Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi, is holding an Arabic Lebanese party from 9pm to 3.30am, with a live Lebanese singer, Brazilian belly dancers and a DJ. Tickets cost Dh800 per person or Dh1,000 for VIPs.
Call organiser Musa Haddad to book a ticket on 050 612 9526.
There will be a poolside party at Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi that diners from all of the venue's restaurants are invited to join. It will take place from midnight to 2.30am.
A New Year's Eve Gala Dinner is being held at The Club in Abu Dhabi, with fireworks, music and dancing. The fun will continue until 4am UAE time, which is when the clock strikes midnight in the UK. The event is sold out.
A production will mark the New Year at Downtown Dubai. As well as the Burj Khalifa fireworks, there will be a show on the lake, which is a new addition to the programme. People are being urged to arrive before 8pm.
Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding, Paul Van Dyk, Roger Sanchez and Zane Lowe will pull in the crowds at music festival Sandance at Atlantis The Palm, in Dubai. Regular tickets are Dh295 or Dh350 on the door, VIP tickets are Dh500. Go to www.sandance.ae.
Snoop Dogg will be the headline act at a New Year's Eve festival at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Tickets, which range from Dh400 to Dh750 in price, are still available. Go to www.theatelierworld.com.
Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi will celebrate Arab pop music, with Iraqi singer and poet Kadim Al Sahir and Lebanese starlet Najwa Karem at the Etihad Ballroom. Tickets begin from Dh2,000. Call 02 690 8435 or go to www.double8.me.
There will be drumming in the desert, as well as singing, dancing, food, music, camel rides, sand boarding, children's activities and more courtesy of Dubai Drums, Gulf Ventures Desert Camp. Tickets are from Dh250 for adults. Go to www.dubaidrums.com.
At 360° at Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, DJs will perform over two floors. The party runs from 9pm to 3am and is only for over-21s. Dh750. Go to www.infusion.ae
The Party Tonite will mark the occasion with DJ Aakrisht from Mumbai, Indi Pop, Bangra Pop, hip-hop and Bollywood and disco hits. There will also be a buffet dinner and kids area at Jumeirah Ballroom, Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Call 04 337 3724.
ECleland@thenational.ae
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
SPEC%20SHEET
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