Commuters in Dubai spent an average of 80 hours stuck in traffic in 2018. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National
Commuters in Dubai spent an average of 80 hours stuck in traffic in 2018. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

Feedback

Selfish drivers need to think of others to make roads safer

Our readers have their say about bad driving, Gigi Hadid and Benjamin Netanyahu

Letters to the Editor

November 18, 2018

With reference to your online video Abu Dhabi police release footage of multi-car accident to highlight deadly dangers of reckless driving (November 18), driving habits will not and cannot change until people's attitudes change. Believing that having more money and a bigger vehicle gives one carte blanche to behave any way one likes needs to stop. Only then will these driving habits stop.

This is not unique to here, it is a phenomenon across the globe. I have seen this kind of driving in London, Paris and even in remote locations of the UK and France of late.

We need to respect one another and co-habit peacefully and show kindness. It costs nothing to let another driver in or stop at a zebra crossing.

Tanya Milbourne, Dubai

There are too many people driving too fast, too close. Cut that out and you will prevent a large chunk of accidents.

Neil Squibs, UAE

Bad drivers should be taken off the road altogether. No more options to retrieve your car from being impounded and no more reckless driving with only a monetary penalty issued. Also, it should be made inconvenient for them. Stop them on the roads and make them pay in person.

Issuing fines by text message and letting people pay online is not enough of a deterrent for some of the people who drive this way.

Lisa Kereliuk, Abu Dhabi

People should be educated in schools, where they can learn to drive, get practical lessons and understand the consequences of such driving.

Unless people change their mindsets, such episodes are hard to stop. I wish everyone understood that their driving could destroy someone’s family.

Mohsin Shawl, UAE

Netanyahu is fighting for survival amid political turmoil

Regarding your story Pressure builds on Benjamin Netanyahu to call early elections (November 16), The National's article covering the ongoing crisis in Israel after the resignation of defence minister Avigdor Lieberman was incisive.

Mr Netanyahu might now be pressured to hold early elections. His ruling coalition has been left with a one-seat majority and he is now heavily dependent on finance minister Moshe Kahlon.

Whether his meetings this week to ensure his survival will bring fruitful results remains to be seen.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru

Model Gigi Hadid should be praised for respecting roots

In response to the story I'm as Palestinian as I am Dutch: Gigi Hadid hits back at critics (November 18), in which the model has spoken out against accusations she is not "Arab enough", I think it's nice to see that she is true to her roots.

Hamed Afridi, Pakistan

It actually means a lot that she is making this statement. Kudos to her.

Hayfa AbdulJaber, Abu Dhabi

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

if you go

The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.

The trip 

Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.

Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff

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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.”

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The specs

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Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

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Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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