It's soon Christmas Day, but there are plenty of last-minute winter breaks still available to take around the UAE.
From having a private butler take care of everything on an Abu Dhabi island, to saving a tidy sum at Christmas Day brunches with an overnight package in Dubai, these staycation deals are firmly on the nice list.
Abu Dhabi
Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara
The palatial property in the Empty Quarter is running a festive offer for UAE residents, with 20 per cent off room rates, which start at Dh1,350. It includes breakfast and free upgrades (up to the one-bedroom pool villas) and late checkout until 4pm. Children up to 12 can stay and dine for free.
Those looking to unplug can enjoy free access to padel courts or an extra half hour with every one-hour spa treatment. Anyone booking two activities – such as camel riding or dune bashing – will receive an extra one for free. A valid Emirates ID will be required for each booking.
Available throughout winter; anantara.com
Erth
Erth hotel, formerly the Armed Forces Officers Club, is running a staycation deal until January 2. Room rates start at Dh700 per night, suites start at Dh1,200 and villas from Dh2,500. The packages are also available on peak dates, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
The sprawling 75-hectare resort remains one of the most popular destinations in the city thanks to its bounty of outdoor activities. Between December 20 and 26, Theatre by Erth will host the Aladdin pantomime.
Until January 2; erth.ae
Nurai Island
Although this private resort is only about a 10-minute boat ride from Saadiyat Island, it has the feel of being in a world of its own. The destination is a hit with travellers seeking total R&R – with a butler on hand to take care of every request – or those looking to spend the festive season on holiday with their pets, as the hotel welcomes animals under 12kg.
Book directly to receive Dh500 credit towards dinner and drinks during the week.
Ongoing; nuraiisland.com
Rosewood Abu Dhabi
The property on Al Maryah Island offers guests a beach getaway amid the crystal-clear waters of the Arabian Gulf and visitors receive free entry to Saadiyat Beach Club.
The hotel’s festive offer runs until January 10 and includes a price cut on rooms – which varies on dates and room size – as well as free breakfast and 20 per cent off on food and drinks across the hotel and beach club. There is also 20 per cent off on treatments at the hotel spa. Guests booking online should use the code “DISBEACH” to redeem the offer.
Until January 10; rosewoodhotels.com
Dubai
Address Beach Resort
The soaring five-star property towers over one of Dubai’s most popular tourist spots. Those who book a stay until December 31 will receive a 10 per cent discount on the best available rate. Additionally, the hotel will offer free breakfast to each guest.
Anyone who extends their Christmas stay to New Year’s Eve will receive a complimentary package at The Restaurant’s evening buffet.
Until December 31; addresshotels.com
Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel
The hotel is running a promotion throughout Christmas titled the Festive Half Board Special. Room rates are offered with a 25 per cent discount throughout the festive season. They include the breakfast buffet and a choice of lunch or dinner at the Nine7One restaurant, which rotates its menu to reflect different cuisines from around the world.
The Full Festive Treat, meanwhile, offers 30 per cent off on accommodation and a free spa treatment, plus other trimmings.
Until January 15; anantara.com
The First Collection Waterfront
Book through the hotel’s website to receive a 30 per cent discount. The offer at the Business Bay resort can be used on peak nights including Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve. Additionally, guests can receive 20 per cent off on spa treatments and the restaurant bill at Local and Risen.
Guests looking to spend Christmas at the beach also have access to the hotel’s free shuttle to Soluna Beach Club on Palm Jumeirah. The entrance fee is Dh200, with Dh100 redeemable on food and drinks.
Until January 2; thefirstcollection.ae
JA Hatta Fort Hotel, Dubai
This Hatta resort is offering a 50 per cent discount on the price of a second night. The offer runs on stays from Sundays to Fridays, meaning Saturday nights are excluded. There is a guaranteed late checkout on Sundays and 25 per cent off on all activities at the resort. The booking must be made directly with the hotel.
Ongoing; jaresortshotels.com
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Guests can receive up to 25 per cent off on room rates, free dining for children under 11 and a 15 per cent discount on drinks throughout their stay with the Kids Go Free offer. As well as five pools and unlimited access to the nearby Wild Wadi Waterpark, there is a children’s club to keep little ones entertained. Adults can use the Talise Spa and gym facilities for free, while spa treatments of one hour are extended by 30 minutes. This offer is only available to UAE nationals and residents.
Ongoing; jumeirah.com
Lapita, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Autograph Collection
The Polynesia-themed hotel at Dubai Parks and Resorts is running a special offer from December 24 to 26. It starts at Dh1,399 for a king room or Dh1,799 for a family suite. Two children under six can sleep and dine for free.
Aside from daily breakfasts, there will be a festive brunch on Christmas Day. There will be plenty of child-friendly activities, such as a meet and greet with Santa, live entertainers and a treasure hunt. The package also includes access to Dubai Parks and Resorts’ parks – Riverland, Motiongate and Legoland.
For stays between December 24 and 26; dubaiparksandresorts.com
Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Waterpark
This family-friendly beach resort offers something for everyone, with private beaches, six pools, 18 restaurants and bars, watersports activities and Jungle Bay Waterpark, which is suitable for all ages, including babies.
Guests will be given a late checkout time of 2pm on all stays – though anyone looking to book over New Year’s Eve will be required to book a minimum of four nights. The hotel is offering a 20 per cent discount on food and drink at all venues. Rates start at Dh1,220 per night. Use the promo code “EVE” to redeem the offer.
Until January 2; marriott.com
W Dubai – Mina Seyahi
This festive offer, which can be used on stays over Christmas and New Year, is packed with gifts. There is 20 per cent off on dining, including the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day brunches at Solar.
There are also dinner packages running at various outlets for New Year’s Eve, but it is recommended to book ahead to secure your place.
Late checkout is thrown in with each booking, with rooms available until 2pm. Rates start at Dh1,400 per night, with a four-night minimum stay over New Year’s Eve. Use the promo code “EVE” to redeem the offer.
Until January 2; marriott.com
Series info
Test series schedule 1st Test, Abu Dhabi: Sri Lanka won by 21 runs; 2nd Test, Dubai: Play starts at 2pm, Friday-Tuesday
ODI series schedule 1st ODI, Dubai: October 13; 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 16; 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 18; 4th ODI, Sharjah: October 20; 5th ODI, Sharjah: October 23
T20 series schedule 1st T20, Abu Dhabi: October 26; 2nd T20, Abu Dhabi: October 27; 3rd T20, Lahore: October 29
Tickets Available at www.q-tickets.com
Stat Fourteen Fourteen of the past 15 Test matches in the UAE have been decided on the final day. Both of the previous two Tests at Dubai International Stadium have been settled in the last session. Pakistan won with less than an hour to go against West Indies last year. Against England in 2015, there were just three balls left.
Key battle - Azhar Ali v Rangana Herath Herath may not quite be as flash as Muttiah Muralitharan, his former spin-twin who ended his career by taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in Tests. He still has a decent sense of an ending, though. He won the Abu Dhabi match for his side with 11 wickets, the last of which was his 400th in Tests. It was not the first time he has owned Pakistan, either. A quarter of all his Test victims have been Pakistani. If Pakistan are going to avoid a first ever series defeat in the UAE, Azhar, their senior batsman, needs to stand up and show the way to blunt Herath.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Ajax v Real Madrid, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
MOTHER%20OF%20STRANGERS
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Results
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions Dh90,000 2,200m
Winner: Mudaarab, Jim Crowley (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Hassan Al Hammadi.
6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Salima Al Reef, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Bainoona, Ricardo Iacopini, Eric Lemartinel.
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: Assyad, Victoria Larsen, Eric Lemartinel.
8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1 Dh5,000,000 1,600m
Winner: Mashhur Al Khalediah, Jean-Bernard Eyquem, Phillip Collington.
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
UFC Fight Night 2
1am – Early prelims
2am – Prelims
4am-7am – Main card
7:30am-9am – press cons
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.
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')
Fulham 0
Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)
Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
