• Omanis gather as goats are sold ahead of the Eid Al Fitr holiday, in the Surur area of Samail province, 80 kilometres south-west of the capital Muscat. AFP
    Omanis gather as goats are sold ahead of the Eid Al Fitr holiday, in the Surur area of Samail province, 80 kilometres south-west of the capital Muscat. AFP
  • Iraqi Sunni Muslims gather for the Laylat Al Qadr – Night of Power – in the shrine of cleric Sheikh Abdel Kader Al Gilani, in central Baghdad. EPA
    Iraqi Sunni Muslims gather for the Laylat Al Qadr – Night of Power – in the shrine of cleric Sheikh Abdel Kader Al Gilani, in central Baghdad. EPA
  • Palestinians pray on Laylat Al Qadr beside the Dome of the Rock shrine, at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, in Jerusalem's Old City. Reuters
    Palestinians pray on Laylat Al Qadr beside the Dome of the Rock shrine, at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, in Jerusalem's Old City. Reuters
  • A man stares at the dome of a mosque, in Syria's northern city of Raqa. AFP
    A man stares at the dome of a mosque, in Syria's northern city of Raqa. AFP
  • A volunteer from the charity Violet Org hands out food packages for the suhour meal eaten in Syria's rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib. AFP
    A volunteer from the charity Violet Org hands out food packages for the suhour meal eaten in Syria's rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib. AFP
  • Residents of Ezbet Hamada gather to eat during iftar in Mataria, Cairo. Reuters
    Residents of Ezbet Hamada gather to eat during iftar in Mataria, Cairo. Reuters
  • Ramadan decorations at Global Village, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations at Global Village, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Syrians break their fast during a gathering organised by various groups in Tadef, near the city of Al Bab, in Aleppo province. AFP
    Syrians break their fast during a gathering organised by various groups in Tadef, near the city of Al Bab, in Aleppo province. AFP
  • Street traders cut up dessert pastries for sale at a market in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi. AFP
    Street traders cut up dessert pastries for sale at a market in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi. AFP
  • People breaking their fast at Quba Mosque, Madinah, Saudi Arabia. SPA
    People breaking their fast at Quba Mosque, Madinah, Saudi Arabia. SPA
  • Fasting Muslim worshippers queue to receive iftar meals, donated by a charity, in Mahboula, south of Kuwait City. AFP
    Fasting Muslim worshippers queue to receive iftar meals, donated by a charity, in Mahboula, south of Kuwait City. AFP
  • Yemenis read the Quran during Ramadan at a mosque in the old city of Sanaa, Yemen. EPA
    Yemenis read the Quran during Ramadan at a mosque in the old city of Sanaa, Yemen. EPA
  • People queue outside Al Farooq Mosque in Dubai before sunset, waiting to break their fast. EPA
    People queue outside Al Farooq Mosque in Dubai before sunset, waiting to break their fast. EPA
  • Shoppers at a market after their iftar meal, in the New Aleppo district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. AFP
    Shoppers at a market after their iftar meal, in the New Aleppo district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. AFP
  • An Egyptian dancer performs the traditional tanoura dance at a restaurant in the Omani capital Muscat. AFP
    An Egyptian dancer performs the traditional tanoura dance at a restaurant in the Omani capital Muscat. AFP
  • A famous Ramadan lantern inscribed with holy month greetings at Al Hamidiya market in Syria's capital Damascus. AFP
    A famous Ramadan lantern inscribed with holy month greetings at Al Hamidiya market in Syria's capital Damascus. AFP
  • Volunteers stir a pot of rice for a charity iftar at the eighth century Umayyad Mosque in Syria's capital Damascus. AFP
    Volunteers stir a pot of rice for a charity iftar at the eighth century Umayyad Mosque in Syria's capital Damascus. AFP
  • Omanis gather to break their fast on the beach in Muscat. AFP
    Omanis gather to break their fast on the beach in Muscat. AFP
  • Cooks employed by the Islamic Charitable Society prepare iftar meals for Palestinian orphans and families in need, in the West Bank city of Hebron. AFP
    Cooks employed by the Islamic Charitable Society prepare iftar meals for Palestinian orphans and families in need, in the West Bank city of Hebron. AFP
  • Iftar is served outside a mosque on the Jazeera State highway in the village of Al Nuba, about 50 kilometres south of Sudan's capital Khartoum. AFP
    Iftar is served outside a mosque on the Jazeera State highway in the village of Al Nuba, about 50 kilometres south of Sudan's capital Khartoum. AFP
  • A worshipper reads the Quran inside a mosque in Syria's northern city of Raqqa. AFP
    A worshipper reads the Quran inside a mosque in Syria's northern city of Raqqa. AFP
  • The first Friday prayers of Ramadan at the shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al Kilani, the former Sunni Muslim preacher, in central Baghdad. AFP
    The first Friday prayers of Ramadan at the shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al Kilani, the former Sunni Muslim preacher, in central Baghdad. AFP
  • Worshippers attend the first Friday prayer of Ramadan at Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. Reuters
    Worshippers attend the first Friday prayer of Ramadan at Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. Reuters
  • Palestinians cross the Qalandia checkpoint in the occupied West Bank on their way to the first Friday prayers of Ramadan at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque. Reuters
    Palestinians cross the Qalandia checkpoint in the occupied West Bank on their way to the first Friday prayers of Ramadan at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque. Reuters
  • An Egyptian baker prepares kunafa, a Ramadan dessert favourite, at a market in Cairo. EPA
    An Egyptian baker prepares kunafa, a Ramadan dessert favourite, at a market in Cairo. EPA
  • Dawn awakeners known as musaharatis beat drums to wake Muslims for the suhour meal before the day's Ramadan fast in Damascus, Syria. AFP
    Dawn awakeners known as musaharatis beat drums to wake Muslims for the suhour meal before the day's Ramadan fast in Damascus, Syria. AFP
  • Moroccan King Mohammed VI, centre, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, second left, share an iftar meal in Sale, Morocco. AP
    Moroccan King Mohammed VI, centre, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, second left, share an iftar meal in Sale, Morocco. AP
  • Iranian women read the Quran at the shrine of Shah Abdol-Azim in Tehran. Reuters
    Iranian women read the Quran at the shrine of Shah Abdol-Azim in Tehran. Reuters
  • A Ramadan catch-up at a cafe in Mosul, Iraq. Reuters
    A Ramadan catch-up at a cafe in Mosul, Iraq. Reuters
  • Prayer beads are in great demand during Ramadan in Sanaa, Yemen. EPA
    Prayer beads are in great demand during Ramadan in Sanaa, Yemen. EPA
  • A musaharati drummer wakes people for suhour in Manama, Bahrain. Reuters
    A musaharati drummer wakes people for suhour in Manama, Bahrain. Reuters
  • The old city in Tripoli in Libya is decked with Ramadan decorations. Reuters
    The old city in Tripoli in Libya is decked with Ramadan decorations. Reuters
  • Food packets arranged for distribution in Al Najieh, in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province. AFP
    Food packets arranged for distribution in Al Najieh, in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province. AFP
  • Worshippers gather at Al Sahlah Mosque in Kufa, near the city of Najaf, Iraq. Reuters
    Worshippers gather at Al Sahlah Mosque in Kufa, near the city of Najaf, Iraq. Reuters
  • Iftar at the Prince Mansour Assaf Mosque in central Beirut, Lebanon. EPA
    Iftar at the Prince Mansour Assaf Mosque in central Beirut, Lebanon. EPA
  • An elderly Palestinian reads the Quran at his shop in the old city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank. AFP
    An elderly Palestinian reads the Quran at his shop in the old city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank. AFP
  • Displaced Syrian children return to their camps with boxes of food on the outskirts of the rebel-held town of Dana, in Idlib province. AFP
    Displaced Syrian children return to their camps with boxes of food on the outskirts of the rebel-held town of Dana, in Idlib province. AFP
  • Ramadan lanterns at a shop in Beirut. AP
    Ramadan lanterns at a shop in Beirut. AP
  • A Palestinian man carries a tray of qatayef, traditional Arabic dumplings, in Rafah, southern Gaza. AFP
    A Palestinian man carries a tray of qatayef, traditional Arabic dumplings, in Rafah, southern Gaza. AFP
  • A cannon is fired at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi to mark the end of fasting on the first day of Ramadan. Victor Besa / The National
    A cannon is fired at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi to mark the end of fasting on the first day of Ramadan. Victor Besa / The National

Ramadan 2022 in the Middle East - in pictures


  • English
  • Arabic

More from The National:

How Ramadan can improve educational outcomes for students

Celebrities mark the start of Ramadan 2022, from DJ Khaled to Paul Pogba

Egypt's Ramadan lantern-makers struggle to adapt to changing industry

Five ways to donate to charity in the UAE this Ramadan

Ramadan 2022 will be bittersweet

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

ENGLAND SQUAD

Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad

Types of bank fraud

1) Phishing

Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.

2) Smishing

The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.

3) Vishing

The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.

4) SIM swap

Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.

5) Identity theft

Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.

6) Prize scams

Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.

Company%C2%A0profile
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SECRET%20INVASION
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ali%20Selim%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Samuel%20L%20Jackson%2C%20Olivia%20Coleman%2C%20Kingsley%20Ben-Adir%2C%20Emilia%20Clarke%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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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.   

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

A cryptocurrency primer for beginners

Cryptocurrency Investing  for Dummies – by Kiana Danial 

There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine. 

Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.

Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this  book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.

Begin your cryptocurrency journey here. 

Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104 

Stats at a glance:

Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)

Number in service: 6

Complement 191 (space for up to 285)

Top speed: over 32 knots

Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles

Length 152.4 m

Displacement: 8,700 tonnes

Beam:   21.2 m

Draught: 7.4 m

RESULTS

Welterweight

Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)

(Unanimous points decision)

Catchweight 75kg

Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)

(Second round knockout)

Flyweight (female)

Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)

(RSC in third round)

Featherweight

Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki

(Disqualification)

Lightweight

Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)

(Unanimous points)

Featherweight

Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)

(TKO first round)

Catchweight 69kg

Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)

(First round submission by foot-lock)

Catchweight 71kg

Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)

(TKO round 1).

Featherweight title (5 rounds)

Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)

(TKO round 1).

Lightweight title (5 rounds)

Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)

(RSC round 2).

Crime%20Wave
%3Cp%3EHeavyweight%20boxer%20Fury%20revealed%20on%20Sunday%20his%20cousin%20had%20been%20%E2%80%9Cstabbed%20in%20the%20neck%E2%80%9D%20and%20called%20on%20the%20courts%20to%20address%20the%20wave%20of%20more%20sentencing%20of%20offenders.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERico%20Burton%2C%2031%2C%20was%20found%20with%20stab%20wounds%20at%20around%203am%20on%20Sunday%20in%20Goose%20Green%2C%20Altrincham%20and%20subsequently%20died%20of%20his%20injuries.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%26nbsp%3B%E2%80%9CMy%20cousin%20was%20murdered%20last%20night%2C%20stabbed%20in%20the%20neck%20this%20is%20becoming%20ridiculous%20%E2%80%A6%20idiots%20carry%20knives.%20This%20needs%20to%20stop%2C%E2%80%9D%0D%20Fury%20said.%20%E2%80%9CAsap%2C%20UK%20government%20needs%20to%20bring%20higher%20sentencing%20for%20knife%20crime%2C%20it%E2%80%99s%20a%20pandemic%20%26amp%3B%20you%20don%E2%80%99t%20know%20how%20bad%20it%20is%20until%20%5Bit%E2%80%99s%5D%201%20of%20your%20own!%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

If you go

The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.

The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.

THE BIO

Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old

Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai

Favourite Book: The Alchemist

Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna

Favourite cuisine: Italian food

Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman

 

 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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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.”

Updated: April 05, 2022, 12:09 PM