Why Seeb?
Oman’s capital, Muscat, sprawls along the coast, with two old maritime towns at either end. At the eastern side of Muscat, there’s Muttrah, the city’s mountain-backed harbour. At the west edge is Seeb, a fishing village that has been gradually engulfed by the capital. Most Muscat visitors head south to Muttrah’s landmark souq and historic district. But Seeb gives another flavour and the best beach life north of Salalah, it also offers an opportunity to find out what life was like in a Gulf fishing village once-upon-a-time.
A comfortable bed
The chic, minimalist Chedi (www.ghmhotels.com), 20 minutes from the airport, has sleek architecture, a private beach and palm-lined pools. Rooms cost from 240 Omani rials (Dh2,290) per night, including taxes.
Holiday Inn Al Seeb (www.holidayinn.com) is 15 minutes from the airport, with rooms from 80 rials (Dh763) per night, including taxes.
The affordable Gulf Crown Hotel (00968 24 536365) in Al Khoud is respectful and safe for solo female travellers.
Find your feet
On one side of the highway is Seeb souq, beach and fish market. On the other is Al Khoudh, a residential and commercial area near Sultan Qaboos University that boasts the city’s best shawarma and sweets. The souq extends for kilometres, but its heart is the waterfront near the old town, a neighbourhood of one-storey “shaabi” houses and the occasional mansion. Start at the Freshi herb centre, a multistorey grocer and medicinal centre that sells the familiar (Colgate toothpaste and American Garden soy sauce) and the occult (donkey hoofs to stave off djinn and patches of animal pelts for incantations). Walk past Freshi, keeping the sea on your right, and you will enter the spice and fish souq. Behind this is the usual Gulf commercial potpourri of Balochi tailors, optometry shops, banks, frankincense carts and pharmacies.
Meet the locals
Omanis are masters of sitting and swalif, the art of banter and good conversation. The prime spot is Seeb Beach. A working beach, it’s better for socialising than swimming. In the morning, men ride horses from local stables along the shore. In the afternoon, women in colourful cotton thobes and shawls meet under palms. Flocks of gulls follow fishermen pulling in nets with Toyota Land Cruisers, and football games last until the Moon rises over the sea. Grab a coconut from a beachside petrol station in the late afternoon, when the beach is at its busiest.
At night, head to Liyali Shiraz cafe on the banks of a wadi estuary. This creekside shisha cafe is home to a family of flamingos, the perfect place to birdwatch while sipping ginger tea (800 baisa [Dh8]). Karak tea is served in pint glasses.
Book a table
Seeb is renowned for mashakik – chargrilled meat, fish and squid dipped in spicy tamarind sauce, (200 baisa [Dh2] per stick). There are mashakik stalls at the souq waterfront, but enterprising young men set up grills along the beach from sunset onwards.
Zanzibari treats are an integral part of Omani cuisine. The cafeteria-style Coconut House is the most popular for lunch. Staples include the chilli, lime and onion salad, kachori potato dumplings, beans in thick coconut sauce, local fish and sweet coconut dumplings, served with tamarind juice or clove-spiced tea. The average meal, with a healthy serving of spiced rice, costs about 2 rials (Dh19).
For dinner, join Sultan Qaboos University students and order a shawarma from Al-Hilal Al-Turkey in Al Khoudh, taking in the atmosphere at an outdoor table.
Those craving dessert can wander up Al Khoudh Al Tijary Street to Al Sham Fruit Juices for a towering falooda cocktail (1.50 rials [Dh14]) or carry on up the road to Moon Light Lebanese Sweets for fresh pistachio-and-almond maamoul shortbread.
Shopper’s paradise
For souvenirs, there’s Muttrah. For everything else, there’s Seeb: fish, vegetables, jewellery, wedding pedestals, fresh tobacco, kuma hats and the greatest Omani halwa that money can buy. Popular flavours of this traditional gooey dessert are made with local Jebel Al Akhdar rosewater (pungent and smoky) and frankincense (tastes like church).
Oman’s laid-back reputation extends to business at the souq. Most stores close by midnight.
What to avoid
Modest dress is a must for women, particularly in the souq. Women don’t generally swim on Seeb Beach, but if they do, they should consider doing so while fully covered.
Should the easy pace of Seeb evoke nostalgia for the old days of the Gulf, a short taxi ride provides an immediate cure. Remember the days when bartering for cab fares was an essential skill in the UAE? You soon will. Fortunately, the city has recently launched public transport (www.mwasalat.om).
Don’t miss
Turtles, leopard sharks, whale sharks, dolphins, coral reefs and clear water: Al Dimaniyyat Islands Nature Reserve, in a Unesco marine park about 16km off the Seeb Coast, is a popular destination for diving and snorkelling. Trips are offered by the SeaOman Dive Centre (www.seaoman.com/activities/dive) from The Wave marina in Seeb. A one-day trip (9am to 2.30pm) with two dives costs 45 rials (Dh429), including tanks and Dimaniyyat park permits. Additional equipment hire is 15 rials (Dh143). Water and snacks are provided.
Getting there
There are several daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Muscat with Oman Air (www.omanair.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com), which cost from Dh400 return, including taxes. Alternatively, driving takes about six hours.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate
'C'mon C'mon'
Director:Mike Mills
Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
Rating: 4/5
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
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
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MATCH INFO
Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
Company%20profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
FIXTURES
December 28
Stan Wawrinka v Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Milos Raonic v Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 29 - semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Stan Wawrinka / Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Milos Raonic / Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 30
3rd/4th place play-off, 5pm
Final, 7pm
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SUNDAY'S ABU DHABI T10 MATCHES
Northern Warriors v Team Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangla Tigers v Karnataka Tuskers, 5.45pm
Qalandars v Maratha Arabians, 8pm
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Where%20the%20Crawdads%20Sing
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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.”
THE%20SPECS
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John%20Wick%3A%20Chapter%204
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Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Results
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) US$100,000 (Dirt) 2,000m, Winner Bandar, Fernando Jara (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer).
7.05pm Meydan Classic Listed (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,600m, Winner Well Of Wisdom, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m, Winner Star Safari, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
8.15pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner Moqarrar, Fabrice Veron, Erwan Charpy.
8.50pm Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 2 (TB) $300,000 (T) 2,810m, Winner Secret Advisor, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
9.25pm Curlin Stakes Listed (TB) $175,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner Parsimony, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.
10pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m, Winner Simsir, Ronan Whelan, Michael Halford.
10.35pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner Velorum, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
