This Eid, head to Nepal and stay at Dwarika's
Until September 15, Dwarika's Hotel, a Kathmandu institution, is offering three- and five-night packages at its luxurious and historic property. The three-night package, Kathmandu Charm, costs US$707 (Dh2,592) for two people sharing a double room. The price includes an airport pickup, three nights accommodation with breakfast, one Himalayan massage per person, a six-course dinner for two at Krishnarpan, the hotel's speciality Nepali restaurant, Wi-Fi and taxes. The five-night package, Spirited Sojourn, costs $1,093 (Dh4,015) for two people and includes all of the above with five nights' accommodation, daily yoga classes and lunch or dinner at one of the hotel's other restaurants. For more information and to book visit www.dwarikas.com or call 00 977 1 447 9488.
Ramadan retreat or Eid indulgence in Dubai
Closer to home, take the family to the Ritz-Carlton DIFC this month. Families who book one night in a deluxe room will get a 50 per cent saving on a second room, either on the same night, or on the following night. The hotel is also offering a complimentary late check-out until 6pm and a 20 per cent discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages purchased in the restaurants. Prices from Dh1,152 per room including taxes for the first night. During Eid, make it an indulgent city break and get three nights' accommodation in a double room, daily breakfast, one complimentary dinner for two, one massage and one facial, plus a late check out until 6pm on the final day, from Dh1,710 per room per night including taxes. For more information visit www.ritzcarlton.com/dubaiifc or call 04 372 2555.
BA reduces prices to Europe and the US
After an expensive start to the summer for flights, British Airways has reduced fares to Europe, the United States and Canada for UAE residents. Discounted fares are available across all cabins for flights booked by August 11 for travel before December 31 this year. Fares to London start from Dh2,840 and flights to Canada start at Dh4,660 return. Visit www.ba.com for full offer details and to book.
A golf and spa holiday in Scotland
Golfers who also like to relax - or treat their wives - can take advantage of a range of special offers currently available at Gleneagles, one of the world's finest golf resorts, this summer. One night's accommodation with breakfast, full use of the club's facilities and one 80-minute spa treatment at the in-house Espa spa costs from £235 (Dh1,354) per person per night including taxes. Visit www.gleneagles.com or call 00 44 176 466 2231.
A new standard for Auckland, New Zealand
UAE travellers visiting New Zealand can now stay at the new Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour. The hotel enjoys a waterfront location and boasts a luxury day spa in which to recover from jet lag. Visit www.sofitel.com to find out more.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
KEY DATES IN AMAZON'S HISTORY
July 5, 1994: Jeff Bezos founds Cadabra Inc, which would later be renamed to Amazon.com, because his lawyer misheard the name as 'cadaver'. In its earliest days, the bookstore operated out of a rented garage in Bellevue, Washington
July 16, 1995: Amazon formally opens as an online bookseller. Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Thought becomes the first item sold on Amazon
1997: Amazon goes public at $18 a share, which has grown about 1,000 per cent at present. Its highest closing price was $197.85 on June 27, 2024
1998: Amazon acquires IMDb, its first major acquisition. It also starts selling CDs and DVDs
2000: Amazon Marketplace opens, allowing people to sell items on the website
2002: Amazon forms what would become Amazon Web Services, opening the Amazon.com platform to all developers. The cloud unit would follow in 2006
2003: Amazon turns in an annual profit of $75 million, the first time it ended a year in the black
2005: Amazon Prime is introduced, its first-ever subscription service that offered US customers free two-day shipping for $79 a year
2006: Amazon Unbox is unveiled, the company's video service that would later morph into Amazon Instant Video and, ultimately, Amazon Video
2007: Amazon's first hardware product, the Kindle e-reader, is introduced; the Fire TV and Fire Phone would come in 2014. Grocery service Amazon Fresh is also started
2009: Amazon introduces Amazon Basics, its in-house label for a variety of products
2010: The foundations for Amazon Studios were laid. Its first original streaming content debuted in 2013
2011: The Amazon Appstore for Google's Android is launched. It is still unavailable on Apple's iOS
2014: The Amazon Echo is launched, a speaker that acts as a personal digital assistant powered by Alexa
2017: Amazon acquires Whole Foods for $13.7 billion, its biggest acquisition
2018: Amazon's market cap briefly crosses the $1 trillion mark, making it, at the time, only the third company to achieve that milestone
UFC Fight Night 2
1am – Early prelims
2am – Prelims
4am-7am – Main card
7:30am-9am – press cons
Day 2, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dinesh Chandimal has inherited a challenging job, after being made Sri Lanka’s Test captain. He responded in perfect fashion, with an easy-natured century against Pakistan. He brought up three figures with a majestic cover drive, which he just stood and admired.
Stat of the day – 33 It took 33 balls for Dilruwan Perera to get off the mark. His time on zero was eventful enough. The Sri Lankan No 7 was given out LBW twice, but managed to have both decisions overturned on review. The TV replays showed both times that he had inside edged the ball onto his pad.
The verdict In the two previous times these two sides have met in Abu Dhabi, the Tests have been drawn. The docile nature of proceedings so far makes that the likely outcome again this time, but both sides will be harbouring thoughts that they can force their way into a winning position.
Director: Nag Ashwin
Starring: Prabhas, Saswata Chatterjee, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Shobhana
Rating: ★★★★
Confirmed bouts (more to be added)
Cory Sandhagen v Umar Nurmagomedov
Nick Diaz v Vicente Luque
Michael Chiesa v Tony Ferguson
Deiveson Figueiredo v Marlon Vera
Mackenzie Dern v Loopy Godinez
Tickets for the August 3 Fight Night, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, went on sale earlier this month, through www.etihadarena.ae and www.ticketmaster.ae.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbocharged
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 445bhp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh474,600
On Sale: Now
Kandahar
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Stars: Gerard Butler, Navid Negahban, Ali Fazal
Rating: 2.5/5
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen