Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for May 14, 2017, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. Aarti Jhurani rounds up 10 things to do today in the UAE.
Want to see your event listed here? Email us with the details and contact information at listings@thenational.ae
Abu Dhabi
Fitness class
Get a full cardiovascular workout with the Pilates Meets Yoga class at Bodytree Studio. Fusing the basic principles of yoga, dance and Pilates, the routine features a series of sequences that are designed to flow from one exercise to the next, without any breaks. It also helps develop balance, inner strength, mobility and control.
Today, 10am to 11.15am, Dh70, Bodytree Studio, Abu Dhabi, 02 443 4448, info@bodytreestudio.com
Abu Dhabi
Art exhibition
Emirati Adornment: Tangible & Intangible continues at Warehouse421. The ongoing Emirati memory project, Lest We Forget, presents an interactive exhibition that explores Emirati identity as conveyed through modes of adornment, both tangible – garments, jewellery, weapons and more – and intangible aspects, including knowledge and skills to apply henna, kohl and fragrance, as well as grooming and hairstyles.
Daily until August 27, 10am to 8pm Tuesdays to Sundays (closed Mondays), Warehouse421, Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, www.warehouse421.ae
Al Ain
Art exhibition
Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority presents Collage Exhibition, a mixed-media show featuring works by 23 Emirati and UAE-based artists from various backgrounds who use different elements and techniques to create art that conveys messages and meanings.
Daily until June 15, 5pm to 9pm, Al Qattara Arts Centre, Al Ain, www.visitabudhabi.ae
Abu Dhabi
Art exhibition
Check out the opening day of the ADEC Student Showcase. A joint exhibition by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and Abu Dhabi Education Council, it aims to promote creativity and artistic innovation, as well as inspire young, talented students, by showcasing their work. The artworks are inspired by elements in Abu Dhabi’s cultural heritage, historic sites of Al Ain, the collections of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi exhibition and the numerous art workshops held by a group of Emirati art experts in the UAE.
Opens today, daily until Saturday, 10am to 8pm, free, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
Nationwide
New film
In Meri Pyaari Bindu, writer Abhimanyu Roy (Ayushmann Khurrana), suffering from writer’s block, decides to return to his roots to write an old-fashioned love story. In his house, he finds a mixtape he had made with the love of his life, Bindu (Parineeti Chopra), with whom he has lost contact. The playlist sends him down memory lane, and as he switches between the past and the present through the songs, he faces reality, reconnects with his family and finds inspiration for his novel. Romantic drama, directed by Akshay Roy, also starring Abish Mathew, Aparajita Adhya and Malvika Sitlani.
Screening at cinemas across the UAE (TBC)
Dubai
Performance
Watch Flamenco Emotions at Ductac. As part of the performance, the owner of a prestigious dance academy tells her story, from her childhood as an orphan to the experiences that lead to her becoming a great performer. Spain and flamenco serve as a backdrop to her tale, with a subtle touch of Spanish classical music, provided by soprano Isabel Cañada Luna.
Today and tomorrow, 8pm, for ages 3+, tickets cost from Dh100, Centrepoint Theatre, Ductac, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, ductac.etixdubai.com
Dubai
Kids’ fun
Take advantage of the discount offered by KidZania for UAE residents this month. It is offering 30 per cent off the ticket price for the economy, economy plus, business and business plus categories. Children can experience the new Heritage Village, which includes pearl hunting, calligraphy, henna, traditional pottery and jewellery making. Business and business plus tickets also include entry for an adult for the business-class lounge, where they can relax while the children enjoy.
Until May 31, 10am to 10pm, tickets cost from Dh105 when purchased online or from the mobile app, KidZania, Dubai Mall, Dubai, www.kidzania.ae
Dubai
Workshop
Book your spot to attend the Creative Patterns workshop at thejamjar, where artist Dina Naser will teach how to create unity in a non-representational acrylic painting.
Saturday, 10.30am to 12.30pm, for ages 14 and above, Dh200, thejamjar, Unit 74, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, to sign up email info@thejamjardubai.com or call 04 341 7303
Dubai
Cooking class
Sign up to attend the last cooking class of the month at Solo Italian restaurant in Dubai, led by executive chef Doxis Bekris. Participants will learn how to prepare fresh ravioli.
Saturday, 11.30am to 2pm, Dh300 per person, Solo, Raffles Dubai, book at 04 314 9720 or dining.dubai@raffles.com
Dubai
Trade fair
Register now to attend this year’s edition of Beautyworld Middle East. The largest international trade fair for beauty products, haircare, fragrances and well-being in the Middle East, it is a great place to check out brands that are not available in the UAE, collect samples of new products to try and get expert tips. This year, famous Hollywood hair artist Guy Tang will make an appearance.
Opening today, and runs until Tuesday, 10am to 6pm, for ages 18+, free with registration, halls 1 to 8, Al Multaqa Ballroom, Sheikh Saeed halls 1 to 3 and Trade Centre Arena, Dubai International Convention Centre, Dubai, for more information and to register, visit www.beautyworldme.com
SCORES
Multiply Titans 81-2 in 12.1 overs
(Tony de Zorzi, 34)
bt Auckland Aces 80 all out in 16 overs
(Shawn von Borg 4-15, Alfred Mothoa 2-11, Tshepo Moreki 2-16).
THE%20JERSEYS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERed%20Jersey%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EGeneral%20Classification%2C%20sponsored%20by%20Fatima%20bint%20Mubarak%20Ladies%20Academy%3A%20Worn%20daily%2C%20starting%20from%20Stage%202%2C%20by%20the%20leader%20of%20the%20General%20Classification.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGreen%20Jersey%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EPoints%20Classification%2C%20sponsored%20by%20Bike%20Abu%20Dhabi%3A%20Worn%20daily%2C%20starting%20from%20Stage%202%2C%20by%20the%20fastest%20sprinter.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhite%20Jersey%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EYoung%20Rider%20Classification%2C%20sponsored%20by%20Abu%20Dhabi%20360%3A%20Worn%20daily%2C%20starting%20from%20Stage%202%2C%20by%20the%20best%20young%20rider%20(U25).%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBlack%20Jersey%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EIntermediate%20Sprint%20Classification%2C%20sponsored%20by%20Experience%20Abu%20Dhabi%3A%20Worn%20daily%2C%20starting%20from%20Stage%202%2C%20by%20the%20rider%20who%20has%20gained%20most%20Intermediate%20sprint%20points.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Watch live
The National will broadcast live from the IMF on Friday October 13 at 7pm UAE time (3pm GMT) as our Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi moderates a panel on how technology can help growth in MENA.
You can find out more here
Greatest Royal Rumble match listing
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
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.”
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
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
