lifestyle and culture

While he has reached incredible successes with his businesses and number of entrepreneurial ventures, it hasn’t been an easy journey for Mohamed Hadid.
In a candid Instagram post, Hadid reflected on his childhood hardships having to flee his home country when he was just a baby, and becoming a refugee along with his other family members.

Sharing a picture from his younger years, Hadid explained that he doesn’t have “a single picture of me [as] when I was a baby I was just about 9 days old when I and my family were refugees to the refugee camps in Syria from Palestine”.

He shared his thanks to Syria, Lebanon and Tunisia and most of all Jordan, where he and his family received Jordanian citizenship many years ago.
He also shared his gratitude for being able to relocate to the USA with his family.
“I thank my father and mother for their focus to bring us to this beautiful land this country USA and I’m honoured to be an American and I honour my mother country and a pain in my heart for the suffering of the Palestinian people and I am forever a proud of my beloved Palestine where I was born,” he added.
Hadid has gone on to build a somewhat of an empire for himself and is also the father of two supermodels – Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid.
However, it’s clear the 72-year-old never wants to forget where he came from.
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Images: Mohamed Hadid Instagram, Feature Image: Getty More

In a groundbreaking move for the region, Nike has announced the launch of the first swim clinic for women in Dubai.
The new facility is set to be led by Olympian swimmer, Rower and Triathlete Sarra Lajnef, and comes after the activewear brand released its new empowering campaign ‘You Can’t Stop Us’.

The new initiative is also in line with the annual Dubai Fitness Challenge which is spearheaded by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai. The female-centric swim clinic launched on November 1 and will run until November 28, with daily classes being available for swimmers of all levels.

Discussing the new initiative, Olympian Lajnef shared her pride in a statement.
“I am extremely thrilled at the opportunity to drive Nike’s first-ever swim clinic forward,” she said. “Ever since I was four years old, I have found true salvation and freedom in water and this is something I want other women to experience too.
“I have always been very passionate about swimming and being able to coach others and introduce them to this beautiful sport is something that brings me immense joy and excitement.”
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Images: Supplied/Instagram More

There have been some amendments to laws in the United Arab Emirates, which hope to improve the living standards for those who are expats in the country.

Per The National, the changes to laws made by the UAE government include unmarried couples living together, women’s rights, alcohol consumption and divorce and all come in to force effective immediately.
Unmarried couples are reportedly now allowed to live together without facing any legal repercussions.
Moreover, consuming alcohol is no longer a legal offence and alcohol licenses are no longer needed for residents to have in order to drink alcohol in a private space. However, it should be noted anyone drinking alcohol must be over the age of 21.
As for laws surrounding women’s rights, there will be stricter punishments for men who are seen to be harassing women and there are now also tougher publishments for someone who commits an act of rape.
It has also been stipulated that those who divorce in the UAE, it will be the country where the marriage took place that will determine the personal and financial terms of the marriage contract.
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Feature Image: Unsplash More

The President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa, has mourned the passing of a UAE royal family member.
Her Highness Sheikha Maryam Bint Hamdan Bin Zayed Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan passed away on Thursday morning.

Sheikha Maryam was the daughter of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the former ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1912 to 1922. She died 98 years after the death of her father.

President mourns death of Sheikha Maryam bint Hamdan bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan #WamNews https://t.co/l7cgC5rZa7 pic.twitter.com/vYxmTz3inm
— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) November 5, 2020

The late Her Highness was also the widow of His Highness Sheikh Hazza Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi until he passed away in 1958.
In addition, Sheikha Maryam was also the aunt of the current Ruler of Dubai and Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
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Feature Image: Unsplash More

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, there’s a high chance you know who Gigi and Bella Hadid are – the ultimate supermodel sister duo. They also have a younger brother Anwar who is also dabbling in modelling, and is dating Grammy Award-winning singer Dua Lipa.
However, what you may have missed is there are actually two more Hadid sisters, who are the elder siblings of Gigi, Bella and Anwar – Alana and Marielle Hadid, who are from Mohamed Hadid’s first marriage.

And it’s clear the style and fashion factor isn’t just reserved for the younger Hadid sister duo, Alana and Marielle, along with Gigi and Bella, all share a love for fashion, style and have social media accounts that we’re already fans of.
Keeping the style stakes in the family, Alana Hadid also works in fashion, but more behind the scenes. Alana is both a personal shopper and stylist while also being the creative director and founder of brands Current Moji, Hadid Eyewear and La Detresse while previously being the face of clothing brand Lou & Grey.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alana Hadid (@lanzybear) on Oct 29, 2020 at 4:32pm PDT

Meanwhile, Marielle Hadid is the eldest of all of the Hadid siblings and she’s also a mum-of-two. Marielle is also behind the brand Hadid Eyewear and is occasionally seen from time to time on the Bella and Gigi’s Instagram feeds.

With all the siblings being blessed with good looks and major talent, it’s clear good genes definitely do run in the family.
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Images: Instagram More

One of Dubai’s busiest roads is set to turn into a cycling track, it has been announced by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council.
As part of the 2020 Dubai Fitness Challenge, Sheikh Zayed Road will be transformed into a track to host a new cycling event in the emirate on November 20.

Dubai Ride will be a free-to-enter, non-competitive event featuring two routes – one 4km ride aimed at families, which will take riders around Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, and a 14km open ride.
The 14km route will be for those who are over 13. The route will see cyclists ride through Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai Canal and Sheikh Zayed Road.

Not only is the event new, but the cycling route will mark a first for Dubai seeing residents and visitors cycling down the 14-lane highway.
Discussing the new event, His Highness explained that it is “aligned with our vision to transform the city into a bicycle-friendly metropolis and our efforts to encourage people to adopt cycling as a sport”.
“Our greatest inspiration is His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who has long championed the integration of cycling into people’s lifestyles – be it to enhance our health and well-being, or promote environmentally friendly transport in our communities,” he added.
“With the Dubai Ride, we celebrate this visionary objective. I invite you to join me and achieve a new milestone in your fitness journey.”
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Feature Image: Unsplash More

As of next week, the COVID-19 testing requirements for entering Abu Dhabi will have changed.
It was announced by the Abu Dhabi Crisis, Emergency and Disasters Committee on Wednesday evening that new guidelines will be implemented from Sunday, November 8.

In a statement issued via the Abu Dhabi Media Office, it was stipulated: “Residents and visitors who enter Abu Dhabi from 8 Nov and stay for 4 or more consecutive days must take a PCR test on the 4th day of entry.

Residents and visitors who enter #AbuDhabi from 8 Nov and stay for 4 or more consecutive days must take a PCR test on the 4th day of entry. If they stay for 8 or more consecutive days, they must take another PCR test on the 8th day. Day 1 is counted from the day of entry.
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) November 4, 2020

“If they stay for 8 or more consecutive days, they must take another PCR test on the 8th day. Day 1 is counted from the day of entry.”
At present, those travelling into Abu Dhabi only need to undergo a second COVID-19 PCR test on the sixth day, but this has now been replaced with the four-day and eight-day rule.
However, those who are currently in the COVID-19 vaccine trials taking place in the UAE are exempt from the above rules.
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Feature Image: Visit Abu Dhabi Instagram More