A new month-long community initiative which aims to inspire physical activity in Dubai is up and running, attracting walkers and runners from near and far.
The Dubai Mallathon got under way in climate-controlled facilities at nine shopping malls on Friday and will run every day in August from 7am until 10am.
The free event is designed to promote an active lifestyle, and aligns with the Year of Community campaign, the Dubai Social Agenda 33, and Dubai Quality of Life Strategy 33.
The initiative launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, is an affordable option for those looking to keep fit and maintain exercise routines during the heat of summer.
Dr Sara Martinez, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at NMC Royal Hospital, ran four laps of Dubai Hills Mall, an overall distance of just over 10km, in 43 minutes and 16 seconds.
“This is a fantastic initiative that I believe will motivate more people to exercise and move more in a fun, safe environment, which is especially important due to the high temperatures in August that restrict people’s outdoor activity levels,” she said.
“As a doctor, I believe it is so important that the nation’s leaders look to promote a health lifestyle. This helps prevent so many diseases that are currently the main health burden in most developed counties across the world.
“In my field of orthopaedics, all of these issues can result in muscular skeletal problems. By leading a healthy lifestyle and introducing exercise into our daily routine, we can reduce significantly the morbidity and mortality within our community.”
Community spirit
Sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and organised in collaboration with the Dubai Sports Council, the event is supported by a broad network of public and private partners. Other activities held as part of the Mallathon will engage the public daily across participating malls, offering further opportunity to integrate fitness pursuits into their daily routines.
A full calendar of events, including sports challenges and community competitions for people of all ages and interests, is also slated for weekends. At the Mall of the Emirates in Friday Ahmed Mustafa, 27, a radiologist from Sharjah, drove 40 minutes from his home to take part, running 13.5km in an hour and 45 minutes.
“Usually I keep fit by weightlifting, callisthenics and also some kind of cardio work, but it's very hard to do this outside, so I have to go to a gym for treadmill running or walking. I do love running, so this has been really good.”
During weekend events, organisers said prizes will be up for grabs, including more than 40 iPhones, 10 tablets, shopping vouchers and gift cards in a bid to boost community participation.
Events are being organised at nine of the city’s most prominent malls: Dubai Mall, Dubai Hills Mall, Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Deira, City Centre Mirdif, Dubai Marina Mall, The Springs Souk, Dubai Festival City and Festival Plaza.
Denis Otieno, a personal trainer from Kenya who led a pre-run warm up, said people thinking of running for the first time should start off slow and build up their duration through the summer.
“Fitness is a journey and some people don’t have the opportunity to exercise at a gym or outdoors during the summer, so this is a great alternative,” he said.
“Some people will want to run 10km or even 15km, as they want to challenge themselves. Anyone taking part should consider some kind of warm up first as running on the hard ground can be tough on the joints. It has been great to see families coming down here to run with their children, hopefully it can inspire them.”
Incentives to take part
Those attending Mallathon events will be offered free health check-ups, nutritional consultations and access to healthy food options provided by select restaurants and retail outlets, reinforcing the initiative’s wellness-first vision.
As part of the Mallathon, another initiative titled Walking for Better Health will be hosted by the Community Development Authority (CDA) in collaboration with the participating malls.
This aims to encourage senior citizens and residents to stay physically active in a secure, engaging space tailored to their needs.
“This initiative reinforces the importance of making physical activity a daily habit and underscores Dubai’s position as a leading global destination for sport,” said Saeed Hareb, secretary general of the Dubai Sports Council.
“Whether in world-class indoor and outdoor venues or modern, globally recognised shopping malls, Dubai provides the ideal environment for active living.”
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Know your cyber adversaries
Cryptojacking: Compromises a device or network to mine cryptocurrencies without an organisation's knowledge.
Distributed denial-of-service: Floods systems, servers or networks with information, effectively blocking them.
Man-in-the-middle attack: Intercepts two-way communication to obtain information, spy on participants or alter the outcome.
Malware: Installs itself in a network when a user clicks on a compromised link or email attachment.
Phishing: Aims to secure personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
Ransomware: Encrypts user data, denying access and demands a payment to decrypt it.
Spyware: Collects information without the user's knowledge, which is then passed on to bad actors.
Trojans: Create a backdoor into systems, which becomes a point of entry for an attack.
Viruses: Infect applications in a system and replicate themselves as they go, just like their biological counterparts.
Worms: Send copies of themselves to other users or contacts. They don't attack the system, but they overload it.
Zero-day exploit: Exploits a vulnerability in software before a fix is found.
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)
Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)
Playing September 30
Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
Bawaal%20
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Handicap $160,000 1,400m
Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
Winner: Folkswood, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile Group 2 $250,000 1,600m
Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock
9.25pm: Handicap $125,000 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.
The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.
The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.
The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Company%20profile
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GIANT REVIEW
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
MATCH SCHEDULE
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)
Liverpool v Roma
Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)
Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)
Fixtures
Wednesday
4.15pm: Japan v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: UAE v Italy (Group A)
6.45pm: Russia v Mexico (Group B)
8pm: Iran v Egypt (Group B)
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
MATCH INFO
Mainz 0
RB Leipzig 5 (Werner 11', 48', 75', Poulsen 23', Sabitzer 36')
Man of the Match: Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
