Whether you are looking for a gift this festive season, or just want to treat yourself to something special, these gadgets are all designed to make life a little bit easier.
The stylish design of Nescafe's Infinissima coffee machine will make it a welcome addition to your kitchen counter, also allowing you to choose from a variety of cup sizes, from short espressos to extra-large Americanos.
The new Gitamini is a robot companion that will follow you around and carry your things, while the Canon PowerShot PX is designed to capture those special moments in life on a voice command, so you can get on with enjoying the big occasion.
Infinissima
Nescafe has partnered with Italian small appliances manufacturer De’Longhi on a range of coffee machines that produce tasty drinks but also look ultra-stylish.
The sleek and slim design of the Infinissima is inspired by the symbol for eternity, and is created to blend into any modern kitchen.
An intuitive touchscreen allows users to choose from a variety of cup sizes, from short espressos to extra-large Americanos. There’s also an option to customise the temperature of your drink, as well as a cleaning reminder. The Infinissima comes in two minimalist colours – charcoal black or white – and is now available across the Middle East.
$149, www.dolcegusto-me.com
Canon PowerShot PX
Canon is calling its latest AI-powered camera “your own personal photographer”. The PowerShot PX is made to “capture candid moments”, leaving you with one less thing to worry about as those special occasions are unfolding.
The camera will automatically take photographs and record video using a built-in “subject recognition” system that will frame and select the shots, which you can browse later. The device will also listen to voice commands such as: “Hello Pixie, take a picture”.
The PowerShot PX comes with built-in Wi-Fi, which links to your smart device, and images are transferred to an accompanying app where users can pick the photos or videos they want. It’s portable and comes with a USB charging port so you can take it anywhere.
The PowerShot PX can take 11.7 megapixel photos or full HD MP4 videos and comes with a bundled 16GB microSD card. It can also move 340º left to right and 110º up and down, and can be used as a webcam with computers running the Windows 10 operating system.
The Canon PowerShot PX will be available later this year.
Price not yet released, www.canon-me.com
Anaori kakugama
It might look like something straight out of a Denis Villeneuve (Dune, Arrival) movie, but the Anaori kakugama is as real as it gets. Designed by Japanese carbon graphite specialist Anaori, the kakugama promises to infuse centuries-old cooking methods with new technical craftsmanship.
The minimalist cube, carved out of a single block of carbon graphite, is sleek in that typically Japanese way, and can be used for steaming, poaching, simmering, grilling, frying and even cooking rice. Carbon graphite is known for its thermal conductivity, which means food is cooked faster, but gentler, retaining its taste, texture and nutrients. It also means your food remains hot for hours after cooking.
The inner lid of the kakugama is lined with cypress found in Japan, which the company says “imbues your dishes with aromas of a Japanese countryside”. The Anaori kakugama is available in two sizes, 3.4 litres and 5.1 litres.
From $2,460, www.anaori.com
YSL Rouge Sur Mesure Set
Forget those myriad lipsticks filling up your cabinet or bag, and those precious minutes spent deciding which shade is perfect for the day. Yves Saint Laurent has launched an AI-powered device that enables users to create their own shade of liquid lipstick at the touch of a button.
The sleek gadget comes with space for three colour cartridges (shades must be grouped in threes, for example: reds, oranges and pinks) and pairs with an accompanying app. On the app, using augmented reality, the user is shown how the various shades will look on their lips. Once a colour is picked, the device will conjure up the precise shade and dispense it in a perfectly portioned single dose for application.
L’Oreal, which owns YSL Beauty, says the Rouge Sur Mesure Set can create “thousands” of shades just from one set of the three cartridges.
Available soon, $477, www.yslbeauty.com
Gita and Gitamini
A year after launching Gita (pictured), a robot that carries your belongings and follows you around, Piaggio Fast Forward has unveiled the Gitamini, a smaller but faster companion.
Just like its older sibling, the Gitamini comes with two large wheels, a trunk for storage and a combination of cameras and radar technology so it can follow its owner. Standing 48 centimetres tall, the 18-inch Gitamini weighs 12.7 kilograms and can carry up to 9kg for up to 34 kilometres on a single charge, making it more agile than the Gita, which can only go for 19.3km.
Based in the US, Piaggio Fast Forward is a subsidiary of the storied Italian company Piaggio, best known as the manufacturer of the Vespa. The company says the Gitamini is the “perfect size for navigating indoors, tight spaces like elevators, narrow hallways and busy shopping aisles”.
Pairing is done with just a tap on the Gitamini, and once it recognises its user it begins following them. An accompanying app can be used to lock and unlock the cargo bin lid (for anyone worried about theft), check battery levels and even stream audio via Bluetooth. When the user is idle for 30 minutes, the device will automatically power down in order to extend battery life.
Gita, in case you’re wondering, is Italian for trip.
The Gitamini is available in two colours, Boardwalk Beige and Spark Citron, $1,850, shop.piaggiofastforward.com
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Arsenal 1 (Aubameyang 12’) Liverpool 1 (Minamino 73’)
Arsenal win 5-4 on penalties
Man of the Match: Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
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.”
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
RESULTS
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UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans
Jasmin Mujanović, Hurst Publishers
