Gulf Insider September 2016 by Gulf Insider Media

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GCC Review

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Car Reviews Lexus GS F Porsche 718

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How to Win in Business & Life

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Flames at Art Rotana Amwaj Islands GCC Review

Expats in Saudi Arabia hit by new VISA fees Restaurant Review

Big Changes at The Domain

Restaurant Review

ROTI BOTI AT AL AREEN PALACE & SPA Restaurant Review

Flames at Art Rotana Amwaj Islands Hotel Review

Kickstart your weekend at Ramada Hotel & Suites Amwaj Islands Hotel Review

Taqah Health Club & Spa at Ramada Manama City Centre

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30 Experts Reveal Life Secrets

5 Brilliant Interview Questions Telecom Insider

VIVA Cloud Services

Car Insider

Lexus GS F

BMW vs Toyota

Business Events

Bahrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photo history

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Publisher & Editor in Chief - Nicholas C. Cooksey Editorial - Abeer Saeed Parkar

After the long summer, Bahrain is now in full swing! This month we look at… Reviews of some of the most important information in the region Reviews of some of the finest restaurants and hotels in Bahrain The Domain Hotel and Spa, Roti Boti at Al Areen Palace and Spa, Flames from Art Rotana Hotel and Resort, and Citrus at Ramada Hotel & Suites Amwaj Islands. We also checked out the new Taqah Health Club and Spa at Ramada Manama City Centre – and for September offering 15% discount on body massages and treatments! In a word—divine! Starting this month, Gulf Insider has a brand new regular section. Each month we will be publishing 4 pages that reveal brilliant secrets for winning in business and life. The techniques are provided by top international experts. Furthermore, we will often summarize an entire book into a single page so you can learn the essence of their wisdom in minutes instead of hours. We also include our usual Telecom Insider section and independent car reviews (this month - LEXUS GSF and Porsche 718).

Regular Contributors - Hugh Haskell-Thomas - Nicholas Cortes - Bill Daly Guest Contributors - Tariq A. Al Maeena - Rich Hutchinson - Loe Babauta Layout Designs - Dhanraj S Admin & Finance - Nikesh Pola Photography - Shareef Panhatt - Yulia Trubnikova Distribution Executives - Mohammed Yousif - Muhammed Shareef - Rafnaj K P

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Printed at Awal Press, Kingdom of Bahrain. Distribution Bahrain: Al Hilal Corporation, Tel. +973 1748 0800 UAE: Jashanmals, Tel. +971 4341 9757

Arabia’s Intelligent Magazine Established since 2004, Gulf Insider is the multi award winning Arabian business and current affairs magazine that also covers property and expat news, interviews, car reviews, travel features, even a bit of art and fashion.

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How to Win in Business & Life

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BREAKING NEWS: Emirates passenger jet crash lands at Dubai International Airport before bursting into flames on the runway - all take-offs and landings have been suspended.

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The perfect balance between land and sea. Flames Steak and Seafood restaurant showcases the finest in succulent aged steaks and fresh local fish. Dine in style in our intimate restaurant setting or at our scenic outdoor terrace overlooking the dancing fountain. For more information, please call +973 16000111 or email fb.art@rotana.com P. O. Box 50949, Amwaj Islands, Bahrain, T: +973 16000111, art.hotel@rotana.com

GCC Review

British man imprisoned in Dubai over Facebook post A 42-year-old man has spent weeks imprisoned a police station in Dubai after posting a link on his Facebook page to a fundraising campaign run by a US charity. Scott Richards, an economic development adviser who holds both British and Australian citizenship, was arrested on 28 July and charged with fundraising without permission. The post he shared was a link to a campaign by the Zwan Family Charity to raise funds for tarpaulins, blankets, warm clothes and sleeping bags for the inhabitants of a refugee camp in Afghanistan. Under laws introduced in 2015 it is illegal to advertise fundraising campaigns in Dubai without written approval from the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department. Mr Richards’ mother, Penelope Haberfield, told the BBC that his wife is under extreme stress: “She can only take the clothes to him once a week. She takes him money so that he can buy water and extra food. “She’s worried for him, she’s worried for herself because if she runs out of money, will she have to leave the country? She’s frightened for her children.” Radha Stirling from the group Detained in Dubai told Australian broadcaster ABC: “There are constantly expats falling foul of the law (in the United Arab Emirates) and also being victims of other people because it’s so easy in the UAE for an individual to take out a police complaint against someone. “There are so many laws, it’s so different, yet so many expats, but UAE doesn’t make any effort to inform expats. “In a case like this where it’s so obviously unjust we are hoping for diplomatic intervention which the Australian Government has done in the past.” A spokeswoman for the charity said: “Zwan Family Charity has been blessed with supporters and donors all over the world and we urge each of them to please learn the charity laws of your government before you publicly support us.”

Under laws introduced in 2015 it is illegal to advertise fundraising campaigns in Dubai without written approval from the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department.

Gulf Insider September 2016

Expats in Saudi Arabia hit by new visa fees The restructured visa fee for expats, pilgrims and tourists has become a hot topic internationally and has sparked a lot of conversations among residents. For large expat families who have children studying or living abroad the revision has thrown up challenges. “I have three kids studying in India. I used to pay SR200 for each, because they came once a year but now for their exit reentry I have to pay an additional SR1,100. They come during their summer vacation and that is the only time I can even afford to bring them here. Now from SR600 I am going to have to pay SR 3,300 if they are to stay on my iqama (residence permit). If I can’t afford to keep up, I think I will have to give up their iqama,” said Syed AbdulRahman, a salesman in Jeddah. As for multiple trips, the exit re-entry fee will be SR 500 for three months. SR 200 will be charged for each additional month till the validity of residence permit. The change in structure also included a new SR300 transit fee for passengers traveling through Saudi Arabia. “For those of us coming from the US or Canada, we were saving money on routes using stop overs in Saudi Arabia, to go back home. But now my family of five will be paying SR1,500 just for transit. I think the ticket prices might go up,” said Jihan Ahsan, an overseas student living in Canada. Businessmen are worried about the additional cost the increase may incur for expat workers. “It will add cost per employee. I mean SR100 extra if they want to extend their stay. None of the employees here feel it much because the companies are responsible for their travel costs,” said Fahim Ansari, a Saudi businessman in Al-Khobar. (source credit – Saudi Gazette)

GCC Review

70% of UAE residents opt to rent rather than buy Deterrents for expats looking to put down roots by buying property Despite apartment and villa sale prices dropping steadily for 2 years, a recent survey found that just 30 per cent of its UAE residents have bought property here, meaning a sizeable 70 per cent of them are still renting, even though half have resided here for five years or more. This is contrary to more developed and established parts of the world such as the UK, specifically England and Wales, where the figures are the exact opposite, with 64 per cent owning and only 36 per cent renting. With an increasing number of expats staying longer in the UAE, and with rental yields across the country ranging from 6 per cent to 10 per cent for apartments, most people understand the cost of renting for 3 to 5 years could easily cover the deposit. However, according to the survey, conducted by propertyfinder, 70 per cent still rent. The survey factored in responses from 11,000 people across nationality, gender and household income, or about 15 per cent of propertyfinder’s UAE database. The main reason cited for renting as opposed to purchasing homes was affordability concerns. With a combined 69 per cent answering that prices were too high, they couldn’t raise the necessary deposit or they were unable to qualify for the loan amount required to borrow. The number of people staying in the country longer than planned is increasing. 54 per cent ended staying longer than expected and property enquiries on the propertyfinder.ae are the highest they have been since 2014. “It is clear that the want is there, but the high deposit requirements, the fees, the mortgage cap and stringent lending policies, are what’s stopping the market from maturing like its Western counterparts, and if we can overcome these points – I can really see a bright future for the UAE property transaction market,” says Lukman Hajje, propertyfinder Group CCO explains. Introduced in January 2014, the mortgage cap stipulates that expats must put down a minimum of a 25 per cent deposit for

Introduced in January 2014, the mortgage cap stipulates that expats must put down a minimum of a 25 per cent deposit for properties under Dh5 million and 35 per cent above Dh5 million plus the doubling of the Dubai Land Department transfer fees. properties under Dh5 million and 35 per cent above Dh5 million plus the doubling of the Dubai Land Department transfer fees to 4 per cent. The stated aim for this was to help avoid another crash of the sort seen in 2009, when prices fell by 50 per cent to 60 per cent. However, Hajje and his peers believe that today in a market that has been cooling for 2 years, it remains the single biggest obstacle for those hoping to get into the market.

Volleyball in a hijab = a culture clash? The pictures of Egypt’s women’s beach volleyball team playing Germany at the Rio 2016 Olympics swept the internet, but while some people focused on what divided the players, others focused on what united them. Various Western media called it a “culture clash”, a “a massive cultural divide” between “the cover-ups” and “the cover-nots” - and as being not “massive” but “colossal”. Various Western media called it a “culture clash”, a “a massive cultural divide” between “the cover-ups” and “the cover-nots” - and as being not “massive” but “colossal”. 16

Gulf Insider September 2016

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GCC Review

Alternatively, “Hijab vs bikini thing aside, how much of a ‘culture clash’ is it really if you are both playing women’s beach volleyball at the Olympics?” tweeted columnist Ben Machell. A “culture clash” is defined in the Oxford dictionaries as “conflict or discord resulting from the interaction of (two) different cultures”. There was none of this on display on the Copacabana beach, though the reaction on social media might be described as “culture shock” - “the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes”. Up until the 2012 Olympics female volleyball players were obliged to wear bikinis (with the lower part no more than 7cm from top to bottom at the hip) or a one-piece swimming costume - a rule which some regarded as a transparent attempt to make the sport sexy. The Australian Sports Commission complained that the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), the sport’s governing body, had “introduced uniforms intentionally to focus attention on the athletes’ bodies rather than for any technological, practical or performance-enhancing reasons”. But since 2012 the rules have allowed women to wear shorts, long-sleeve shirts and body suits. Egypt’s Doaa Elghobashy, however, is the first Olympian beach volleyball player to wear a hijab as well though, thanks

Up until the 2012 Olympics female volleyball players were obliged to wear bikinis.

to a last-minute concession from the FIVB just in time for the Rio Olympics. “I have worn the hijab for 10 years,” Elghobashy said. “It doesn’t keep me away from the things I love to do, and beach volleyball is one of them.” Her partner, Nada Meawad, chose to play bare-headed. Two tweets, among others, stirred a furious debate. Andrew Stroehlein of Human Rights Watch tweeted the picture with the caption “What’s wrong with this picture? (Hint: nothing)”. Plenty of people replied to say they disagreed. Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia Foundation, meanwhile, asked which of the athletes were dressing closer to how they would actually prefer to dress, adding “Not obvious”. Some of those who replied to the post had a problem with women wearing the hijab at all - others had a problem with the idea of a sport where the woman’s body is part of the spectacle. The men’s volleyball outfit, by the way, falls somewhere in between the bodysuit and the bikini - it’s a singlet with shorts.

Poor behavior of Saudi travelers deplored A number of Saudis have expressed their anguish over the shameful and irresponsible behavior of some compatriots, when they visit foreign countries, giving a bad name to the Kingdom and its people. At least 4.5 million Saudi tourists take at least one holiday each year and they spend as much as six times as Western holidaymakers, according to statistics published in local media. “Some Saudis think that they have the freedom to do anything when they are outside Saudi Arabia. This attitude is ridiculous,” said one Saudi, who requested anonymity. Al-Madina contacted frequent Saudi travelers to highlight this important issue as part of its efforts to educate Saudi tourists and students and inform them how their irresponsible behavior affects the image of their country, reputation of its people and their religious faith. “We have noticed a considerable increase in shameful activities by Saudi students and tourists abroad,” said one Saudi tourist who spent his summer vacation in London. He said a large number of Saudis had visited the British capital this summer, compared to previous years. 18

Gulf Insider September 2016

“It’s unfortunate that some of our tourists do not respect the country’s rules and regulations as well as its culture and traditions. I have witnessed several instances of unbecoming and unacceptable behavior by Saudis at public parks, shopping centers, restaurants and hotels,” he added. Rawiya Abdul Fattah, a bank cashier, said the bad behavior of Saudis abroad was disgusting. “These foolish people think that everybody has the same brain and mentality,” she said. She spoke about an embarrassing incident she had at a reputable restaurant in France. “When we visited the restaurant for lunch the owner stopped us and said you are not welcome. He was very angry because of the bad experience he had from a Saudi customer.” The owner then decided not to allow any Saudis to avoid similar problems in the future.

GCC Review

“Some Saudis think that they have the freedom to do anything when they are outside Saudi Arabia.”

“I talked to the owner and was able to convince him that there are such people in every society,” Abdul Fattah told AlMadina. Samir Al-Ali, a government employee, spoke about another bitter experience. He has seen some Saudis harassing women including Saudis while in foreign countries. “These people think they can do anything abroad making use

of the newfound freedom. This is shameful.” Mohammed Omar, director general of Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, said such deplorable activities take place not only abroad but also inside the Kingdom. He referred to the destructive activities of some Saudis at Jeddah Corniche, which has been developed into an international tourist destination, spending millions of riyals. “Society should take up the responsibility of enlightening young Saudi men and women on how to behave properly inside and outside the Kingdom, giving a good picture of Saudi culture and traditions and enhancing the Kingdom’s international reputation,” he added. (source credit – Saudi Gazette)

Bahrain activist calls for murder charges against street racers Anyone who endangers the life of another by racing on street or performing illegal car stunts should be considered guilty of murder, a prominent social activist opined. “Youngsters taking racing to the streets has been a longstanding menace, and it will not go away unless tougher laws are passed,” social activist Salman Nasser said. Though the traffic law enforced last year has been a step in the right direction, more needs to be done to ensure road safety, he added. “The existing law does criminalise such behaviour, but I think the punishments should be more harsh. I believe those who cause such accidents should be considered guilty of murder,” he noted. He warned that the recent fatal crash, during an illegal car stunt show, should be seen as a wake-up call. Some of the Western countries have already introduced laws to incriminate such people. In USA alone, at least two people have been asked to stand trial this year in connection with street racing crashes that eventually led to deaths. “The issue is not only about the traffic rules, it is also about spreading awareness,” he said.

Gulf Insider September 2016

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GCC Review

Over 76,000 illiterate Saudis have government jobs There are a total of 76,459 illiterate Saudi men and women who have worked for the government for more than 15 years, a government

report said. The report said the number of the illiterate men came down from 97,070 in 2012 to 69,961 in 2013 while the number of illiterate women went up from 5,791 in 2012 to 6,498 the following year. The report said the number of Saudi employees in various sectors with various educational qualifications stood at 47,17,127 between the years 2012 an 2013 while the number of men working with secondary school certificates was 13,09,916 in 2012. According to the report, the number of men working with secondary school certificates or their equivalent increased to 14,89,291 in 2013. The report said the number of women working with secondary school certificates stood at 79,515 in 2013 with an increase of 4,000 women over the previous year. The men who worked for more than 15 years with university degrees were 848,343 in 2012 which went up to 922,485 in 2013 while women working with the same qualifications were 413,797 in 2012 but went up to 477,468 the next year. According to the report, men with PhD degrees who worked for the government for 15 years or more were 20,171 in 2012 which increased to 29,142 in 2013. The women with PhDs were 7,416 in 2012 but they decreased to 4,465 in 2013. Nasser Al-Ghifari, an economist, said the present position of the employment scale from the the aspect of education and service years is considered reasonable but it will not be acceptable in the coming years. “Educational certificates will not be the sole prerequisites for employment in the years to come but there should be rigorous training and rehabilitation,” he said. Ghifari said the Hafiz indicator has revealed that the majority of Saudi men and women looking for jobs were holders of the secondary school certificates. He blamed the educational systems for this because they did not direct the students to the correct specializations and fields of study. (source credit – Saudi Gazette)

The majority of Saudi men and women looking for jobs were holders of the secondary school certificates.

Gulf Insider September 2016

Doha named among world’s unfriendliest tourist cities Doha has been named as one of the world’s unfriendliest cities for tourists, according to a new survey by Condé Nast Traveller. The Qatari capital was ranked 10th, with visitors describing the city as “ugly” and its traffic as “horrible”. The survey results also revealed that tourists described Doha’s men as “rude” although the city’s new airport was singled out for praise. The criticism comes as a report noted that Qatar hotel revenues dropped by 17.8 percent over the year to April, and occupancy rates plummeted by 64 percent. According to figures from DTZ’s Q2 Qatar Market Report, almost 5,000 hotel keys have been added to Qatar’s stock over the past 18 months and the additional supply has started to impact performance in the second quarter of 2016. The Condé Nast Traveller’s list ranked the US city of Newark in New Jersey as the most unfriendly with one reader describing it as “one of the saddest looking cities I have ever seen”. A total of 128,000 readers took part in the survey during the last year. Newark replaced last year‘s top ranked city Caracas, while the Mexican city of Tijuana ranked second most unfriendly globally. In contrast, the South Carolina city of Charlestown was named the world’s friendliest city. Charleston knocked Australia’s Sydney from the top spot it held for the previous two years while no Middle Eastern cities made the most friendliest list. (source credit - Arabian Business)

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GCC Review

Qatar rents ‘fall by 10-20%’ in prime areas Summer lull and ‘expat exodus’ to blame for decline, while rents hold up in more affordable areas, according to report

Bahraini drivers cause majority of accidents The latest statistics about the traffic accidents in the country have blamed Bahraini drivers as they caused majority of the road accidents last year. According to a report published by the General Directorate of Traffic, about 66.46pc of the accidents in the Kingdom were caused by Bahraini drivers. “Indian nationals caused 253 accidents (9.97 pc), Pakistanis 135 (5.32 pc), Bangladeshis 168 (6.58 pc) and Saudi nationals 87 (3.43 pc),” it revealed. “People in Bahrain generally tend to pass the buck on expatriates in most accident cases. They also claim that expats are bad drivers. However, latest statistics revealed that 1,686 (66.46 pc) accidents last year were caused when Bahrainis were behind the wheel,” Traffic Culture Director Lt. Col Osama Bahar at General Directorate of Traffic was quoted as saying by Interior Ministry’s publication Al Amn. “Only 210 people of other nationalities were behind the wheel when road accidents involving them occurred,” he noted, adding: “We have several awareness programmes, which are being implemented and these will make a difference.” He also said that men caused more accidents than women drivers. “Last year, 809 male drivers (75.19 pc) and 267 (24.81 pc) female drivers involved in accidents. Around 266 men were seriously injured compared to 34 women while 506 men and 267 women sustained minor injuries,” he explained. According to him, the newly installed hi-tech cameras have been effective in detecting traffic violations. “We have been able to detect major violations, especially those over speeding and using mobile phones while driving,” he said. “Within one month after the cameras being activated, 66 drivers had been referred to the Public Prosecution for over speeding while 17 other violators were referred to traffic violations section for legal action,” the official added. (source credit - DT News Network)

66.46pc

of the accidents in the Kingdom were caused by Bahraini drivers.

Gulf Insider September 2016

A combination of oversupply and low demand has led to rental declines of between 10 and 20% in Qatar’s high-end residential property market, a Doha-based daily said. While villas and flats in the middle segment have also become cheaper, affordable housing units, including those offered in partitioned villas, have not seen a significant fall in rents due to stable demand, according to a report in The Peninsula, quoting industry sources. The daily attributed the decline in rents to the seasonal lull in the market during summer, coupled with the exit of several expatriate professionals from the country, who have lost their jobs in recent months. Many expatriate families have also left the country recently, the report added. “There is a decline in rents in the residential sector by 10 to 20%. Currently about 9,000 housing units are vacant, awaiting customers. There is oversupply in the market and demand is low,” Qatari real estate expert Khalifa Al Maslamani told the paper. A villa that was earlier rented out at QR15,000 ($4120) a month is available now at QR11,000, he was quoted as saying. However, affordable housing units, falling in the QR3,500-QR4,000 range, have not seen any noticeable decline in rents, Al Maslamani added. Despite an ongoing crackdown on partitioned villas, such facilities exist in the market and are in high demand as they cater to the low- and middle-income segments, including single workers, the report said. With the current supply-demand equation, it is difficult for landlords to impose a further hike in rents in new tenancy contracts, Al Maslamani added. (source credit – ME Construction News)

Restaurant Review

The Domain Hotel and Spa gets a fresh facelift with the help of three extraordinary people.

T Big Changes at

the Domain

he Domain Hotel and Spa is the 5-star boutique hotel that opened in 2013 in the Diplomatic Area of Manama. Its 100 rooms have a contemporary vibe and boast breath-taking views of the city and Bahrain Bay. Suites add amenities such as bathrooms with wraparound windows, Jacuzzis and seating. A luxurious, upgraded suite provides butler service and a baby grand piano! The property offers five unique restaurants and bars, including Italian- and Asianinspired eateries. There is also a gym, a Himalayan salt-stone sauna, a rooftop, an infinity pool and a relaxation spa. In terms of food, you get a variety of options in the Domain. Drew Blackwell, the food and beverage project manager, told us that people eat with their eyes and so the food created at the hotel aims at covering all the senses. The presentation of the food, the atmosphere, the ingredients used, are all part of the full experience. Chad Cloete, the hotel’s sommelier, says, “One of the most important things in this industry is reputation.” He believes it is built by the customers’ finding consistency in their experience as a whole, which includes the food, service and presentation. The two are joined by O.M.D. Rukmal Samaraseka, Executive Senior Sous Chef at the Domain Hotel and Spa with more than 10 years of experience in culinary. He has worked at some of the most renowned hotels and restaurants in Dubai, Italy and Bahrain. He has participated in cooking competitions in Dubai and has won several gold medals. Together, the powerhouse of three have worked at revamping The Domain’s most renowned restaurants starting with:

Chad Cloete 26

Gulf Insider September 2016

Restaurant Review

Le Sauvage Le Sauvage is a grillroom with an open kitchen, serving curated cuts of meat and classic French side dishes. Le Sauvage will be reconceptualised, bringing in a new menu, a refined steakhouse and a gastronomy of quality food.

Imari Restaurant Imari restaurant has a dedicated following with the Japanese community in Bahrain. It already serves authentic Japanese cuisine; now a DJ for Asian deep house music has been introduced. The managers are also working on a new project that will include an art dinner, cookery classes, a chef’s table, wine

One of the most important things in this industry is reputation. He believes it is built by the customers’ finding consistency in their experience. pairing, comedy nights, movie nights and a once-a-month—the last Saturday of every month— bubbly breakfast. A membership card that will provide the members with full advantages and reduced prices for what the restaurants have to offer will also be introduced. Uncomplicated yet profound, classy yet also very unpretentious; this hotel is beginning to have a solid reputation among hip urbanites. The fact that it is located right smack in the business district, makes it an endearing facet of city life. Have a look and maybe stay the weekend. It’s the most fun you can have within the city.

For reservations: The Domain Hotel and Spa , Tel: +973 1600 0000 Drew Blackwell Gulf Insider September 2016

Restaurant Review

Roti Boti

at Al Areen Palace & Spa Newly opened Roti Boti will offer authentic Indian cuisines from all regions of the sub-continent – north, south, west, central… and east.

ast month Gulf Insider had the pleasure of visiting the latest addition to Bahrain’s fine dining scene, which was officially opened on 10th August by India’s ambassador to Bahrain. The restaurant is classic in design with arched pillars leading up to high ceilings. There’s also outdoor seating where guests can enjoy shisha and it overlooks the main courtyard of the hotel. Executive Sous Chef Janardan Das and Food and Beverage Manager Simon Gomes aim to introduce hotel guests 28

Gulf Insider September 2016

and Bahrain’s residents to the full range of India’s cuisines. We spoke with Chef Das, who discussed with us his passion for Indian food from all the regions, the history of various dishes, and how many people around the world only associate Indian cuisine with curries when there is so much more available. He also said there are six taste sensations recognized by the tongue and his dishes combine to appeal to all of them. Despite his passion for authentic Indian cooking Chef Das tells us he

is very aware that often dishes must cater for different local tastes. For example, he says he is aware people in Bahrain generally have a lower tolerance for spices and so he takes this into consideration in his cooking. But more adventurous diners will have their senses and taste buds rewarded. A diner from the night before had just sent a text describing the lamb dish he had been served the night before as ‘mindblowing’. Roti Boti plans to soon host quarterly events and workshops that will introduce

Restaurant Review

One of the Gulf Insider team dining at Roti Boti had previously confessed that she did not enjoy Indian food and rarely ate it. After our meal she announced she had changed her mind and even put up a post on her private Facebook page that evening saying so!

different regional Indian delicacies for diners. These will be offered with varied new dining experiences and also include live music from each region in focus. For those who wish to ‘go deeper’, cooking classes and workshops will also be offered; so if you loved the meal, you can also learn how to cook it using the unique methods and ingredients of the region. Another plan is to introduce new concepts based on traditional themes, such as preparing Kulfi (traditional Indian ice cream) with liquid nitrogen. It will be called “Smoking Kulfi”. Everything we ate was mouthwateringly delicious. Before we even took our first bites we were first enticed by the fragrance of each dish served, then by its appealing presentation, and finally before raising the food to our mouths, we’d notice, for example, the way the knife would cut through the buttered chicken breast as if it were butter. Interestingly, one of the Gulf Insider team dining at Roti Boti had previously confessed that she did not enjoy Indian food and rarely ate it. After our meal she announced she had changed her mind and even put up a post on her private Facebook page that evening saying so!

To make a reservation call +973 17 84 50 00/01 (closed on Mondays) www.alareenpalace.com

WHAT WE ATE:urgh Malai Tikka M and Appetizers: ckled onion pi ith w ed serv lime pickle. hicken e: Butter C Main Cours chas, ul K ed ff Stu served with Bir yani Chicken Dum ishti Doi Dessert: M

Gulf Insider September 2016

Restaurant Review

Flames

at Art Rotana – Amwaj Islands Flames is one of Art Rotana’s signature restaurants specializing in prime quality steaks and seafood. This was our first visit. It will not be our last.

lames is sophisticated yet still manages to feel cozy, probably due to the way it is gently partitioned by curtains, the lighting, and the warm décor. The subtle yet slightly energetic background music adds to a general feeling of wellbeing. Of course the great service also plays its part! There’s a close attention to detail and presentation throughout. The open kitchen at Flames is also impressive – make a point of checking it out for yourself when you visit. We visited on a midweek evening and were honored that Frebin Francis, Flames Specialty Restaurant Manager, personally serviced our table. He guided us through the menu in a way that was helpful and not at all intrusive. We were

Gulf Insider September 2016

After experiencing the wonderful tastes of what we had ordered – everything was delicious - we’d say the menu, filled as it is with so many tantalizing sounding dishes, is an excellent advertisement to make people keep returning.

impressed by his expertise, and not only does he know every single detail about every single dish and cocktail offered on the menu, but he was also great company. All the other staff we met that evening were also efficient and friendly. We take service for granted in the GCC, but Flames seems to go further. We were seated near the window looking out towards the hotel’s dancing fountain that came alive every hour with water shooting into the air in time to music and lights. At weekends the show is more frequent – the dancing fountain does its show every half hour. Other tables have great views of the Marina. I strongly recommend you ask to be seated at one of these tables when you visit so you can enjoy the great views. That is unless you want privacy in which case there are several intimate booth tables that you

Restaurant Review

can choose from to enjoy a romantic meal or private conversation. There’s also outdoor seating that will be nice when the weather cools down. Both of us had trouble deciding what to order, not because there was nothing on the menu that attracted us, but because there was just so much. The menu is really great. I mean that it is really - REALLY - great! There are so many delicious sounding treats that we felt like trying. After experiencing the wonderful tastes of what we had ordered – everything was delicious - we’d say the menu, filled as it is with so many tantalizing sounding dishes, is an excellent advertisement to make people keep returning. We will certainly be returning.

We were seated near the window looking out towards the hotel’s dancing fountain. Other tables have views of the Marina. I recommend you ask to be seated at one of these tables when you visit, unless you want privacy in which case there are intimate booth tables you can choose from.

For more info and to make reservations call: +973 16 000 111

WHAT WE ATE:

e Martini s Manhattan- Signatur Drinks: Smoked Flame (Cocktail) ep nt Julep- Signature Jul (Cocktail), Georgia Mi . ne wi ont Italy- Red Barbera BBQ, Piedm ir shells Truffle burgundy snails in the Starters: Oven baked om tomatoes irlo He se ee , Buratta Ch Fries with parmesan and olive salad. lime marination)od Mix Platter (Chili Main Course: Seafo of the day US ch cat ght squids and tiger prawns, wild cau potatoes, ed sh ma th wi m, tite 200g Angus Tenderloin pe blue cheese sauce. rlic and thyme. mushrooms with ga Sides: Sauteed wild Gulf Insider September 2016

Hotel Review

Kickstart Your Weekend at Ramada Hotel & Suites Amwaj Islands

Enjoy eclectic seafood delicacies, delectable brunches, Moroccan cuisine and much more at Ramada Hotel & Suites Amwaj Islands.

elebrate the weekend with family and friends at Citrus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; All day dining, a sophisticated international restaurant, located at the ground floor of Ramada Hotel & Suites Amwaj Islands. Citrus offers a wide array of European, Indian and Far Eastern cuisine. The restaurant serves breakfast buffet comprising of international cuisine with an Arabic touch. For dinner, specialty cuisine dinner buffet with a different theme is prepared for the guests. Dive into the treasures of the sea! Calling all seafood lovers to feast on a wide selection of seafood delights, every Thursday from 7pm to 11pm. BD 12++ for adults, BD 6++ for kids 6-12 years old, free for kids under 6 years old. Start your weekend with a truly international buffet at Citrus - All day

Gulf Insider September 2016

For the health conscious guests, the Lounge situated at the Mezzanine floor serves beverages and healthy options for eating. dining restaurant. Enjoy a laid back, refreshing Friday with a succulent brunch coupled with warm and friendly ambience thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just perfect for a weekend. The best value brunch with live cooking stations and kids entertainment from noon- 4pm. BD 12++ for adults, BD 6++ for kids from 6-12 years old, free for

children under 6 years old. Enchant your palate and elevate your senses by dining at Flavours of Morocco. The fine dining roof top restaurant at the hotel offers Moroccan cuisine, which is a delicate blend of oriental aromatic flavours. The restaurant is open from 12.30pm to 3pm for lunch & 7pm to midnight for dinner. For the health conscious guests, the Lounge situated at the Mezzanine floor serves beverages and healthy options for eating. Enjoy the richness of quality in every bite of pastries, savouries, confectionary, salads and sandwiches; also available for take away. Open from 11am to 11pm daily.

For reservations, call +973 1600 0099 or email at dining@ramada-manama-amwaj.com

Hotel Review

Taqah Health Club & Spa at Ramada Manama City Centre De-stress your muscles with an invigorating massage at the Taqah Health Club & Spa.

hether you are on a holiday or need a break from your hectic schedule, treat yourself to a relaxation therapy at Taqah Health Club & Spa at the Ramada Manama City Centre. Located in the heart of the Seef district, Taqah Health Club & Spa offers a rejuvenating experience for everyone with its comprehensive set of massages, skin treatments and healthy therapies. The newly appointed Health and Spa Incharge, Antoinette Fernandez has more than 15 years of experience and is

Gulf Insider September 2016

a specialist when it comes to revitalising the guests with the help of various spa treatments. She has a team of therapists to take care of individual needs. Antoinette told us that they will be introducing new massages and treatments to entice the guests. A 15% discount on body massages and treatments will be offered for the month of September. Talking about the Taqah Spa rooms, soft lights, scented candles and peaceful ambiance will set you in the relaxation mode. There are separate spa rooms

for men and women, plus they offer the opportunity to take pleasure in sharing the ultimate experience of couple massage treatment with someone special. Ideal for a honeymoon couple! Detox your body with a sauna and steam bath. For those who like working out, the club has separate gym rooms for men as well as for women on the 9th floor. The location of the gym is perfect; it allows you to achieve your body goal with a sensational sea view. Guests can indulge in special treatments at the Taqah Heath Club

Hotel Review

There are separate spa rooms for men and women, plus they offer the opportunity to take pleasure in sharing the ultimate experience of couple massage treatment & Spa. Antoinette told us about the Taqah signature massage that includes a wonderful hammam or Turkish bath followed by a relaxation massage. Another special treatment is the AntiCellulite Massage that reduces cellulite on the body. The oils used in this massage are very effective and carefully chosen to stimulate the skin. There are a lot of other massages like Deep Tissue Thai massage, Sports massage, Hot Stone massage among others that are sure to soothe your mind, body and soul. Since its summers, you can also chill out at the rooftop pool after your workout

Antoinette Fernandez session. Antoinette is planning to come up with a snack bar by the pool side so that after a cool dip in the pool, guests can enjoy some lip-smacking snacks and drinks. If you are tired from the mundane and demanding schedule, pay a visit to the Taqah Health Club & Spa. The divine spa experience will leave you rejuvenated ready to take on the world once again!

Taqah Health Club & Spa is open daily from 10am - 10pm. For appointments or inquiries, call Tel. +973 1710 4028 Gulf Insider September 2016

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

NEW!

2. Take control - While it’s easy to be

Part 1

How to Win in Business and Life Every month Gulf Insider publish 4 pages that reveal brilliant secrets for winning in business and life. The techniques are provided by top international experts and we will often summarize an entire book into a single page so you can learn the essence of their wisdom in minutes instead of hours. This month we reveal how to make yourself work harder, 5 brilliant interview questions, 5 traits all successful people share, the 2 things you must control to succeed, 10 tips to double your productivity (in 14 days), and how NOT to be manipulated! Take the time to learn what we reveal each month and you will be rewarded a thousand times over!

7 Ways To Make Yourself Work Harder

1.Convince yourself you want to do it - One of the

easiest things you can do to motivate yourself is to think of the work you’re about to do as not being so hard, after all, and picture how good you will feel once your work is done. Make hard look easy. Gulf Insider September 2016

3. Surround yourself with other people who are working hard -

In order to pursue your goals with everything you have, it’s helpful to be around other people who are working just as hard. Whether it’s coworkers who inspire you on the job or a group of like-minded friends you meet up with afterwards, it’s important to have peers who push you to succeed.

4. Break up your tasks into smaller tasks - Break your hard work into

component parts; it makes it easier to see where the obstacles are so you can be prepared to overcome them – and pat yourself on the back when you complete them. Small wins can appear incremental and trivial, but they boost inner work life tremendously and can accumulate into big breakthroughs.

5. Stay focused - It’s difficult to

ven people who love their jobs often have trouble pushing themselves to work at their highest capabilities. Here’s a few proven techniques to get the very best out of yourself:

overwhelmed by various personal and professional responsibilities, you can help yourself stay focused by keeping in mind that, at the very least, you are in control of your own actions, so make sure to own every moment.

motivate yourself to keep working if you’re not able to concentrate on the task at hand. Limit your exposure to outside distractions by letting people know you won’t always be available to immediately respond to texts, emails etc. Make it clear to people when you will be available for ad hoc requests and when you aren’t.

6. Remember “why”- Nothing is more motivating than reminding yourself why you’re doing the work in the first place. It’s crucial that you remain in touch with what inspires you. You hear a lot in business about connecting to a ‘vision’ — the ‘why’ of that company. The vision is how the company wants to be positioned. You can set the same standard for yourself.

7. Stay positive - Do what you need to do accomplish your goals, regardless of what others might say about you. Don’t see the success of other people and get down on yourself. Focus on your

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

strengths, rather than dwelling on your weaknesses. Building self-esteem is about finding out what your strengths are and then developing and building on them.

5 Brilliant Interview Questions

Successful people all share these 5 traits

By Mitch Rothschild, CEO of Vitals

othschild says everyone has an “interview face” and that his goal is to get candidates to “drop it”. He does this by asking a specific set of questions. He usually starts by asking; “Can you give me a tour of your life?” Then; ‘Tell me three things about how you define yourself,’ and, ‘When you’re not at work, what do you do two standard deviations better than anybody else?’”. He explains that he wants to know what they’re good at, what they love about it, and get them talking about their passion. Next, to find out if they’re comfortable with change, he asks: “What am I not going to like about you in 90 days?” and “What do you think you’re not going to like about me?” “I want to know what makes people crazy at work,” he says. Then, to help him understand the candidate’s aspirations, Rothschild asks: “If this interview were reversed and you were interviewing me and you had 16 different job offers to choose from, what would you be looking for from me?” Finally, he asks; “What percentage of your life do you control?” “This is always a winner as it helps me understand how they feel about the world out there. Can you force change to happen, or will change happen to you? As a small company, we have to change the environment, so I want people to say a high number.”

ery successful people tend to have a pretty consistent combination of five traits. If you lack any one of them, it doesn’t mean you won’t be successful — after all, there’s a multitude of ways one can arrive at success. But if you can identify with all of them, then you are already a person who’s achieved or about to achieve great success. Here are the five traits that all successful people have in common:

1. They are good at execution.

Bright ideas are a dime a dozen. Not to belittle the creation process, but what makes a person successful is not so much the idea as whether he or she can carry that idea to fruition. Most people daydream about their big business idea — very few are actually willing to put the sweat equity into making it happen.

2. They have a chip on their shoulder.

This may sound negative. It doesn’t have to be. Many warm, engaging, optimistic entrepreneurs are partly motivated by a common chip on their shoulders — the need to prove someone or something wrong.

3. They are good decision makers.

Successful chief executives and entrepreneurs are able to make decisions quickly and move on. Not every decision will be the right one, but if you’re moving quickly, you’ll

have a better chance of rectifying a bad decision than if you missed your chance entirely.

4. They give a lot.

I’m not talking about giving money, though there are plenty of successful people who give away plenty of money. Successful people tend to think a lot about others — what they can do to give their clients, customers, employees; what they can do to enhance the lives of those around them. Givers get an immense amount of satisfaction knowing they’re elevating the people around them — it makes them feel good. This means that their focus is often outside of themselves, which goes a long way in business, where relationships count.

5. They’re highly disciplined.

To be ultra-successful requires an immense amount of focus and discipline, especially in the face of hardship. This doesn’t mean successful people don’t have fun or can’t relax — quite the contrary. Many indulge in quirky hobbies or sports and still get to spend time with their families. It just means that once successful people lock on a goal, they are relentless in achieving it. Do you possess any of these traits? Hopefully you can identify with at least one of these traits. The others can be learned or honed. Keep these in mind as you build and grow to your full potential.

Gulf Insider September 2016

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

The Two Things You Can and Must Control To Succeed By Mike Brooks, Internationally acclaimed Sales Trainer

o here’s the scene: Large corporate sales convention in the company’s training center; over 250 sales reps flown in from all over the region; Sales directors, V.P.s, sales managers all running around stressing over the schedule, quotas, current sales, etc. I’m speaking to the entire group (owners, board members in the audience, too), and after the training portion of my presentation, I ask the question that gets the managers and directors to shift uneasily in their seats: “What are the two most important determining factors in making sales and exceeding quotas?” The reps raise their hands and start firing away, “Leads,” “The economy,” “The price of the product,” “Territory,” they yell out. The managers and directors are now sweating, and the owners and board members look irritated and even a little angry. “While those things all play a part, the problem with them is that you have no control over them. So for that reason alone, they don’t qualify as being the most important things.” I tell them. “There are only two things you CAN control and those happen to be the most important factors affecting your success. And they always will be,” I say. “And what are those two things? Your

Gulf Insider September 2016

attitude and your actions. Everything else flows from those two things. And the good news is that both of those things are directly under your control and when you learn to develop and maintain an expectant and enthusiastic attitude, and you take smart, consistent actions, you will always get the results you plan for.” After I delivered this (and the rest of my talk), the managers and directors, V.P.’s and owners were all smiles. And so were the Top 20%. And that’s because they know the truth. Ask any top performer this question, and you will get the same answer, albeit, in a different way. Some will say it’s their training regiment; others will say it’s their mental preparation, and still others will attribute their success to visualizing a win. But it all comes down to the same thing. A winner will always take 100% responsibility for their results, while the other 80% will blame it on things outside their control. And that’s why winners will always eventually win, and the rest of the players will lose and make excuses. It’s like my friend Jeffrey Gitomer once said, “Your boss can’t stop you; your coworkers can’t stop you; your territory can’t stop you; the economy can’t stop you. Only YOU can permanently stop

you.” (I’m paraphrasing, but that’s the gist of it.) In today’s economy especially, it’s crucially important that you feed, develop, and maintain a positive, expectant attitude. Things will change, and they WILL get better. What are you doing right now to set that up and succeed then as well as NOW? What extra actions are you taking right now to ensure your success? Are you working harder AND smarter? Are you coming in early and leaving late? Are you going that extra mile every day? The bottom line is that if you focus on and take care of your attitude and your actions, you will not only be fine, but you’ll do even better than last year. That was a message all 250 sales reps needed to hear, and I know that 20% of them already knew it and were already practicing it. How about you?

Don’t be manipulated One of the world’s foremost experts on crime reveals 7 telltale signs when someone is trying to manipulate you.

avin de Becker is one of the world’s foremost experts on manipulation. He’s written four books and is most famous for his best-seller “The Gift of Fear,” where he describes seven tell-tale signs to watch out for when someone is trying to control you.

1. Forced teaming - De Becker

calls forced teaming one of the most sophisticated manipulations. You can clearly identify it when a stranger conjures a shared experience with you where none exists by using the pronouns “we” and “us” in phrases like “Now we’ve done it” or “We’re some team.” Criminals use it to get closer to their victims by creating the illusion that you’re both in the same boat. Moreover, most people are reluctant to deflect

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

forced teaming because it’s difficult to do so without seeming rude. This only adds to the criminal’s advantage.

2. Typecasting - Typecasting is a

technique con artists generally use to get someone’s full attention. It always involves a slight insult, de Becker writes, that is easy to refute. For example, a man tells a woman that she’s probably too snobbish to talk to him. She could easily prove him wrong by sparking a conversation, but the best defense against typecasting is to ignore the remark entirely because acknowledging it is exactly what the typecaster wants.

3. Charm and niceness - Charm is always a tool people use to attain a certain goal, according to de Becker. Most charmers aren’t a threat, but many criminals will use charm to deceive you of their harmful intentions. A good defense, which helps you see around the charmer for who they really are, is to consciously tell yourself: “’This person is trying to charm me,’” as opposed to, ‘this person is charming,’”.

4. Too many details - Every con, big or small, relies on one thing: distracting you from the obvious. One of the most obvious facts in a questionable situation is when you’re approached by a stranger. De Becker says that often times criminals will converse with their victims a little too much, feeding them too many details about false experiences in order to distract their victims from the obvious fact that the person doesn’t know them at all. Moreover, the reason criminals give too many details is a telling sign of

their malintent: “When people are telling the truth, they don’t feel doubted, so they don’t feel the need for additional support in the form of details. When people lie, however, even if what they say sounds credible to you, it doesn’t sound credible to them, so they keep talking,”.

5. Unsolicited promises - Always be

suspicious of a stranger who says “I promise.” Promises are “the very hollow instruments of speech,” according to de Becker, because they do nothing more than reveal someone’s attempt to convince you of something. Whenever someone gives you an unsolicited promise, defend yourself by thinking: “You’re right, I am hesitant about trusting you, and maybe with good reason”.

6. Loan sharking - Loan sharking is a

technique con artists use to get you in their debt. They’ll do something for you, but will expect a greater favor in return. Most people are not criminals and might simply want to help, de Becker says, but just to be safe listen to your intuition and look out for other signals that suggests this person might not be as generous as they want you to think.

7. Discounts the word “No” - De

Becker says that ignoring the word “no” is the most universally significant signal that you should not trust this person. “Declining to hear ‘no’ is a signal that someone is either seeking control or refusing to relinquish it,” de Becker writes later adding that, “If you let someone talk you out of the word ‘no’, you might as well wear a sign that reads, ‘You are in charge.’”

10 Tips to Double Your Productivity In 14 Days By Robin Sharma, Internationally acclaimed motivational speaker and author of the #1 bestseller The Leader Who Had No Title 1. Focus on doing your most important work.

2. Work in 90 minute cycles (tons of

science is now confirming that this is the optimal work to rest ratio). 3. Don’t check your email first thing in the morning. 4. Take one day a week as a complete recovery day, to refuel and regenerate (that means no email, no phone calls and zero work). You need full recovery one day a week otherwise you’ll start depleting your capabilities. 5. The data says workers are interrupted every 11 minutes. Distractions destroy productivity. Learn to protect your time and say no to interruptions. 6. Schedule every day of your week every Sunday morning. A plan relieves you of the torment of choice (said novelist Saul Bellow). It restores focus and provides energy. 7. Work in blocks of time. Creative geniuses all had 2 things in common: when they worked they were fully engaged and when they worked, they worked with this deep concentration for long periods of time. 8. Invest in your professional development so you bring more value to the hours you work. 9. Touch paper just once. 10. Keep a “Stop Doing List”.

Stay Productive and Make Your Work Matter!

Gulf Insider September 2016

Opinion

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Each month we putt a legal problem to legal consultant Ali Al Jabal to answer.

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Problem: I took a personal loan from a neighbor and we both signed a written agreement, that I would pay the loan with interest. However, the interest rate was not specified. Upon my first installment I received an invoice showing a significantly high interest rate. After failed negotiations attempts, he has threatened to bring a legal action against me. Will I have to pay this unreasonable interest rates, that do not seem to excessive to the service from the lender. Answer: Firstly, as this is a civil-agreement and not a commercial agreement the clause stating that you will have to pay back the interest shall be deemed null and void, as this is contrary to the general practice in Bahrain. As any form of payment or commission, of whatever nature stipulated by the lender, is considered interest if it is deemed that this payment or commission is not in respect of a commensurate service actually rendered by the lender. In the event, the lender chooses to bring an action against you, this action will be rejected as it will be considered against the General Practice of Bahrain and you can use this argument as a line of defense in your case. Furthermore, the lender could face criminal charges and imprisonment, as stipulated under the Bahrain Penal Code. Declaring that, any person who lends a person money in any manner at an implicit or explicit interest rate, in excess of the maximum rate of interest that may be legally agreed upon shall receive a prison sentence. If the borrower can demonstrate that the lender seized an opportunity when the borrower was in a state of weakness or vulnerability, as this would constitute usury.

To contact Ali Al Jabal at Al Jabal Consultancy Attorneys and Legal Consultants Tel: +973 17 530 400 E-mail: info@aljaballaw.com www.aljaballaw.com

Affairs GLOBAL SHAPERS COMMUNITY MANAMA

and labour market requirements, lack of flexible working environments, unequal division in family responsibilities, and to some extent cultural views and pressures. However, we’re now seeing women’s preference for running their own business and in most cases homebased businesses. The challenge would now be to capture this informal sector and aid these women to formally expand their production base.

Manama Shapers Interview with Dana Abdulla, Talent Management Team Leader and Manama Hub Shaper

hat does your role involve working for the Bahrain Economic Development Board and what are the challenges you face in this role? My role at the EDB involves attracting Foreign Direct Investment to Bahrain particularly in the Manufacturing and Industrial Services sector. This involves a wide range of tasks from targeting to facilitating the establishment of the company in Bahrain. FDI can play an important role in expanding our private sector and creating jobs which form the key objectives of the EDB. The key challenges that we face include the size of our local market and limited availability of industrial land and natural resources; however Bahrain does offer other strategic advantages which offset our challenges including our natural strategic location, lower setup costs, and the availability of a skilled local labour force. Tell us about Business Development in the areas of manufacturing and industrial services. Bahrain managed to build a strong

industrial base currently representing 14% of GDP, largely centered on petrochemicals and Aluminum. These industries will experience further growth due to large investments going towards expanding the production base of both Molton metal and refined hydrocarbon, creating work opportunities for more industrial contractors and service providers, in addition to further downstream projects. What did your research on Contribution of Women in the working economy say? My research paper was on the Role of Bahraini Women in Society. The intention of the paper was to showcase the increased participation of women in the workforce. Bahraini women form half of our local population and in general have higher educational qualifications than males and hence they offer a strong set of skill-sets. Yet still we suffer from a gender wage gap and unemployment rates are higher among females. There are multiple reasons for that including a miss-match between their educational qualifications

Why did you join the Global Shapers Community? Building on my specialization in Development Economics, my ultimate passion lies in implementing grassroots socio-economic development projects which tackle our most pressing challenges. The Global Shapers community offers a great platform to do just that. Moreover it’s a platform that showcases the talent of our youth to address important challenges in an organized and sustainable manner. I think this is a valuable opportunity for shapers to voice and implement our vision for Bahrain. Through our strategic collaborations, multitude of skills, and international networks, we can potentially create the change we aspire to see. What are your goals as a Shaper? There are a number of goals I aspire to achieve as a shaper. First and most importantly is to implement and showcase a number of sustainable socio-economic projects. Second is to build awareness around integrating marginalized communities into our economic system, and finally and equally important I look forward to spreading the vision of our bright youth for Bahrain and the region in the hopes of it being heard and integrated in our countries’ strategies. What do you like to do in your free time? I love to travel to discover beautiful landscapes and learn from different cultures. I also love to read, write (mostly poetry), watch documentaries and cook!

Gulf Insider September 2016

Affairs

You can face fines of up to $545,000,

if you get caught using a VPN in the UAE.

heikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has passed new federal laws covering IT crimes, among which is the mere use of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This means that if you are using a VPN to access blocked sites in the UAE to secure web traffic from prying eyes, it could land you in jail. The fines can be as little as $136,000 and as high as $545,000 and even prison is an option. The UAE previously had a law covering the use of VPNs as part of an internet crime, but the UK-based VPN and privacy advocate Private Internet Access said that this change is enabled to go after anyone and everyone who uses VPNs to access blocked services, which is basically the fraudulent use of an IP address. VPNs give users the option to connect to private networks all over the world and hide their exact locations using proxy servers and connections. These services make it very easy for those users to circumvent filters put in place by governments and ISPs in regards to their physical location. Currently, a majority of the population in UAE is using this VPN service to mainly access popular applications or services that are 42

Gulf Insider September 2016

According to other reports, the UAE government was also planning to block services like WhatsApp, Snapchat, Skype, etc. inaccessible from the Gulf countries. These services include WhatsApp, Snapchat, etc. These mainly include

communications based apps that use Voice over IP (VoIP) technology. VPNs are also often used in combination with the Tor anonymity network to access websites hidden on the Dark Web etc. VoIP “over-the-top” apps have long been a problem for telecoms operators worldwide, since users can just use this service to speak to their loved ones and avoid paying international calling rates etc. They can just speak to them on Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber or Snapchat. However, the law makes UAE the very first government in the world to regulate on behalf of these companies and to curb the use of these VoIP apps in order to bring business back to the local telecomm companies. Etisalat and du are the only two companies in the world that have been granted licences by the UAE government to offer commercial VoIP services, which can be expensive. The move will stop citizens from selecting what services they wish to use. Instead of enabling citizens and residents to have choice about what services they want to use, the government is helping UAE’s telecom providers in upholding a monopoly on voice calls made in the country. According to other reports, the UAE government was also planning to block services like WhatsApp, Snapchat, Skype, etc. or at least their calling feature in the country, which has been criticised by the experts. However, UAE’s telecom regulator stands by the Etisalat and du, and has said that these apps should be banned mainly due to security concerns.

UPDATE - Not all residents in the UAE who use VPNs will automatically face

imprisonment and fines, experts told Gulf News. The confusion surrounding the impact of the law stemmed from “inaccurate reporting” by some foreign news websites, according to a UAE-based lawyer, who specialises in telecommunications, media and commercial laws. What has been amended in the Cybercrime Law, which was passed in 2012, is the amount of fines that offenders will face, in addition to the existing provision on imprisonment. Kellie Blyth, a senior associate at Clyde & Co, suggested that private individuals, aside from corporate organisations, don’t run the risk of going to jail and paying a fine as long as they don’t use VPN to commit a crime. Any misuse of the technology, however, may still be punishable.

Bahrain

Telecom insider Batelco Launches Sophos Security Solutions to Meet Increasing Demand for Cyber Security

Muna Al Hashemi, Batelco Bahrain Chief Executive Officer

Batelco to Provide Superfast Fibre Internet 500Mbps

Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading ICT business solutions provider is constantly on the quest to expand its security services portfolio in order to support the increasing security requirements for organisations across all sectors. In line with its efforts, Batelco has launched Sophos Security Solutions. Batelco has established partnerships with well-known security providers to meet the specific needs of different organisations and implement scalable, flexible and cost-effective security solutions. Batelco’s range of solutions integrates all the advanced networking, protection, user and application control needed to stay secure and compliant and features mission critical benefits such as next generation firewall, web protection and control, network and email protection, redundancy and advanced malware protection plus many more benefits.

Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading digital solutions provider is once again taking the lead in the market by being the first and only provider to deliver a 500Mbps Residential Superfast Internet Package in Bahrain. The Superfast fibre internet package is designed to enjoy everything the digital age has to offer with a complete home connectivity solution for the whole family. Batelco’s Superfast Fibre internet 500Mbps package features 50Mb upload speed & 1TB Usage Limits. Subscribers to the 500Mbps package will also enjoy unlimited browsing, YouTube streaming and free weekend usage. The fantastic package is available for existing and new customers. Batelco Bahrain CEO Eng. Muna Al Hashemi said, “Batelco’s new Ultrafast service delivers an unmatched experience and provides powerful and reliable service for our customers. The enhancement forms part of Batelco’s ongoing improvements on its home broadband packages and we are continuously expanding our state of the art Fiber Network to reach more customers and meet the consumers changing needs.”

Bahrain Ranks 11th in ICT Index According to the United Nations’ e-Government Readiness Report 2016, Bahrain ranked 11th globally in the telecommunications infrastructure index compared to 24th in 2014. Bahrain has also maintained its lead in the Arab region’s ICT Index. The report shows that the value of Bahrain’s telecommunications infrastructure index reached 0.7762 (The highest score being “1”) in 2016, compared to 0.4183 in 2012, increasing by 86%. Chairman of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), Dr. Mohammed Al Amer congratulated Bahrain’s Government on obtaining such advanced global rankings, praising TRA’s outstanding efforts in the development and growth of the telecommunications sector in Bahrain. Gulf Insider September 2016

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Lexus GS F A hot-rod racer in a luxury sedan that will allow anyone needing a larger car to enjoy driving again. Review by Nick Cooksey

his luxury performance car will go from zero to 100kph in just 4.4 seconds, and it will do so smoothly. I liked this car the moment I set eyes on it, and in my job I see lots of cars and do many test drives. Speaking personally, I don’t usually like cars in grey or silver but this car looks fantastic. The feeling of being impressed continued for me when I climbed into the cockpit, and the comfortable high backed sports driver’s seat. This is a car that I feel you could drive for long journeys in comfort. The

Gulf Insider September 2016

I don’t usually like cars in grey or silver but this car looks fantastic. The feeling of being impressed continued for me when I climbed into the cockpit.

cockpit of the GSF is a nice place to be. There’s plenty of shoulder and hip room, and clear visibility. The materials exude quality and there’s lots of carbon-fiber trim. There are so many switches and buttons that for a first time driver it can be a bit confusing. Despite this, there are wonderfully intuitive instruments such as a mouse/ joystick device on the front of the centre console that controls the infotainment system. This is the first time I’ve seen such a device and I expect many premium cars will have them in years to come - it’s not just easy to use but is also

Motors

power steering, three for the stabilitycontrol system, and another three for the torque-vectoring differential. The 5.0 Liter V8 sounds great, but you can make it sound even sportier if you wish to thanks to the car’s Active Sound Control (ASC), which blats intake resonance out of the front speakers and a deeper exhaust rumble from the rear speakers in Sport Plus mode. In Sport,

For more information, or for a test drive, call EK Kanoo on +973 17 737 773.

The GSF has a big powerful naturally aspirated 5 liter engine that offers an impressive 471bhp. To manage such power it has upgraded brakes and tuned suspension.

Special Offer Price: BD 29,999 comfortable to the touch. There is plenty of space in the rear and the centre armrest allows passengers sitting in the back to conveniently operate controls and use cup holders. Okay so now for the fun stuff. The GSF has a big powerful naturally aspirated 5 liter engine that offers an impressive 471bhp. To manage such power it has upgraded brakes and tuned suspension. The “F”, in case you’re wondering is from Fuji speedway which is the test track for Lexus’s high performance division. To get the most out of this car and enjoy driving it to the full there’s all sorts of selectable settings - four to the engine, transmission, and electric

keep my foot down and was propelled at such a pace that within just a few seconds I was at a speed I will not state in print!

only the rear speaker’s play, and in Normal and Eco modes there’s no ASC at all. If you didn’t understand any of that, the guys at EK Kanoo will be happy to show you. There’s Eco Mode (for city driving), Sport Mode (for having fun), and Sport + Mode (for “race tracks”). The instrument display changes depending on which mode you are using. After experimenting I left the car for the rest of the day in Sport Mode which seemed like the appropriate ‘de-fault’ position. I didn’t get the chance to test this car at high speed but taking it early in the morning on a virtually empty of traffic North Manama Causeway I was able to

Price Comparison Cadillac CTS-V BD 31,500 Audi S6 BD 31,820

Mercedes-AMG E63 S 4MATIC BD 56,300

BMW M5 BD 52,000

The author of this article, Nick Cooksey, in addition to being publisher of Arabian Magazines and Gulf Insider Media, is a jury panel member of the Middle East Car of the Year (MECOTY). Gulf Insider September 2016

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BMW vs Toyota Toyota and BMW team up to create new sports car that will be on sale from 2018.

MW and Toyota have joined forces to create two exciting new sports car to replace the BMW Z4 and the much missed Toyota Supra. The BMW Z4 is about to reach the end of its life cycle, and Toyota – for reasons few understand - failed to create a successor to their acclaimed and iconic Supra when it was discontinued fifteen years ago. The BMW – Toyota tie-up has slashed the development costs and improved technological possibilities for both car makers. BMW and Toyota are being secretive about the plan, but things are now at an advanced stage as it’s understood that commencing 2018 the new two-door sports cars will be on sale. The BMW is expected to be named the Z5 and will be larger, though lighter, than the current Z4, and will have the original Z4’s cloth-roof roadster layout instead of the heavier, more expensive, and far more complex and difficult-to-package folding metal roof that’s on the current Z4. There will also be a coupe version of the Z5. The Z5 will be available in both four- and six-cylinder versions, the latter using existing turbocharged 3.0-liter BMW engines, and the former using a brand new two litre engine. The Supra will also use a new four-cylinder engine in the basic version and the bigger engine will be an all-new twin-turbo V-6 offering 400 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque. The Supra will take styling inspiration from 2014’s FT-1 concept. Despite the alliance and shared technology the Supra and Z5 will be very different cars. Watch this space for more details as we get them. 48

Gulf Insider September 2016

The BMW – Toyota tie-up has slashed the development costs and improved technological possibilities for both car makers.

Al Jabal Consultancy Attorneys and Legal Consultants

Mohamed Al Wasti Partner

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Saleh Al Nashabh Lawyer

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Porsche 718 Gulf Insider tested the Porsche 718 on the Yas Marina F1 race circuit. Here’s what we thought…

he Porsche 718, formally known as the Boxster, is an iconic car, and this new model is effectively a brand new car over the previous model while still maintaining continuity and its original DNA. For doing hot laps around the Yas Marina Circuit, the 718 S took the prize. It’s light, perfectly balanced and responsive, and terrific fun. Comparing it to the standard 718 is like comparing 2 completely different sports cars that just happen to look virtually identical. The standard 718 is a great car, but add the S and it’s a different beast. This was proven when we had the opportunity to compare the 718 and 718 side by side over hot laps. When driving the 718 we could not keep up with the 718S, even over a single lap. Yet swapping cars while keeping the same drivers and things were exactly reversed. It was useful to be able to conduct such a test, proving that so often it is the car and not the

Gulf Insider September 2016

The standard 718 Boxster gets a two-litre ‘boxer’ turbocharged engine with 296bhp, up 35bhp from the older 2.7-litre unit. driver that ‘wins the race’. The standard 718 Boxster gets a twolitre ‘boxer’ turbocharged engine with 296bhp, up 35bhp from the older 2.7-litre unit. It’s also upgraded to 380Nm of torque from 1,950rpm, boosting it a full 100Nm. Meanwhile, the 718 S features a 2.5-litre version of the same engine, but with variable-geometry turbocharging

Starting Prices: 718 Boxster BD 22, 900 718 Boxster S BD 25, 700

(like the 911 Turbo), producing 345bhp and a mighty 420Nm of torque = 0-100 kph in 4.2 seconds!

To arrange a test drive, contact Porsche Centre Bahrain Tel: +973 1745 9911 or Visit: http://www.porsche.com/middleeast/

Society

Behbehani Brothers launched the new 718 Boxster at its showroom in Sitra.

business Events The triumphant launch of the new Bentley Bentayga was held in its showroom in Khamis.

Gulf Insider September 2016

Society

Sofitel Bahrain Thalassa Sea and Spa hosted the Amazing Taste of Thailand event to rave reviews. The all-new Infiniti Q30 was unveiled in Bahrain at the Infiniti Showroom in Sitra.

Gulf Insider September 2016

Society

The Domain Hotel Hosted a Party for its Staff and it was fantastic! The exclusive preview of the all-new KIA Cadenza 2017 was hosted in the KIA showroom in Arad.

Gulf Insider September 2016

Society

Y.K. Almoayyed hosted the launch of the 2017 Nissan Altima at the Nissan Showroom in Arad. Official Launch of Dragon Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monday Wholesale Offer & Order (WOO)

Gulf Insider September 2016

Art Manama in the 1940s

Bahrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Photo History

Celebrate the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural spirit with our monthly local series.

Muharraq, Bahrain in 1952

Muharraq Bridge

Gulf Insider September 2016

Art

Ain Zaydan, Bahrain in 1924

Muharraq Bus Station in 1961

The Manama-Muharraq swing bridge, 1950s or 1960s

Hoora, Bahrain

Belgrave Gardens in Manama, 1953

Gulf Insider September 2016

Last Word

43% of GCC workforce

demotivated

Survey of 20,000 people shows employees feel dissatisfied with their current job.

n 2016, the GCC will churn out thousands of new graduates. Out of those, roughly half will become mired in careers that they find no satisfaction in, according to a comprehensive GCC-wide survey conducted by social recruitment platform BLOOVO.COM. The survey results, which polled 20,000 jobseekers and employers across the GCC, showed that 43% of respondents are dissatisfied by the jobs they are currently in. This means roughly half the region’s workforce is waking up, unhappily going to work and underperforming in jobs, which in turn negatively impacts aggregate productivity. Job mismatch, or a poor fit between employee and job, is the biggest culprit in harming job satisfaction, with 43.4% of dissatisfied respondents naming it their biggest trigger. Meanwhile, 33.8% of dissatisfied employees felt that low pay was the

Gulf Insider September 2016

Organisational culture is a very important factor in employee motivation, and one that companies sometimes don’t stress on enough. largest factor in their low motivation. “For most employees, a salary is a direct indicator of their worth in the company. Importantly, academic research has shown time and again that salary expectations are relative – employees become far more dissatisfied if they feel their peers are being paid

more than them. It’s very important for organisations to be transparent about pay grades and scales,” says BLOOVO. COM’s CEO Ahmad Khamis. 8.5% of respondents said poor organisational culture played the biggest role in dissatisfaction. “Organisational culture is a very important factor in employee motivation, and one that companies sometimes don’t stress on enough. In 2015, the Harvard Business Review surveyed 20,000 employees worldwide and found that creative play, job purpose and the potential to make a genuine difference were key elements of a strong organisational culture,” Khamis adds. 7.7% of respondents to the survey put job dissatisfaction down to a lack of career progression. Finally, 6.6% of respondents said that not getting along with their immediate supervisor was the main cause of their job dissatisfaction.

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