2. Lene Bjerre tea light holder
2. Lene Bjerre tea light holder

M is all about: our Christmas list



1. The ultimate cracker

Celebrating Christmas is a snap with this decadent cracker by Asprey. Inside the pretty packaging you'll find a stylish luxury item such as a sterling silver bracelet, an umbrella-shaped decision spinning top, starfish cufflinks or a perfume atomiser. But diehard Yuletide fans won't be disappointed, the cracker also includes the traditional festive joke, paper hat and balloon.  Extravagant, exclusive and a seasonal delight sure to be a talking point around any Christmas table, only two of these crackers are available in Dubai, so you'll have to move fast. Asprey Christmas Cracker, Dh850, Asprey, Mall of the Emirates, 04 341 0641

2. Table magic

Make the holiday glow a little brighter with these delicate tea lights. Their antiqued silver finish is sure to make your dining table look luminous. Lene Bjerre tea light holder, Dh40, Bloomingdale's Home, 04 350 5333

3. Putting on the glitz

The tree isn't the only thing that needs decorating this Christmas. Add a touch of glamour to any outfit with this exotic clutch. The Silver Jenny bag is made of soft calf leather, but has the look and feel of snakeskin. With its detachable solid silver link chain, it's an ideal accessory for day or night. Festive frivolity guaranteed. Silver Jenny bag by Love and Label at Marami, Dh1,750, Dubai Mall, 04 434 3536

4. Christmas sparkle

Nothing screams Christmas opulence more than Swarovski. Exquisitely crafted in crystal commemorating this year's date, this glistening decoration will twist and twirl to catch the light to magnificent effect as it hangs on your Christmas tree. Swarovski, Dh335, Dubai Mall, 04 339 8256

5. Festive fancies

Mince pies, gingerbread snowmen, chocolate truffles, cinnamon snowflakes, macaroons, cranberry biscotti, Christmas fudge, florentines... with all these festive sweets and treats you're bound to get caught raiding the biscuit tin. You can indulge, as Lime Tree Cafe has stocked its pantry to the rafters for the ultimate Christmas feast. Beautifully wrapped, these delicacies make ideal gifts that are certain to spread festive cheer. Other gourmet delights to choose from include canapés, platters and Christmas hampers. Be prepared for second helpings. Prices range from Dh30 per bag of biscuits up to Dh275 for full-size cakes. Christmas hampers can be ordered and custom made. Prices range from Dh435 to Dh905. Lime Tree Cafe, Jumeirah Beach Road and Ibn Battuta Mall, 04 349 8498, www.thelimetreecafe.com

6. Travelling in style

This intense gold passport cover would put Rudolph's red nose to shame. Stand out at the airport as you head home for the holidays with this eye-catching wallet, and let it lead you straight to first class. The ultimate accessory for the globetrotting jetsetter. Bombay Duck passport cover, Dh52, The Gift Library, www.gift-library.com

7. Winter wonderland

Recapture the essence of a Victorian Christmas. Snow and water globes first appeared in the late 1800s and the magical mini worlds soon became a feature of upper-class Victorian homes. Shake this enchanting snow globe and let it transport you to a Christmas of yesteryear. Featuring a partridge in a pear tree, this globe lets glittery snow fall, and winds up to play The Twelve Days of Christmas. A true delight, this is what Christmas fairy tales are made of. Gisela Graham Partridge snow globe, Dh265, Harvest Home, Jumeirah Centre, 04 324 0225

A MAN FROM MOTIHARI

Author: Abdullah Khan
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Pages: 304
Available: Now

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (Kick-off midnight UAE)

Saturday Levante v Getafe (5pm), Sevilla v Real Madrid (7.15pm), Atletico Madrid v Real Valladolid (9.30pm), Cadiz v Barcelona (midnight)

Sunday Granada v Huesca (5pm), Osasuna v Real Betis (7.15pm), Villarreal v Elche (9.30pm), Alaves v Real Sociedad (midnight)

Monday Eibar v Valencia (midnight)

Yahya Al Ghassani's bio

Date of birth: April 18, 1998

Playing position: Winger

Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Haltia.ai
Started: 2023
Co-founders: Arto Bendiken and Talal Thabet
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: AI
Number of employees: 41
Funding: About $1.7 million
Investors: Self, family and friends

SPECS: Polestar 3

Engine: Long-range dual motor with 400V battery
Power: 360kW / 483bhp
Torque: 840Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 628km
0-100km/h: 4.7sec
Top speed: 210kph
Price: From Dh360,000
On sale: September

ROUTE TO TITLE

Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2

Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule

  • 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
  • 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
  • 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting

-      Don’t do it more than once in three days

-      Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days

-      Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode

-      Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well

-      Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days

-      Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates

-      Manage your sleep

-      People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting

-      Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert

'Saand Ki Aankh'

Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

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 five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

Price: from Dh94,900

On sale: now

The stats and facts

1.9 million women are at risk of developing cervical cancer in the UAE

80% of people, females and males, will get human papillomavirus (HPV) once in their lifetime

Out of more than 100 types of HPV, 14 strains are cancer-causing

99.9% of cervical cancers are caused by the virus

A five-year survival rate of close to 96% can be achieved with regular screenings for cervical cancer detection

Women aged 25 to 29 should get a Pap smear every three years

Women aged 30 to 65 should do a Pap smear and HPV test every five years

Children aged 13 and above should get the HPV vaccine

Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5