Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for April 28, 2017, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. Ellen Fortini rounds up 10 things to do today in the UAE.
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Ajman
Theatre
See the final weekend of performances of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, featuring an all-female cast in an immersive experience set in present-day UAE in the cut-throat corporate world. The board members of the Scotland Corp, a security and surveillance company, find themselves under the control of a new leader, who arrives at the position in an unorthodox fashion.
Tonight and tomorrow, 8pm, Dh150, Ajman Cultural Centre, Ajman, www.shakespeareunderthestars.ae
Abu Dhabi
Horse event
Plan to attend the Arabian Sport Horse Championship, which features dressage, show jumping, arena eventing and sprint. The event takes place at the HH Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Grand Equestrian Hall, which is the largest indoor arena for horses in the world.
Tomorrow, 9am to 5pm for competition; 11am to 4pm for children's activities, free, HH Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Grand Equestrian Hall, Boudheib, Abu Dhabi, www.abudhabievents.ae
Abu Dhabi
Performance
Plan to attend Rooftop Rhythms #48, which opens its fifth season and is hosted by Dorian Paul Rogers, with DJ Allad (pictured) spinning tunes between performances by established and emerging spoken-word artists. The poetry open-mic list is on a first-come, first-served basis on the Rooftop Rhythms page on Facebook.
Tonight, doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm, free with registration, The Marketplace, NYU Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, register at www.nyuad-artscenter.org
Abu Dhabi
Theatre
Catch the final weekend of Doorways, a festival of one-act plays written by members of Beyond the Veil. See plays about a variety of topics including the meaning of life, the decision to start a family, complications in love, and difficulties with teammates. Pictured: A scene from Utopian Hope, directed by Gautam Marathe.
Today and tomorrow, 7.30pm, 3pm today for ladies only, Dh50 for adults; Dh25 for students, National Theatre, Abu Dhabi, beyondtheveilad@gmail.com
Abu Dhabi
Book fair
Visit the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, which features a variety of literary and cultural events, with a focus on the guest-of-honour country, China. Today, catch a series of film screenings at Black Box Cinema starting at 4pm; get tips on healthy cooking and food with a twist at the Show Kitchen starting at 4pm; and attend talks and panel discussions including One Hundred Books Along the Silk Road, which is about books translated from Chinese to Arabic that highlight relations between the two worlds. Other talks today will be on topics such as alternative music, Emirati women writers and classical Arab music. The fair also includes poetry readings, spoken-word performances and book signings.
Daily until Tuesday, 9am to 10pm, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Khaleej Al Arabi, Abu Dhabi, www.adbookfair.com
Abu Dhabi
Ice-skating show
Skate Emirates, hosted by the Emirates Skating Club of Abu Dhabi, is an international figure-skating event that features 257 skaters from five countries – UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Indonesia and Thailand – ranging in age from 3 to 61. UAE skater Zahra Lari (pictured) will perform the opening number and will be in attendance throughout to answer questions and have pictures taken.
Today and tomorrow, 7am to 10pm, on Friday; 7am to 7pm on Saturday, free entry, Zayed Sports City Ice Rink, Abu Dhabi, www.facebook.com/skateemirates
Dubai
Art event
Attend the launch of the monthly Art & Cheese Reception at Okapi Gallery, which will focus on specific artists or styles of art, and will feature a selection of cheeses. This month, see works by British artist Sam Toft, who is known for light humour in her small-scale paintings and oil pastels. Pictured: A Sneaky One.
Today, 1pm to 10pm, free entry, Okapi Gallery, J W Marriott Marquis Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, www.okapigallery.com
Dubai
Art exhibition
Catch the final days of the Dubai International Arabic Calligraphy Exhibition, which features works by more than 50 calligraphy artists, with dedicated areas for classic, modern and illuminated works that celebrate the facets of the art. There are also workshops where visitors can learn about calligraphy techniques and explore the historical and social significance of calligraphy.
Today and tomorrow, 10am to 10pm, Wafi, Dubai, www.wafi.com
Dubai
Outdoor market
Shop for fresh organic produce at The Farmers’ Market on the Terrace presented by Baker & Spice. Buy seasonal goods directly from farmers and enjoy a host of activities including live cooking demonstrations from the Taj Hotel’s head chefs.
Today, 8am to 1pm, grass area in front of the Bay Avenue Promenade, Dubai, www.facebook.com/thefarmersmarketontheterrace
Dubai
Yoga class
Kick-start your day with a free yoga class at The Beach. The classes take place Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays on the South Lawn, and are open to yogis of all levels. Arrive early to claim your spot, and bring a mat, towel and water.
Today and tomorrow, 7am, South Lawn, The Beach, Dubai, www.thebeach.ae
THE BIO
Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
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.”
RIDE%20ON
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
England squad
Joe Root (captain), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (vice-captain), Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Toby Roland-Jones, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
FINAL RESULT
Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2
Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Scores
Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool
Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield Town
Burnley 1-0 Brighton
Manchester United 4-1 Fulham
West Ham 3-2 Crystal Palace
Saturday fixtures:
Chelsea v Manchester City, 9.30pm (UAE)
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur, 11.45pm (UAE)
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Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
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if you go
The flights
Air France offer flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Cayenne, connecting in Paris from Dh7,300.
The tour
Cox & Kings (coxandkings.com) has a 14-night Hidden Guianas tour of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It includes accommodation, domestic flights, transfers, a local tour manager and guided sightseeing. Contact for price.
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Company%20Profile
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Draw:
Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi
Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau
if you go
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)
Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg
Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD
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
