ABU DHABI // Naila Ahmed, who calls herself the "world's biggest Saber Al Robai fan", broke out in spots when she found out he was coming to the capital for a free concert.
"I got so many, look!" the Tunisian said. "Usually my skin is so clear."
Here on vacation, Naila, 20, overheard a group of people chatting at a cafe a few days ago about the famous Tunisian singer coming to the Corniche for Beats on the Beach.
"Then I searched everywhere online and asked everyone I know when he was coming and where, exactly," she said. "And when I found out, I got a new outfit and everything, and because I was so excited I got spots."
But that did not stop Naila from being one of the first to arrive last evening at the beach, wearing a black summer dress and flip-flops, several hours before Al Robai was scheduled to appear at 11.50pm.
She was joined at the front of the crowd by five of his other fans, all of whom waited from 6.30pm.
But so much was to be seen before his arrival on the last of the four days of free concerts, which have featured 20 international musicians and attracted more than 200,000 people since Wednesday night.
Raouf Saeed, 26, did not know who was playing last night but said he had so much fun the previous three nights he did not care.
"The atmosphere and the weather is great," Raouf said. "It's so great to just party on the beach."
Next to him was a fan of Desert Heat, the first act of the night.
"I just came here to see them and show my support," Rashid Mohamed said. "I am a big fan of the two brothers' rap music."
At 7.20pm, Illmiyah and Arableak, the Emiratis who make up Desert Heat, stepped on stage. The hundred or so people in the audience cheered.
"How many of you are hungry? I'm so hungry. I drove all the way from Dubai to Abu Dhabi," they shouted as they introduced their song Mendi.
The crowd soon grew into thousands and after warming them up for 30 minutes, Desert Heat left for DJ Dave Crane to take over and keep the audience dancing on the beach.
The Moroccan sensation Hasna Zalagh was up next.
Then, with the first line of Arab rappers and singers done, the crowd changed.
Westerners flowed in to wait for the arrival of Eliza Doolittle, the singer-songwriter from London.
Only after Doolittle departed did the much-awaited Al Robai make his appearance to wrap up this year's festivities.
osalem@thenational.ae
BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
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1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster with a decades-long career in TV. He has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others. Karam is also the founder of Takreem.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
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How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Paatal Lok season two
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Rating: 4.5/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
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Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded