When I was growing up in the UAE, Ramadan took place between winter and spring. I wasn't aware then that fasting was linked to the lunar (Hijri) calendar. I thought it was to do with the month of March, so I associated Ramadan with cool weather and long nights.
Ramadan these past years has shifted towards the peak months of summer. For many people, this means longer hours of fasting and a challenge to keep hydrated. For me, the challenge is to find time to exercise. Many tend to exercise just before iftar, but this was never my preferred option. Moreover, considering my working hours in the newsroom at The National, exercising during the second half of the day is not even an option – work is just too busy.
Taking into account the typical Ramadan lifestyle in the UAE, engaging in physical activity after iftar is almost impossible – because of the amount of food we consume at iftar, and because of post-iftar social activities.
Having lived abroad for eight years, I experienced Ramadan in a different light. To a certain degree, it was more enjoyable. People didn’t talk about food since they weren’t deprived of it. It was fasting in a fuss-free environment, and the challenge was personal, not collective. I had to adapt to Ramadan without the social package that it usually comes with. I used to have cereal and milk for iftar, since, technically speaking, it’s breakfast. You can tell, I was a bit lazy. However, it was a relatively light iftar. Considering it was autumn in Melbourne at the time, the sun would set by 6pm. This allowed me to practise my favourite sport, jogging, by 8pm.
Nowadays, if I am to have a typical Emirati iftar here in Abu Dhabi, I’ll possibly be done eating by 8pm. Considering the amount of food to be digested, I’ll have to wait for more than two hours to do any physical activity.
These days I live alone – my wife is abroad, as she was during Ramadan last year. Even when she was here, she joined her family for iftar. I would join, too, sometimes, depending on when I was finished with work. I saw my overall situation as an opportunity to exercise. So, I decided to experiment during Ramadan last year by having an iftar comprising of a handful of dates and warm milk. About 90 minutes later, I’d jog along the Eastern Mangroves corniche. I’d come back home and cook my only substantial meal of the day. I’d eat around midnight and be in bed by 4am. I’d sleep for six to seven hours and reach work by noon.
Initially, I thought I’d be exhausting myself and pushing my body to its limits. On the contrary, I was retrieving it back to its comfort. I felt so light and healthy. I discovered that I could survive on less. This was a lesson for life, and it’s something I’ve chosen to do again this Ramadan. It would be perfect if not for having to sleep through the morning, as I believe sunlight contributes to our overall well-being.
For many people, Ramadan is a challenge to abstain from food before having to manage the influx of gastronomic choices during the non-fasting hours. My personal choice is to avoid choices, to begin with. This is perhaps easier said than done, particularly for people who rejoice at iftar with their families. However, if health is the priority, then our meals have to be planned properly. Being a foodie, I never felt that I’ve compromised on enjoying food. If there’s one lesson I’ve learnt from Ramadan, I would say less is definitely more.
Hussain Al Moosawi is a graphic artist at The National.
halmoosawi@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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Inside%20Out%202
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EXPATS
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Without Remorse
Directed by: Stefano Sollima
Starring: Michael B Jordan
4/5
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
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.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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The%20Specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
SPECS
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Company%20Profile
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KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
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