Simone Kermes: Colori d'Amore Le Musiche Nove, Claudio Osele (cond) (Sony Classical)
The coloratura German soprano Simone Kermes is not known as the Queen of Baroque for nothing: here, her rich, agile voice takes us through a fascinating selection of Baroque arias by the likes of Scarlatti, Bononchini and Caldari. The era's characteristic brittle orchestration, decorous structures and highly controlled sentimentality are wonderfully portrayed here by the period music ensemble Le Musiche Nove, prompting visions of silk-clad ladies rapping their beaus' knuckles with their fans and exclaiming "fie!". As for Kermes, her tone, her control and her restrainedly theatrical delivery feel authentically Baroque. Highlights of the CD include the mournful, Pergolesi-like suspensions of Scarlatti's Cara Tomba, from Mitridate Eupatore and the vigorous recitative Qui Dove... and its subsequent aria Torbido irato e nero, also by Scarlatti, in which her breath control and vocal articulation are exceptional. In fact, while many of the arias feel familiar, even if they are not well known, Scarlatti's works dominate the album simply through their innate refinement and strength, a reminder of just why his work has endured where that of, say, Riccardo Broschi (incidentally the brother of the legendary castrato Farinelli) has been less celebrated.
* Gemma Champ
Also out in classical
Elina Garanca: Habanera Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai, Karel Mark Cichon (cond) (Deutsche Grammophon)
The Latvian mezzo soprano Elina Garanca made her name with an exceptional performance of Carmen, and here she takes on other roles with a gypsy theme, bringing her trademark flexibility to Candide, The Bohemian Girl and others.
Tchaikovsky, Liszt: First Piano Concertos Alice Sarah Ott, Munich Philharmonic, Thomas Hengelbrock (cond) (Deutsche Grammophon)
No mean feat for a 22-year-old, the German-Japanese Ott attacks the works with the style and the superb, sure technique for which she is becoming known - so important for performing Liszt.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
US households add $601bn of debt in 2019
American households borrowed another $601 billion (Dh2.2bn) in 2019, the largest yearly gain since 2007, just before the global financial crisis, according to February data from the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
Fuelled by rising mortgage debt as homebuyers continued to take advantage of low interest rates, the increase last year brought total household debt to a record high, surpassing the previous peak reached in 2008 just before the market crash, according to the report.
Following the 22nd straight quarter of growth, American household debt swelled to $14.15 trillion by the end of 2019, the New York Fed said in its quarterly report.
In the final three months of the year, new home loans jumped to their highest volume since the fourth quarter of 2005, while credit cards and auto loans also added to the increase.
The bad debt load is taking its toll on some households, and the New York Fed warned that more and more credit card borrowers — particularly young people — were falling behind on their payments.
"Younger borrowers, who are disproportionately likely to have credit cards and student loans as their primary form of debt, struggle more than others with on-time repayment," New York Fed researchers said.
Scorecard
Scotland 220
K Coetzer 95, J Siddique 3-49, R Mustafa 3-35
UAE 224-3 in 43,5 overs
C Suri 67, B Hameed 63 not out
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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The winners
Fiction
- ‘Amreekiya’ by Lena Mahmoud
- ‘As Good As True’ by Cheryl Reid
The Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award
- ‘Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo’ by Oswaldo Truzzi; translated by Ramon J Stern
- ‘The Sound of Listening’ by Philip Metres
The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award
- ‘Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance’ by Fady Joudah
Children/Young Adult
- ‘I’ve Loved You Since Forever’ by Hoda Kotb
Brief scores:
Toss: Kerala Knights, opted to fielf
Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)
Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17
Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)
Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40
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What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
