US Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to visit the UAE with condolences on the death of Sheikh Khalifa, the White House says. AFP
US Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to visit the UAE with condolences on the death of Sheikh Khalifa, the White House says. AFP
US Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to visit the UAE with condolences on the death of Sheikh Khalifa, the White House says. AFP
US Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to visit the UAE with condolences on the death of Sheikh Khalifa, the White House says. AFP

Kamala Harris to travel to UAE to offer condolences on death of Sheikh Khalifa


  • English
  • Arabic

US Vice President Kamala Harris and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the UAE on Monday to offer condolences on behalf of the administration on the death of President Sheikh Khalifa, who passed away on Friday.

Ms Harris will meet President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, a statement from the White House said.

“In addition to honouring the memory and the legacy of Sheikh Khalifa, the vice president will underscore the strength of the partnership between our countries and our desire to further deepen our ties in the coming months and years,” the White House said.

On Friday, US President Joe Biden said he was “deeply saddened” to learn of the death of Sheikh Khalifa.

“Sheikh Khalifa was a true partner and friend of the United States throughout his decades-long tenure as President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and in his earlier role as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi,” Mr Biden said in a statement.

Mr Biden also congratulated Sheikh Mohamed on being elected President of the UAE.

“Sheikh Mohamed, whom I met with several times as vice president when he was the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has long been at the forefront of building this partnership,” he said.

“I look forward to working with Sheikh Mohamed to build from this extraordinary foundation to further strengthen the bonds between our countries and peoples.”

Joe Biden's Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who will be with Ms Harris, on Saturday called Sheikh Mohamed a "valued friend of the US".

"We warmly congratulate His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on assuming the role of President of the United Arab Emirates after succeeding our steadfast friend His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.," he said in a statement.

"During his time as Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed has been an important partner and valued friend of the US. We look forward to working closely together to build on the extraordinary partnership between the US and the UAE that grew under His Highness Sheikh Khalifa’s presidency, and continuing our dialogue to advance a more peaceful and secure region and world.

"We wish the people of the UAE continued prosperity and advancement under His Highness Sheikh Mohamed’s leadership."

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron and other world leaders are also travelling to the UAE to offer their condolences.

Sheikh Khalifa remembered in pictures

  • Nasser Al Nowais, chairman of the Rotana Hotel Group, with the late President, Sheikh Khalifa. 'He cared about the well-being of people not only in the UAE, but all over the world,' says Mr Al Nowais. Photo: Nasser Al Nowais
    Nasser Al Nowais, chairman of the Rotana Hotel Group, with the late President, Sheikh Khalifa. 'He cared about the well-being of people not only in the UAE, but all over the world,' says Mr Al Nowais. Photo: Nasser Al Nowais
  • Sheikh Khalifa in Dubai in 1971. Magnum Photos
    Sheikh Khalifa in Dubai in 1971. Magnum Photos
  • An undated photo of Sheikh Khalifa. Wam
    An undated photo of Sheikh Khalifa. Wam
  • A young Sheikh Khalifa (seated). Wam
    A young Sheikh Khalifa (seated). Wam
  • UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his son Sheikh Khalifa watch a military parade in 1978. Photo: Al Ittihad
    UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his son Sheikh Khalifa watch a military parade in 1978. Photo: Al Ittihad
  • Sheikh Khalifa. Wam
    Sheikh Khalifa. Wam
  • Sheikh Zayed, centre, and Sheikh Khalifa seated to his right. Wam
    Sheikh Zayed, centre, and Sheikh Khalifa seated to his right. Wam
  • Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Khalifa. Wam
    Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Khalifa. Wam
  • Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Khalifa. Photo: Al Ittihad
    Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Khalifa. Photo: Al Ittihad
  • Sheikh Zayed inspects plans for the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with his sons Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Sultan. Photo: Al Ittihad
    Sheikh Zayed inspects plans for the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with his sons Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Sultan. Photo: Al Ittihad
  • Sheikh Khalifa, left, greets Jordan's King Abdullah in Abu Dhabi on May 16, 2000. Wam
    Sheikh Khalifa, left, greets Jordan's King Abdullah in Abu Dhabi on May 16, 2000. Wam
  • Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Zayed. Wam
    Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Zayed. Wam
  • Sheikh Khalifa performs Umrah. Wam
    Sheikh Khalifa performs Umrah. Wam
  • Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. Wam
    Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. Wam
  • An image of Sheikh Khalifa is projected on to a building in Abu Dhabi. Antonie Robertson / The National
    An image of Sheikh Khalifa is projected on to a building in Abu Dhabi. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • President, Sheikh Mohamed, left, with Sheikh Khalifa in 2009. Philip Cheung / The National
    President, Sheikh Mohamed, left, with Sheikh Khalifa in 2009. Philip Cheung / The National
  • Sheikh Khalifa watches the first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on November 1, 2009, with Nursultan Nazarbayev, president of Kazakhstan, and Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman. Ryan Carter / The National
    Sheikh Khalifa watches the first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on November 1, 2009, with Nursultan Nazarbayev, president of Kazakhstan, and Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman. Ryan Carter / The National
  • Sheikh Khalifa attends National Day celebrations at Zayed Sports Stadium on December 2, 2011. Philip Cheung / Crown Prince Court
    Sheikh Khalifa attends National Day celebrations at Zayed Sports Stadium on December 2, 2011. Philip Cheung / Crown Prince Court
  • The UAE football team meet with Sheikh Khalifa on Saturday, January 19, 2012, after their 2-1 victory over Iraq in the Gulf Cup final in Bahrain. Wam
    The UAE football team meet with Sheikh Khalifa on Saturday, January 19, 2012, after their 2-1 victory over Iraq in the Gulf Cup final in Bahrain. Wam
  • Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip with Sheikh Khalifa at Windsor Castle, England, on April 30, 2013. Reuters
    Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip with Sheikh Khalifa at Windsor Castle, England, on April 30, 2013. Reuters
  • Sheikh Khalifa. Wam
    Sheikh Khalifa. Wam
  • Sheikh Khalifa with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, and Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. Wam
    Sheikh Khalifa with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, and Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. Wam
  • Sheikh Khalifa at Al Bateen Palace, Abu Dhabi. Wam
    Sheikh Khalifa at Al Bateen Palace, Abu Dhabi. Wam
SPEC%20SHEET
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M2%2C%208-core%20GPU%2C%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.3-inch%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201600%2C%20227ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%3B%20Touch%20Bar%20with%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206%2C%20Bluetooth%205.0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2058.2Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2020%20hours%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20720p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%2C%20ProRes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Stereo%20speakers%20with%20HDR%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20support%2C%20Dolby%20support%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Pro%2C%2067W%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C%20cable%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh5%2C499%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet

Understand What Black Is

The Last Poets

(Studio Rockers)

Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

The Saudi Cup race card

1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000

2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000

3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000

4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000

5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000

6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000

7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000

8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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

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 schedule

December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club

December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq

December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm

December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition

December 13: Falcon beauty competition

December 14 and 20: Saluki races

December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm

December 16 - 19: Falconry competition

December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am

December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am

December 22: The best herd of 30 camels

Batti Gul Meter Chalu

Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5

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

Bundesliga fixtures

Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)

Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm) 

RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm) 

Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm) 

Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn  (4.30pm) 

Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm) 

Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)

Sunday, May 17

Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),

Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)

Monday, May 18

Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)

Updated: May 14, 2022, 10:52 PM