This weekend's fight between undefeated, 11-time, five-division boxing champion Floyd Mayweather and UFC Lightweight World Champion Conor McGregor must be one of the most hyped sporting event in living memory, if not ever. The event may have been somewhat cynically dubbed The Money Fight, but that's unlikely to stop millions tuning in to see what many experts predict could be one of the shortest fights in history. If the $15,000 (Dh60,000) being asked for ringside seats, or even the $20 (Dh80) it costs to watch on pay-per-view, seems a bit steep for the potentially brief spectacle of what former champ Mike Tyson predicts could be McGregor getting 'killed,' check out these venues across the UAE that will be opening up early to serve breakfast with champions.
QD’s 2.0, Emirates Golf Club
Emirates Golf Club will be staging a special 'punch brunch' to celebrate one of the biggest boxing bouts of all time. The Money Fight will be shown live on 15 widescreen TVs, plus one giant screen, at QD's 2.0, Emirates Golf Club's dedicated Summer Tent, with doors opening at 5.30am on Sunday 27th August, with breakfast served from 6am. Inclusive F+B packages start from Dh110, with discounts available for groups of more than 10. For more information please contact +971 4 417 9999 or email emiratesdining@dubaigolf.com
Bridgewater Tavern, JW Marriot
The Bridgewater Tavern's breakfast menu includes everything from croissants, Danish pastries, banana bread, muffins and fresh fruit to a full fry up, and you can round off with bread and butter pudding with whipped cream, vanilla sauce and berry compote, if that's the kind of thing you like for breakfast. Doors open at 7am, and tickets cost Dh200, including unlimited breakfast. Bookings: +971 4 414 3000 or visit jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com
Barasti
Barasti's vast outdoor seating area has been tented off and transformed into a 'jungalow' for the summer, so look forward to tropical palm trees, monkeys and your very own 'rumble in the jungle' when the fight hits one of the biggest screens in Dubai. Doors open at 6am and entry is free, with full English breakfast available from Dh85. www.barastibeach.com
Kickers
Where better to watch the sporting event of the season than Dubai Sports City? With 5 large projector screens and 11 TVs Kickers guarantees you won't miss a minute of the boxing action, and they'll be serving up breakfast favorites from fruit and muesli to the full fried "Heavy Weight Breakfast," including unlimited tea and coffee and a fresh juice bar. Entry is free from 6am, with breakfast from Dh85. The venue expects to be very busy, so book in advance on 04 448 1001 or by visiting www.kickerssportsbar.ae
Perry and Blackwelder’s
P&B's in Dubai's Madinat Jumeirah is getting started early, with doors for the big fight opening at 3am, so you can get the best seat ahead of the crowd. The venue is home to 12 big screens and 11 widescreen TVs, and unlimited coffee and breakfast bites will be available from AD 60. Chef Tony has also whipped up a week-long special of Money Cakes, - cheesecake topped with 100 dollar bills, available in two flavours; Irish cream and P&B. www.jumeirah.com
Burger and Lobster
Burger and Lobster is putting together a themed menu including The Mayweathered Eggs Benedict - Lobster Eggs Benedict served on English muffins with herbed grilled tomato, mushrooms, roasted baby potatoes and hollandaise sauce, and The Full McGregor Breakfast, an English-style (Irish-style, surely?) fry up with chicken sausage, veal bacon, mushrooms, tomato, black pudding, baked beans and eggs. Both are served with a slice of their famous brioche toast with jam and butter. The venue opens at 4am with breakfast set menu from Dh110. www.Burgerandlobster.com
Dubai and Abu Dhabi
McGettigans
Mcgettigans three venues at JLT, DWTC and Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi will be opening up at 6am, with its signature breakfast of eggs, sausage, back bacon, black and white pudding, overnight tomato, baked beans, flat cap mushroom and hash brown with toast available from Dh79 (JLT and Abu Dhabi) and Dh60 (DWTC). www.mcgettigans.com
Loca
By way of a tenuous link, Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugas is among the fighters on the big event's supporting card. Fidel Castro and Che Guevara famously sailed to launch the Cuban revolution from Mexico, so why not feast on a Mexican breakfast at Loca's Dubai Marine Resort and Abu Dhabi Galeria Mall locations while watching the action? Entry to both is free from 6am. www.locauae.com
Abu Dhabi
Belgian Café
The Belgian Café in Abu Dhabi’s Intercontinental Hotel will be opening its doors at 6am for the big fight, with an unlimited breakfast buffet including tea, coffee and juices available for Dh75. Book your spot on 800 423 463.
Stars and Bars
Yas Island's American-themed sports bar will be screening the fight on an impressive 76 HDTV Screens, as well as its 100" video wall complete with full audio commentary. Breakfast dishes will be available from Dh40, with all-inclusive packages available from Dh200. Tables can be booked at www.zomato.com, or call 02 565 0101.
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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
Company name: Play:Date
Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day
Founder: Shamim Kassibawi
Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US
Sector: Tech
Size: 20 employees
Stage of funding: Seed
Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund
Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELECTION%20RESULTS
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Mobile phone packages comparison
The past winners
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)