As physical media continues its comeback, The National rounds up the best releases this month across film, music, art and more.
Grace in the Desert: The Beauty of Saudi Arabia's Camels
Camels are among the most revered animals in the Arab world, and they hold a significant place in the region's culture, economy and history. A new book from luxury publisher Assouline visually delves into their significance by celebrating Saudi Arabia’s female camels and their cultural connection to the kingdom.
Photographed against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia’s most historically significant sites, including locations on the Unesco World Heritage List, the images depict the country’s great deserts, ancient ruins and vibrant landscapes. The animals are photographed posing, walking or galloping through such sites, revealing an intimate view of some of the most expensive camels of various breeds, some valued at up to $40 million. The book celebrates animals and landscapes while also being a beautiful piece to grace a coffee table or bookshelf.
Maan Jalal, arts and culture writer
Winchester '73 in 4K Blu-ray
Hollywood Western films pop up here and there, but what was once an industry in itself has died away in the modern movie scene – for the most part. It's a divisive genre, with criticism often directed at over-the-top representations of heroism or villainy in their character portrayals. That's before delving into issues such as blatant racism and/or sexism present in such films.
Yet, the Western's role in cinematic history cannot be denied. While there are popular classics in the genre, such The Searchers and Stagecoach, there is also a wide catalogue of films that have previously been overlooked. Now, they are being revisited and judged to be a great viewing experience. Winchester '73 is directed by Anthony Mann and stars James Stewart, Shelley Winters and Stephen McNally. Released in black and white in 1950, the film follows a rifle as its ownership moves from one person to another, each suffering the bad luck it carries. The film runs for an action-packed 90 minutes and features cameos from both Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis.
Faisal Salah, gaming and social media writer
I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2) by Teddy Swims
Teddy Swims, who recently performed at this year’s Abu Dhabi Formula One after-race concerts, is releasing the continuation of his debut album with I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2). The album comes in an orange sunset Vinyl LP and a limited pressing is available exclusively at the Teddy Swims store. The record features an orange sunburst design and comes in a single jacket.
Part 2 is set for release on January 24. The record follows the success of Part 1, which includes the songs Lose Control and The Door. Teddy Swims, an Atlanta-born vocalist, gained significant attention this year with his blend of R&B, soul and pop. His music explores themes of love, loss and self-discovery, delivered with a soulful voice that reflects his personal experiences.
Evelyn Lau, assistant features editor
Apple Music: 100 Best Albums
Books might be the last thing you’d expect from a tech company like Apple, but it looks like Assouline, known for their luxury coffee table books, has convinced the iPhone maker there’s money to be made in publishing, too. Launching January 9 is Apple Music: 100 Best Albums. It's as much a history lesson as it is a collector’s item.
Only 1,500 copies of this $450 book will be available, with each housed in a transparent acrylic slipcase, and each copy etched with its edition number. The linen hardcover is debossed with the Apple Music logo, while the edges of the book’s pages are gilded with gold. This is not an all-encompassing list, Assouline warns. Instead, it was put together by Apple Music’s “team of experts” with inputs from artists such as Pharrell Williams, J Balvin and Charli XCX, as well as songwriters, producers and industry professionals. It will cover several genres, from country, pop and rock to hip-hop and electronic music, featuring everyone from Miles Davis to Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish to Metallica. The book comes with a foreword by Zane Lowe, the global creative director and co-head of artist relations at Apple Music.
David Tusing, assistant features editor
The Cell in 4K Blu-ray
Indian Filmmaker Tarsem Singh is truly singular in his directing style. Having started in music videos, his first film, The Cell, would star a music star in the form of Jennifer Lopez. Released in 2000, the film is both a culmination of 1990s filmmaking flair and a futuristic outlook on a new millennium. The film tells the story of a scientist who must go deep into the mind of a comatose serial killer to save his latest victim.
Vincent D'Onofrio, who plays the serial killer, becomes a truly menacing and terrifying figure as we see how the man views himself inside his own mind. Gorgeous outdoor scenes and elaborate sets make for a beautiful and horrifying viewing experience as we venture with Lopez inside the mind of a monster. Released by Arrow Video, this new 4K version of the film will look its best on a brand-new television.
Faisal Salah, gaming and social media writer
Mixing Colours by Roger Eno and Brian Eno
Mixing Colours is the first full-length album by Roger and Brian Eno. The brothers have each made major contributions to music production. Brian is a pioneer in ambient and electronic music and has produced for several rock and pop acts, including the Talking Heads and Coldplay. Roger, meanwhile, is renowned for his synth and piano recordings that draw evident inspiration from the meditative cadences of French composer Erik Satie. Mixing Colours fuses their disparate skills together in an album that is contemplative and unravels new details with each listen. The label Deutsche Grammophon is releasing on January 10, a two LP vinyl of the album in a captivating magenta and blue.
Razmig Bedirian, arts and culture writer
Chelsea 2 Burnley 3
Chelsea Morata (69'), Luiz (88')
Burnley Vokes (24', 43'), Ward (39')
Red cards Cahill, Fabregas (Chelsea)
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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
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
Name: Samar Frost
Born: Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: Singing, music and socialising with friends
Favourite singer: Adele
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WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Osasuna 1 Real Madrid 4
Osasuna: García (14')
Real Madrid: Isco (33'), Ramos (38'), Vázquez (84'), Jovic (90' 2)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16, second leg (first-leg scores in brackets):
PSG (2) v Manchester United (0)
Midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
