Donald Trump's executive order on immigration is neither disgraceful nor a "Muslim ban" (UAE airlines forced to turn passengers away following travel ban, January 30). There are more than 50 Muslim-majority countries and Mr Trump barred citizens of only seven of those countries.
He did not prohibit Muslims from the other countries or from the rest of the world where Muslims are in a minority. You may not like what Mr Trump did, but it is not a “Muslim ban”.
Name withheld by request
As a US citizen, I must note that Donald Trump’s action is unconstitutional and against the terms of the Geneva Conventions. He did not win the popular vote. Most Americans are resisting him.
Michelle Arthington, Dubai
I guess people were warned about such a move. Passengers who ignored this warning are having to pay the price.
Bhavin Surti, Dubai
Tap water is not reliable
In reference to your story Water week: why we buy it bottled when it drops from the sky for free (January 29), people make uneducated choices when buying water and never read labels. There are big differences between various brands, let alone between tap and bottled water. You can't talk about bottled water as if they were all Al Ain, Arwa or Aquafina. There are tens of kinds of mountain and spring waters naturally low in sodium and total dissolved solids. And the composition modifies the taste significantly.
I drink rivers of water if it’s one of the brands I like, but give me another brand of water and I will struggle to finish a single bottle in a day.
Gianmaria Vidale, Dubai
The reason I rely on bottled water is because I can’t trust the tap water and there is no way to test it easily. If I had trusted the tap water, I would have been the first to use it for drinking.
Frederic Beaugrand, Dubai
Why we buy bottled water is because the apartments, town houses and villas we rent have substandard piping and water tanks.
We prefer not to leave this beautiful country with terminal illness and poisoning.
Michael Grantham, Al Ain
Tap water may not be the cause of hair loss and dry skin (The many myths of the UAE's tap water, January 30), but the treatment and storage methods may not be perfect, which is why consumption of tap water can cause some long-term effects.
Alexander Salt, Uganda
Jailing ‘fraud victim’ is unwise
Jailing an elderly woman for naivety or foolishness makes little sense (Woman, 60, jailed in UAE 'is the real fraud victim', January 29).
While I can understand that the Syrian businessman wants justice and his money, he will get neither from this situation.
We have seen time and again that the magnanimity and wisdom of the leaders of this country prevails and pardons are issued. God willing, this will be the case for this poor woman.
Name withheld by request
This is a tragic incident. However, I hardly feel sorry for the woman who gave out her bank account details to a “friend”. This is foolishness.
Name withheld by request
Always make an informed choice
The article Savings plan hard sell leaves UAE couple regretting they took the bait (January 21) is the kind of negative story that makes life difficult for the legitimate companies that actually educate and help people save.
Again, nothing replaces due diligence. Never agree to anything that a sales representative is pushing hard.
I am very sorry for the victim. I wish I could say I never made a mistake, but I have learnt the hard way. Good luck.
David W Blandford, Al Ain
How about naming the investment company so others are informed?
James Justice, Abu Dhabi
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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.
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%2060kW%20lithium-ion%20phosphate%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20Up%20to%20201bhp%3Cbr%3E0%20to%20100kph%3A%207.3%20seconds%3Cbr%3ERange%3A%20418km%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh149%2C900%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
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.”
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
