India's MS Dhoni, right, and Virat Kohli shown on Thursday as the final Twenty20 match against South Africa was rained out. Dibyangshu Sarkar / AFP / October 8, 2015
India's MS Dhoni, right, and Virat Kohli shown on Thursday as the final Twenty20 match against South Africa was rained out. Dibyangshu Sarkar / AFP / October 8, 2015

South Africa’s IPL gains; India’s World Twenty20 concerns – T20 series takeaways



Five talking points in the Twenty20 series between hosts India and South Africa which the tourists won 2-0 after the final match was washed out:

South Africa gain from IPL experience

– Very evident in South Africa's series win was how easily they adjusted to Indian conditions. Not surprising really since as many as 10 players in South Africa's squad are signed up for the glitzy T20 Indian Premier League. It helped that skipper Faf du Plessis, who turns out for his Indian counterpart MS Dhoni's IPL side Chennai Super Kings, had better luck with the toss that left India to field second in slippery dew conditions both times.

World Twenty20 fears rise for India

– If the series loss is an indication, India have much to do if they are to prove competitive in the World Twenty20 to be held in the country in March and April. Dhoni’s men may have won the inaugural World T20 in South Africa in 2007 and reached the final of the last edition in Bangladesh in 2014, but the Proteas appear to be in better shape at the moment to win their first major title.

Will Dhoni lead India at the World Twenty20?

– The noose is tightening around Dhoni, a limited-overs great who has led India to title triumphs in the World Cup, World Twenty20 and the Champions Trophy. With young Test captain Virat Kohli waiting in the wings, critics are already calling for a change at the top, saying Dhoni is past his sell-by date. Having already retired from Test cricket, 34-year-old Dhoni needs to win the five-match one-day series that starts on Sunday to quiet his doubters.

South Africa’s pace scores over India’s spin

– The battlefield is clearly defined. South Africa bank on their fast bowlers to deliver, while India rely on their slow bowlers, notably off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Pace has clearly dominated the first leg of the long tour. Further bad news awaits India as the tourists will be reinforced by pace spearheads Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, who were rested for the T20 games. It leaves coach Russell Domingo with an embarrassment of riches to choose from for the one-dayers. India, meanwhile, are still to find an effective comrade-in-arm for Ashwin.

Slushy Garden of Eden

– The drainage system at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata is so poor that a sharp 30-minute shower five hours before the scheduled start washed out the third and final T20 game on Thursday. This should worry the International Cricket Council and the Indian board, since the iconic venue is due to host the final of the World Twenty20 next April, a month that usually brings bad weather to the eastern metropolis. Fortunately, there are no WorldT20 games scheduled in Cuttack which witnessed crowd trouble during the second match.

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A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

NO OTHER LAND

Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

Rating: 3.5/5

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
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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
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
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  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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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.”

When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi

  

 

 

 

Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.

 
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ultra processed foods

- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns 

- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;

- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces

- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,

- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.

Places to go for free coffee
  • Cherish Cafe Dubai, Dubai Investment Park, are giving away free coffees all day. 
  • La Terrace, Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai, are serving their first 50 guests one coffee and four bite-sized cakes
  • Wild & The Moon will be giving away a free espresso with every purchase on International Coffee Day
  • Orange Wheels welcome parents are to sit, relax and enjoy goodies at ‘Café O’ along with a free coffee
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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital