Arthritis affects about half a billion people worldwide, yet its physical, emotional and economic impact on everyday life is often underestimated. To strengthen awareness and help people take greater control of their health, the Middle East Arthritis Foundation (MEAF) will host its annual World Arthritis Day community event from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on 24 October 2026 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai. Inspired by the global Achieve Your Dreams theme, the event will encourage people with arthritis to pursue their goals through earlier diagnosis, informed care and stronger community support.

MEAF is urging people to recognise symptoms and seek medical advice before arthritis limits their independence. The condition is often dismissed as an unavoidable consequence of aging, although it can develop at any stage of life. Patients’ inflammatory arthritis symptoms are often dismissed when laboratory results appear normal, making it important to consult a rheumatologist.

Ankylosing spondylitis commonly begins during the teens or twenties, while juvenile idiopathic arthritis affects approximately one in 1,000 children under 16. A Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi study of Emirati rheumatoid arthritis patients recorded an average age of approximately 50, showing how significantly the condition can affect people during their working years. Without appropriate treatment, inflammatory arthritis can cause permanent joint damage and long-term disability, while some forms can also affect the eyes, lungs, heart and kidneys.

Through its patient support work, MEAF sees how chronic fatigue, morning stiffness and unpredictable flare-ups can affect employment as well as exercise, travel and routine activities. Painful hand joints can turn cooking or holding a pen into difficult tasks, while uncertainty around symptoms can contribute to anxiety and isolation. Rates of depression and anxiety among people with arthritis-related diseases can be between two and 10 times higher than in the general population. Exercise does not inevitably worsen arthritis, and suitable low-impact movement can help preserve strength and mobility.

Against this backdrop, MEAF’s event will combine clinical guidance with practical activities and patient experiences, helping attendees become more confident managers of their health. Participants will be able to speak directly with specialists and learn from others who understand the daily challenges of arthritis. Dedicated guidance will support women navigating fertility and pregnancy, with care extending through the postpartum period. The programme will also explore the role of nutrition, physical activity and mental wellbeing in managing the condition alongside medical treatment.

Dr Humeira Badsha, Founding Member of the Middle East Arthritis Foundation, said: “Over three decades of treating people with arthritis, I have seen how quietly the condition can change a life. Pain may appear first, but fatigue, reduced mobility and emotional strain can gradually affect work, relationships and independence. Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis are autoimmune conditions, and early diagnosis is critical to managing them effectively, avoiding joint damage and preventing long-term disability. World Arthritis Day gives us a chance to help people recognise symptoms and seek care earlier. With the right treatment, practical lifestyle guidance and a supportive community, people can manage their condition with confidence and continue pursuing the goals that give their lives meaning.”

This year, MEAF has collaborated with the Emirates Society for Rheumatology to raise awareness, with Dr Amel Ginawi leading public awareness for the Society and stressing the importance of early diagnosis. Attendees can learn, connect and participate in different ways, including a practical nutrition workshop led by a clinical dietitian and sessions covering Tai Chi, accessible dance, mental resilience and sound healing. The event will also feature the RM Dreams Poster Competition, inviting participants to share their dreams and experiences through creative posters, with attendees voting for their favourites and awards presented to the winners.

By bringing patients, caregivers and health professionals into the same conversation, MEAF hopes to replace misconceptions with useful guidance and reduce the isolation that can accompany a chronic condition. The Achieve Your Dreams theme reflects the Foundation’s belief that arthritis should not define what someone can work towards, provided they receive timely care and support suited to their circumstances.

All sessions are free to attend. To participate in the event, please register on  https://arthritis.ae/wad.

For more information about MEAF, visit www.arthritis.ae or follow the Foundation on Facebook: Emirates Arthritis Foundation and Twitter: UAE Arthritis.

Beauty is entering its more-is-more, but make it effortless era, and TikTok is helping lead the shift. From five-minute GRWM videos and rapid-fire beauty routines to multitasking product hacks, today’s feeds are redefining what consumers expect from their routines: maximum impact with minimal effort. What starts on the feed is increasingly shaping what happens on the shelf, with beauty brands responding through bold, high-impact color and multifunctional formulas that work harder and tackle multiple concerns in one go.

Enter Wet n Wild, the iconic L.A. beauty brand known for vibrant color and standout formulas, and HASK, bringing targeted haircare designed to address everything from scalp care and repair to volume and manageability – both reflecting a new approach to beauty that is rewriting the rules of how we get ready.

FACE: Make Every Detail Count

The current makeup mood is all about statement details. Rather than committing to an elaborate full-face routine, beauty lovers are using high-impact products to transform their look – think unexpected color, blurred skin, feathered brows and glossy lips.

Wet n Wild Chameleon Chrome Liquid Eyeliner in Astro Pulse

For eyes, it taps into the growing appetite for multidimensional makeup. Its light-catching color shifts and shimmers from different angles, turning a simple liner into an instant statement.

Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Pen in Dark Brown

Brows are taking a softer approach. Its precise pen creates fine, hair-like strokes for a naturally feathered effect, with a waterproof, smudge-proof formula that lasts up to 16 hours. The result is defined, fuller-looking brows without the overly sculpted finish.

Wet n Wild Mother Fluffer Cloud Blush in Rose the Roof

Cheeks are embracing the cloud-soft makeup trend. Its ultra-airy cream-to-powder formula melts into the skin for a soft-focus flush, delivering bold color with a blurred-matte finish.

Wet n Wild Photo Focus Loose Setting Powder in Soft Pink

Complexion is getting a glow-forward update. The lightweight powder sets makeup while helping blur imperfections and minimize shine, leaving skin looking smooth with a subtle pink tint.

Wet n Wild Mega Inky Lip Color in Desert Crush

Lips are making a case for long-lasting, high-impact color. Its intensely pigmented formula delivers a smooth matte finish for up to 16 hours, making a single swipe enough to create a statement lip.

Wet n Wild Lip Oil Injector in Shimmer Me Baby

Glossy lips continue to have their moment, with a focus on plump-looking, high-shine finishes. The lightweight formula delivers a tingly lift and smooth, glossy finish for an effortless juicy-lip effect. Available at leading UAE department stores, hypermarkets, pharmacies, and online at www.amazon.ae , www.noon.com , www.glambeaute.com , and www.namshi.com.

HAIR: Healthy-Looking Hair Starts at the Scalp

The same desire for effortless impact is making its way into haircare, with scalp health, volume and multifunctional formulas becoming increasingly central to the routine.

HASK Tea Tree Oil & Rosemary Invigorating Shampoo, Conditioner & 5-in-1 Leave-In Spray

Scalp-first haircare is becoming an essential part of the beauty routine. Infused with purifying tea tree oil and rosemary, the range helps lift build-up and impurities while cleansing, soothing and revitalizing the scalp. The conditioner helps rehydrate and seal in moisture and shine, while the 5-in-1 Leave-In Spray detangles and moisturises while adding body and shine, controlling frizz, preventing breakage and providing heat protection up to 400°F/205°C.

HASK Biotin Boost Thickening Shampoo, Conditioner & 5-in-1 Leave-In Spray

Fuller-looking hair is firmly back on the beauty agenda, with volume-focused routines moving beyond styling and into everyday haircare. Infused with biotin, collagen and coffee, the range helps promote thicker, fuller-looking strands, while the conditioner detangles and softens. The 5-in-1 Leave-In Spray completes the routine by adding body and shine, controlling frizz, preventing breakage and providing heat protection up to 400°F/205°C.

Available at major hypermarkets and supermarkets across the UAE and online at www.glambeaute.com. Beauty is moving beyond the rulebook, with individuality taking center stage. Instead of sticking to one signature look, today’s routines are about experimenting, adapting and choosing products that work around you – not the other way around. To discover more and keep up with the latest news, product launches and beauty updates, follow HASK on Facebook and Instagram at @HASKUAE, and wet n wild on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram at @wetnwildintl.

Authored by Michael Smirnow, Chief Investment Officer, Arabian Capital Gulf

With the dirham pegged to the US dollar and UAE investors exposed to global markets, decisions made by the Federal Reserve and the US government can influence local borrowing costs, liquidity, and investment sentiment. Michael Smirnow, Chief Investment Officer, Arabian Capital Gulf After the global financial crisis, U.S. authorities tried to stimulate the economy primarily through monetary measures: the Federal Reserve cut interest rates to zero and launched quantitative easing (QE) for the first time, purchasing assets to provide market participants with liquidity.

As a result, the Fed’s balance sheet grew to USD 8 trillion by 2021. However, between 2008 and 2020, the U.S. economy did not experience rapid growth, and inflation regularly remained below the target level. Everything changed in 2020, when the government entered the stimulus fray for the first time in many years. While the Fed’s accommodative monetary policy primarily helped large banks and market participants, at the onset of the pandemic the U.S. government began distributing money to households and increasing budget expenditure across nearly all areas.

Compared with monetary measures, these fiscal stimulus measures proved to be a significantly more powerful tool for stimulating the economy; however, they increased government debt by the aforementioned 61%. Against this backdrop, we expect the next few years to be shaped primarily by fiscal stimulus, with government action, rather than the Federal Reserve, becoming the key factor for investors. Indeed, while the private sector ran large deficits before 2008, the deficit now lies with the government, while private-sector indebtedness is declining. In the years following the pandemic, the largest government deficits coincided with the strongest growth in financial markets. This is unsurprising, since a public-sector deficit becomes private-sector income. This dynamic enabled the U.S. economy to remain resilient in 2023-2024 despite the Fed’s record pace of interest-rate increases. Whichever U.S. political party is in power will continue along this path; Trump is also doing the same through legislation known as the “Big Beautiful Bill.”

As long as inflation in the United States remains under control, this race will continue. The current balance between monetary and fiscal stimulus vividly illustrates this argument. On the one hand, the U.S. Federal Reserve is adopting an increasingly neutral stance and is clearly in no hurry to cut interest rates or introduce new stimulus programmes. On the other hand, the Treasury is entering the fray: as yields on long-term U.S. bonds confidently exceed 5%, the Treasury has launched a program to buy back its long-term debt. In effect, this gives the bond market the same kind of stimulus the Fed previously delivered.

Thus, the balance of power is changing, but the direction remains the same: the United States still needs accommodative monetary conditions. If these are not achieved through monetary measures, they will be achieved through fiscal ones.

(Arabian Gulf Capital (AGC) holds a Category-1 Investment Firm license issued by the Central Bank of Bahrain and provides tailored investment solutions to individual, corporate, and institutional clients.)