Why Cannes?
For a town of only 73,000 residents, Cannes manages to pack in 600 boutiques, 300 restaurants and bars and 130 hotels. The reason why, of course, is the annual film festival that draws the stars and hangers-on every May to this stretch of the Côte d’Azur. Cinema is in its soul, evident in festival motifs dotted all around. One of the more enchanting signs is the Murs Peints de Cannes, a series of film-inspired murals painted on otherwise dull façades all over town. You never know when you’ll turn a corner and come across a giant Charlie Chaplin staring wide-eyed from the side of a block of flats.
There’s much more to Cannes than the glitz of the Croisette Boulevard and the Palais des Festivals where the A-listers pose. The medieval old town, Suquet, is a delightful jumble of winding, hilly streets that climb towards the 12th-century Chapelle Sainte-Anne at the summit. There’s a pleasantly laid-back feel to the area around the covered market at Forville and the shopping streets north of the port, where unpretentious real life goes on after the festival circus has left town.
A comfortable bed
Tucked away in a quiet street but only seconds away from the Croisette, the five-star Five Seas Hotel (www.five-seas-hotel-cannes.com; 00 33 4 63 360 505) offers discreet luxury with some funky touches. Take in superb views from the rooftop pool and bar – if you can tear yourself away from the hotel’s patisserie, run by world pastry champion Jérôme de Oliveira. Doubles from €140 (Dh708).
In a prime spot on the western side of the old port and at the foot of the old town is the four-star Radisson Blu (www.radissonblu.com/hotel-cannes; 00 33 4 92 997 300). Airy, modern rooms face either the sea or terracotta rooftops of Suquet. Panoramic views come with meals at the aptly named Le 360 rooftop restaurant, and the hotel has direct access to the Thermes Marins spa.
The four-star Hotel Splendid (www.splendid-hotel-cannes.com; 00 33 4 97 062 222) is in an enviable location, with one side facing the shopping area that joins Rue d’Antibes and most of the rooms facing the port. Doubles start at €88 (Dh440), but sea view rooms start at €122 (Dh610).
Find your feet
Cannes is a compact town with all the sights within walking distance, so you won’t need a car. The steep streets of Suquet, the old town, rise up on the western side by the Vieux Port, one of the three marinas that hug the curving coast.
The Boulevard de la Croisette sweeps along the waterside past the decidedly unattractive Palais des Festivals and towards the grand hotels that face the Mediterranean. Most of the beaches are owned by the hotels, but you can find public beaches farther west beyond Suquet, namely Plage du Midi and Plage de la Bocca. The tourist office (www.cannes-destination.fr) is in the Palais des Festivals.
Meet the locals
The daily market at Forville on the edge of Suquet is surrounded by simple bars and bistros where Cannois meet for coffee after stocking up on the day’s fresh food. Grab a table and a paper at Bar de l’Horloge, one of the most popular.
Book a table
Head to the beach for a leisurely meal by the lapping waves of the Mediterranean. Rado Plage (www.rado-plage.com; 00 33 4 93 942 068) is one of the oldest and friendliest beach restaurants, with plates of giant garlicky prawns for €26 (Dh131).
Seafood lovers make a beeline for Cannes institution Astoux & Brun (www.astouxbrun.com; 00 33 4 93 392 187) for platters of fruits de mer from €22 (Dh111).
If you’re into the trend for gourmet burgers, go to the quieter end of Rue St-Antoine as it veers into Rue du Suquet.
At No 24 is the aptly if unimaginatively named Le XXIV (www.24-suquet.com; 00 33 4 89 025 770), which serves superb burgers in relaxed surroundings. Try Le Savoyard (beef and reblochon cheese) for €13 (Dh65).
Shopper’s paradise
It’s hard to resist a stroll along La Croisette where the top designer boutiques sit elegantly under the swaying palm trees. You’ll find the usual suspects: Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton.
Those on less exalted budgets will enjoy a walk along the parallel Rue d’Antibes, where the top-end French and international brands offer plenty of choice. The next street up is the lively pedestrianised Rue Meynadier, with cheerfully cheap boutiques and souvenir stalls.
What to avoid
Coming in May during the film festival. No, really. It’s fine if you’re involved in the industry, but a nightmare for anyone who wants to get a true taste of Cannes. The crowds, soaring prices and frenetic pace won’t be to everyone’s taste.
Don’t miss
It’s a completely different – and very tranquil – world on the Iles de Lérins, a small archipelago that’s only a 20-minute boat ride from the harbour.
Explore the abbey and peaceful vineyards of St-Honorat, France’s only private island and home to a monastic community for the past 16 centuries.
Its larger neighbour, Ste-Marguerite, has forest trails, swimming lagoons, a 17th-century fort, a maritime museum and plenty of quiet spots for a picnic.
Go there
A return flight with Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dubai to Nice, 30km away, takes six and a half hours and costs from Dh3,925, including taxes.
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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.”
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 1 Manchester City 2
Huddersfield: Otamendi (45' 1 og), van La Parra (red card 90' 6)
Man City: Agüero (47' pen), Sterling (84')
Man of the match: Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield Town)
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
RESULTS
Time; race; prize; distance
4pm: Maiden; (D) Dh150,000; 1,200m
Winner: General Line, Xavier Ziani (jockey), Omar Daraj (trainer)
4.35pm: Maiden (T); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Travis County, Adrie de Vries, Ismail Mohammed
5.10pm: Handicap (D); Dh175,000; 1,200m
Winner: Scrutineer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
5.45pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
6.20pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Ejaaby, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
6.55pm: Handicap (D); Dh160,000; 1,600m
Winner: Storyboard, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (D); Dh150,000; 2,200m
Winner: Grand Dauphin, Gerald Mosse, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8.05pm: Handicap (T); Dh190,000; 1,800m
Winner: Good Trip, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
Jawan
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410
Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 420Nm @ 3,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km
Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh431,800
Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: from Dh431,800
the pledge
I pledge to uphold the duty of tolerance
I pledge to take a first stand against hate and injustice
I pledge to respect and accept people whose abilities, beliefs and culture are different from my own
I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself
I pledge to live in harmony with my community
I pledge to always be open to dialogue and forgiveness
I pledge to do my part to create peace for all
I pledge to exercise benevolence and choose kindness in all my dealings with my community
I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
