Coincidence can often be a wonderful thing, not least for event organisers. And when New York University Abu Dhabi teamed up with Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation for a panel discussion on graphic novels and the Arab world, it's unlikely they had anticipated the headlines that would emerge just weeks ahead of the event regarding these two subjects.
Middle East Comics and their Place in the 21st Century, to be held tonight in the Al Mamoura Auditorium, comes less than a month after the US blogosphere erupted in a frenzy of right-wing knee-jerks over a new Islamic comic superhero. Nightrunner, a 22-year-old French Algerian, is one of the latest additions to DC Comics' stable, a masked crime-fighter dubbed "the Batman of Paris".
But Qais Sedki, one of the panel participants, whose debut graphic novel Gold Ring was published last year, doesn't like to dwell on online voices. Instead, he prefers to focus on the importance of graphic novels, and the power they can have in the region - especially the UAE.
Gold Ring features manga cartoons - illustrated by celebrated manga creators in Japan - but with the text in Arabic, to describe the story of a teenage Emirati falconer competing in a rather epic tournament. Last year it picked up the Sheikh Zayed Book Award.
"It's a medium that really suits the population, which is fairly young," he explains. "The older people may regard graphic novels as something for kids, but the younger crowd realise that the content can be extremely grown-up."
And with illustrations, Sedki says you can often get away with things perhaps not acceptable in other formats. "With graphic novels, and certainly caricatures, the threshold of what we would allow ourselves to say is extended," he argues.
While Sedki acknowledges that in Gold Ring he doesn't attempt to push social boundaries, he has set out with some other social aims.
"One of the goals I had with this project was the idea of cultural bridging," he says, explaining that many expatriates live for years in the UAE without ever mixing with Emiratis. "For me, it's very important to not wait for the expat to do his or her homework, but for us to be more active in engaging."
Sedki's own effort to engage will come when the English-translation of Gold Ring comes out later this year, due for release at the same time as the Arabic sequel.
Through the English language edition of Gold Ring, Sedki hopes to open up a perhaps previously unknown world to its western readers. "There's no way an expat can really see our normal lives in our houses, unless it's in this illustrative format."
While admirable, the concept of bridging cultures through cartoons isn't a new one and comparisons are instantly conjured between Gold Ring and The 99, a group of superheroes based on Islamic culture and religion. Created by the Kuwaiti Naif Al Mutawa and illustrated by veterans from DC and Marvel comics, The 99 is designed to appeal to universal virtues, teaching its young readership the values of cross-cultural cooperation and acceptance.
Since it was first introduced in 2006, The 99 has exploded in popularity, and is now produced monthly and with several international editions. Al Mutawa has received numerous awards for his work and last year received a special mention by US President Barack Obama, who commended the comics for capturing the imaginations of young people through the message of tolerance.
"Dr Naif has been one of my earliest subconscious influences," says Sedki. "I remember listening to an interview with him on BBC World several years ago and thinking 'wow, this guy is really doing something for us.' I revisited that, wanting to do something similar, but also different."
The difference, perhaps, with Gold Ring, is that there's a definite focus on Arabic readers, an audience Sedki wants to lure towards books through his graphic novels, and it's this he hopes to talk about in the Abu Dhabi discussion.
"I think graphic novels tackle the main reason why people shy away from books," he says, indicating that there is often a feeling among young people that books are too much of an effort compared with the instant gratification of television or video games. "I think graphic novels are that stepping stone."
With graphic novels - especially manga - the written content is minimal. "So you have readers flipping pages, going through them at a much faster rate," says Sedki. Most manga comics are around 200 pages long (Sedki's Gold Ring is 152) so at the end, the readers have actually finished an entire book.
"After reading a good book, you get a buzz. You're left longing for more. You want the next one."
As for the next Gold Ring, Sedki won't say exactly when it's coming out beyond "this year". For the regional graphic novel scene, it's going to be a busy 12 months, with the first Middle East Film & Comic Con landing on these shores in April.
It's clear from the likes of Sedki's Gold Ring and The 99, and the growing graphic novel scene across the region, that the place of Middle East comics in the 21st century is one that could be making its presence felt for generations to come.
Middle Eastern Comics and Their Place in the 21st Century runs from 6.30-8.30pm, Al Mamoura Auditorium, Abu Dhabi, free entry, nyuad.institute@nyu.edu or 02 628 4334.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
England squad
Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Lewis Gregory, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Amar Virdi, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Stan%20Lee
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Gelb%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Results
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions Dh90,000 2,200m
Winner: Mudaarab, Jim Crowley (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Hassan Al Hammadi.
6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Salima Al Reef, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Bainoona, Ricardo Iacopini, Eric Lemartinel.
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: Assyad, Victoria Larsen, Eric Lemartinel.
8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1 Dh5,000,000 1,600m
Winner: Mashhur Al Khalediah, Jean-Bernard Eyquem, Phillip Collington.
Why are you, you?
Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
To return the many to the one.
A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
We reflect all cultures, all ways.
We are a twenty first century wonder.
Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
Now is the turning point of cultures and hopes.
Come with questions, leave with visions.
We are the link between the past and the future.
Here, through art, new possibilities are born. And
new answers are given wings.
Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
Because together we create new worlds.
Together we are more powerful than we know.
We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.
Ben Okri,
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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.”
If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
UFC%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi
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The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
Apple product price list
iPad Pro
11" - $799 (64GB)
12.9" - $999 (64GB)
MacBook Air
$1,199
Mac Mini
$799
