With Easter falling on April 9 alongside ongoing Ramadan events, there is plenty to partake in this week.
Here, The National rounds up seven things to do in the Emirates, from April 3 to April 9.
Monday
Head to Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental for its limited-time Sweet Easter afternoon tea at Episodes. The lobby-level cake shop and tea apothecary, which launched as part of the hotel’s rebranding in February, will offer themed pastries and chocolate creations alongside its indulgent afternoon tea, which has been extended from two to four hours.
Until April 9; 2pm-6pm; Dh245 per person; Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi; 02 690 7999
Tuesday
Themed decor aside, Mall of the Emirates is celebrating Ramadan with a series of majlis talks and the Ramadaniyat Market. The talks are centred around Ramadan etiquette, table art, modest fashion and healthy eating habits while fasting, and will be held at Zeman Awwal, the mall’s dedicated cultural space that launched in November 2021. Located in the Fashion Dome on level two, the space also celebrates local heritage and gives Emirati artists a chance to present their work.
The Ramadan market, which offers clothing, accessories, decor and other items dedicated to the holy month, is located next to Ski Dubai.
Until April 25; 10am-1am; Mall of the Emirates, Dubai; www.malloftheemirates.com
Wednesday
If you’re hosting iftar or suhoor for friends, family or colleagues this week, consider the Ramadan menu created by private chef Vanessa Bayma, available for groups of six or more. On offer are Middle Eastern classics such as dolma, tabbouleh, sambusek, machboos, fatayer, fattoush, manakeesh, kibbeh, shish tawook, kebsa and whole baked sea bass seasoned with Arabian spices; plus Umm Ali and kunafa with pistachio for dessert.
Until the end of Ramadan; Dh450 per person; UAE-wide; www.chefbayma.com
Thursday
Adrenalin seekers can avail themselves of a discount at Skydive Dubai this Ramadan. The skydiving centre is offering Dh300 off a tandem dive at its Palm drop zone for those who book using the code Ramadan300. The experience usually costs Dh2,499. The drop is from a height of 13,000 feet and the guest will be accompanied by a professional flyer, who can also capture images and video of the dive at an additional cost.
Until April 22; various prices and timings; Skydive Dubai, Mina Seyahi, Dubai; skydivedubai.ae
Friday
Treasure Island, the soft-play area at Le Gourmet in Galeries Lafayette is hosting two Easter parties this week, on April 7 and 9. On offer are Easter-themed arts, crafts and snacks, plus a high-energy egg hunt and face painting, all suitable for children aged between one and eight.
April 7 and 9; 6pm-8pm (the play area is open from 10am to 10pm); Dh150 per child; Dubai Mall; 050 473 8452
Saturday
A number of Ramadan activities are on offer at Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi during the holy month, starting with the cannon fire during maghrib prayer time to signal the end of the fast. Oud players will perform and visitors can browse stalls offering Emirati dishes, coffee and Ramadan sweets, as well as an exhibition of Arabic posters. Children can participate in art workshops and face painting.
Every Friday and Saturday until April 23; 9pm-1am; Dh5 (entry ticket) per adult; Mushrif, Abu Dhabi; www.ummalemaratpark.ae
Sunday
Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort is hosting a day of family-friendly Easter celebrations on Sunday. The afternoon begins with a game of bunny hops at 2pm, followed by Easter egg decorations and an egg hunt at the resort’s Treehouse children’s club. Face-painting artists and DJs will be at the venue and the evening will culminate in a musical parade at 6pm.
April 9; from 2pm; Dh40 per person (Dh20 for in-house guests); 056 548 0320; Ashwini.franco@hilton.com
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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.”
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The specs: Hyundai Ionic Hybrid
Price, base: Dh117,000 (estimate)
Engine: 1.6L four-cylinder, with 1.56kWh battery
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 105hp (engine), plus 43.5hp (battery)
Torque: 147Nm (engine), plus 170Nm (battery)
Fuel economy, combined: 3.4L / 100km
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Top tips
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
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MATCH INFO
World Cup qualifier
Thailand 2 (Dangda 26', Panya 51')
UAE 1 (Mabkhout 45 2')
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes
The package
Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January
The info
Visit www.gokorea.co.uk
Honeymoonish
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
