As a Palestinian-Jordanian raised in the diaspora, there were a few things I quickly became aware of at a young age.
Firstly, whenever I visit Madaba, Jordan, the town my extended family has called home since the 1950s, I feel at times like I don't entirely belong. Secondly, my Levantine-Jordanian accent becomes tenfold more prominent with every day I spend there. Thirdly, I learn something new about myself, my family or my culture on every visit.
This year was no different, with plenty of family fun. There were two wedding celebrations, an engagement and a graduation party. Safe to say, I was partied out after it was all over and it felt like I needed a holiday after my holiday.
A few events might seem mild, but these celebrations come with additional clauses, hidden in the fine print. So, when my cousin got married, the wedding preparations and customs were nothing like I've seen before. Here's how it went:
The pre-wedding
One of the most interesting pre-wedding customs is the symbolic act of the tulbeh, which involves the groom's family visiting the bride's family to formally ask for their daughter's hand in marriage.
While it may seem like an outdated ritual, it is more symbolic than literal. It is done to establish respect and familiarity between the families, regardless of how the couple met.
This tradition is performed three times, the second right before the engagement starts. It typically requires a jaha, a group of men from both families, to gather. The eldest from the groom's family puts forward the notion of marriage and the eldest from the bride's family answers on their behalf. This ritual symbolises the marriage of two families, a cornerstone of strong communities, and it is emotional to witness.
In Jordan, the week leading up to a wedding is one of the most important in a couple's life.
The bride's bachelorette party is usually hosted by the bride's family and bridesmaids, a farewell to single life and a celebration of a sacred bond.
One of the oldest Palestinian rituals, the henna party, requires preparation days in advance. The space is decorated with flowers, candles and traditional ornaments, while Arabic coffee and sweets are served to the guests. The bride and her female guests wear a vibrant embroidered dress with Palestinian tatreez etched into it and participate in a ceremony with folk music.
The night kicks off with the zaffeh, a culmination of popular Arabic sayings and well-wishes reserved for a bride, sang with Palestinian music and ending with ululations or zaghareet, typically by the older women in the family.
This is followed by a dabke, a spirited traditional group Arabic dance with Palestinian music, also performed on the wedding day. The evening's highlight is the henna ritual, where a beautifully-embellished tray is brought out to decorate the bride's hands with intricate henna designs. Although it is a women-only party, the groom usually drops in with a gift for his bride.
This is my favourite event because it brings together the women of the family in a setting that is both intimate and lively, celebrating Palestinian traditions and new chapters.
The bachelor party, on the other hand, is usually messier and less sentimental. The groomsmen prepare the groom for what is called "the groom's shower," where he ends up covered in a variety of condiments from the refrigerator as they sing around him, before he takes a shower and has his wedding day haircut.
For the whole week, the groom's family home is typically open as relatives and friends pass by to offer congratulations and kind words prior to the big day.
The bride, however, spends the last couple of days with her first-degree relatives and family, in what is called a nassa, where they gather in celebration before the wedding day. These gatherings are casual and intimate as people sing and dance, hyping the bride up for one of the most important days in her life. The night ends in a comforting dinner with lots of good stories told.
The wedding day
If one thing is certain of Arab weddings, it's that the big day is a full day-and-night affair. It starts with one goal for everyone: to transform into the most glamorous version of yourself with dresses worthy of being in a ballroom, beautiful hairstyles and glittering accessories.
At Arab weddings, there is no such thing as upstaging the bride. Nor is the concept of being overdressed a real thing. Going all out is expected.
The bride, maid of honour, mother and best friends start their day at the crack of dawn to prepare themselves. After hours at a noisy and busy hair salon, the entourage goes back to the bride's family home.
Back at the house, the bride gets into her white dress and waits in a well-decorated room as the women in her family trickle in, singing and dancing, their excitement preceding them.
The men gather in another room, talking of marriage and what the day will bring. When everyone gathers together, the bride's parents dress her up in gold jewellery or giver her money as a wedding present.
The groom's family make a grand entrance shortly after, bringing with them a bittersweet energy to the house. The bride's exit from her family home is so emotional in Arabic culture because she is leaving the place she was brought up in; leaving her family's nest, where she was loved and taken care of. Now, her family hopes she will be treated the same way in her new home with her life partner.
Before the bride leaves, the men perform the tulbeh for the third and final time. It is a sign of respect and affection. They are simultaneously granting and receiving permission for the bride and groom to wed with complete support from their families.
In an act of deep trust, the groom's father gifts the bride's father a long coat, known as the besht, and an envelope with money inside, of which her father has to add to and gift his daughter.
These rituals and traditional customs are intertwined in Arabic culture because of the sacred nature of marriage and the richness of the heritage.
As a car decorated with white flowers and ribbon come around to the bride's family home to take her, she is reminded of the significance of this moment, and is often emotional as she is whisked away with her mother and maid of honour.
The post-wedding
After the honeymoon, the newly-married couple arrive back to their town with a new schedule ahead: fulfill the obligation of family dinner invites.
Typically, the couple's return is first marked by the groom's family inviting them and the bride's family for lunch or dinner. The food is almost always mansaf, a traditional Jordanian dish made with lamb, cooked in a fermented dried yogurt sauce and served on top of rice made with ghee.
Next, the bride's family returns the invitation with a dish of their choosing, officially concluding the series of wedding customs.
While these traditions may seem excessive or overwhelming - and at times, they can be - they are a true mark of Levantine hospitality, never shying away from celebrating love to the fullest, absolute maximum degree and affirming the true meaning of family.
And I certainly am glad to be part of a culture that celebrates what it means to be alive.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
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The specs
BMW M8 Competition Coupe
Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8
Power 625hp at 6,000rpm
Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm
Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto
Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec
Top speed 305kph
Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km
Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)
On sale Jan/Feb 2020
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Various ArtistsÂ
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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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.”
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth BranaghÂ
Rating: 5/5
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
TRAINING FOR TOKYO
A typical week's training for Sebastian, who is competing at the ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon on March 8-9:
- Four swim sessions (14km)
- Three bike sessions (200km)
- Four run sessions (45km)
- Two strength and conditioning session (two hours)
- One session therapy session at DISC Dubai
- Two-three hours of stretching and self-maintenance of the body
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Series information
Pakistan v Dubai
First Test, Dubai International Stadium
Sun Oct 6 to Thu Oct 11
Second Test, Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tue Oct 16 to Sat Oct 20Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
 Play starts at 10am each day
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Teams
 Pakistan
1 Mohammed Hafeez, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Asad Shafiq, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Babar Azam, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed, 8 Bilal Asif, 9 Yasir Shah, 10, Mohammed Abbas, 11 Wahab Riaz or Mir Hamza
 Australia
1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Mitchell Marsh, 5 Travis Head, 6 Marnus Labuschagne, 7 Tim Paine, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Jon Holland
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