ABU DHABI // As millions around the world scramble to find anything green to wear on St Patrick's Day today, Khalid Saeed's perspective is a little different.
As one of the few who can claim both Emirati and Irish heritage, he will be thinking of the green grass of Ireland as he walks on desert sand in the sunshine here.
"I would never say I am just Emirati or just Irish," said the 26-year-old, whose mother is Irish and whose late father was Emirati.
His roots have given him a diplomatic role in life, explaining both sides of his heritage to visitors and locals.
He grew up in the UAE but has travelled the world with his mother, Noeleen, and has visited Ireland more times than he can remember.
"I would always like to teach people," Khalid said. "Emiratis may not dress the way you dress, or maybe don't act the way you act, but they are not different from you. They still have their everyday lives."
Mrs Saeed said her son's first St Patrick's Day was in Ireland when he was four years old. She dressed him in a green jumper and placed him next to the route of the parade, which featured brass bands and football teams marching by.
Khalid said he vividly remembered the parade and other experiences on the day, like his first visit to the Irish bogs, marshlands typical of the nation's landscape. From then on, he said, he appreciated the national day.
In December, Mr Saeed turned tradition on its head, braving Dublin's harsh, snowy winter in his khandoura to celebrate the UAE's National Day.
The Irish national day has always been recognised in his home in Abu Dhabi. Today, his mother said, she would make a special dinner with a traditional Irish dish, colcannon: mashed potatoes and cabbage.
"We always did something on March 17. I would always make sure he'd have something green on him like a badge or a shamrock," she said.
Khalid must go to work today - he is a first officer with Etihad Airways- but expects to be back in the UAE to start the celebrations this afternoon. After visiting his mother, he plans to attend the St Patrick's Day Ball in the Crowne Plaza hotel in Abu Dhabi.
The similarities between the UAE and Ireland were plentiful, he said. Irish people have a good sense of humour, and storytelling is one of the shared traditions he can relate to the most.
But in many other regards, the two countries are polar opposites.
"It's always green and raining in Ireland," he said. "When you'd think of the UAE, you think desert and sunshine."
Fluent in Arabic and English, he said people were more comfortable around him because of his dual identity.
"I try and give them a basic understanding on how things are in the UAE. It's about trying to find a different approach. That's what helps me about being Irish. I've always seen two sides and I don't choose my sides," he said.
His mother, who has lived in the UAE for 34 years, said the house he grew up in Abu Dhabi was an open-minded one. His father, who died four years ago, was with his family instrumental in shaping Khalid's identity, she said.
"Instead of looking for differences, we always said we should look for the similarities. We always sat and ate together and talked, and it's the same in Ireland," she said.
The cultures, Khalid said, were always similar and it helped him any time he went to Ireland.
"Now that I am getting older, I really see what Ireland is really known for: its storytelling and strong culture, history, art and music," he said.
And his attitude as an unofficial diplomat between the two countries extends even to sport. If the UAE were ever to play Ireland at football, he said, "I would just want to see the game".
eharnan@thenational.ae
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
Price: Dh375,000
On sale: now
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
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If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
Mobile phone packages comparison
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
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BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
DUBAI WORLD CUP RACE CARD
6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm Well Of Wisdom
7.05pm Summrghand
7.40pm Laser Show
8.15pm Angel Alexander
8.50pm Benbatl
9.25pm Art Du Val
10pm: Beyond Reason
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.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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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.
