Dubai Lifestyle News
Dubai set to stage charity bouts
A number of renowned sporting stars will take part in a series of amateur boxing matches in Dubai on Friday (May 24th).Former rugby and cricket players will square off against each other at Dubai Sports City, with the proceeds from the event going to the Fighting Chance Dubai charity.The bouts will pit athletes from the northern hemisphere against contenders from the southern hemisphere and it is likely to be a memorable occasion.Former England cricketer Adam Hollioake is set to take part in the fight night and he will be faced by ex-New Zealand rugby player Carlos Spencer.Hollioake told the National that he is looking forward to the charitable event.”I know [Spencer] is a big strong boy, there is no doubt about that. If it was a beauty competition, he would definitely beat me,” he was quoted as saying.”He has got the body, hasn't he? But I'm a pretty tough dude myself, so we'll just have to see what happens.”Hollioake is no stranger to competitive bouts, as he made the unlikely transition into cage fighting when he retired from cricket.Former Wales winger Shane Williams is also on the card and he will step into the ring with ex-South Africa scrum-half Bolla Conradie.Not only is this event being held for a good cause, but it also highlights Dubai's status as a sporting hub.The city is accustomed to staging high-profile competitions and more and more sports are considering the emirate when organising future tournaments. There is a certain glamour about Dubai that promoters seem to love.Rumours have been circulating that Dubai could be in line to host one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches of the year.Manny Pacquiao revealed earlier in 2013 that he is looking for locations outside the US to stage his next big fight and his team suggested that Dubai is a possibility.While it is not clear exactly who the Filipino ace will face, the fact that Dubai is even being mooted as a potential destination for the encounter emphasises just how far the emirate has come. Continue reading
Michael Owen makes short trip to Dubai
Newly-retired footballer Michael Owen has revealed on Twitter that he is making a short trip to Dubai.The former England international took to the social media site to tell his followers that he was heading out to the UAE to speak at an event to mark Arabian Business' Brits List.”Just boarded the plane. Dubai and back in 34 hours. Back in time for my daughters (sic) sports day Wednesday lunchtime!,” the 33-year-old wrote.He then retweeted a message from editorial director at Arabian Business Anil Bhoyrul, who said: “@themichaelowen speaking live in Dubai tomorrow night to celebrate @ArabianBusiness britslist welcome to the UAE!”The news provider has set up the list to honour the 50 most influential Britons currently residing in the UAE.Tim Clark – the president of Emirates Airline – topped the list, while chief executive officer (CEO) of the MBC Group Sam Barnett came in second.CEO of Dubai Airports – the company that runs Dubai International Airport – was third in the standings and the fourth and fifth positions were taken up by Emirates NBD CEO Rick Pudner and National Bank of Abu Dhabi chief Michael Tomalin respectively.Arabian Business editor Ed Attwood insisted that with so many talented Britons now living in the UAE, it was difficult to whittle the list down to just 50 names.The list is being officially unveiled at a glamorous event held at Dubai's JW Marriott Marquis Hotel and attendees will be looking forward to hearing from Owen, who brought the curtain down on his illustrious career at the weekend (May 19th).Owen came off the bench with 16 minutes to go in Stoke City's 1-1 draw at Southampton and he received an ovation from the entire crowd – something he later thanked supporters for via Twitter.The former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United and Manchester United striker scored 40 goals in 89 games for England.He recently signed a deal with BT Sport, which will see him provide co-commentary during Premier League games next season. Continue reading
Metro passenger numbers increase sharply
More than 33.34 million passengers used the red and green lines on the Dubai Metro in the first quarter of 2013, which was a significant increase on the corresponding period in 2012.New figures released by the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) confirmed the light railway is going from strength to strength, with the red line carrying a staggering 21.8 million people between January and March. Meanwhile, more than 11.5 million commuters travelled on the green line.Adnan Al Hammadi, chief executive officer of the RTA's Rail Agency said he was pleased with the statistics.”This is what we seek to achieve through our annual schemes by setting a diversified package of initiatives and activities that contribute to attracting all segments of society to use the Metro as the premier means of transportation, as it is secure, safe and luxurious at the same time,” he remarked.Deira City Centre Metro station reported the highest volume of traffic during the first quarter, as 1.64 million people travelled to and from this popular part of town.The green line's Al Fahidi station was also incredibly busy, with 1.37 million passengers using the facility over the three-month period.With so many people moving to Dubai on a permanent basis, it is important that the emirate's public transport infrastructure is up to scratch.A number of significant upgrades have been slated for the Metro system and these will increase the capacity of the transport network considerably.Building developers are erecting new residential properties on the outskirts of the city and the RTA is keen to ensure people who live a little further afield are able to travel into the heart of Dubai without any stress.Last month, the RTA revealed that new bus services would be introduced and some of these would act as feeder routes for the Metro. This will ensure more people will be able to reach the busy business districts and plethora of leisure facilities in the centre of town. Continue reading
