The Treasures of the World's Cultures exhibition
Marvel at human culture and history at The Treasures of the World's Cultures exhibition on Saadiyat Island. The exhibition of more than 250 artefacts from the collection of the British Museum, the Al Ain National Museum, the Sharjah Archaeology Museum and the private collection of Abdulrahem Al Sayed Al Hashemi is not to be missed.
Through July 17, daily from 10am-8pm, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Cultural District, www.artsabudhabi.ae
Beatles Story
We love them, yeah, yeah, yeah. In celebration of the greatest pop group ever, Harvey Nichols will play host to the Beatles Story attraction. The Hidden Gallery, as part of a travelling exhibition, contains recently discovered photos of the group as well as four original Madame Tussauds waxworks. The Harvey Nichols window displays that showcase archival footage, music and graphics are sure to be a talking point.
From May 3 for six weeks, Harvey Nichols, Mall of the Emirates, www.malloftheemirates.com
The André Meyerhans exhibition
The Swiss artist André C Meyerhans, known as an architect and jewellery designer, designed the Garhoud Bridge in Dubai, which won the MEED award in 2010. One of the highlights of this exhibition will be the Meyerhans Masharabia Cube, a geometrical structure with a dynamic and perpetual pattern. It follows the principle of kufi, which resembles early Islamic calligraphy.
May 2-15, Toby Arts, Block 1, Warehouse 11, Al Quoz, close to Al Serkal Avenue. 04 380 5292, www.urtoby.com
Wish list
With summer around the corner, the wedding season can't be far away. If, like us, you have become frustrated at the lack of gift choices, don't despair. MyList.ae is the UAE's first online gift registry, allowing you to create online gift lists for weddings, birthdays and new babies - or for special occasions such as Eid, Diwali or Christmas. The service is free, with no commission or joining fees, and boasts an impressive 40 partner brands and 10 partner stores from which to select your gifts. With categories such as homewares, baby and child, and fashion and accessories, this is the ideal solution for those having a baby, getting married abroad or celebrating a special occasion. Simply create your list, email the link, and wait to receive your gift vouchers to start shopping. Voilà!
www.MyList.ae
Hidden gem: Artteas
The latest treasure in Abu Dhabi's Central Market is a tea shop like no other we've seen in the UAE. Walking into the place transported us all the way to the Far East as we delighted in the shop's high ceilings, dim lighting and clean design. We were overwhelmed by the sheer quantities of tea available for sale, and loved the tea pots, cups and accessories, which would be great gifts for any tea lover. After much deliberation we settled on a small bag of rose black tea, which we enjoy in the morning for a bit of caffeine, and queen peony white tea, for a relaxing end to the day.
Central Market, ground floor, 02 682 2679, www.artteas.com
Spider long legs
The hotter weather has arrived, and we can't think of a better way to enjoy it than by letting our legs see the light. These pale pink brocade shorts from Ted Baker are at the top of our list of things to buy for our summer holiday. Paired with a white T and woven sandals, they would work perfectly for the day, and could easily transition into the night with statement earrings and a tucked-in, buttoned-up shirt. Be sure to keep your limbs tanned for a dramatic contrast.
Dh550, Ted Baker, Marina Mall, 02 681 4711; Dubai Mall, 04 434 0623; and elsewhere
Say it with flowers
We love the way flowers brighten up the house, not to mention their value in matters of the heart and as a gift for a hostess. But we've often been let down by the limp and boring selections at the supermarket, so we're thrilled to have discovered Jeneen Flowers in the growing neighbourhood around the Al Mamoura Building in the capital. The affable Syrian owner, Zhudi Warda, and his staff create stunning arrangements using stems ranging from carnations, daisies and greenery to exotic amaryllis, anthuriums and more. We're now loyal customers.
Jeneen Flowers, arrangements from Dh50, Qrar Real Estate building, Street 3 behind Muroor Road near 15th Street, 02 445 5424
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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.”
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
