DUBAI // A basketball legend has caused a social-media sensation with his latest post about his impending visit to the emirate.
Kobe Bryant’s Facebook post from last weekend has attracted more than 50,000 likes, nearly 2,000 shares and more than 600 comments from fans eager to see their idol in action.
The post that caused the Facebook fervour read: "tixs to my Health & Fitness Weekend basketball game, presented by DMCC and organised by Maven Marketing Events, are on sale now at kobefitnessuae.com! Looking forward to seeing my Dubai fans soon."
As one of basketball's most famous players, Bryant has more than 16 million Facebook fans and 3.3 million followers on Twitter.
Comments included "Kobe Bryant is the number one" and "Kobe. You are the king. Can't wait til next season. You will always be the greatest".
Bryant, 34, is fourth on the all-time NBA scoring charts behind greats Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Michael Jordan. He passed fellow Lakers star Wilt Chamberlain’s record in March.
The Kobe Bryant Health and Fitness Weekend takes place on September 26 and 27, culminating in a basketball match between Bryant’s celebrity team and Real Madrid.
The game will be played at the American University of Dubai, and after the match Bryant will judge a slam-dunk competition.
Tickets for the event cost Dh250 for upper level, Dh495 for upper level premier, Dh795 for a VIP ticket, Dh3,500 for royal box, and Dh5,000 for a coveted courtside seat.
The event is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, and has been organised by Maven Marketing and Events.
It is part of a programme to promote healthier living through sport and to engage with fans, and will also give a handful of lucky youngsters a chance to receive coaching from the NBA great.
One of the event’s organisers, Sarah Omolewu, said: “The lucky kids that win a chance to participate in the clinic will have the electrifying experience of getting to meet Kobe Bryant in addition to learning basketball techniques.
“The objective is not only to offer fans a once-in-a-lifetime experience but to raise awareness of the importance of health and fitness.”
ksinclair@thenational.ae
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
Specs
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
