It's Thursday lunchtime in the Hawksbill restaurant of the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and, for a small group of diners, the weekend has already begun. The clink of glasses accompanies the deft serving of meals; traditional dark wood interiors and period photographs, complimenting the sweeping views of the greens beyond, give the feel of a place long-established. The Gary Player-designed course, the first beach-side golf course in the Gulf, has only been open since March, but since then, close to 20,000 rounds of golf have been played; next month sees the second consecutive year of the Saadiyat Beach Golf Classic.
Arriving at the course after driving on to Saadiyat Island - a 27-square-kilometre flat, barren expanse until very recently - is incongruous and dreamlike. But driving across the Sheikh Khalifa Highway, with water on both sides and mangroves stretching almost to the horizon, anyone who has lived in Abu Dhabi for any length of time also gets a physical sense of new worlds opening up. There's something of Key West about it, yet this is all new and we are merely at the beginning of dozens of developments on the island that, when completions start in just a few months, will begin to change the face of tourism in Abu Dhabi.
Behind the golf course is the first phase of an upscale residential development called the Saadiyat Beach Residential Community. The first 354 villas are under construction and all have already been sold or reserved. Opposite the clubhouse (already, a new clubhouse, designed by Frank Gehry, is slated to open in 2012) and across the green is the elegant new Park Hyatt hotel, due to open in the second quarter of next year. Further down is the vast St Regis (the first St Regis in the Middle East, it will have 380 rooms, 259 apartments and 32 luxury villas), where 15 cranes are currently working towards an opening at the end of 2011. And just behind all of this, looking west, is the newly defined skyline of Abu Dhabi and Al Reem islands, where a forest of towers is springing up like a new Manhattan. The landscape of Abu Dhabi is changing so fast I'm reminded of a comment by Rags to Riches author and honorary chairman of the Al Fahim Group, Mohammed AJ al Fahim, on the transformation of the city in the late 1960s: "There were trucks, bulldozers, cars and people everywhere ... It was like a scene from the creation of a film set - a whole city was being erected from scratch."
Within 20 years Saadiyat Island will be home to 145,000 people, and with flagship projects such as the Louvre, the Guggenheim and the Sheikh Zayed National Museum, it is central to Abu Dhabi's development as laid out in the 2030 plan. According to the Tourism Development and Investment Corporation (TDIC), the master developer of the site, business, culture, tourism and sports will all intersect here to create a "multifaceted, premier island destination of desire" offering a "unique invitation to the discerning traveller". Tourism is so central to Abu Dhabi's self-image ("Saadiyat Island will be an irresistible magnet attracting the world to Abu Dhabi, and taking Abu Dhabi to the world") that one of the emirate's most enviable sites has been chosen to cater to future visitors' every whim.
And it's when you get down to the beach - on my golf tour, next to the fifth and sixth holes (named, appropriately, "Dolphin view" and "Saadiyat breeze") - that you understand the draw. The nine-km natural beach is gorgeous, with white sand and aquamarine water. It's the perfect depth for swimming and so clean you can see through the waves as they break gently on the shore. As yet it's untouched; a nesting ground for the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, the golf course and all other developments are set back from the shoreline and the small dunes that front them will be preserved.The development plans to keep trampling feet in designated areas and a network of boardwalks will be used to cross the dunes.
Looking at the scale models of the developments on display at Emirates Palace and Al Manarat al Saadiyat, I'm impressed by the level of detail: even the palm trees in one hotel's landscaped grounds have floodlights; luxury villas have miniature sunbeds on their terraces and plants trailing on the pergolas. Yet one barely needs to look at these or the pop-up pocket guide one is given on arrival at the exhibition anymore: of the nine resorts planned for Saadiyat, five have been announced and are under imminent development: alongside the St Regis and Park Hyatt will be outposts of the Shangri-La, Rotana and Mandarin Oriental brands.
Further along Saadiyat beach is the chic and minimalistic Monte Carlo Beach Club. It's nearly finished - all the structural work is done and the cladding has gone on: water is about to be connected and teams of workmen are all over the site crafting the swimming pools, gyms and cardio rooms. Looking at the computer-generated images coming to life so close to that beach, I can hardly wait until it opens in three months' time and I'll be able to dip my toes in that water (entry policy permitting: it's an exclusive, Miami Beach type of place). For those with more money, there are villas being constructed across the road from here, too, in "Mediterranean", "Contemporary" and "Arabian" themes, with three to six bedrooms. With expatriates able to buy properties on 99-year leases, they will no doubt appeal to those looking for a luxury holiday home.
Elsewhere in the capital, ambitious new hotel developments are in advanced stages of development. Next year will see the opening of the new Rocco Forte hotel on Airport Road (for an interview with Olga Polizzi, see page 6) and the completion of the 66-storey, 600-room Jumeirah Etihad Towers hotel next to Emirates Palace. Other landmark developments include the Italianate Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi - Grand Canal opposite the Shangri-La Abu Dhabi, the Angsana Hotel and Resort in the Eastern Mangroves, the striking, 45-degree angled Regent Emirates Pearl and the modernist W Hotel Al Bateen Wharf. This is in addition to a clutch of new openings, including Rotana and Hyatt, in the Capital Gate district near Adnec.
It's all a far cry from Abu Dhabi's first hotel, the Beach Hotel, which was opened by the Bustani family near the present-day site of the Sheraton Corniche in 1964. "It was 25 rooms, and it was a big deal," recalls Mohammed al Fahim, whose Al Fahim Group co-owns the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr. "We didn't imagine back then that we would see so many hotels or so many rooms opening in Abu Dhabi. We never thought it was even possible. In fact, we never thought Abu Dhabi would ever be a tourist destination. It was frowned upon by the community in those days; people didn't want so many people peeping at them."
The Abu Dhabi Tourist Authority (ADTA), which sets targets for visitor numbers to Abu Dhabi, says 1.65 million people have visited so far this year, based on the number of hotel guests the emirate receives. It aims to attract 2.3 million in 2012 and 3.2 million by 2015, as part of a wider drive to diversify the economy away from its dependency on oil. Currently, tourism accounts for 10.7 per cent of Abu Dhabi's non-oil GDP. Abu Dhabi currently has 17,297 hotel rooms, a figure that will rise to 22,800 by the end of 2011 and a staggering 80,000 by 2030, by which time Abu Dhabi aims to be attracting 7.3 million visitors a year.
For al Fahim, the speed of this development carries risks. "I hope we don't overbuild and that hotels don't price themselves out of the market, because hotels are currently not operating at full occupancy and unless the government has big plans to fill them then what we have is already sufficient."
For the UAE's largest and fastest-growing hotel management company, Rotana, the continued growth of Abu Dhabi despite a global economic downturn represents a unique opportunity, and the group now accounts for 30 per cent of Abu Dhabi's hotel bookings. Rotana is currently opening between seven and 10 hotels a year; next year, of its seven openings in the Middle East, five will be in Abu Dhabi. "In five years' time we will have up to 20 hotels in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain," says Omer Kaddouri, Rotana's chief operating officer. "By 2012 we will have a total of 70 properties and we plan to increase this to 200 by 2030." Kaddouri attributes Rotana's success to the growing number of business events held in the city and its own marketing strategies. "The UAE buying London's Excel exhibition centre and strategies to bring conferences to Abu Dhabi are working. The government wants to ensure the hotels are full. We have also reached out to guests from new markets in eastern Europe, South America and the Far East - China, Malaysia and Hong Kong."
Another new market which is proving successful is Rotana's alcohol-free Rayhaan brand. In Abu Dhabi, the impressive Rotana Khaladiya Palace near Emirates Palace presents a new model of culturally sensitive travel that may be part of the key to differentiating Abu Dhabi from its competitors. The brand has a healthy but upmarket philosophy, shown at the Rayhaan by an impressive beachfront, the largest hotel swimming pool in the city and sophisticated restaurants and juice bars. "Not only has not having alcohol not affected our business, it has led to our expectations being surpassed," says Kaddouri. "The hotel is even proving popular with the German and Russian market."
Lawrence Franklin, the strategy and policy director of ADTA, says that 2012 was the "end point" of a "major consolidation phase" before the next wave of expansion in the city. "By this time we will already have an impressive range and quantity of accommodation offerings, a broad spread of attractions, a strong core of high profile and community events and a mature, increasingly sustainable tourism sector providing world-class services. The next wave of excitement will largely be underpinned by the roll out of the Saadiyat Cultural District.
"This critical infrastructure will be marketed and integrated into Abu Dhabi's overall tourism offering via ongoing global marketing campaigns, efficient public relations, an established series of trade and consumer shows and an effective international office network and a vertically and horizontally aligned tourism sector."
According to Sheena Westwood, associate professor and director of graduate programmes at Zayed University and a tourism specialist, the level of government support for tourism and its integration with business and sporting events makes tourism central to the wider development of Abu Dhabi, and makes it different to virtually any other destination in the world. "Tourism is being very strategically developed," shesays. "It cuts across everything that's happening in Abu Dhabi: hotels, sports, business events and mixed-use developments - everything has a tourism angle."
Tourism is seen as instrumental in cross-cultural exchange and religious understanding, Westwood says, though there is still a challenge in attracting people to the city. "There is still a low awareness of Abu Dhabi in geographical terms. Many people still don't understand where the UAE is or what it is. Tourism can help to challenge this and here there is a blank canvas with full government support and funding." The ongoing process of Emiratisation was important in this process, shesays, "because people want to explore but they also want an interaction. We need more qualified Emirati nationals with degrees in tourism, hospitality and events management, otherwise it's all going to be foreign expertise."
The ultimate challenge will be to maintain Abu Dhabi's profile as a tourist destination for decades to come, says Westwood. "At the moment Abu Dhabi has location and newness in its favour - people are always looking for something new. It's is still seen as exotic, but it's not enough to just build it, you have to maintain it. In the future you've got to sustain that in the face of competition."
rbehan@thenational.ae
Other key dates
-
Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
THE%20SPECS
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
More coverage from the Future Forum
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30, December 1-2
International Vets
Christina Noble Children’s Foundation fixtures
Thursday, November 30:
10.20am, Pitch 3, v 100 World Legends Project
1.20pm, Pitch 4, v Malta Marauders
Friday, December 1:
9am, Pitch 4, v SBA Pirates
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
Pakistanis%20at%20the%20ILT20%20
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Salem Rashid, Mohammed Al Attas, Alhassan Saleh
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Yahya Nader, Ahmed Barman, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah, Yahya Al Ghassani
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
Wallabies
Updated team: 15-Israel Folau, 14-Dane Haylett-Petty, 13-Reece Hodge, 12-Matt Toomua, 11-Marika Koroibete, 10-Kurtley Beale, 9-Will Genia, 8-Pete Samu, 7-Michael Hooper (captain), 6-Lukhan Tui, 5-Adam Coleman, 4-Rory Arnold, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16-Folau Faingaa, 17-Tom Robertson, 18-Taniela Tupou, 19-Izack Rodda, 20-Ned Hanigan, 21-Joe Powell, 22-Bernard Foley, 23-Jack Maddocks.
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)
Western Clubs Champions League:
- Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
- Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
FIXTURES
All games 6pm UAE on Sunday:
Arsenal v Watford
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v Man United
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Liverpool
Southampton v Sheffield United
West Ham v Aston Villa
Autumn international scores
Saturday, November 24
Italy 3-66 New Zealand
Scotland 14-9 Argentina
England 37-18 Australia
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
'Nope'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jordan%20Peele%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Daniel%20Kaluuya%2C%20Keke%20Palmer%2C%20Brandon%20Perea%2C%20Steven%20Yeun%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
%3Cp%3EThe%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20-%20Abu%20Dhabi%E2%80%99s%20Arabic%20Language%20Centre%20will%20mark%20International%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Day%20at%20the%20Bologna%20Children's%20Book%20Fair%20with%20the%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Translation%20Conference.%20Prolific%20Emirati%20author%20Noora%20Al%20Shammari%2C%20who%20has%20written%20eight%20books%20that%20%20feature%20in%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Education's%20curriculum%2C%20will%20appear%20in%20a%20session%20on%20Wednesday%20to%20discuss%20the%20challenges%20women%20face%20in%20getting%20their%20works%20translated.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
2pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: AF Sahwa, Nathan Crosse, Mohamed Ramadan.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: AF Thobor, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mezmar, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
4pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup presented by Longines (TB) Dh 200,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Galvanize, Nathan Cross, Doug Watson.
4.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Ajaj, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mohamed Daggash.
Company%20Profile
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Schedule
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENovember%2013-14%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20World%20Youth%20Jiu-Jitsu%20Championship%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENovember%2015-16%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%20World%20Masters%20Jiu-Jitsu%20Championship%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENovember%2017-19%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20World%20Professional%20Jiu-Jitsu%20Championship%20followed%20by%20the%20Abu%20Dhabi%20World%20Jiu-Jitsu%20Awards%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday
AC Milan v Sampdoria (2.30pm kick-off UAE)
Atalanta v Udinese (5pm)
Benevento v Parma (5pm)
Cagliari v Hellas Verona (5pm)
Genoa v Fiorentina (5pm)
Lazio v Spezia (5pm)
Napoli v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Roma (5pm)
Torino v Juventus (8pm)
Bologna v Inter Milan (10.45pm)
What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
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.”
Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
On racial profiling at airports
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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
