• Drums queen Thalia Cristina enters a Jacarezinho samba school practice session on February 16, 2014, ahead of Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Jacarezinho 'favela' was previously controlled by drug traffickers and is now occupied by the city's Police Pacification Unit. Carnival officially begins February 28, but pre-Carnival celebrations are already underway. Mario Tama / Getty Images
    Drums queen Thalia Cristina enters a Jacarezinho samba school practice session on February 16, 2014, ahead of Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Jacarezinho 'favela' was previously controlled by drug traffickers and is now occupied by the city's Police Pacification Unit. Carnival officially begins February 28, but pre-Carnival celebrations are already underway. Mario Tama / Getty Images
  • An Indonesian soldier removes volcanic ash from a Buddha statue at Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, on February 17, 2014. Mount Kelud in East Java province erupted February 13, killing four people and spewing ash and rock that covered much of the island. More than 56,000 people were displaced. Bimo Satrio / EPA
    An Indonesian soldier removes volcanic ash from a Buddha statue at Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, on February 17, 2014. Mount Kelud in East Java province erupted February 13, killing four people and spewing ash and rock that covered much of the island. More than 56,000 people were displaced. Bimo Satrio / EPA
  • A bulldozer removes barricades on February 16, 2014, at the site of recent clashes with riot police in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. Scores of Ukrainian anti-government protesters ended a two-month-old occupation of city hall in Kiev on Sunday to meet a government amnesty offer. Vlad Sodel / Reuters
    A bulldozer removes barricades on February 16, 2014, at the site of recent clashes with riot police in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. Scores of Ukrainian anti-government protesters ended a two-month-old occupation of city hall in Kiev on Sunday to meet a government amnesty offer. Vlad Sodel / Reuters
  • Venezuelan demonstrators protest during demonstration of opposition to the Venezuelan government n Caracas, Venezuela, February 16, 2014. Santi Donaire / EPA
    Venezuelan demonstrators protest during demonstration of opposition to the Venezuelan government n Caracas, Venezuela, February 16, 2014. Santi Donaire / EPA
  • A young South Sudanese boat driver waits for passengers to board to cross Lake Yirol, on their way to reach the village of Pankar, South Sudan, on February 16, 2014. Fighting between forces loyal to South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar erupted on December 15, sparking heavy clashes across the country that have left thousands dead and displaced close to 900,000 people. Fabio Bucciarelli / AFP photo
    A young South Sudanese boat driver waits for passengers to board to cross Lake Yirol, on their way to reach the village of Pankar, South Sudan, on February 16, 2014. Fighting between forces loyal to South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar erupted on December 15, sparking heavy clashes across the country that have left thousands dead and displaced close to 900,000 people. Fabio Bucciarelli / AFP photo
  • Crowds bow on February 16, 2014, to the statues of North Korea’s late leader Kim Jong Il, right, and his father, North Korea’s founder Kim Il Sung, which tower over the capital Pyongyang on a hill. North Korea marked the anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong Il on Sunday. Jon Chol Jin / AP photo
    Crowds bow on February 16, 2014, to the statues of North Korea’s late leader Kim Jong Il, right, and his father, North Korea’s founder Kim Il Sung, which tower over the capital Pyongyang on a hill. North Korea marked the anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong Il on Sunday. Jon Chol Jin / AP photo
  • A boy eats a sausage on a stick on February 16, 2014, during a picnic with his family by the banks of Pacora River, on the outskirts of Panama City. The banks of Pacora River, which runs under one of the bridges of the Pan-American Highway, is a popular location during the dry season for the city dwellers to spend the day barbecuing and picnicking with their families. Carlos Jasso / Reuters
    A boy eats a sausage on a stick on February 16, 2014, during a picnic with his family by the banks of Pacora River, on the outskirts of Panama City. The banks of Pacora River, which runs under one of the bridges of the Pan-American Highway, is a popular location during the dry season for the city dwellers to spend the day barbecuing and picnicking with their families. Carlos Jasso / Reuters
  • Pope Francis kisses a baby on February 16, 2014, as he is welcomed by faithfuls upon his arrival for a visit to the parish of San Tommaso on the outskirts of Rome. Andreas Solaro / AFP photo
    Pope Francis kisses a baby on February 16, 2014, as he is welcomed by faithfuls upon his arrival for a visit to the parish of San Tommaso on the outskirts of Rome. Andreas Solaro / AFP photo
  • A Thai anti-government protester stands next to soldiers during a protest in Bangkok on February 17, 2014, against the government’s repeatedly delayed payments for rice. Pornchai Kittiwongsakul / AFP photo
    A Thai anti-government protester stands next to soldiers during a protest in Bangkok on February 17, 2014, against the government’s repeatedly delayed payments for rice. Pornchai Kittiwongsakul / AFP photo
  • Rebel fighters fire a machine gun on February 17, 2014, at a government forces’ checkpoint on a road leading to Idlib, near the Syrian city of Hama. More than 140,000 people have been killed in three years of fighting, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Abu Hadi Al-Hamwi / AFP photo
    Rebel fighters fire a machine gun on February 17, 2014, at a government forces’ checkpoint on a road leading to Idlib, near the Syrian city of Hama. More than 140,000 people have been killed in three years of fighting, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Abu Hadi Al-Hamwi / AFP photo
  • An anti-government student protects herself during clashes with the National Guard in Caracas on February 16, 2014. Supporters and opponents of Venezuela’s leftist government have been staging rival rallies amid spiralling discontent at the country’s stubborn inflation and shortage of basic goods. Juan Barreto / AFP photo
    An anti-government student protects herself during clashes with the National Guard in Caracas on February 16, 2014. Supporters and opponents of Venezuela’s leftist government have been staging rival rallies amid spiralling discontent at the country’s stubborn inflation and shortage of basic goods. Juan Barreto / AFP photo

Best images from around the world in the past 24 hours — February 17


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Uefa Nations League

League A:
Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands

League B:
Austria, Wales, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey

League C:
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Norway, Montenegro, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania

League D:
Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Gibraltar

UK%20record%20temperature
%3Cp%3E38.7C%20(101.7F)%20set%20in%20Cambridge%20in%202019%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
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Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
​​​​​​​Penguin 

RESULT

Argentina 0 Croatia 3
Croatia: 
Rebic (53'), Modric (80'), Rakitic (90' 1)

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

WandaVision

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany

Directed by: Matt Shakman

Rating: Four stars

Race card

4pm Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

4.35pm Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m

5.10pm Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m

5.45pm Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m

6.20pm Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m

6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m

7.30pm Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m

The National selections:

4pm Zabardast

4.35pm Ibn Malik

5.10pm Space Blues

5.45pm Kimbear

6.20pm Barney Roy

6.55pm Matterhorn

7.30pm Defoe

SQUADS

India
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur

New Zealand
Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Ish Sodhi, George Worker, Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Expo details

Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.

It is expected to attract 25 million visits

Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.

More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020

The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area

It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

Bournemouth 0

Manchester United 2
Smalling (28'), Lukaku (70')

Meydan racecard:

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (PA) Group 1 | US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres

7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) Listed | $250,000 (D) 1,600m

7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) Conditions $100,000 (Turf) 1,400m

8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) | 2,000m

10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m

In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff

Scores

Oman 109-3 in 18.4 overs (Aqib Ilyas 45 not out, Aamir Kaleem 27) beat UAE 108-9 in 20 overs (Usman 27, Mustafa 24, Fayyaz 3-16, Bilal 3-23)

Notable cricketers and political careers
  • India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
  • Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
  • Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
  • Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)

Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23

UAE fixtures:
Men

Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final

Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

The%20Roundup%20%3A%20No%20Way%20Out
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lee%20Sang-yong%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Don%20Lee%2C%20Lee%20Jun-hyuk%2C%20Munetaka%20Aoki%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULT

Manchester United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Man United: Sanchez (24' ), Herrera (62')
Spurs: Alli (11')

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now