Zayed Al Katheeri, the first Emirati to win a gold medal as a black belt at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, is confident he can replicate that success at this year's event and says he is ready to take on all comers.
The championship, popularly known as the World Pro, has drawn over 7,000 entries from 127 countries to Mubadala Arena from November 1-10. This year's total prize fund is Dh3 million.
Al Katheeri goes for gold in the men’s 56-kilogram weight division and hopes to use home support to his advantage.
“I’m competing in familiar surroundings and in front of my home fans, I should be more pumped up for the title defence,” Al Katheeri told The National during the launch ceremony of the event on Monday.
“I was thrilled when I won it last year and I’m more confident this time around.
"But I have to be realistic, too. It’s hard to predict the outcomes in this game but I’m fully prepared to take on anyone as I did the last time.”
Also competing is the UAE's most decorated jiu-jitsu athlete, Faisal Al Ketbi, who holds the distinction of taking part in all 14 editions of the World Pro to date.
Al Ketbi is the first Emirati to receive a black belt in jiu-jitsu but has never won a gold medal at black belt. His previous gold medal performances came in blue and brown belts.
Al Katheeri describes his compatriot as a "role model" for others to aspire to and said the entire UAE jiu-jitsu fraternity was rooting for him to win.
“Faisal is an Emirati jiu-jitsu legend and a role model to the emerging generation of fighters,” Al Katheeri said. “The championship is celebrating 15 years and Faisal has competed in all. It will really be great if he can win the title as a black belt. I think the entire jiu-jitsu fraternity will be behind him.”
Julia Alves, 22, returns to the UAE capital to defend her women’s black belt 69kg with the Brazilian looking to round off an impressive 2023.
“Winning it last year for the first time as a black belt was something of a surprise but this time I am contesting as the champion and want to enjoy every moment,” she said.
Alves made a successful debut in the championship by winning gold in the blue belt in 2019 and won bronze in the brown/black in 2021.
“Those visits have been only for the championship and for the prize monies. However, this time I want to spend a little time traveling around the UAE, take photos and fill my bedroom wall as memories.”
The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) said that this year's tournament would be the grandest in its history.
“We celebrate fifteen years of success and excellence that have significantly elevated the global jiu-jitsu landscape,” Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri, vice chairman of the federation and chairman of the Championship Organising Committee, said.
Fahad Al Shamsi, general secretary of the UAEJJF, added: “The fifteenth edition of the championship witnessed a record-breaking level of participation, with an unprecedented number of players from across the globe, representing a 40 per cent increase compared to the previous year."
The championship kicks off with a festival event for kids from aged four to 16 in the first two days, followed by the events for the para division, youth, amateurs, and masters, followed by the elite practitioners for the last three days.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1.600m
Winner: Miller’s House, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Kanood, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gervais, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Important Mission, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Firnas, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Zhou Storm, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
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.
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The most expensive investment mistake you will ever make
When is the best time to start saving in a pension? The answer is simple – at the earliest possible moment. The first pound, euro, dollar or dirham you invest is the most valuable, as it has so much longer to grow in value. If you start in your twenties, it could be invested for 40 years or more, which means you have decades for compound interest to work its magic.
“You get growth upon growth upon growth, followed by more growth. The earlier you start the process, the more it will all roll up,” says Chris Davies, chartered financial planner at The Fry Group in Dubai.
This table shows how much you would have in your pension at age 65, depending on when you start and how much you pay in (it assumes your investments grow 7 per cent a year after charges and you have no other savings).
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Age
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$250 a month
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$500 a month
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$1,000 a month
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25
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$640,829
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$1,281,657
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$2,563,315
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35
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$303,219
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$606,439
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$1,212,877
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45
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$131,596
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$263,191
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$526,382
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55
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$44,351
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$88,702
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$177,403
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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
The finalists
Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho
Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson
Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)
Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid
Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola
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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.”
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