The UAE is geared up for a hot and humid Eid Al Adha break, but there may be rain on the way in some areas to offer respite from rising temperatures.
The National Centre of Meteorology forecasts highs of 35ºC in Abu Dhabi and 36ºC for Arafat Day on Thursday, which marked the start of a four-day public holiday in the Emirates.
The first day of the Eid Al Adha festival on Friday will see the mercury rise to 37ºC in the capital and remain steady at 36ºC in Dubai.
The NCM predicts a marked increase in temperatures over the Eid Al Adha weekend, with daytime highs reaching 38ºC in Abu Dhabi on Saturday and climbing to 40ºC on Sunday.
In Dubai, temperatures are set to hit 37ºC on Saturday and 39ºC on Sunday.
Humidity levels are expected to peak at between 80 per cent and 85 per cent in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on Friday, but will drop off during the rest of the holiday.
Eid Al Adha is being observed as the Emirates moves closer to the summer season, having already experienced unseasonably hot conditions in recent weeks.
The UAE recorded its hottest April and May on record, although temperatures have cooled slightly in the early days of June.
A National Centre of Meteorology forecaster said on Tuesday the average maximum temperature for May was 40.4ºC – compared with overall maximum averages from 2003 to 2024 of 39.2ºC. The average temperature for May was 33.2ºC – compared with the historical average of 32.2ºC.
Rain on the way
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Waterlogged streets after heavy rain in the Al Furjan area of Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -

Tankers help to clear water from the streets in Discovery Gardens, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -

A flooded road in the Discovery Gardens area. Pawan Singh / The National -

Heavy rain led to flooding in Discovery Gardens. Pawan Singh / The National -

A car struggles through the water in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -

Water is pumped from waterlogged streets in Discovery Gardens. Pawan Singh / The National -

Large puddles in a residential neighbourhood of Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -

The aftermath of heavy rain in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -

Overcast skies on Friday above Mina Port, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -

Heavy rain and strong winds brought flooding to Umm Suquim Street in Al Quoz. Antonie Robertson / The National -

Morning commuters plough through flooded streets in Al Quoz. Antonie Robertson / The National -

Dubai commuters faced a difficult journey to work early on Friday. Antonie Robertson / The National -

Morning thunderstorms brought heavy rain and flooding. Antonie Robertson / The National -

Wet weather in Dubai on Friday morning. Antonie Robertson / The National -

Some road surfaces were engulfed. Antonie Robertson / The National -

It was heavy going for those on foot. Antonie Robertson / The National -

A tree felled by heavy rain and winds. Antonie Robertson / The National -

Driving conditions were difficult on Friday morning. Antonie Robertson / The National -

People shelter from the rain under umbrellas. Antonie Robertson / The National -

Flood waters are seen on the roads around the Ibn Batutta mall area of Dubai. James O'Hara / The National -

Flood waters are seen on the roads around the Ibn Batutta mall area of Dubai. James O'Hara / The National -

Flood waters are seen on the roads around the Ibn Batutta mall area of Dubai. James O'Hara / The National
Residents venturing to the Northern Emirates for the public holiday are also set to encounter high temperatures and the prospect of rain.
The NCM's online weather map shows that rain is projected for Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, as well as Al Ain, on both Saturday and Sunday.
Maximum daytime temperatures in Ras Al Khaimah are forecast to remain at 39ºC from Thursday to Sunday.
In Fujairah, temperatures will hovering around 40ºC, though the NCM forecasts the wet weather in store on Sunday to bring with it a drop to 34ºC.
Temperatures are set to rise on Monday, as public and private sector employees return to work.
The NCM's weather map projects Abu Dhabi to bear the brunt of the heat, with daytime temperatures of 43ºC in store.
The weather centre expects temperatures to reach 40ºC in Dubai on the same day.
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.”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Rating: 3.5/5
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Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
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Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
If you go
The flights
The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
The stay
Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
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Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke
Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke
Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO
Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision
Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision
Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO
Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)
Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)
Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision
Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke
Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO
Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision
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How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
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Other IPL batting records
Most sixes: 292 – Chris Gayle
Most fours: 491 – Gautam Gambhir
Highest individual score: 175 not out – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Highest strike-rate: 177.29 – Andre Russell
Highest strike-rate in an innings: 422.22 – Chris Morris (for Delhi Daredevils against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017)
Highest average: 52.16 – Vijay Shankar
Most centuries: 6 – Chris Gayle
Most fifties: 36 – Gautam Gambhir
Fastest hundred (balls faced): 30 – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Fastest fifty (balls faced): 14 – Lokesh Rahul (for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils in 2018)
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
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Available: Now
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

