With Easter falling on April 9 alongside ongoing Ramadan events, there is plenty to partake in this week.
Here, The National rounds up seven things to do in the Emirates, from April 3 to April 9.
Monday
Head to Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental for its limited-time Sweet Easter afternoon tea at Episodes. The lobby-level cake shop and tea apothecary, which launched as part of the hotel’s rebranding in February, will offer themed pastries and chocolate creations alongside its indulgent afternoon tea, which has been extended from two to four hours.
Until April 9; 2pm-6pm; Dh245 per person; Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi; 02 690 7999
Tuesday
Themed decor aside, Mall of the Emirates is celebrating Ramadan with a series of majlis talks and the Ramadaniyat Market. The talks are centred around Ramadan etiquette, table art, modest fashion and healthy eating habits while fasting, and will be held at Zeman Awwal, the mall’s dedicated cultural space that launched in November 2021. Located in the Fashion Dome on level two, the space also celebrates local heritage and gives Emirati artists a chance to present their work.
The Ramadan market, which offers clothing, accessories, decor and other items dedicated to the holy month, is located next to Ski Dubai.
Until April 25; 10am-1am; Mall of the Emirates, Dubai; www.malloftheemirates.com
Wednesday
If you’re hosting iftar or suhoor for friends, family or colleagues this week, consider the Ramadan menu created by private chef Vanessa Bayma, available for groups of six or more. On offer are Middle Eastern classics such as dolma, tabbouleh, sambusek, machboos, fatayer, fattoush, manakeesh, kibbeh, shish tawook, kebsa and whole baked sea bass seasoned with Arabian spices; plus Umm Ali and kunafa with pistachio for dessert.
Until the end of Ramadan; Dh450 per person; UAE-wide; www.chefbayma.com
Thursday
Adrenalin seekers can avail themselves of a discount at Skydive Dubai this Ramadan. The skydiving centre is offering Dh300 off a tandem dive at its Palm drop zone for those who book using the code Ramadan300. The experience usually costs Dh2,499. The drop is from a height of 13,000 feet and the guest will be accompanied by a professional flyer, who can also capture images and video of the dive at an additional cost.
Until April 22; various prices and timings; Skydive Dubai, Mina Seyahi, Dubai; skydivedubai.ae
Friday
Treasure Island, the soft-play area at Le Gourmet in Galeries Lafayette is hosting two Easter parties this week, on April 7 and 9. On offer are Easter-themed arts, crafts and snacks, plus a high-energy egg hunt and face painting, all suitable for children aged between one and eight.
April 7 and 9; 6pm-8pm (the play area is open from 10am to 10pm); Dh150 per child; Dubai Mall; 050 473 8452
Saturday
A number of Ramadan activities are on offer at Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi during the holy month, starting with the cannon fire during maghrib prayer time to signal the end of the fast. Oud players will perform and visitors can browse stalls offering Emirati dishes, coffee and Ramadan sweets, as well as an exhibition of Arabic posters. Children can participate in art workshops and face painting.
Every Friday and Saturday until April 23; 9pm-1am; Dh5 (entry ticket) per adult; Mushrif, Abu Dhabi; www.ummalemaratpark.ae
Sunday
Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort is hosting a day of family-friendly Easter celebrations on Sunday. The afternoon begins with a game of bunny hops at 2pm, followed by Easter egg decorations and an egg hunt at the resort’s Treehouse children’s club. Face-painting artists and DJs will be at the venue and the evening will culminate in a musical parade at 6pm.
April 9; from 2pm; Dh40 per person (Dh20 for in-house guests); 056 548 0320; Ashwini.franco@hilton.com
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Canvassed, Par Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
Winner Dubai Future, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mouheeb, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
8.15pm Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
9.50pm Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Man Of Promise, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Read more about the coronavirus
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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Results
2pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: AF Sahwa, Nathan Crosse, Mohamed Ramadan.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: AF Thobor, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mezmar, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
4pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup presented by Longines (TB) Dh 200,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Galvanize, Nathan Cross, Doug Watson.
4.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Ajaj, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mohamed Daggash.
Results
Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent
Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent
Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
