Reem Mall in Abu Dhabi has partially opened.
With a construction cost of $1.2 billion and an area of nearly 260,000 square metres, the new mall on Al Reem Island is poised to become a busy lifestyle destination, complete with local and international retailers, as well as dozens of restaurants.
The mall will eventually house about 400 shops, but only a few are operational as of writing. These include Timberland, The North Face, Max, Vans as well as Carrefour hypermarket. Some of the fast food restaurants and cafes that are welcoming diners include McDonald's, Papa Johns, Subway, plus Tim Hortons and Caribou Coffee kiosks.
The mall has a car park with 6,800 spaces.
The mall had its soft opening on February 16 and a total of 36 shops are already open for business, it has been confirmed to The National. Vox Cinemas is also open and screening films.
One of the most eagerly anticipated attractions at Reem Mall is Snow Abu Dhabi, a sub-zero snow and ice park which, like Ski Dubai, is operated by Majid Al Futtaim.
The indoor park features 12 rides and 17 attractions spread across almost 1,000 square metres. It maintains a temperature of -2ºC. The attractions include two giant slides called Ice and Floes Toboggan Race and Grauppel’s Summit Escape.
Snow Abu Dhabi rides include The Entry Plaza, Flight of the Snowy Owl, Magic Carpet, Polar Express Train and the Crystal Carousel. There will also be restaurants inside the park, including The Lodge Restaurant, Ice Cafe and the Grotto Amphitheatre.
The mall has not yet confirmed the opening date of Snow Abu Dhabi.
Reem Mall is open Sunday to Thursday, 10am-10pm, and Friday and Saturday, 10am-midnight
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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: Maitha Qambar
Age: 24
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Education: Master’s Degree
Favourite hobby: Reading
She says: “Everyone has a purpose in life and everyone learns from their experiences”
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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
When is VAR used?
• Goals
• Penalty decisions
• Direct red-card incidents
• Mistaken identity
