How to politely inform people that, just because I am not stopping to take a picture of myself every few minutes, it doesn’t mean that I’m at a loose end and ready to take snaps of everyone else? James MacDonald / Bloomberg
How to politely inform people that, just because I am not stopping to take a picture of myself every few minutes, it doesn’t mean that I’m at a loose end and ready to take snaps of everyone else? James MacDonald / Bloomberg
How to politely inform people that, just because I am not stopping to take a picture of myself every few minutes, it doesn’t mean that I’m at a loose end and ready to take snaps of everyone else? James MacDonald / Bloomberg
How to politely inform people that, just because I am not stopping to take a picture of myself every few minutes, it doesn’t mean that I’m at a loose end and ready to take snaps of everyone else? Jame

Phone etiquette? I need some guidelines please


Selina Denman
  • English
  • Arabic

Where’s the book on mobile phone etiquette? As these ubiquitous devices infiltrate every aspect of our lives, we’re in desperate need of some official, internationally recognised guidelines.

Notice, for example, how the humble phone has changed the way we interact in a group setting. On a recent work trip, I noticed a trend. A group of us would be mid-conversation; as soon as one member of the pack lost interest, they would pick up their phone, a clear sign that what was being discussed was no longer interesting enough to hold their attention. I accept that my stories may not be the most riveting, but surely that’s the digital equivalent of getting up, walking away and starting a conversation with someone on the other side of the room? Or telling someone to shut up mid-sentence? Which none of the people I was with would ever be so ill-mannered to do.

Sure enough, as soon as one person started looking at their phone, everyone else was compelled to follow suit. The allure of the black screen was too strong to resist. This meant that every few minutes, conversation would dwindle to an awkward halt as everyone stopped to check their messages, update their social media accounts or answer a few work emails. Is this the natural ebb and flow of modern-day conversation? Chat for a bit; scroll for a bit; chat for a bit; scroll for a bit?

Maybe this means that, as a race, our conversational skills will have to improve exponentially. If we’re constantly competing with the limitless entertainment extravaganza that is the smartphone, maybe we’ll all be forced to be more charming, concise and engaging. Or maybe, as I suspect, we’ll do away with conversation altogether.

The phone epidemic presents another social quandary when in a group setting. I’m not a big ­selfie-taker. I don’t feel the need to chronicle my every move by taking a picture of myself every few minutes. After 37 years of living with this face, I know what it looks like. What this means in a group setting, unfortunately, is that you get roped in to taking photos of everyone else. So, how to politely inform people that, just because I am not stopping to take a picture of myself every few minutes, it doesn’t mean that I’m at a loose end and ready to take snaps of everyone else?

I think the world could also greatly benefit from a chapter on WhatsApp dos and don’ts. Firstly, should this ever be used as a professional tool? I think not. I am already desperately trying to sift through hundreds of emails a day – surviving a barrage of work-related WhatsApps might just push me over the edge.

And secondly, is there any polite way to extricate yourself from a WhatsApp group without all of those involved becoming mortally offended? Is there a way of saying: “I think you guys are cool, but I cannot bear to receive any more of your mindless memes and cat videos?”

My phone-loving friends suggest that I may be the problem. That it’s time for me to adapt and evolve; that phone-induced silence is actually golden. In wishing that everyone else would be more sociable, I have been cast as the antisocial one. Perhaps that guide to phone etiquette might help us find a middle ground?

____________________

Read more of Selina's thoughts:

After a decade, Dubai feels like it has come of age

Why social media influencers can be frustrating for journalists

Why a goodbye in the UAE can be particularly bittersweet

Four lessons learnt as a dog owner in Dubai

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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
The%20specs
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UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

The Transfiguration

Director: Michael O’Shea

Starring: Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine

Three stars

The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV

Power: 360bhp

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Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh282,870

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Scores in brief:

Boost Defenders 205-5 in 20 overs
(Colin Ingram 84 not out, Cameron Delport 36, William Somerville 2-28)
bt Auckland Aces 170 for 5 in 20 overs
(Rob O’Donnell 67 not out, Kyle Abbott 3-21).

Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates 

 

Results

Stage 7:

1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29

2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time

3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious

4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep

5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM

General Classification:

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35

3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02

4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42

5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45

Specs

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Directed by: Anthony Mandler

Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington 

3/5

 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
About Okadoc

Date started: Okadoc, 2018

Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Healthcare

Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth

Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February

Investors: Undisclosed

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.”

RESULTS
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Company Profile

Company name: Big Farm Brothers

Started: September 2020

Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur

Based: Dubai Investment Park 1

Industry: food and agriculture

Initial investment: $205,000

Current staff: eight to 10

Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets

TV (UAE time);

OSN Sports: from 10am

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Match info

Uefa Champions League Group H

Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)

Keane on …

Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”

Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”

The Internet
Hive Mind
four stars

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Racecard
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The%20Killer
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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi

Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe

For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.

Golden Dallah

For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.

Al Mrzab Restaurant

For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.

Al Derwaza

For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.