• Cars that were washed away by heavy rains are piled up in an alley in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah on November 25. AFP
    Cars that were washed away by heavy rains are piled up in an alley in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah on November 25. AFP
  • Purple Ribbon ridden by Jack Mitchell races in the Unibet Wild Flower Stakes at Kempton Park in Sunbury, England. Getty Images
    Purple Ribbon ridden by Jack Mitchell races in the Unibet Wild Flower Stakes at Kempton Park in Sunbury, England. Getty Images
  • A diver wearing a Santa Claus costume swims with fish in a large tank during a festive underwater performance at Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in Yokohama, Japan. Reuters
    A diver wearing a Santa Claus costume swims with fish in a large tank during a festive underwater performance at Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in Yokohama, Japan. Reuters
  • A view of the Empire State Building at the Summit One Vanderbilt observation deck in Manhattan. New York officials report tourism in the US city has rebounded to 85 per cent of pre-Covid levels. AFP
    A view of the Empire State Building at the Summit One Vanderbilt observation deck in Manhattan. New York officials report tourism in the US city has rebounded to 85 per cent of pre-Covid levels. AFP
  • The National's Andy Scott climbs up the 123m flag pole with Trident Support on Sharjah's Flag island. Antonie Robertson / The National
    The National's Andy Scott climbs up the 123m flag pole with Trident Support on Sharjah's Flag island. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A student holds balloons as she takes part in an awareness campaign on World Aids Day in Chennai. AFP
    A student holds balloons as she takes part in an awareness campaign on World Aids Day in Chennai. AFP
  • Base-jumper Dani Roman wearing a wingsuit crosses the main arc of the New Bridge in Ronda, Spain. AFP
    Base-jumper Dani Roman wearing a wingsuit crosses the main arc of the New Bridge in Ronda, Spain. AFP
  • Competitors in the Raid des Alizes all-female adventure race on the French Caribbean island of Martinique. AFP
    Competitors in the Raid des Alizes all-female adventure race on the French Caribbean island of Martinique. AFP
  • Al Bahr Towers illuminated to mark UAE's 51st National Day, and Mubadala tower marks Commemoration Day, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    Al Bahr Towers illuminated to mark UAE's 51st National Day, and Mubadala tower marks Commemoration Day, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • A boy extracts oil from sesame seeds using a camel-powered mill in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. AFP
    A boy extracts oil from sesame seeds using a camel-powered mill in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. AFP
  • Katara Cultural Village in Doha, Qatar. AP Photo
    Katara Cultural Village in Doha, Qatar. AP Photo
  • Lava flows from Mauna Loa, the world's biggest active volcano, as it erupts for the first time in 38 years, posing a threat to the people of Hawaii's Big Island. AP
    Lava flows from Mauna Loa, the world's biggest active volcano, as it erupts for the first time in 38 years, posing a threat to the people of Hawaii's Big Island. AP
  • Circus members from Kenya perform during the weekly general audience held by Pope Francis in St Peter's Square at the Vatican in Rome. Reuters
    Circus members from Kenya perform during the weekly general audience held by Pope Francis in St Peter's Square at the Vatican in Rome. Reuters
  • Match officials and players walk out ahead of the Fifa World Cup match between Portugal and Uruguay at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Getty Images
    Match officials and players walk out ahead of the Fifa World Cup match between Portugal and Uruguay at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Getty Images
  • A man steers a boat in Dal Lake amid a thick blanket of fog in Srinagar. AFP
    A man steers a boat in Dal Lake amid a thick blanket of fog in Srinagar. AFP
  • Tolerance Bridge, a suspension footbridge over the new creek extension along Al Safa park in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Tolerance Bridge, a suspension footbridge over the new creek extension along Al Safa park in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A dog guards a car's compartment after a massive avalanche of mud and debris hit the town of Casamicciola Terme in Italy following intense rain. EPA
    A dog guards a car's compartment after a massive avalanche of mud and debris hit the town of Casamicciola Terme in Italy following intense rain. EPA
  • Uruguay fans watch the match between Uruguay and Portugal at the Qatar World Cup on a screen in Montevideo. Reuters
    Uruguay fans watch the match between Uruguay and Portugal at the Qatar World Cup on a screen in Montevideo. Reuters
  • Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service said it has rescued three stowaways, pictured above, who were travelling on an oil tanker’s rudder in the Canary Islands after the vessel sailed there from Nigeria. AP
    Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service said it has rescued three stowaways, pictured above, who were travelling on an oil tanker’s rudder in the Canary Islands after the vessel sailed there from Nigeria. AP
  • Belongings burn as Mexican authorities attempt to enforce an eviction at a migrant encampment close to the US border in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. EPA
    Belongings burn as Mexican authorities attempt to enforce an eviction at a migrant encampment close to the US border in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. EPA
  • Mark Devay in the swimming leg of the World Triathlon Championship Finals Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Mark Devay in the swimming leg of the World Triathlon Championship Finals Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Turkish riot police in Istanbul take part in a demonstration marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. EPA
    Turkish riot police in Istanbul take part in a demonstration marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. EPA
  • A damaged bus by the sea, after a landslide on the holiday island of Ischia, Italy. Reuters
    A damaged bus by the sea, after a landslide on the holiday island of Ischia, Italy. Reuters
  • Caps are placed on spectators' seats before the Fifa World Cup match between Japan and Costa Rica in Doha, Qatar. EPA
    Caps are placed on spectators' seats before the Fifa World Cup match between Japan and Costa Rica in Doha, Qatar. EPA
  • Ukrainian servicemen rush to change their BM-21 Grad's position after firing towards Russian positions on the front line near Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine. AFP
    Ukrainian servicemen rush to change their BM-21 Grad's position after firing towards Russian positions on the front line near Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine. AFP
  • Palestinians watch a live broadcast of the World Cup football match between South Korea and Ghana, in the street in Gaza City. AP Photo
    Palestinians watch a live broadcast of the World Cup football match between South Korea and Ghana, in the street in Gaza City. AP Photo
  • A small plane remains stuck after it crashed into power lines, knocking out electricity for tens of thousands of residents, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, US. EPA
    A small plane remains stuck after it crashed into power lines, knocking out electricity for tens of thousands of residents, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, US. EPA
  • Lopburi locals provide a platter of fruits for the monkey population in Lop Buri, Thailand at the annual Monkey Festival. Getty
    Lopburi locals provide a platter of fruits for the monkey population in Lop Buri, Thailand at the annual Monkey Festival. Getty
  • Thousands of members of the Nazareth Baptist Church at the annual prayer and reconciliation ceremony 400 kilometres north of Durban, South Africa. AFP
    Thousands of members of the Nazareth Baptist Church at the annual prayer and reconciliation ceremony 400 kilometres north of Durban, South Africa. AFP
  • In this long camera exposure, cars drive down Saddle Road near Hilo, Hawaii, as Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, erupts for the first time in 38 years in the distance. AP Photo
    In this long camera exposure, cars drive down Saddle Road near Hilo, Hawaii, as Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, erupts for the first time in 38 years in the distance. AP Photo

The best photos of the week, from flooding in Jeddah to an eruption in Hawaii


Tim Knowles
  • English
  • Arabic

More from The National:

Friday's best photos: from fog in Kashmir to flooding in Brazil

Thursday's best photos: from horse racing to base jumping

Wednesday's best photos: from a World Cup goal to a helicopter crash

Tuesday's best photos: from Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano to stowaways on a ship's rudder

Monday's best photos: from a fire on the Mexican border to a light aircraft crash

Sunday's best photos: from Thailand's monkey festival to a 'Gatka' performance

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

Key developments in maritime dispute

2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier. 

2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus

2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.

2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.

2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.

The biog

Name: Sarah Al Senaani

Age: 35

Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2

Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism

Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding

Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier

Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish

In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff

Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vault%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBilal%20Abou-Diab%20and%20Sami%20Abdul%20Hadi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELicensed%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EInvestment%20and%20wealth%20advisory%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOutliers%20VC%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E14%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
EA Sports FC 25
MATCH INFO

Real Madrid 2

Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')

Barcelona 0

Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information. 

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
While you're here

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

Museum of the Future in numbers
  •  78 metres is the height of the museum
  •  30,000 square metres is its total area
  •  17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
  •  14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
  •  1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior 
  •  7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
  •  2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
  •  100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
  •  Dh145 is the price of a ticket
How does ToTok work?

The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store

To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.

The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.

Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.

 

Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

UAE squad

Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.

UAE tour of Zimbabwe

All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I

Company%20Profile
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Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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.”

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE players with central contracts

Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.

Thor: Ragnarok

Dir: Taika Waititi

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson

Four stars

Silent Hill f

Publisher: Konami

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Rating: 4.5/5

Updated: December 09, 2022, 11:43 AM