Khaled Al Ameri is fortunate to be earning Dh26,000 (Emirati public-school teachers 'will quit over work appraisals', July 31). From my knowledge, many teachers in mainstream and special-needs schools in this country are earning less than Dh6,000. I know some special educators who get Dh3,500 a month. With such low income, it is understandable that most teachers quit.
Gaby Priestley, Abu Dhabi
Why should a qualified teacher with a masters or a doctoral degree take less than half the salary she or he can get doing another job?
Being a teacher is hard work. They are educating future, so they should be treated with respect and given proper salaries.
If this issue is not looked into, this country will face a serious shortage of teachers.
Sandra Alsayed, Abu Dhabi
I dream of earning Dh26,000 and I am in the banking sector working more than nine hours a day.
Kristina Margit, Dubai
Expatriates benefit country in many ways
The headline Expats using business loophole to stay in UAE after retirement (July 31) may convey a negative impression about the expatriate community, but this phenomenon is beneficial for the country.
Many expatriates who have been in this country for a long time consider it to be their home with their families and children wanting to settle here. They are ready to invest their lifetime of savings in this country. They feel that the UAE is a safe country to live.
This is the case in most developed countries that encourage expatriates to invest in return for residence visas.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
There ought to be an easier way to stay here in the near future. Business loopholes are not sustainable over the long term – retirement funds ought to be used for retirement and not to try to stay in a country with “rules” that doesn’t benefit anyone.
Carla Botha, US
Bleak prospect for oil recovery
I refer to the report Oil price recovery, Expo 2020 to provide impetus for UAE economic growth, Meed report says (August 1). Unfortunately, oil prices are still falling as some of the production that was temporarily disrupted comes back online. There has been some upward movement in the rig count in the US, but it is nowhere near the pre-2014 level and it's doubtful that it will cross the 500 mark this year.
West Texas Intermediate has moved closer to $40 with Brent not far behind. There is still considerable inventory overhang that impacts the supply side. The chief executive of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation has forecast that prices will increase to $60 in 2017 based on stronger demand.
I think new production will take some time as oil companies slashed their capex budgets by some $300 billion, meaning there was almost no exploration. Deepwater wells will take on average five to six years to develop, so hopefully this will impact the supply side.
Governments of oil producing nations need to take a conservative approach to oil pricing and instead manage public spending very carefully and focus on diversification in the non-oil sector.
Randall Mohammed, Dubai
Reem clamours for a park
Regarding the news report Abu Dhabi's $1bn Reem Mall project set to be built by Al Futtaim Carillion (August 1), I'd hoped for something so much more interesting on Reem Island (which just seems to move from mediocre to dull at a blistering pace). Where's the park, for example? Not a single person living on Reem would like to get out of their homes and take their children to the park? A park where the "community" is supposed to meet, share, innovate, talk?
John Laing, Abu Dhabi
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Jurassic%20Park
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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.”
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Henderson, Pickford, Pope.
Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Dier, Gomez, Keane, Maguire, Maitland-Niles, Mings, Saka, Trippier, Walker.
Midfielders Henderson, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse, Winks.
Forwards Abraham, Barnes, Calvert-Lewin, Grealish, Ings, Kane, Rashford, Sancho, Sterling.
