A pupil in a protective face mask arrives at the Al Mizhar American Academy as the government re-opens schools after months in Dubai, UAE, Aug 30.  Shruti Jain/ The National
A pupil in a protective face mask arrives at the Al Mizhar American Academy as the government re-opens schools after months in Dubai, UAE, Aug 30.  Shruti Jain/ The National

Wearing masks is no reason to litter



In regards to the article Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi motorists face Dh1,000 fine for dumping masks and gloves (June 6): the UAE takes great measures to keep the city clean by having the roads swept regularly. However, the public needs to be more mindful on the issue of littering.

Some people in the city seem to feel no shame in disposing face masks and gloves on the streets instead of using the bins. Further, discarding masks in water bodies is a risk to marine life.

We must instruct people to be more conscientious in their actions. They need to rely on themselves, not others, to fight not just the pandemic, but also pollution. Together we can roll out an improvement.

Delaine Ferns, Abu Dhabi

Children of medics with lower-paying jobs should be prioritised

With reference to your report Coronavirus: More than 1,800 children of medics get fee waiver in UAE public schools (Sept 16): nice gesture. The selection of the 1800 'eligibles', however, may create issues. Perhaps those frontline heroes who earn the least should be rewarded first.

Anne Poulton Van Binsbergen-Hope, Cape Town, South Africa

This is an exemplary act and demonstrates the right spirit.

Shabbir Jariwala, Pune, India

Will carbon emissions remain low when going to office resumes?

With reference to Jennifer Gnana's report Dubai reduced carbon emissions by 22% in 2019 (September 15): this is truly a great start. It's been better for the environment that people stopped going to the office and started working from home.

Angelo Turetta, Dubai

Friendship with Israel is the way to go

Regarding Hayley Skirka's report Etihad 'welcomes opportunity' for future flights between UAE and Israel (September 15): friendship is the way to go. The UAE will always be remembered in history as one of the pioneering Arab nations to have extended this hand of friendship.

Anwar Hasan, Karachi, Pakistan

The rules of social gathering must be respected

Regarding Salam Al Amir's report Dubai police arrest DJ and two others for organising party (September 14): well done, Dubai police. These law-breaking people just cannot understand rules. It is time that they are put on a curfew. It is because of people like these that others are paying the price. Older people, I think, are showing more respect for the rules.

Evon Rawlings, Ajman

Unbelievable. People put fun ahead of the community's well-being. Good job by the police.

Iffat Malik, Dubai

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

MATCH INFO

Quarter-finals

Saturday (all times UAE)

England v Australia, 11.15am 
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm

Sunday

Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm

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.”

If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers