clearly thick enough to take on the industry, but it's only in the past few years he has really cracked the global market, becoming a stalwart of the red carpet, with his designs worn to the 2018 Critics' Choice Awards, by Best Supporting Actress winner Allison Janney, and by singer Paloma Faith to the prestigious Met Gala in 2013. His couture has also been spotted at the Golden Globe Awards, the American Music Awards (on Jennifer Lopez, no less), and in music videos aplenty, such as the Jonas Brothers' Sucker, which was released earlier this year.
It's an A-list roster that a young Cinco would only have been able to dream of dressing from his modest home on the island of Samar, although it was one of the chicest talents of Hollywood's Golden Age that first sparked his interest in fashion. "My dream to become a designer started when I was a kid. I loved watching classic Hollywood films," Cinco tells me, as he settles into a floral-embroidered camelback sofa. "One of the best films I've ever watched and that inspired me to be a designer was My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn. It was like a dream, with the most beautiful costumes I'd ever seen in my life. When I watched that movie, I knew I would be a fashion designer some day." That catalyst can still be glimpsed in his work: Cinco's bountiful collections mirror a certain elegance and classicism seen in the 1964 musical's wardrobe, but with a modern touch in their craftsmanship.
With the blessing of his family, Cinco later switched from a Fine Arts programme at the University of the Philippines Diliman to Manila’s Slim’s Fashion and Arts School, where he honed his design skills, further refining his talent with courses at London’s prestigious Central Saint Martins.
I want to showcase my collections in Paris every season. And of course I want to do a pret-a-porter brand that would represent me internationally.
"My home town is very small, and every family wants their children to be successful – like a nurse, doctor, architect, engineer, doctor, lawyer," he explains. "So my family had another dream for me, but I told them I don't want to be a nurse or whatever, I want to be a fashion designer. I'm very glad and very lucky that they supported me."
Filipinos are 'the best fans in the world'
Decades later and that support from home now extends to the entire nation. Something of a national treasure back in the Philippines, Cinco was honoured with a presidential award in 2014. But he is modest about his fame in his home nation, stating humbly: “I just do what I do and I love representing the Philippines to the world.” But, he adds, Filipinos are “ the best fans in the world”. “They really, really fight for you; they really support you until the end. And if they like your work, they will really try to promote you.”
His decision to move to Dubai in 1997 was in no way him turning his back on his home country, but part of a strategic career move that has handsomely paid off. “I met someone who told me I had to apply to work in this fashion house [in Dubai]; it was one of the biggest fashion houses at the time,” he says. “I submitted my CV and luckily they liked my work and they asked me to come out.”
Six years later, Cinco was ready to branch out on his own, establishing his namesake label in 2003. “It’s very beneficial [to be based in Dubai], it gave us an opportunity and a platform; it’s a new city,” he says. “When I showcase in Miami or Los Angeles, they are very interested in Dubai, because it’s a vibrant city and it’s a melting pot of so many nationalities.”
For the last three years, Cinco has established himself in a seemingly unassuming office block in D3, yet walking through the door to his atelier is like falling down the rabbit hole. Clad in tasteful creams and whites, with a measured splash of dove-grey and baroque moulding on the walls, Cinco's space is like a snippet of a modern Versailles in the desert.
Not a piece of sparingly used furniture is out of place, not a trinket mislaid or set askew; the atelier is expertly curated. Despite its opulence, though, there is an almost clinical ambience, personified by the reams of seamstresses who pass through its labyrinthine halls, enveloped in crisp white lab coats. It’s a fitting attire, considering the team is responsible for birthing some of the most extravagant, theatrical gowns seen on the red carpet.
Paris next?
“More than 120, about 140 I think,” says Cinco, when I quiz him on how many employees work in the atelier. “We have a lot of embroiderers because it takes time, especially with my wedding gowns. Most of the details are made by hand.” An average wedding dress, he adds, takes about 100 to 200 hours. During the peak season of December and January, the label will forge around 20 gowns a month.
The uniformity of the bustling atelier is punctuated by an exquisitely ruffled vermilion gown in the corner of our interview room. The headless mannequin faces into the corner, as if on a timeout, arms spread like she’s about to take flight in a cloud of tulle.
“She’s sophisticated, elegant and, at the same time, she’s not afraid to do something very artistic and something unique,” Cinco muses on the type of woman he designs for, pointing towards the aforementioned dress as a prime example. “I usually get inspiration from my travels; I love discovering different cultures. I love to visit museums. I love movies, especially classic Hollywood films where most of the women wear beautiful clothes. And I love opera music.”
Most recently, Cinco has found himself galvanised by the ballet, after watching performances of Swan Lake in London, Dubai and New York. In a serendipitous turn of events, the couturier was approached by Ballet Philippines back in 2017 to design a collection for the dance company, to celebrate their milestone 50-year anniversary this September.
"I immediately said yes," reveals Cinco, who crafted both a 50-piece couture collection inspired by the story of Odette and Odile, as well as costumes – handcrafted in Dubai and flown out to the Philippines – for a gala performance of Swan Lake. "The details are the same, it's just the construction that's different," muses Cinco, on the art of crafting designs for somewhere other than a catwalk. "In my couture there's a lot of elaborate detail and exquisite embroideries, so it will be a little bit heavy, but in ballet you can't do that. She has to dance and move and it has to be very light."
It's just another step in a varied 20-year career, which also includes appearances on America's Next Top Model, as well as dressing Filipino actress Kris Aquino on-screen in 2018's Crazy Rich Asians. And yet, the designer says he doesn't believe there have been many seismic changes in the industry – except for his energy levels. "The only thing that's different is I've become tired," he says with a laugh. "When you age, you don't want to have that much pressure any more. But still, I love my job. Like now, I'm very sick, but I really have to come to work because I can't imagine myself doing anything other than fashion."
The designer is quick to stress, though, that he’s not complaining. “When you love your work, you don’t get tired. You get tired physically from all the stress, but you don’t get tired of creating beautiful clothes.”
Being tired doesn’t stop him from dreaming about the future, either. His Rolodex might read like a who’s who of Hollywood, but Cinco still has a trifecta of celebrities he longs to dress. “Angelina Jolie, Madonna and Cate Blanchett,” he swiftly replies. “For me, they are the fashion icons. I sent so many clothes to Madonna, but she never wore anything.”
Working with the Queen of Pop aside, Cinco still has other goals left on his bucket list, too. “My dreams are endless, you know. When you achieve something, you want more,” he says. “I’m already satisfied with what I have achieved, but there are still so many things that I want to do in fashion. I want to showcase my collections in Paris every season. And of course I want to do a pret-a-porter brand that would represent me internationally.”
Cinco's ready-to-wear will have to feature fewer intricacies, he admits. "But I have to make sure the Michael Cinco touch is still there," he says with a grin. For now, that signature Cinco style is being celebrated in a retrospective, which started at the Savannah College of Art and Design's Museum of Fashion + Film on Thursday, October 3. "Designers who've previously exhibited there are Vivienne Westwood, Guo Pei and Dior," he says, a look of bewilderment and awe flickering across his face. The display will feature designs worn by Cinco's celebrity clientele, such as Rai's two noteworthy Cannes gowns.
“It’s another dream come true – actually, I never dreamt about this, that my clothes would be in a museum,” Cinco sighs. “But I’m glad and I’m so lucky.” I point out that, as he said before, forging a path in fashion is down to graft rather than just gift. “It’s hard work and a little bit of luck,” he concedes.
But, as he rushes off to meet a waiting client as our interview comes to a close, flu or no flu, it’s clear that in Michael Cinco’s case, diligence certainly tips the scales in his favour.
Other world-famous labels based in the UAE
Rami Al Ali
The Syrian designer is a regular on the couture week circuit. Famed for his elegant eveningwear, Rami Al Ali has dressed everyone from Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce to Dame Helen Mirren, with the label’s gowns worn on the red carpets of the Cannes Film Festival and Academy Awards.
Madiyah Al Sharqi
Helmed by Sheikha Madiyah Al Sharqi, daughter of the Ruler of Fujairah, this womenswear label is renowned for its punchy pastel palette and ultra-feminine silhouettes. The home-grown brand has been sported by Sofia Vergara, Khloe Kardashian and Priyanka Chopra.
Bouguessa
French-born Faiza Bouguessa’s eponymous ready-to-wear label has a focus on simplicity and minimalism, with statement separates such as velvet robes finding favour in the likes of Beyonce.
L'Afshar
Founded by Lilian Afshar, this accessories label It-bags range from geometric-printed clutches to futuristic acrylic box bags. The label’s designs have been spotted on the arms of Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and Alicia Keys.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
List of alleged parties
- May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
- 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
- Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
- Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
- Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
- Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
- Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
ASIAN%20RUGBY%20CHAMPIONSHIP%202024
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EResults%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EHong%20Kong%2052-5%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESouth%20Korea%2055-5%20Malaysia%3Cbr%3EMalaysia%206-70%20Hong%20Kong%3Cbr%3EUAE%2036-32%20South%20Korea%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFixtures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EFriday%2C%20June%2021%2C%207.30pm%20kick-off%3A%20UAE%20v%20Malaysia%3Cbr%3EAt%20The%20Sevens%2C%20Dubai%20(admission%20is%20free).%3Cbr%3ESaturday%3A%20Hong%20Kong%20v%20South%20Korea%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEdited%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Idries%20Trevathan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20240%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hirmer%20Publishers%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3
Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)
Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)
Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
India team for Sri Lanka series
Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Forced%20Deportations
%3Cp%3EWhile%20the%20Lebanese%20government%20has%20deported%20a%20number%20of%20refugees%20back%20to%20Syria%20since%202011%2C%20the%20latest%20round%20is%20the%20first%20en-mass%20campaign%20of%20its%20kind%2C%20say%20the%20Access%20Center%20for%20Human%20Rights%2C%20a%20non-governmental%20organization%20which%20monitors%20the%20conditions%20of%20Syrian%20refugees%20in%20Lebanon.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%9CIn%20the%20past%2C%20the%20Lebanese%20General%20Security%20was%20responsible%20for%20the%20forced%20deportation%20operations%20of%20refugees%2C%20after%20forcing%20them%20to%20sign%20papers%20stating%20that%20they%20wished%20to%20return%20to%20Syria%20of%20their%20own%20free%20will.%20Now%2C%20the%20Lebanese%20army%2C%20specifically%20military%20intelligence%2C%20is%20responsible%20for%20the%20security%20operation%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Mohammad%20Hasan%2C%20head%20of%20ACHR.%3Cbr%3EIn%20just%20the%20first%20four%20months%20of%202023%20the%20number%20of%20forced%20deportations%20is%20nearly%20double%20that%20of%20the%20entirety%20of%202022.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ESince%20the%20beginning%20of%202023%2C%20ACHR%20has%20reported%20407%20forced%20deportations%20%E2%80%93%20200%20of%20which%20occurred%20in%20April%20alone.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIn%20comparison%2C%20just%20154%20people%20were%20forcfully%20deported%20in%202022.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Violence%20
%3Cp%3EInstances%20of%20violence%20against%20Syrian%20refugees%20are%20not%20uncommon.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EJust%20last%20month%2C%20security%20camera%20footage%20of%20men%20violently%20attacking%20and%20stabbing%20an%20employee%20at%20a%20mini-market%20went%20viral.%20The%20store%E2%80%99s%20employees%20had%20engaged%20in%20a%20verbal%20altercation%20with%20the%20men%20who%20had%20come%20to%20enforce%20an%20order%20to%20shutter%20shops%2C%20following%20the%20announcement%20of%20a%20municipal%20curfew%20for%20Syrian%20refugees.%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThey%20thought%20they%20were%20Syrian%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20the%20mayor%20of%20the%20Nahr%20el%20Bared%20municipality%2C%20Charbel%20Bou%20Raad%2C%20of%20the%20attackers.%3Cbr%3EIt%20later%20emerged%20the%20beaten%20employees%20were%20Lebanese.%20But%20the%20video%20was%20an%20exemplary%20instance%20of%20violence%20at%20a%20time%20when%20anti-Syrian%20rhetoric%20is%20particularly%20heated%20as%20Lebanese%20politicians%20call%20for%20the%20return%20of%20Syrian%20refugees%20to%20Syria.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (All UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (11.30pm)
Saturday
Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
FA Augsburg v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen (6.30pm)
SC Paderborn v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Borussia Monchengladbach (9.30pm)
Sunday
Cologne v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
Mainz v FC Schalke (9pm)
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Elia%20Suleiman%2C%20Manal%20Khader%2C%20Amer%20Daher%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Elia%20Suleiman%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Under 19 Cricket World Cup, Asia Qualifier
Fixtures
Friday, April 12, Malaysia v UAE
Saturday, April 13, UAE v Nepal
Monday, April 15, UAE v Kuwait
Tuesday, April 16, UAE v Singapore
Thursday, April 18, UAE v Oman
UAE squad
Aryan Lakra (captain), Aaron Benjamin, Akasha Mohammed, Alishan Sharafu, Anand Kumar, Ansh Tandon, Ashwanth Valthapa, Karthik Meiyappan, Mohammed Faraazuddin, Rishab Mukherjee, Niel Lobo, Osama Hassan, Vritya Aravind, Wasi Shah
Read more from Kareem Shaheen
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
more from Janine di Giovanni
More on Quran memorisation:
The%20Iron%20Claw
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sean%20Durkin%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Zac%20Efron%2C%20Jeremy%20Allen%20White%2C%20Harris%20Dickinson%2C%20Maura%20Tierney%2C%20Holt%20McCallany%2C%20Lily%20James%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6.5-litre%20V12%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E725hp%20at%207%2C750rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E716Nm%20at%206%2C250rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQ4%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C650%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Haemoglobin disorders explained
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Genesis G80 2020 5.0-litre Royal Specs
Engine: 5-litre V8
Gearbox: eight-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
Torque: 505Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L/100km
Price: Dh260,500
%3Cp%3EThe%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20-%20Abu%20Dhabi%E2%80%99s%20Arabic%20Language%20Centre%20will%20mark%20International%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Day%20at%20the%20Bologna%20Children's%20Book%20Fair%20with%20the%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Translation%20Conference.%20Prolific%20Emirati%20author%20Noora%20Al%20Shammari%2C%20who%20has%20written%20eight%20books%20that%20%20feature%20in%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Education's%20curriculum%2C%20will%20appear%20in%20a%20session%20on%20Wednesday%20to%20discuss%20the%20challenges%20women%20face%20in%20getting%20their%20works%20translated.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
![His decision to move to Dubai in 1997 was in no way him turning his back on his home country, but part of a strategic career move that has handsomely paid off. “I met someone who told me I had to apply to work in this fashion house [in Dubai]; it was one of the biggest fashion houses at the time,” he says. “I submitted my CV and luckily they liked my work and they asked me to come out.”](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/CNSJPBEXDFQRYUDVCRCFF24HAQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=985e757a087b1231b0aaa807f8f03e7034f29675191b03d02c04614e379e0bdc&width=800&height=450)
