Get tickets to see comedians including Carmen Lynch (pictured) on this month's The Laughter Factory Dysfunctional Family Tour. The Laughter Factory
Get tickets to see comedians including Carmen Lynch (pictured) on this month's The Laughter Factory Dysfunctional Family Tour. The Laughter Factory
Get tickets to see comedians including Carmen Lynch (pictured) on this month's The Laughter Factory Dysfunctional Family Tour. The Laughter Factory
Get tickets to see comedians including Carmen Lynch (pictured) on this month's The Laughter Factory Dysfunctional Family Tour. The Laughter Factory

Lifestyle

Top 10: Book tickets for The Laughter Factory shows, head to Yas Waterworld for the Jump, Bounce and Splash event, and more

Your essential guide to what's happening in the Emirates

Ellen Fortini

January 03, 2018

  • English
  • Arabic

Abu Dhabi & Dubai

Comedy shows

Book tickets for one of The Laughter Factory’s nine shows this month. The Dysfunctional Family tour features Carmen Lynch (pictured) from New York, English comedian Luke Toulson with his laid-back style and dark humour from Scot Mark Nelson.

January 11, 9pm, Mövenpick JBR, Dubai; January 12, 7pm (early show), Senara, The Palm, Dubai; 9pm (late show), Mövenpick JBR, Dubai; January 15, 8pm, Jekyll & Hyde, Currency House, DIFC, Dubai; January 17, 8pm, Park Rotana, Abu Dhabi; January 18, 7pm (early show), On42, Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City; 9pm (late show), Grand Millennium Barsha, Dubai; January 19, 7pm (early show), Jumeirah Golf Estate, Dubai; 9pm (late show), DoubleTree by Hilton, Business Bay, Dubai, Dh140, ages 21+, www.platinumlist.net

Abu Dhabi

Fitness class

Register to take part in the six-week Gulf Multi Sport beginners’ running programme and gain tips on technique from an experienced coach. Training takes place on safe, closed roads at Zayed Sports City. The Monday classes feature interval training and Wednesdays focus on a steady run and form.

Starts Monday, 6pm to 7pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, Dh600, Gulf Multi Sport, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, helen@gulfmultisport.com

Abu Dhabi

Kids’ fun

Visit Orange Wheels indoor entertainment centre at Al Wahda Mall, where children can enjoy play zones, plus a special event today for Science Fiction Day, where they are invited to dress in costume, board a rocket ship and take part in science experiments.

Today, 10am to 10pm, Orange Wheels, Ground floor extension, Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi, www.facebook.com/orangewheelsuae

Dubai

Cricket term

Register your children for the second term of the International Cricket Council Academy’s Warriors Programme for ages 6-18, and Cricket Cubs Programme for ages 3-6. The 15-week term includes coaching, physical preparation and game play under the guidance of Level 3 and Level 4 qualified staff. Players will receive a full training kit, workbook, regular feedback and more.

Term starts January 9, various timings, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City, Dubai, www.iccacademy.net

Register your children for the ICC Academy Warriors or Cricket Cubs term, which begins on Tuesday. ICC Academy
Register your children for the ICC Academy Warriors or Cricket Cubs term, which begins on Tuesday. ICC Academy

Dubai

Kids’ fun

KidZania Dubai celebrates the cooler weather with its Winter Games. The fun includes a mirrored maze, reindeer ring-toss, snowball battles, snowy letter hunts, building snowmen, and more. A winter chorus will perform each day from a cabin in the main plaza, where snow will fall every evening and prizes will be drawn at 8pm.

Daily until Saturday, 10am to 11pm, Dh150 entry, plus Dh25 for access to the Winter Games zone, KidZania Dubai, Level 2, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, www.kidzania.ae

Take part in the seasonal Winter Games at KidZania at The Dubai Mall. KidZania
Take part in the seasonal Winter Games at KidZania at The Dubai Mall. KidZania

__________________________

Read more:

__________________________

Dubai

Concerts

Dubai Jazz Festival returns with headliners, 1980s pop legends Duran Duran (Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, Ordinary World) on the first night, American singer-songwriter John Legend (All of Me, Green Light, You & I) on the second, and Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin (Livin' la Vida Loca, Vente Pa' Ca) on the third and final night. Additional acts will also be announced. The event, now in its 16th year, features top international musicians across the jazz, blues and pop genres.

February 21 to 23, from 6pm, from Dh300, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, Dubai, www.ticketmaster.ae

Abu Dhabi

Performances

Abu Dhabi Festival has a wide programme of events scheduled including The Merchants of Bollywood theatrical dance performance, Waves of My Life by Emirati composer Ihab Darwish with the Beethoven Academy Orchestra, and two nights of eclectic live performances at Festival in the Park. There will be talks, workshops and exhibitions throughout the month.

February 19 to March 30, various timings and prices, locations including Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, www.800tickets.com/abudhabifestival

Abu Dhabi

Exhibition

Curated for London's Design Museum, In the Making by British designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby shows more than 20 objects mid-manufacture, placing the aesthetic of the unfinished in the spotlight. Items include tennis balls, banknotes, coins, diamonds and even a cricket bat (pictured). The exhibition celebrates beauty in the production process of everyday objects, before they reach their final form.

Daily until February 11, 10am to 8pm, Tuesdays to Sundays (closed Mondays), Warehouse421, Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, www.warehouse421.ae

The exhibition In the Making continues at Warehouse421 and includes works such as this cricket bat captured mid-manufacturing (pictured, a detail). Copyright György Kőrössy
The exhibition In the Making continues at Warehouse421 and includes works such as this cricket bat captured mid-manufacturing (pictured, a detail). Copyright György Kőrössy

Dubai

Festive fun

The festive fun at BurJuman mall continues with a winter wonderland the whole family can enjoy, complete with festive decor, a snow-fight zone, arts and crafts, activities, and even snowfall every 30 minutes. There is also an 8.4-metre vertical display of 1,000 teddy bears, which will be given away to lucky shoppers and visitors.

Daily until Saturday, mall open 10am to 10pm; activities from 3pm to 10pm, BurJuman, Dubai, www.facebook.com/BurJuman

Abu Dhabi

Family fun

Visit Yas Waterworld for the Jump, Bounce and Splash event with its fun water games and activities. Enjoy two water trampolines, interactive games, the Splash Squad entertainers, a belly-flop contest on Saturday, plus all the regular attractions.

Daily until Saturday, 10am to 6pm, from Dh185 for a Friends and Family Pass, Amwaj Wave Pool, Yas Waterworld, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, www.yaswaterworld.com

India squad

Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, K.L. Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur.

Gifts exchanged
  • King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
  • Queen Camilla -  Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
  • Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
  • Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
MATCH INFO

Jersey 147 (20 overs) 

UAE 112 (19.2 overs)

Jersey win by 35 runs

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT

Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km

On Women's Day
NO OTHER LAND

Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

Rating: 3.5/5

PROFILE

Name: Enhance Fitness 

Year started: 2018 

Based: UAE 

Employees: 200 

Amount raised: $3m 

Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors 

THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

World Cricket League Division 2

In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.

UAE fixtures

Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final

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.”

CricketDIFCDubaiYas Island