'We are here to serve and protect." A similar motto is espoused by most law-enforcement agencies across the world. There is little doubt that public-safety authorities are a critical line of defence in society.
To feel safe in a new community, the first thing a family should do is check on the local emergency services. Do you have a police station, a fire station or a community centre that could provide help nearby? Everyone in a family should memorise emergency telephone numbers (999 in the UAE), and children need to be taught basic safety skills.
These days, responsible parents lock the doors and windows at night and, in some neighbourhoods, install alarm systems to be safe.
It wasn't so long ago that we did not need to be so careful. But society has changed a lot in the past few years. Reading the news headlines, we are bombarded with stories of theft, assault, molestation and other types of abuse.
The "typical" criminal - someone who has been driven to crime by poverty, or is just plain sick in the head - is not the only threat these days. It used to be that we would rely on our "good guys" to catch the "bad guys". That's the way it's supposed to work, right?
Sadly, criminals have donned a "good guy" disguise. Earlier in the summer, a man was put on trial for allegedly posing as a police officer. According to witness testimony, he would stop women near a hotel in Abu Dhabi and demand that they submit to a search - the women said that he would grope them and sometimes steal their money.
In cases where criminals impersonate police officers, the assaults are compounded by the abuse of the symbols of authority. Trust in law enforcement is essential.
What is even worse are reports of actual officers caught in wrongdoing. This summer, we saw one case in which two police officers were accused of stopping a taxi and raping the woman passenger.
In that case, the woman and the taxi driver were able to memorise the plate number of the civilian car the men were driving. The woman also had a good look at their ID cards. The case is now in court.
That kind of vigilance just highlights the really damaging aspect of this abuse of authority: often it targets those who are most vulnerable. Many people are intimidated by authority figures, and some wouldn't be able to recognise bogus identity documents anyway.
This is particularly true for the most vulnerable groups in society, which include many women and children. As a society, we need to work on teaching vulnerable people to identify abuses that are committed, how to defend themselves and to ensure the abuse is reported.
The UAE is a very close-knit country with a strong track record of catching criminals. People must have the courage to speak up.
There isn't much individuals can do to stop criminals from impersonating police, but we can take precautions. Most phones today are equipped with GPS systems, or you can buy a GPS device that will allow your friends and family to track your location. Every phone has a speed-dial function that can be programmed to dial the real police.
These sort of precautions have applications in every day life. I've been stopped by a man claiming to be a plainclothes police officer who was driving a civilian car. He said he wanted to perform a check because my car fit the description of a stolen vehicle.
But something was odd - his car wasn't equipped with a computer system to check vehicle registration. What, exactly, would he accomplish by stopping me?
I refused to get out of my car, asked for his ID while my car doors were still locked and asked that we proceed to a police station. That was the end of that.
There's only so much others can do to protect you. Personal safety begins with you, and simple precautions will prevent you from becoming the next headline.
Aida Al Busaidy is a columnist and former co-host of a Dubai TV show
On Twitter: @AidaAlB
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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.”
The biog
Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.
His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.
“If you have the ambition and dream of something, follow that dream, be positive, determined and set goals.
"Nothing and no-one can stop you from succeeding with the right work application, and a little bit of luck along the way.”
Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.
He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking.
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.
Vikram%20Vedha
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Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
The bio
His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell
His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard
Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece
Favourite movie - The Last Emperor
Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great
Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Health Valley
Founded in 2002 and set up as a foundation in 2006, Health Valley has been an innovation in healthcare for more than 10 years in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
It serves as a place where companies, businesses, universities, healthcare providers and government agencies can collaborate, offering a platform where they can connect and work together on healthcare innovation.
Its partners work on technological innovation, new forms of diagnostics and other methods to make a difference in healthcare.
Its agency consists of eight people, four innovation managers and office managers, two communication advisers and one director. It gives innovation support to businesses and other parties in its network like a broker, connecting people with the right organisation to help them further
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