Abu Dhabi
Cultural talk
Attend a talk on Hajj: Memories of a Journey programme at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. Learn about the major historic routes to Mecca, which millions of pilgrims followed in caravans for centuries, often with great hardship, on journeys lasting several months.
Today, 10.30am to noon, free with registration, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, North Side Hall, Abu Dhabi, register at www.szgmc.ae
Abu Dhabi
Parks offer
Get the Two-Park Annual Pass for Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World and enjoy unlimited access to both venues for a full year, for Dh730, the equivalent of just Dh2 per day. As well as the rides, slides and attractions of the waterpark and the rollercoasters, simulators and shows at the Ferrari-themed amusement park, enjoy a discount on food and beverages, official merchandise and a free ticket for a guest birthday, as well as other benefits.
Offer valid until February 28, from Dh730 per person for a 12-month Bronze pass, Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, www.yaswaterworld.com; www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com
Abu Dhabi
Concert
Book tickets to see American pop group Fifth Harmony on their first visit to Abu Dhabi. The group previously performed at RedFestDXB, Dubai, in 2016 and have released a self-titled third album. Hits include Work from Home, Worth It and That's My Girl.
March 16, 7.30pm, from Dh250, du Forum, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, www.ticketmaster.ae
Dubai
Travel talk
Attend an informational talk by Gulf for Good tonight to learn about their 2018 adventure challenges in Bhutan and at the Glacial Lakes of Everest. Find out how to join, get fitness and fundraising tips and also learn how Gulf for Good helps children’s charities around the world.
Tonight, 7.30pm, Adventure HQ, Times Square, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, 04 368 0222, marketing@gulf4good.org
Dubai
Performance
Get tickets to see Ballet Under the Stars by Covent Garden Dance Company at Desert Palm Dubai. Mara Galeazzi of The Royal Ballet and Gregory Dean of the Royal Danish Ballet lead a cast of dancers from around the world who will perform 12 short works. The dinner theatre features a gourmet meal and performances between courses.
February 15 to 16, from 7pm, from Dh750, Desert Palm Hotel and Resort, Hatta Road, Dubai, www.platinumlist.net
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Read more:
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Holistic centres of healing in the UAE
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Abu Dhabi
Fitness event
Women can enjoy ladies-only fitness at GoYas, presented by Daman ActiveLife, at Yas Marina Circuit, which is shortened to 3 kilometres and staffed by women to protect participants’ privacy. Walk, jog, run or cycle around the track. Bicycles are available for rent or to borrow.
Wednesdays, 7pm to 10pm, free with registration, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, register at www.yasmarinacircuit.com
Abu Dhabi
Open Mic
Manarat Al Saadiyat hosts Music Jams tonight, an open mic platform that lets established and amateur bands book a slot and perform for the public. Listen to the weekly jam session and get to know the musical talent within the community.
Wednesdays, 7pm to 9pm, garden or atrium, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, register for a slot at 02 657 5937, manaratalsaadiyat@dctabudhabi.ae
Dubai
Meditation class
Sign up to take part in a three-week mindfulness meditation course with Real Pilates. Discover how to achieve your New Year’s resolutions, through talks and exercises on self-awareness, and also learn the long-term benefits of mindful meditation. The classes are designed to decrease stress and free our minds from anxiety to improving our well-being.
Starts tomorrow, 11am for three consecutive Thursdays, from Dh300 for three classes, Real Pilates, One JLT, Al Sarayat Street, JLT, Dubai, 04 458 5399, www.real-pilates.com
Dubai
Live music
Get tickets to attend tonight’s performance by flautist Katherine Bryan and pianist Scott Mitchell at Dubai Opera, as part of the Music in the Studio series, and enjoy a programme by Massenet, Debussy, Dvorák and Poulenc, as well as Bryan’s transcription of the Paganini Variations. The series continues on a monthly basis until June.
Tonight, from Dh150; season packages available from Dh450, Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai, www.dubaiopera.com
Dubai
Mummy event
Make plans to attend the new Mum’s the Word, a “Mummy Morning” event at Riva Beach Club on Thursdays. Grab a coffee and a free pastry and enjoy a morning of sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of parenting, with free pool access.
Thursdays, 8.30am to noon, free beach access and pastry with any coffee purchased, Riva Beach Club, between buildings 7 & 8 of The Shoreline, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, www.riva-beach.com
The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
MATCH INFO
England 2
Cahill (3'), Kane (39')
Nigeria 1
Iwobi (47')
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
Men's football draw
Group A: UAE, Spain, South Africa, Jamaica
Group B: Bangladesh, Serbia, Korea
Group C: Bharat, Denmark, Kenya, USA
Group D: Oman, Austria, Rwanda
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.”
World ranking (at month’s end)
Jan - 257
Feb - 198
Mar - 159
Apr - 161
May - 159
Jun – 162
Currently: 88
Year-end rank since turning pro
2016 - 279
2015 - 185
2014 - 143
2013 - 63
2012 - 384
2011 - 883
Profile
Company name: Jaib
Started: January 2018
Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour
Based: Jordan
Sector: FinTech
Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018
Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
The specs: 2018 Maserati Ghibli
Price, base / as tested: Dh269,000 / Dh369,000
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 355hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.9L / 100km
The%20specs
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Saudi Cup race day
Schedule in UAE time
5pm: Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup (Turf), 5.35pm: 1351 Cup (T), 6.10pm: Longines Turf Handicap (T), 6.45pm: Obaiya Arabian Classic for Purebred Arabians (Dirt), 7.30pm: Jockey Club Handicap (D), 8.10pm: Samba Saudi Derby (D), 8.50pm: Saudia Sprint (D), 9.40pm: Saudi Cup (D)
'Nope'
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Manchester City transfers:
OUTS
Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, Willy Caballero and Jesus Navas (all released)
INS
Ederson (Benfica) £34.7m, Bernardo Silva (Monaco) £43m
ON THEIR WAY OUT?
Joe Hart, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony, Fabian Delph, Nolito and Kelechi Iheanacho
ON THEIR WAY IN?
Dani Alves (Juventus), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Scores
Rajasthan Royals 160-8 (20 ov)
Kolkata Knight Riders 163-3 (18.5 ov)
