Nike Hyperdunks designed for Barack Obama on sale for $25,000 on Sotheby's site


Evelyn Lau
  • English
  • Arabic

Sneakerheads will get the chance to purchase an exclusive pair of basketball trainers designed for former US president Barack Obama.

Sotheby’s will sell the special pair of Nike Hyperdunks starting at $25,000 on Friday, February 12 at 4.44pm EST (1.44am UAE time).

To be held on Sotheby's new “Buy Now” e-commerce platform, the sale commemorates the 44th president during President’s Day weekend in the US.

The men’s US size 12.5 trainers, which were designed in 2009, are just one of two pairs in existence, with the other belonging to Obama. The pair on sale has not been worn by Obama, and was made as a confirmation sample.

The trainers are said to be in pristine condition and feature many custom details, including the official presidential seal and an embroidered “44” on the toe. The insoles are also printed with patriotic graphics such as bald eagles and the year 1776.

Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s director of e-commerce development, said: "It’s a pleasure to bring such a unique item to market. We hope it will be a slam dunk."

Manchester United v Club America

When: Thursday, 9pm Arizona time (Friday UAE, 8am)

The biog

Name: Mariam Ketait

Emirate: Dubai

Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language

Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown

Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures

Motori Profile

Date started: March 2020

Co-founder/CEO: Ahmed Eissa

Based: UAE, Abu Dhabi

Sector: Insurance Sector

Size: 50 full-time employees (Inside and Outside UAE)

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing 

Investors: Safe City Group

Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
​​​​​​​Penguin Press

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal advisor

Rasmi Ragy is a senior counsel at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Experience: Prosecutor in Egypt with more than 40 years experience across the GCC.

Education: Ain Shams University, Egypt, in 1978.

Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net

Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.

Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.

A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.

Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.

Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE