Why Moscow?
Moscow may not be the most friendly of cities. It is, after all, crammed with 15 million Muscovites who endure almost nine months of winter each year. But it is a spectacularly beautiful one "with lots of energy," as every expat always says.
Some moments of tranquillity can be found in Park Kultury, a green space near the city centre. The commanding Kremlin boasts its Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell, the Cathedral of the Dormition and Ivan the Great Bell Tower.
Culture? Russia gave us writers Chekhov, Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, but its artists might be a little less well-known. However, the most famous Russian collection of paintings can be found in the House of Artists surrounded by a distinctive collection of sculptures in the Park of the Arts at 10 Lavrushinsky Lane. Impressionist works can be found in the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts at Volkhonka Street 12, one of many fine museums and galleries the city has to offer.
The Bolshoi Theatre recently reopened after six years of renovation - and opened with great fanfare. According to RIA Novosti, the state news agency, even Mikhail Gorbachev's wife Raisa and Patriarch Alexy II, both long dead, attended the opening ceremony which was followed by partial collapse of the backdrop of the stage. On quieter days, tickets can cost as much as 20,000 rubles (Dh2,500) on the black market, if you haven't booked one (well) in advance.
In short, Russia's biggest city is chaotic, fast, frenetic and traffic-clogged. It boasts a striking architectural style that is hardly "wow" - except maybe for the Kremlin - but if you want beautiful, sleepy, slow and foggy, visit St Petersburg. And yes, I'm from Moscow.
A comfortable bed
For a central location and a spectacular view of the city, go for the Ritz-Carlton (www.ritzcarltonmoscow.ru; 00 7 495 225 8888) where double rooms start from 30,000 rubles (Dh3,700) per night, or the Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow (www.moscow.park.hyatt.com; 00 7 495 783 1234) with prices starting at 24,000 rubles (Dh2,900) per night. Both hotels are a short walk away from Red Square with open-roof terraces with views over to the Kremlin.
There are also several Marriotts in the city (www.marriott.com), with nightly rates from 11,500 roubles (Dh1,419). The Hilton Leningradskaya (www.hilton.com; 00 7 495 627 5550) is housed in one of the "Seven Sisters" - beautiful skyscrapers from Stalin's era.
Find your feet
Moscow is built around a set of rings with Red Square in the centre. The first and innermost major ring is Bulvarnoye; the second, Sadovoye; the third is called, literally, Tretye while the fourth and the last is MKAD. This one marks the border of Moscow and, as some think, life itself ("There's no life beyond the MKAD" is a popular joke among Muscovites).
The best way to explore Moscow is by car at midnight when there's no traffic and the city's buildings and bridges benefit from powerful multicoloured neon lighting.
During the day, go underground. The Moscow Metro is famous for stations that could almost be sights in themselves, boasting an art deco style. You can obtain a map written in English at most hotels, as all the names and signs of stations are in Russian.
Get to the surface at Kropotkinskaya and glance at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Khram Khrista Spasitelya or KKS), which was rebuilt in 1997. The church was destroyed after the death of Lenin and the foundations flooded to create a huge open-air swimming pool named Moskva Pool.
Meet the locals
Cross the Moskva River to find the most vibrant part of the city, the Strelka (Arrow) quarter.
For the past 100 years, the factory here made chocolate. Some say you can still smell it in the air. Today you can find around 50 restaurants, bars and exhibitions. Pay attention to Strelka Bar and Bontempi (take a seat at the second floor near the window with a view of KKS) and Pobeda and Lumiere photo galleries on Prechistenka Str, 19.
What to avoid
Unscrupulous minicab drivers. Some have an extortionate tariff of fees for visitors, so check before you get in to avoid being asked to pay 10 times the usual fare.
Book a table
There are plenty of restaurants in Moscow. You'll need at least a week or two to explore the best of them. Some of the finest Russian food can be found at Cafe Pushkin (www.cafe-pushkin.ru; 00 7 495 739 0033) on the Bulvar not far from Pushkin Square. But leave before dessert, take 50 steps to your left and enter Turandot (00 7 495 739 0011). Ask a waiter to show you the eight private dining rooms. They are all coloured and styled differently, and the restaurant has a stainless steel lift that was made at a gun factory, as well as a Berg crystal chandelier. People say it cost $50 million (Dh183m) to create.
Need an antidote? Then cross Tverskoy bulvar and pop into Nedalny Vostok restaurant (00 7 495 694 0641), which has one of the coolest interiors in town created by the Japanese design team Super Potato who also worked on London's Zuma. Walk along the street to reach Pushkinskaya ploschad - there, behind Pushkin's back (we mean the statue here) - you will find another remarkable place - Varvary (www.anatolykomm.ru; 00 7 495 229 28 0). Last year San Pellegrino named it among the world's 50 best restaurants.
Shopper's paradise
If you weren't lucky enough to get a ticket at the box office, turn your back to the Bolshoi's main entrance, cross the street and turn left. Walk 200 metres up the street and you'll get a complimentary show. A parade of vanity and pride, performed daily at Tretyakovsky proezd which is one of the shortest and the most luxurious streets in the city. Gucci, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, Baccara Crystal Room by Philippe Starck, along with Ferrari and Bentley showrooms are all here.
Don't miss
Your flight home. Book a taxi to the airport and assume that the ride will take at least two hours and will cost $60-70 (Dh183-220). Did I mention how beautiful Moscow University Vysotka on Vorobyevy Gory is at sunset? No? Shame on me.
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3 (Sterling 46', De Bruyne 65', Gundogan 70')
Aston Villa 0
Red card: Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Man of the Match: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16. first leg
Atletico Madrid v Juventus, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Last 10 winners of African Footballer of the Year
2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2007: Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla and Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2010: Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan and Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2012: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2014: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City and Algeria)
Scores
Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool
Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield Town
Burnley 1-0 Brighton
Manchester United 4-1 Fulham
West Ham 3-2 Crystal Palace
Saturday fixtures:
Chelsea v Manchester City, 9.30pm (UAE)
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur, 11.45pm (UAE)
Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Bernardo Silva 16', Sterling 57', Gundogan 79'
Bournemouth 1
Wilson 44'
Man of the match: Leroy Sane (Manchester City)
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Not Dark Yet
Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer
Four stars
MATCH INFO
Wales 1 (Bale 45 3')
Croatia 1 (Vlasic 09')
Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
The Light of the Moon
Director: Jessica M Thompson
Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, Michael Stahl-David
Three stars
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Raha%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kuwait%2FSaudi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tech%20Logistics%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2414%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Soor%20Capital%2C%20eWTP%20Arabia%20Capital%2C%20Aujan%20Enterprises%2C%20Nox%20Management%2C%20Cedar%20Mundi%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20166%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
ICC Academy, November 22-28
UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal
ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan
UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
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What should do investors do now?
What does the S&P 500's new all-time high mean for the average investor?
Should I be euphoric?
No. It's fine to be pleased about hearty returns on your investments. But it's not a good idea to tie your emotions closely to the ups and downs of the stock market. You'll get tired fast. This market moment comes on the heels of last year's nosedive. And it's not the first or last time the stock market will make a dramatic move.
So what happened?
It's more about what happened last year. Many of the concerns that triggered that plunge towards the end of last have largely been quelled. The US and China are slowly moving toward a trade agreement. The Federal Reserve has indicated it likely will not raise rates at all in 2019 after seven recent increases. And those changes, along with some strong earnings reports and broader healthy economic indicators, have fueled some optimism in stock markets.
"The panic in the fourth quarter was based mostly on fears," says Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. "The fundamentals have mostly held up, while the fears have gone away and the fears were based mostly on emotion."
Should I buy? Should I sell?
Maybe. It depends on what your long-term investment plan is. The best advice is usually the same no matter the day — determine your financial goals, make a plan to reach them and stick to it.
"I would encourage (investors) not to overreact to highs, just as I would encourage them not to overreact to the lows of December," Mr Schutte says.
All the same, there are some situations in which you should consider taking action. If you think you can't live through another low like last year, the time to get out is now. If the balance of assets in your portfolio is out of whack thanks to the rise of the stock market, make adjustments. And if you need your money in the next five to 10 years, it shouldn't be in stocks anyhow. But for most people, it's also a good time to just leave things be.
Resist the urge to abandon the diversification of your portfolio, Mr Schutte cautions. It may be tempting to shed other investments that aren't performing as well, such as some international stocks, but diversification is designed to help steady your performance over time.
Will the rally last?
No one knows for sure. But David Bailin, chief investment officer at Citi Private Bank, expects the US market could move up 5 per cent to 7 per cent more over the next nine to 12 months, provided the Fed doesn't raise rates and earnings growth exceeds current expectations. We are in a late cycle market, a period when US equities have historically done very well, but volatility also rises, he says.
"This phase can last six months to several years, but it's important clients remain invested and not try to prematurely position for a contraction of the market," Mr Bailin says. "Doing so would risk missing out on important portfolio returns."
SCORES
Yorkshire Vikings 144-1 in 12.5 overs
(Tom Kohler 72 not out, Harry Broook 42 not out)
bt Hobart Hurricanes 140-7 in 20 overs
(Caleb Jewell 38, Sean Willis 35, Karl Carver 2-29, Josh Shaw 2-39)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
Other key dates
-
Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
MATCH INFO
Karnataka Tuskers 110-5 (10 ovs)
Tharanga 48, Shafiq 34, Rampaul 2-16
Delhi Bulls 91-8 (10 ovs)
Mathews 31, Rimmington 3-28
Karnataka Tuskers win by 19 runs
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
RESULT
West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' )
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72')
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Profile of Tamatem
Date started: March 2013
Founder: Hussam Hammo
Based: Amman, Jordan
Employees: 55
Funding: $6m
Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 3
Gayle (23'), Perez (59', 63')
Chelsea 0
List of UAE medal winners
Gold
Faisal Al Ketbi (Open weight and 94kg)
Talib Al Kirbi (69kg)
Omar Al Fadhli (56kg)
Silver
Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Khalfan Belhol (85kg)
Zayed Al Mansoori (62kg)
Mouza Al Shamsi (49kg women)
Bronze
Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi (Open and 94kg)
Saood Al Hammadi (77kg)
Said Al Mazroui (62kg)
Obaid Al Nuaimi (56kg)
Bashayer Al Matrooshi (62kg women)
Reem Abdulkareem (45kg women)
The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce
Four out of five stars
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at the Gabba
Australia 312-1
Warner 151 not out, Burns 97, Labuschagne 55 not out
Pakistan 240
Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
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SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
'The Predator'
Dir: Shane Black
Starring: Olivia Munn, Boyd Holbrook, Keegan-Michael Key
Two and a half stars
Dubai World Cup Carnival card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
The National selections:
6.30pm - Ziyadd; 7.05pm - Barney Roy; 7.40pm - Dee Ex Bee; 8.15pm - Dubai Legacy; 8.50pm - Good Fortune; 9.25pm - Drafted; 10pm - Simsir
