Sanitisation workers from Abu Dhabi's waste management company Tadweer assemble at night before a citywide disinfection. Victor Besa / The National
Sanitation workers at Haddins Fitness, Zayed Sports City. Victor Besa / The National
The new Seha National Screening Project in Mussaffah Industrial Area in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
A sign at Al Qudra cycle path warns people about cycling in groups in light of the corona virus.. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abu Dhabi Police bicycle patrol do night operations around the Mussaffah area to warn or catch curfew violators in the residential areas. Victor Besa / The National
Corona. A very quiet Umm Suqeim Street. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Corona. A car scooter drives off Sheikh Zayed Road during the 24hr lockdown due to Covid-19. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Coronavirus. Sheikh Zayed road is still very quite on the first morning where the government has eased restrictions on personal travel due to Covid-19. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A lady exercises in the marina on the first morning where the government has eased restrictions on personal travel due to Covid-19. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Coronavirus/Covid-19. A man walks passed a huge sign on Sheikh Zayed Road that says 'Stay Home'. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Coronavirus/Covid-19. Sharjah police officer Mohammed-Hassan Alshehhi goes through the self sanitization walk at Sharjah Industrial Area Police Station. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Covid-19/Coronavirus. Maria, Fraz and Nuno (L) work out. Crank an Indoor Cycling & Boutique Fitness Studio have brought in partitions between bikes to protect their customers from Covid 19. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Coronavirus/Covid-19. Abi Cooke (pictured) and Rebecca Wright run a fashion company called Alana Bree. They make and sell dresses in the UAE. They have started making masks which match dresses. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Coronavirus/Covid-19. Safety measures Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh temple has put into place as places of worship hope to open soon. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A piece of gym equipment goes unused with a sign saying do not sit here due to Covid-19/Coronavisus. Sharjah. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A big sign on Al Khalil road advises people to stay informed due to Covid-19/Coronavisus. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Covid-19/Coronavirus. Khalaf Al Habtoor, chairman of Al Habtoor Group comes to inspect the social distancing measures at Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Covid-19/Coronavirus. Midday prayers are performed at Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Visitors wearing the protective face mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. Authorities ease the restriction for the residents in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
Shoppers wearing protective face mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. Authorities ease the restriction for the residents in Dubai. At present mall opening timing is 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Pawan Singh / The National
Fruit vendor wearing protective face mask at the Al Awir fruit & vegetable market in Dubai. UAE government ease the coronavirus restriction for the residents around the country. Pawan Singh / The National
A salesman wearing protective face mask at his traditional shoes shop in Bur Dubai area in Dubai. UAE government ease the coronavirus restriction for the residents around the country. Pawan Singh / The National
A person wearing protective face mask at the Grand souq which is closed as a preventive measure against coronavirus in Bur Dubai area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
People wearing protective face mask as a preventive measure against the spread of coronavirus and maintaining safe distance when sitting on the benches at the Umm Suqeim park near Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
Safety stickers at the Redtag store in Al Naeem City Centre in Ras Al Khaimah. Pawan Singh / The National
Human sanitizing tunnel installed for the visitors as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus at the Gurunanak Darbar in Jebel Ali in Dubai. Places of worship opening up in the UAE. Pawan Singh / The National
A commuter enters a disinfection tunnel at Abu Dhabi's central bus terminal. Victor Besa / The National
Barbers at Möto Barber in Al Quoz were back to 100% capacity for cutting hair and beards today after a slow return to business. During the Lockdown they were fully closed but have seen a massive demand in their services as people have been allowed to leave their homes again. Antonie Robertson/The National
Busy Dubai beaches after the beach restrictions were lifted in Dubai. Residents and visitors visit the beach near Kite Beach in Dubai even though the temperatures are in the high 30’s with high humidity. With social distancing in place the wearing of masks compulsory. Antonie Robertson/The National
Staff at Nightjar Coffee in Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz follow strict sanitary procedures due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic to ensure health and safety measures put in place by Dubai Municipality is adhered to. Antonie Robertson/The National
Shoppers in Souk Khabeer in Bur Dubai. The National
Christina Yakubel, a teacher at Chubby Cheeks Nursery prepares to teach children at home how to make edible playdough during the shutdown of educational institutions in the country to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Antonie Robertson / The National
Sharjah municipal staff prepare to disinfect the sidewalks as part of weekend drive across the UAE to sterilise public spaces to curb the coronavirus outbreak. Antonie Robertson / The National
General COVID-19 Coverage. View of Ras Al Khaimah during the Stay At Home campaign in effect during the Corona / Covid-19 pandemic. Antonie Robertson/The National
The Reif Japanese Kushiyaki restaurant in Dar Wasl Mall. preparedness and resilience are necessary for any business to survive the coronavirus pandemic. Antonie Robertson / The National
Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced increased restrictions on movement in Al Ras area of Dubai for two weeks effective from today to facilitate intensified sterilisation procedures. Reem Mohammed/The National
People line up in Bur Dubai to receive an iftar pack from volunteers of the Kerala NGO Markaz. Reem Mohammed/The National
SEHA’s Ras Al Khaimah Covid-19 drive-through testing centre. Reem Mohammed/The National
A nurse checks on a covid 19 patient at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City. Reem Mohammed/The National
The drive-in cinema is making a comeback at Mall Of The Emirates, as the property and VOX Cinemas take the movie-going experience outdoors. Photo: Reem Mohammed/The National
Volunteers at the iftar distribution in Dubai Investment Park, inside a small mosque, pick up their iftars. Reem Mohammed/The National
Beauty specialists in Abeer Salon in Baniyas neighborhood. They’ve been closed for the duration of 2 months, and opened only Tuesday. Reem Mohammed/The National
An employee takes your temperature at Pastels Salon in Mercato. Reem Mohammed/The National
Feby Cachero Baguisa Dela Peña sits with her family by the Patchi Building in Al Muraqabat Street in Deira, Dubai, with boxes of food she’s cooked at home, free for anyone who needs it. Reem Mohammed / The National
Men exercising in a park by Dubai Creek in Baniyas, Deira. Reem Mohammed/The National
Men sit by Dubai Creek on Baniyas road in Deira. Reem Mohammed/The National
A man sits by Dubai Creek on Baniyas road in Deira. Reem Mohammed/The National :
People line outside a shop with a clearance sale in Al Sabkha. Reem Mohammed/The National
Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed/The National
Dubai Mounted Police officers, in Al Aweer, patrol residential and commercial areas to insure residents are staying safe indoors during COVID-19 lockdown. They patrol the streets from 6PM to 6AM. Reem Mohammed/The National
A group of homeless men has taken residence in the shade in Karama. Reem Mohammed/The National
A patient gets an anti-body test at King's College Hospital. Reem Mohammed/The National
Shiva temple in Dubai. Hindu temples and a Sikh gurdwara in Dubai are also ready to open without ritual ceremonies and offerings to the gods. Regular deep cleaning, thermal scanners at the entrance and individual temperature checks are among safety measures. Reem Mohammed/The National
Shiva temple in Dubai. Hindu temples and a Sikh gurdwara in Dubai are also ready to open without ritual ceremonies and offerings to the gods. Reem Mohammed/The National
The National Screening Center, Mina Rashed, Dubai. A passenger in a Dubai Taxi about to get tested at the center. Victor Besa / The National
The door-to-door testing team are playing a vital role in Abu Dhabi's efforts to limit the spread of Covid-19. Victor Besa/The National
The once again busy streets at downtown Abu Dhabi during afternoon rush hour after Covid-19 restrictions have been eased following the completion of a three-month national sterilisation programme. Victor Besa / The National
The new Ambulatory Healthcare Services, a SEHA Health System Facility, National Screening Project in Mussafah Industrial Area in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Residents enjoy the sunset at the Corniche before the 6 p.m. curfew by the UAE government on the first day of the nationwide cleaning campaign to help deter the Coronavirus from spreading. Victor Besa / The National
The silent streets of downtown Abu Dhabi during the Coronavirus epidemic. King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street. Victor Besa / The National
Empty streets at Khalifa City during the Coronavirus epidemic. at Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Abu Dhabi First Responder teams used a fleet of futuristic-looking equipment, which was originally rolled out to tackle fires, has now been redeployed as virus-fighting tech in the National Disinfection Programme. Victor Besa/The National
The streets of Mussaffah are sprayed with disinfection during a national campaign to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Victor Besa / The National
Half a year has passed since the World Health Organisation’s China office reported cases of “viral pneumonia” in the central city of Wuhan. The disease turned out to be a novel strain of the highly infectious coronavirus. Today, the ensuing pandemic has claimed more than half a million lives and infected 10.6 million people worldwide.
Covid-19 has weighed on health care infrastructure and changed the lives of billions. Restrictions on travel and freedom of movement, as well as physical distancing measures, are important initiatives meant to protect us all. But at the same time, they have sent the global economy into recession.
Governments everywhere have been forced to take action, some more quickly than others, and the private sector has had to find ways to operate profitably while protecting customers and workers. Flexible work is set to become a growing trend, even after the pandemic.
Technology has also proven to be an invaluable tool. Educators are resorting to online classes and tests, health authorities are using contact-tracing applications to identify potential Covid-19 clusters and businesses are relying more than ever on online delivery services and social media.
Countries would be wise to learn from past mistakes in order to protect lives and livelihoods in the next phase, as more nations reopen their economies. Putting in place strategies not only to deal with the immediate health crisis but also to prepare nations for its long-term impact on livelihoods is vital. Social safety nets and initiatives to boost the economy and aid struggling businesses are pivotal for societies to heal. So is ensuring that people are well informed of the ways they can protect themselves from disease. Individual responsibility complements the work of health authorities to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The world can also learn from many of the communication issues that have affected the global response. For instance, false information and conspiracy theories about the virus continue to linger. These have misled some people into believing Covid-19 was either a complete fabrication or a relatively benign disease akin to the flu. Scientists and doctors have led the fight against disinformation, and governments have raised awareness about the risks associated with coronavirus.
As the Northern Hemisphere enters the height of summer, there is a widespread, though as yet unconfirmed, theory that the heat will slow the spread of the virus. In reality, Covid-19 cases are not on the decline. "Although many countries have made some progress, globally the pandemic is actually speeding up," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this week.
Countries would be wise to learn from past mistakes to protect lives and livelihoods in the next phase, as more nations reopen their economies
Some countries are slowly beginning to open up their economies while applying new hygiene and physical distancing rules, but others are witnessing a surge in infections. The new centres of the virus are now in the Americas, Russia and India. The US alone accounts for more than one in four of all confirmed Covid-19 cases and has registered more than 130,000 deaths.
The world has made it through six months of a global health crisis. By learning from past mistakes, world leaders and ordinary people alike can make the fight against Covid-19 a success in the six months to come.
Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.
In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).
“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
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.”
DOB: March 13, 1987 Place of birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but lived in Virginia in the US and raised in Lebanon School: ACS in Lebanon University: BSA in Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut
MSA in Design Entrepreneurship at the School of Visual Arts in New York City Nationality: Lebanese Status: Single Favourite thing to do: I really enjoy cycling, I was a participant in Cycling for Gaza for the second time this year
