If you are considering buying a new car, now would be the perfect time to do so. During Ramadan, all the major car dealers launch special offers to lure in buyers during what would otherwise be a relatively slow retail period. From Volkswagen to Ford to Lotus to Porsche, there are a plethora of bargains to take advantage of. Last week, the Money section rounded up three of the best deals on offer. But to top that up, here are 10 of the best offers available until the end of the Holy Month.
1 Kia
The deal: Buyers of a 2015 Kia Picanto, Cerato or Soul model, will receive free electronic gifts such as a 40" LED Samsung TV, a free servicing package and 12 months of free insurance. Those buying a Sportage or Carens will receive a free Samsung Tab 3 with Wi-Fi plus one-year's insurance and those interested in a Cadenza, Sorento or Mohave will receive a smartphone and the choice of a two-year service pack or one year's insurance. Finally those buying a Quoris can drive away with one year's free insurance and a free smartphone. There are also discounts of Dh20,000 on a number of 2014 models for those that want to grab a bargain.
Take note: The showroom's operation hours during Ramadan are 9am to 2pm or 8.30pm until midnight.
2 Toyota
The deal: Anyone buying a new Toyota during Ramadan will receive a free upgrade. For example a customer buying a 4.6L Cruiser GXR for Dh243,000 could automatically be upgraded to a VXR model worth Dh287,000. Toyota has also launched a Limited Platinum Edition of the all-new Corolla priced at just Dh68,500 for the 1.6L or Dh68,900 for the 2.0 model. For the Platinum Edition Corolla, buyers can enjoy special features such as two tone leather seats, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity and 3M window tinting.
Take note: The Limited Platinum Edition model is available for a limited period.
3 Volkswagen
The deal: Buyers have the choice of two deals this Holy Month: the Value Package offer and the Cash Offer. For the Value Package offer, buy any Volkswagen from Al Nabooda Automobiles and receive one year's free insurance, five years of free servicing or until 75,000 kilometres, five years of roadside assistance, free registration and a five-year warranty. There are also gift boxes on offer and a petrol card voucher worth Dh500. For the Cash Offer, motorists can enjoy discounts of up to Dh22,000, a five-year free warranty with unlimited mileage, three years of free servicing up to 45,000km and three years of roadside assistance.
Take note: This deal is available from now until the end of the Holy Month.
4 Ford
The deal: Drive away in the 2014 Ford Fusion from Dh80,000 or the Ford Taurus, starting from Dh95,000, from Al Tayer Motors and receive three years of free servicing or up to 60,000km (whichever comes first), a five-year warranty, roadside assistance and one year's free insurance. Up to four months of deferred finance payments is also on offer.
Take note: The promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice.
5 BMW
The deal: All 2014 BMW models bought from AGMC showrooms this Ramadan come with free one year's car insurance, BMW Service Inclusive package as well as a five year complimentary subscription to BMW Connected Drive features. In addition, customers purchasing the 2014 BMW X6 Sports Activity Coupé, can enjoy an unprecedented unlimited mileage warranty. Those buying a BMW 1, 3 or 5 Series will also receive an upgraded BMW Service Inclusive package.
Take note: The offer is valid until July 28 and subject to availability.
6 Mitsubishi
The deal: Mitsubishi brand holder Al Habtoor Motors is offering five years free 0 per cent finance on all SUV's such as Pajero, ASX and Outlander this Ramadan. They are also offering low deposits and low finance on all sedans and hatchbacks which include the Mirage, Attrage and Lancer Ex. 100 winners will also walk away with Dh10,000 in cash.
Take note: Only borrow what you can afford to pay back.
7 Lotus
The deal: Buy a Lotus from Trading Enterprises with monthly installments starting at Dh3,999. The offer comes with two years' free insurance, two years' free registration, two years' Lotus Service Care and two years' guaranteed future value exchange.
Take note: Terms and conditions apply
8 Volvo
The deal: Buy a Volvo XC60 or XC90 (the XC60 T5 Sport is available from Dh129,900 and the XC90 AWD Sport from Dh159,900) this Holy Month and receive free servicing until 60,000km, a five-year warranty and a zero downpayment option on finance. Both models also come with a two-year buyback option and 24-hour roadside assistance.
Take note: Terms and conditions apply.
9 MINI
The deal: MINI fans can enjoy special offers on the 2014 Paceman, Countryman and Hatch, including one year's insurance and free registration. The MINI Paceman and MINI Countryman will also be offered with an upgraded MINI Service Inclusive Package for five years or 70,000km (whichever comes first).
Take note: The sales team will only be available from 9am to 2pm and from 9pm to 12am.
10 Porsche
The deal: Buy a Porsche Panamera from Al Nabooda Automobiles starting at Dh3,990 per month and receive five years or 105,000km of free servicing, a four-year Porsche warranty, 0 per cent interest on finance for two years, one year's free insurance and a gift voucher.
Take note: Opening hours for the Porsche Centre Dubai and the Porsche Approved Centre Dubai showroom is from 10am to 2pm and from 8pm to midnight.
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
Super Bowl LIII schedule
What Super Bowl LIII
Who is playing New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams
Where Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States
When Sunday (start time is 3.30am on Monday UAE time)
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
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.”
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
SPECS
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Company%20Profile
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CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
