Gulf Insider Magazine 2017

The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

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144

Issue

knowledge is power

+ Inside Fashion Trends MMA and the Rise of Bloodsports Lounging at The Domain

The Expat dilemma Follow us on

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Gulf Financial Insider

Contents January 2017 Issue 144

18 12

24

30 Facebook Followers

132, 700

28

29

46

49

54

Simply unparalleled online presence that connects region’s most inspired communities.

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Events

Day and Night

Life

The Expat Dilemma

People

From Oil dependence to diversification

Affairs

Interview with Wafa Alobaidat

Motors

Our favourite cars of 2016

Motors

The Subaru Legacy

Life

Inside an Iranian Women’s prison

Art

Yemen Preserved

…and much, much more!

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Comment...

Dear Reader, Happy New Year and a warm welcome to our latest issue of Gulf Insider.

This month we explore the expat dilemma and highlight some of the issues being faced by expat workers in the GCC. We also covered the world of internet scams and the rise of MMA. In addition, we give you our carefully curated list of people, events, and trends. Inside these pages, you will find other articles written by real people—most of whom are in Bahrain.

Please also visit us online on our website and our thriving Facebook page where you will find other features and useful information not covered in these pages.

Knowledge is power

Publisher & Editor in Chief

- Nicholas C. Cooksey

Editorial

- Ainne Frances dela Cruz

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

For Advertising Opportunities Call

Yulia Trubnikova

M. +973 3678 8748

We are happy to have you as a reader of Gulf Insider!

Wishing all of you a great month ahead.

Published by:

Media

The Insider Team!

P.O. Box 26810, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: +973 1700 4575 Fax: +973 1772 1722

Printed at Awal Press, Kingdom of Bahrain.

Distribution Bahrain: Al Hilal Corporation, Tel. +973 1748 0800 UAE: Jashanmals, Tel. +971 4341 9757 The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

Bahrain BD2

The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

Arabia’s Intelligent Magazine

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144

Issue

knowledge is power

PEOPLE

businEss

LifEstyLE

Issue 143

+ Inside Islamic Banking, Opportunities and Challenges Hassan Salman’s Jarada Fish Venture Infiniti Q50 S

+ Inside Fashion Trends MMA and the Rise of Bloodsports

The expaT dilemma

Complimentary Copy

Lounging at The Domain

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Lounging at The Domain

Bahrain ProPerty Market How is it holding up in light of present economic difficulties?

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How is it holding up in light of present economic difficulties?

ProPerty Market Bahrain

MMA and the Rise of Bloodsports

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.

The monthly print edition of Gulf Insider is distributed to Bahrain’s highest spending consumers and decision makers. There’s also limited distribution in other GCC states via airline lounges, duty free, ARAMCO in the KSA, and other strategic locations.

Registered with Ministry of Information approval no. TFI-431©. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. *Articles by these correspondents are the copyright of Telegraph Media Group, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT, England.

Fashion Trends

www.Gulf-Insider.com + Inside

Infiniti Q50 S Jarada Fish Venture

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Most Popular Photos

A few of our social media posts from last month. Don’t forget to like our Facebook page!

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R People

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Most Popular Videos

A few of our social media posts from last month. Don’t forget to like our Facebook page!

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Al JAbAl ConsultAnCy Attorneys and Legal Consultants

A full service law firm for Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman, founded in 1995 by

Mr Ali Al Jabal

Mohamed Al Wasti

Khadija A. Al Hussain Partner

saleh Al nashabh Lawyer

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Areas of Specialisation: Banking & Finance

Project Finance

Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring

Property & Real Estate

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Legal drafting & Contract Reviewing

Private Equity

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Office No. 703, 7th Floor, Diplomat Tower, Diplomatic Area, PO Box 11455, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: +973 17 530 400 E-mail: info@aljaballaw.com Website: www.aljaballaw.com

Events

Day & Night Tunnel When: 11th December to 26th February Where: Ibrida at Ramee Grand Hotel Tunnel (Bahrain) is a dark and twisted unparalleled event experience for the music lovers.

This is a true underground night with a strict music policy. This weekly event is a free event, door policy is strictly couples, mixed groups and ladies. Complimentary drinks for ladies before midnight.

Autumn Fair When: 25th January to 2nd February Where: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre Bahrain’s biggest consumer fair is back to wow you. Dubbed the Autumn Fair, although the event is in January, prepare for a shopping spree like no other on the island. There will be stalls offering a variety of interesting utilities like exotic honey and an eclectic mix of knick-knacks.

A Grain of Sand Concert When: 3rd February Where: La Fontaine Arts Centre Price: BD20/33 Bahrain- based guitarist and composer, Jason Carter, explores the magical world of pearl divers for his project, ‘A Grain of Sand’.

The musician will perform alongside Bahraini pearl divers, marrying traditional Arabic music with contemporary tunes in a concert next month. Further, he hopes to release a documentary film on his experience interviewing the divers, which will be ready around the Spring of 2017.

For more info, Tel. +973 1755 8800

For more info, visit facebook.com/ibridaclubbh

Lulwa Al Khalifa

‫ثثققاا ال‬ ‫ففةة طع‬ ‫ام‬

Sumaya Abdulghani

Nader AlAbbasi

iiss FF CC oo uull oo ttuu dd rree

Mai AlMoataz

Nader Qannati NQ Cookery

Giuse Maggie

Tala Bashmi Gulf Hotel

Jason Carter Bassam AlAlawi Darseen Café

22-26 January 2017 6 pm Daily Bahrain National Museum Layla Sharif Sugar & Lace

Chef Brian Four Seasons Hotel

For more info, visit jasoncarter.net & grainofsandtv.com

Chef Pierre Four Seasons Hotel

Food is Culture When: 22nd to 26th January Where: Bahrain National Museum After a successful first edition, Food is Culture is back for a second time. Five chefs and five visual artists will collaborate and explore interesting ways of creating and presenting art using their respective media – food and art. Don’t miss the display and chance to try out the delicious and artsy food!

For more info, visit culture.gov.bh 12

Gulf Insider January 2017

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Events

IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East

Best of Dubai Gulf Insider picked some great events in Dubai you wouldn’t want to miss.

Dubai Shopping Festival

Cats the Musical

When: Up to January 28, 2016 The 2017 Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is one of Dubai’s premiere events. From one-of-a-kind outdoor markets and flashmobs to fireworks, mega sales and rewards, this year’s five week event is sure to impress. Whether it’s about having fun with your family and friends or getting your hands on the hottest fashion trends, DSF is where you’ll want to be. From now to January 28, 2017, DSF presents visitors with worldclass, immersive retail experiences.

When: January 16-28, 2017 Experience the magic of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking Olivier awardnominated musical CATS, as it comes to Dubai for the first time. One of the longest running shows in Broadway and West End history, this sparkling fusion of live music, dance, and verse, is not to be missed. CATS has won 2 Grammys and 7 Tony awards to date.

For more info, visit Mydsf.ae

For more info, visit Tel. +971 4 440 8888 boxoffice@dubaiopera.com

Cairo Sound Music Festival When: January 13, 2017 If you’ve ever wondered how traditional Egyptian musical rhythm fuses with world music, head on over to the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. This festival will see popular Egyptian performers playing jazz, reggae, rock, and house in their distinctive, traditional style. An initiative of Hi Wave events, it aims to introduce modern Egyptian culture to the world to foster creativity. It will include performers by prominent Egyptian artists like Cairokee, Sharmoofers, Massar Egbari, Khaled Hussein and Moustafa Ghazal.

For more info, visit Tel. +971 568752367 cairosoundfestival.com 14

Gulf Insider January 2017

When: January 27, 2017 Following the popular IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East, Bahrain leg is the hugely popular Dubai leg. Now on its second year, IRONMAN is the global sports franchise that tests an individual’s limits through a swim-bike-run stage. The Dubai IRONMAN offers 35 qualifying slots to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Tennessee. Whether you’d like to participate in the race, volunteer, or simply attend and cheer on the athletes, this is a rousing community event where you can bring your whole family to.

For more info, visit Tel. +1 813 868 5940 eu.ironman.com/triathlon/events/emea/ ironman-70.3/dubai

DIRECTORY 2017-2018 BAHRAIN

How do you measure Bahrain?

Nobody connects Bahrain and networks with business magnets as we do.

A Talent Database designed to enhance Corporate Governance standards.

Presenting hundreds of outstanding and renowned personalities from Ministers to Bureaucrats, CEOs, Business Tycoons, Professionals & Others.

A world-class compendium of the movers & shakers of the Kingdom of Bahrain Update your informations through our website www.gulfwhoswho.com

Directors of Sunliz Publications Mr & Mrs Sunny Kulathakal receiving the Quality Award in Geneva

Publishers

Sunliz Publications W.L.L.

Distributors

DIRECTORY 2017-2018

Sunliz Publications

Winner of International Star Award for Quality, Geneva

P.O.Box 2688, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: +973 17276682, Mobile: +973 39441956 Email: sunlizpublications@gmail.com, kulathakal49@gmail.com Website: www.gulfwhoswho.com

Watch Review

Watch to

Watch…

Each month our publisher, Nick Cooksey, reviews a watch from his personal collection of Swiss timepieces. This month he talks about his limited edition Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal.

O

mega made its first dive watch, the Seamaster in 1948 and it has remained in production, through different variations, ever since. My own six year old Seamaster is one of a limited edition of 1,948 “Liquidmetal” watches.

“Liquidmetal” is a unique and tough alloy introduced by Omega and makes for a better looking and more durable bezel. Inside there’s an automatic/ self-winding movement with a 48 hour power reserve.

The Seamaster comes in all sorts of versions. Different face/bezel colours sizes, you can opt for orange numerals (apparently better visible under water), choose between steel or titanium casing. There’s a chronograph version and a GMT version. There’s even a James Bond version.

An indication of its serious deep water abilities is the helium release valve. This is something that would only have any real practical use if deep under water experiencing decompression in a diving bell. You certainly won’t need this on an average diving trip!

So why do I love this watch? Because

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Gulf Insider January 2017

it’s a serious dive watch capable of descending to depths of 600 meters (the Rolex Submariner is only good for 300 meters). it’s a serious dive watch capable of descending to depths of 600 meters (the Rolex Submariner is only good for 300 meters). Okay, so realistically none of this matters as, like virtually every other guy who wears one of these watches I rarely take it deeper than the bottom of a 2 meter swimming pool.

But, secondly, the watch is so damn beautiful to look at. It reflects light in a way the photo dosen’t do justice. It’s a tough, beautiful, dependable, and desirable watch.

The watch comes with a beautiful steel strap but I’m currently wearing it on a ‘distressed’ canvas strap because there’s something I find appealing in wearing such a special watch on an aged strap.

Omega has since brought out a new version, the 8500, with a more sophisticated movement, a clear caseback, and a slightly chunkier appearance. But, I’m very happy with this model and wouldn’t want to change it.

Prices for a Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal start from US$7,900 – expect to pay more for variations.

Omega is available in Bahrain from BJC outlets including Moda Mall and the Omega boutique in City Centre.

Next month I review the

Panerai 113

Dior Sauvage Eau de Toilette

Dyptique 34 Eau de Toilette

Beardbrand Spiced Citrus

Advertised by actor Johnny Depp, Sauvage is perfect for any time of the year. With top notes of bergamot and hints of Sichuan pepper, it is one of the best sellers for the year 2016 and a winner of many magazine awards for men’s cologne.

A medley of exotic and rare perfumes with a subtle blend of moss, musk, and a hint of citrus make this a compelling scent. This cologne was created as a tribute to the near-indescribable aroma from the original Dyptyque boutique at 34 Boulevard St. Germain Paris.

Though solid colognes are not very common, this seasonally appropriate offering is a good cologne to get. The combination of citrus, cloves, and vanilla give it a rather holiday charm. The small jar it comes in makes it perfect to throw in your gym bag, backpack, or wallet.

Dior products available in Moda Mall.

Dyptique products available in Seef Mall.

Get online at bh.foenix.co.

This is a fresh, clean, profoundly sensual fragrance. A striking balance of timeless, woody aromatic notes, with a fresh citrus accord amplified by Tonka bean, vanilla, and warm sandalwood, make for an unforgettable experience.

Available in Saks Fifth Avenue

Who can resist a man who looks good and smells good too? Here, our top picks for men’s colognes.

Prada Luna Rossa cologne

Bleu de Chanel

Best Men’s

Colognes

Style

The Luna Rossa cologne is named after the sailboat and the sailing team “Red Moon” or Luna Rossa, which participates in the American cup competitions. Developed around the main notes of lavender and bitter orange, with clary, sage, and spearmint; the scent has an intensity and freshness that draws inspiration from the world of extreme sailing.

Prada products available in Saks Fifth Avenue.

Gulf Insider January 2017

17

Men’s Fashion

Gap Gap brings you relaxed, sporty jackets for those winter weekend getaways.

Lanvin @mrporter Mrporter brings you effortless elegance with their range of jackets featuring applique detailing.

Men’s

Fashion & Style

Add some flair to your wardrobe with these picks.

Winter rs Warme is quite

t er jacke ason.

The bik is se th e z ther the cra many o re a re e Th signs to chic de m too. fro choose

Pal Zileri Pal Zileri has clean, beautiful lines with hardware detailing for the luxurious minimalist.

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Gulf Insider January 2017

Versace Versace is bold and elegant with full-length coats in lavender and navy (with embroidery).

Men’s Fashion

Bags Carry yourself with style! These smart designs are some of the must-haves this season.

Accessories for HIM Shoes Put your best foot forward in the New Year with trendy footwear by your favourite brands.

Add-ons Never underestimate the power of a well-picked belt or even a muffler thrown around your neck. It’s all in the details.

Available in Bahrain and/ or the GCC Gulf Insider January 2017

19

Health Updates

Build Thick Thighs now to protect your knees later A study from Germany found that people with higher levels of muscles in their thighs were less likely to show signs of arthritis in their knees four years later. The study cited muscle weakness as a major risk factor of arthritis development. All the more reason to get working on yours now.

Signs of a Silent Heart Attack

Men’s Study says eating cheese everyday is good for your heart The Journal of the American Society of Hypertension has revealed that eating an ounce of Grana Padano—a semi-fat hard cheese similar to Parmigiano Reggiano—daily for two months improved the systolic blood pressure (the top number) of people with high blood pressure by 7 to 8 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). In addition, it also improved their diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by 5 to 7 mm Hg. But, this only applies to the real cheese. Those who ate an imitation fake-dairy version of the cheese saw no improvement in their blood pressure readings.

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Gulf Insider January 2017

People with a high pain tolerance may be more likely to suffer from a silent heart attack according to the Journal of the American Heart Association. Although chest pain is one of the classic symptoms of a heart attack, many people have suffered from this disease silently and have not sought treatment for it. “Atypical” symptoms of heart attack include pain in the upper back or jaw, shortness of breath, nausea, and heartburnlike pressure in the upper abdomen. Silent attacks, said Dr. Andrea Ohrn, lead researcher of the study, are just as serious as ones that cause obvious chest pain, carrying similar risks of death or repeat heart attack over the long term.

Health Updates

Try dry body brushing.

Drink more water.

Invest in a loofah and brush your body in upward strokes. Finish with a shower afterwards. Dead skin cells will be removed and you will feel invigorated and ready to take on anything.

Water flushes out toxins from the body. Drinking pure water also doesn’t tax the liver (which is what happens when you drink alcohol or beverages that are too sugary). If you find water too bland for your taste, add a slice of lemon, cucumbers, and mint leaves to add some zest to your water.

jumpstart your health Here are easy ways to start being healthy this New Year.

Cut down sugar and sugar substitutes.

Sugar is an addictive substance, the more you intake, the more you’ll want.

We all know this leads to high blood sugar and high blood pressure. The good things is, once you begin to cut down, you’ll want less sugary foods.

Walk outdoors.

Turn off your phone.

A simple walk round the block is enough to clear your head and keep you healthier. Aside from lifting your mood, going outdoors is known to strengthen lung and heart health. Even better, take the family along so you can bond while getting healthy.

Give yourself half an hour of technology free rest before you hit the sack. Technology interferes with the body’s natural circadian rhythm causing your sleep to be fitful and restless.

Instead try falling asleep the good, oldfashioned way: reading a book.

Gulf Insider January 2017

21

Sports

MMA

and the Rise of Bloodsports

In recent years, the sport of MMA has started to grow from a small organization to a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

Gulf Insiderexplores the rise of this popular sport.

A

nthropologist D.S. Farrer claims that in warlike ancient societies, to perform martial arts as “games” signified peace as a proxy of wartime.

It’s no accident then that American society, long mobilized for permanent war, has evolved the most brutal competitive fighting sport since the Roman gladiators, MMA. Proof of its hold in our collective imagination is it being a common theme in fiction. Examples are The Hunger Games, Fight Club, and Amores Perros.

Star Wars and Doctor Who also feature blood sports in their alternate universes.

D.S. Farrer believes that “MMA offers a

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Gulf Insider January 2017

brutal competitive antidote to the cult of the passive spectator”.

Who is the best fighter?

During the late 1960s to early 1970s, the concept of combining the elements of multiple martial arts was popularized in the west by Bruce Lee via his system of Jeet Kune Do. Lee believed that “the best fighter is not a Boxer, Karate or Judo man. The best fighter is someone who can adapt to any style, to be formless, to adopt an individual’s own style and not following the system of styles.” In 2004, UFC President Dana White would call Lee the “father of mixed martial arts” stating: “If you look at the way

Bruce Lee trained, the way he fought, and many of the things he wrote, he said the perfect style was no style. You take a little something from everything. You take the good things from every different discipline, use what works, and you throw the rest away” In its present form, mixed martial arts is a full contact combat sport that allows both striking and grappling, both striking and on the ground, using techniques from other combat sports and martial arts.

MMA has been called the world’s fastest growing sport. Boosted by the reality TV series “The Ultimate Fighter”, the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Sports

KHK MMA Team (UFC) runs 30 events a year to reach 354 million homes in 154 countries. “MMA’s cultural and financial penetration is deep,” said sports analyst Breaking Carnival. D.S. Farrer believes that MMA is now the “dominant global martial arts form”.

Challenges of an MMA fighter There is no better sport than MMA to reveal the limits of human endurance.

Minor cuts and lacerations are common in an MMA fight. However, the injuries don’t stop there—more severe injuries like fractures, ligament tears, and head injuries are also common. Facial fractures are also to be expected, particularly in the nose and the orbital bone. In cases where the septum may be damaged, reconstructive surgery is needed.

What then attracts able-bodied men and women to this blood sport? Aside from premium exposure; MMA fights, because of their worldwide appeal, pay very well. The top level fighters of mixed martial artists can make about $4-5 million per fight. An entry level fighter can make about $6,000 per fight while the average MMA fighter can earn $12,000 per fight (reference.com) However, remuneration in the mixed martial art discipline is complicated when compared to other disciplines. The athletes are not paid on a regular basis, but are paid according to the number of fights in which they participate in. The average fighter makes only $18,000 per fight, and it is difficult to book more than three fights per year because the fighter also has to go through a period of training.

However, the renowned fighters make millions of dollars per fight and often have lucrative contract endorsements from advertising companies.

Why can’t MMA be better?

Another problem that MMA fighters

face is getting sponsors. Mmafighting. com claims that “for many fighters, sponsor money means everything. It’s the difference between prospering and just getting by. It’s something they talk about among themselves, but rarely in public. It’s the hidden undercurrent of the MMA economy”. This brings to mind the Ancient Roman gladiatorial system where the more victories a gladiator won, the more valuable he was to his owner; and could eventually win his freedom from slavery.

The best fighter is someone who can adapt to any style, to be formless, to adopt an individual’s own style and not following the system of styles.

In light of this situation, Mohammed Shahid, CEO of KHK-MMA, strives to make a difference. KHK-MMA is the first Bahrain MMA team to create a truly professional stable of world-class fighters and coaches that gives back by promoting and supporting Bahraini MMA fighters. They quickly rose to fame in the worldwide arena through such stalwarts like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Eldar Eldarov. Recently, they have started to create the Brave Combat Federation, a first in Bahrain MMA promotion fight.

Shahid recounts “As a fighter, it was really hard for me to actually find fights, and even when I found fights, I still couldn’t get to a point where I could make a career out of it”. So began his

tinkering around with the MMA sport and the business side of it trying to make MMA better for fighters.

“Regardless of whether you are marketable or not, or are from India, Bahrain, or the USA, you should be able to have a career that allows you to reach your potential among the best in the world. That was our vision and our goal – to bring all these countries together and give the fighters the chance to be the best in the world,” Shahid adds.

Hot Currency In the earliest days of MMA as an organized sport, it wasn’t allowed on pay-per-view and Republican politician John McCain lobbied heavily for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States to keep mixed martial arts off Pay per view channels. In response, mixed martial arts leagues began to organize their fighters into weight classes and institute regulations to make the sport more appealing to the masses. With these changes, MMA began to move out of the underground circuits and into the mainstream.

Where boxing was once the goto combat sport for Vegas gamblers, mixed martial arts is now becoming the new bet. Betting on MMA fights is a booming business and fantasy MMA sites like http://www.kountermove.com are making it easier to bet on such fights.

According to Breaking Carnival, “only boxing’s Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.—charismatic, singular, once-in-a-lifetime pugilistic talents—can compete with MMA’s dozen deep roster of pay proven superstars, in terms of fan interest”. He further added “My personal opinion is that if MMA were a stock, you should be backing up the truck to buy”.

For more information about KHK-MMA go to www.khkmma.com Gulf Insider January 2017

23

Life

The Expat dilemma Gulf Insider Investigates

M

any expats have historically been attracted to the Arabian Gulf region with the offer of a taxfree income, low-cost of living, and a clean environment where they can bring their families.

The average length of expatriates’ stay in GCC countries, counting in all major expatriate groups (Western, Arab, and Indian), typically exceeds 10 years.

But declining oil prices resulting in a fiscal crisis, with salaries frozen, benefits taken away from employees, some companies shutting down businesses, and a change in the ‘cultural atmosphere’ means that many expats are questioning whether it’s time to go.

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Gulf Insider January 2017

Life

Expatriates working for the private sector account for 85% of total employed workers in the GCC (Fasani and Goyal, IMF Working Paper). From teachers to engineers, lawyers, to bankers and accountants, expats from all over the world have located themselves in countries within the GCC. In a 2016 study cited by Edgardaily. com that ranked 67 expat destinations based on factors they believe important to their overall standard of living (which includes cost of living, healthcare, worklife balance, leisure, and quality of life), Bahrain ranked 19th, (making it the best place to live in the GCC), Oman 22nd, UAE 40th, Qatar 60th, Saudi Arabia 63rd, and Kuwait lagged least favorite at the very bottom. In addition, the GCC is ranked in the top 10-25% metric of the world in terms of per capita GDP, low crime rates, human development (healthcare, human education, and life expectancy). However, several new factors are now coming into play.

Expats are having to increasingly deal with rising living costs along with the introduction of taxes and other cost of living increases that do not effect nationals. Saudi Arabia has already significantly increased fees for many of its government services; while Bahrain has cut subsidies with big price increases in electricity and water being shouldered, for the large part, by companies and by expats. As we go to press new municipality fees payable by every expat tenant in Abu Dhabi is to be backdated to February last year. The fee, equivalent to 3% of a tenant’s annual rent, has begun appearing in water and electricity bills. The backdating means tenants face a double blow: they will pay not just for this year, but for 11 months of last year. In addition, the portion of the fee from last year is payable as a single lump sum. The GCC has also announced plans to introduce Value Added Tax (VAT) in 2018.

“In September 2015, Qatar doubled electricity and water prices overnight.

However, Qatari nationals, the wealthiest per capita in the world, were excluded from the price rise. Bahrain has followed suit, with 1.3 million foreigners facing the gradual loss of subsidies on water, fuel, electricity and meat. No cash hand-

out for them, such as the one Bahraini citizens will receive.” (Law, 2016) Despite the obvious discrepancies, many nationals (who are not affected by subsidy cuts) are working for utility companies and the public sector, a job sector mostly closed off to expats. In fact, more than two-thirds of Saudis work for the government - the kingdom spent 45% of its budget to pay their salaries in 2015. Yet, it is the expats who are expected to shoulder the increased costs.

This has led to concern among many expats that they will be paying more and more fees for benefits which they themselves will not benefit from. As one

expat in Bahrain put it; “struggling expats driving old Toyotas will be subsidizing wealthy Bahrainis driving new BMWs’”.

Another example is Bahrain, where the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA), has adjusted prices (as of March 1, 2016, for the commercial and industrial sector as well as expatriates, but has remained unchanged for the domestic consumption of Bahrainis.

The current plan of EWA, will have energy tariffs increase up to fivefold by the end of 2019.

Bahrain will shortly also being introducing road tax for car owners – but only for expats!

For many expats, living in the GCC is becoming just as or more expensive than living in their own countries, so the question remains if it is still worth it to remain.

Expats are having to increasingly deal with rising living costs along with the introduction of taxes and other cost of living increases that do not effect nationals.

Brain Drain?

It is possible that the most able and qualified expat professionals will start looking for better opportunities elsewhere? Of course there will always be people willing to locate to this region, but they may not be as skilled or of such quality. Tonia Gray, the general manager of Muscat-based recruitment services company Competence HR, says a trend has emerged for expats to be replaced by cheaper expatriate resources (Thomas and Ginn, 2016).

We planned to put together a graph to compare average energy bills by house size in Bahrain, but were not satisfied with the veracity of the figures we obtained. We will continue to investigate and hope to present you with a more accurate picture of energy prices.

Electricity & consumption tariffs (for other accounts) before & after the price hike with rate of increase in percent Electricity Consumption (unit)

Tariff (fils) Effective 1st March

Before

2016

2017

2018

2019

0-3000

3 fils

6

13

21

29

3001-5000

9 fils

13

18

23

29

16 fils

19

22

25

29

More than 5000

(+100%) (+44%) (+19%)

(+333%) (+100%) (+38%)

(+600%) (+155%) (+56%)

(+867%) (+222%) (+81%)

Gulf Insider January 2017

25

Life

Another trend is families being separated by the intent to keep costs low; the employed parent will stay for the work contract while the rest of the family go home where it is cheaper to live.

Because of the increase in job insecurity and the rising economic pressures, many expats are just not inclined to spend their disposable incomes; instead they save it.

This means less money moves around the economy.

To leave or not to leave?

There is a feeling among many hard working and law abiding expats, particularly long term residents, that those making the laws are turning against them and that they have nobody to defend them.

Because of the increase in job insecurity and the rising economic pressures, many people are just not inclined to spend their disposable incomes; instead they save it for a rainy day.

In Bahrain, at the time of writing this article, an MP is calling for the reduction of expat’s allowances in the government sector to be reduced by 50% in order to “benefit the economy”. He cited a similar procedure that happened in Kuwait which reduced allowances and bonuses granted to expats and which, according to him “proved beneficial for the national economy of Kuwait” (Mansour, 2016).

An MP also recently called for the banning of expats (and it seems only expats) playing cricket and other sports on waste ground at weekends, something that has been enjoyed particularly by those from the Indian sub-continent, for as long as anyone can remember. The MP claimed such events caused disturbances and could be dangerous to those living nearby, though he did not provide any examples.

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Gulf Insider January 2017

Life

Though it is impossible to measure in hard economic terms, expats who stay for a long time often develop a love for the country in which they live, and add value through their outreach and various social and civic activities. Once their long-term benefits are threatened, they might very well leave to be replaced by short-term workers who know that they are only here to make money and are not out to contribute in any other way to the community.

At this point in time, it is interesting to see how the Middle East will rebound from its economic hurdles, and how the measures the governments put into place will affect the lives of expats.

A series of articles have been posted in the Gulf Insider Facebook page that follow the expat dilemma.

Gulf Insider January 2017

27

People

From Oil Dependence to Diversification Gulf Insider sat down with Anwar Murad, Deputy CEO-Banking of Al Salam Bank- Bahrain to discuss the bank’s position in view of the recent economic crisis.

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stablished in 2006, Al Salam Bank-Bahrain is now one of the largest Islamic banks in the country, solidifying its presence in the Islamic Banking Arena by acquiring Bahraini Saudi Bank and BMI Bank. Mr Anwar explained that Al Salam is a very ambitious bank and wishes to further expand its reach in the region and to help stabilize the economy as it works through the oil crisis.

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Gulf Insider January 2017

He believes that the smart way for governments to invest would be to focus on the industrial side.

Gulf Insider asked Mr Anwar what are the biggest challenges to the GCC economy in the coming years. He said that the biggest challenge is “how fast we can adapt and diversify our revenue”. He adds that the recent oil cutbacks have been a “wake-up call, for GCC economies to work at creating opportunities”.

This view was corroborated in a report published by AlKhabeer Capital (2016) on GCC Budgets: Adapting to the new oil reality, which states that “The recent budgets in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and the UAE, for the first time in decades, saw cutbacks in expenditure, subsidy reforms and plans to diversify revenue base, indicating that the Gulf countries are gearing up to cope with the recent downturn in oil markets”. Further, “What sets the 2016 budgets apart from those announced in previous years is not the numbers or the allocations but the emergence of a political will to improve efficiencies, curb wasteful expenditures and instill fiscal discipline”.

In a report on the Annual Meeting of Arab Ministers of Finance, prepared by the IMF (2016), it states that the oil sector remains a dominant form of commerce in most GCC countries.

“However, it creates few jobs directly, while oil revenue is often used to finance an oversized public sector”. With oil prices set in the low $50’s per barrel, which Mr Anwar believes will stabilize to about $60 per barrel, governments will have to base their budgets on this pricing scale. He believes that the smart way for governments to invest would be to focus on the industrial side, especially manufacturing; which can bring about key investments into the economy.

He adds that 2017 is a very crucial year, a period of realignment for everybody.

Mr Anwar admits that the oil crisis has been a shock in the beginning. However, now that people have accepted the reality of low oil prices, it’s time for creative solutions. He believes that the private sector is a crucial factor in recovery; believing that now is the time for citizens to invest in the future of the region. He says that with the proper facilities, opportunities, and regulations; the private sector can give a boost to the GCC economy.

Affairs

Manama Shapers

Interview with Wafa AlObaidat,Founder of Obai and Hill

H

ow did you go from fashion blogger to director of your own PR agency, Obai and Hill?

I grew up and studied in Bahrain and went on to study Interior Design at Chelsea College of Art and Design in London. I worked for 2 years while I was a student with designer Liza Bruce which literally changed my life. After I graduated I worked with on/ off, and Marko Matysik of Big/Show Magazine and Vogue Nippon, and later on with two more fashion magazines.

I started writing for my blog, Fashion Ambitions, and became a fashion journalist reporting to High Life Dubai, Borderline and Prim Magazine in New York.

Tell us about Sketchbook Magazine and how it became the fastest growing digital illustration magazine in Europe?

The idea for Sketchbook was born out of my desire to build a platform to support emerging artists and designers.

Initially focused on the U.K. but later expanding to the Arab world, Sketchbook is an online magazine that looks like it was printed in actual sketchbooks, showcasing underground fashion, art, illustration, photography, and design. At

the end of the day I was filling a gap by providing a haven for creative expression for young designers.

You’ve recently opened a shop in the Riyadat mall, can you tell us what your vision for this shop is?

I created Milk Concept store because I could not find a space in Bahrain that sold emerging and local and regional designers, and as an advocate of the

I truly believe that we all have a role to play to support our communities. fashion scene I wanted to create a space that sold and showcased unique and special pieces and told stories of the craft and artisan work of these designers and where they can be accessible to customers.

Can you tell us about your Ironman experience and your motivation?

This year, I turned 30 and I wanted to

GLOBAL SHAPERS COMMUNITY MANAMA

achieve a big goal in terms of sports. I watched a few videos online of the Ironman races and I got hooked. I signed up to train in March with a group and a coach and I have not looked back. Training was intense; almost 14 hours a week were spent either swimming, running, and biking and getting to these sessions.

Balancing my schedule was a challenge however once you cross that finish line, it is truly a reason to celebrate.

Why did you join the Global Shapers community?

I truly believe that we all have a role to play to support our communities, and if I am able to lend my time, energy, or expertise in marketing; to better Bahrain and to be a part of projects that are bigger than my work and myself; I sign up and hope to contribute in a positive way. It is why I continue to contribute as a columnist and writer to publications like Rowad or Start Up Bahrain or Khaleejesque, where I share my ideas and advice on starting a business, building and scaling a business as well as a work / life balance. I hope that my writing can touch someone but also give others the opportunity to rethink their passions and careers and pursue what they love to do.

Gulf Insider January 2017

29

Hotel Review

Lounging at

The Domain Gulf Insider sat down with Dimitrov Lachezar, the Manager of Domain Lounges to talk about the lounge culture in Bahrain.

D

imitrov Lachezar sauntered into The Domain Prive, the stylish black and white themed coffee space in the hotel for his interview and we were immediately struck by his white tiger coat. It was clear he prepared for this interaction and we were excited to know what he had to tell us about the two most popular outlets of The Domain: Txoxo and Imari.

Dimitrov has had a lot of experience in the hotel entertainment business.

He has been on board a cruise line, has

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Gulf Insider January 2017

worked in Burj Khalifa and Armani Dubai, Starwood & Savoy hotels in Seychelles, and a couple of other places in the Gulf. Bahrain is his last Gulf destination and The Domain, being a chic, trendy boutique hotel, was a perfect match for this savant.

Lounges are upscale drinking establishments that are great places to chill-out and relax. This is where the term “lounge music” or chill-out music came from. The lounge culture in Bahrain has Bushido as one of its pioneers. With its Buddha Bar, spacious and grandiose

design, and great parties; it is something to look up to. The Domain boasts of Txoxo and Imari. Txoxo, is one of the best sky lounges in Bahrain; while Imari houses an elegant and chic Japanese themed restaurant. Both are great places for DJ music, drinks, and dancing.

The Domain says that its restaurants, bars, and lounges are “truly a destination for food culture, an electrifying collection”, and Imari is on the top of the list. Imari serves amazing Japanese food with a chef that handrolls fresh sushi from a live sushi station and a great selection of

Hotel Review

Dimitrov Lachezar

When asked about his impression of the party scene in the country, he said “Bahrain has a lot to improve in terms of nightlife but we’re getting there”.

Imari Lounge

Txoxo Lounge

wine, beer, and cocktails. The lounge is divided into three parts, a restaurant, a bar, and a smoking lounge.

Txoxo is a sky lounge on the top floor of the hotel. It’s a playful venue where you can sample unexpected taste combinations from the classic cocktails menu as well as scientific molecular concoctions. Manama’s hip and trendy party place, tables can be moved aside for some impromptu dancing. As Dmitrov said “Nobody in the island has this view”.

When asked about his impression of the party scene in the country, he said “Bahrain has a lot to improve in terms of nightlife but we’re getting there”.

Because drinks are an important part of any establishment, we asked how the new taxes on alcohol and hotel services are affecting the business. He said “This is for sure affecting the business, but

people will always want to drink, dance, and party so there will always be a space for establishments like ours”.

The Domain has always been known to be one of the hippest venues around (they built a hotel in the middle of the urban jungle), so we asked him what innovations he plans to introduce to the lounges. He said he’s trying to create a more upscale lounge culture, where people dress up to go dancing, and The Domain, which is an urbanite’s haven, is perfect for that.

For enquiries and reservations The Domain Hotel Bahrain Tel. +973 1600 0000

Txoxo’s new theme nights Starting the 10th of January, Txoxo, one of the hottest nightclubs in Manama, will feature new theme nights five times a week. On Saturdays, get ready to groove with Txoxo’s Retro Nights. Chill-out on Sundays, with their Deep-house sessions. Get ready to dance the salsa on Mondays as Txoxo introduces their Latino nights.

Have a glass of wine as you enjoy smooth R & B sounds on Tuesday nights. Finally, enjoy Arabesque night on Wednesdays from 11pm with DJ Alishka. Weekends are still as much fun as Txoxo’s DJ’s play mixed music in keeping with the latest trends.

HIGH ON HEELS, Bahrain’s best ladies’ night will also continue from SaturdayThursday, 4pm onwards.

Gulf Insider January 2017

31

Investigation

Get Rich Quick For several months, whenever we opened our computers we were inundated by posts about Manama millionaires and people making lots of money online. Gulf Insider investigated this subject.

R

ecently, we have been seeing a lot of posts in the internet about Manama millionaires and “how to get rich quick”.

Naturally, being the curious people that we are, we wanted to see where this goes and if we could really make a quick buck.

It’s time for a cool change The first site that we came across “Global Domains International (GDI) Inc. Worldwide Testimonials” which told us “Congratulations! You have just come across something that has the power to change your life for the better, forever!”

Apparently, it is a worldwide domain name registry for all .ws domain names.

The company will charge you $10 a month for a package that includes your

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Gulf Insider January 2017

For this scheme to work and for everyone to make a profit, there would have to be an endless supply of new members which becomes statistically impossible.

own domain name, hosting accounts, and up to 10 email accounts, plus an easy to use online website builder that will allow you to get a professional looking website with a free one-week trial run.

The faces behind this online business, Michael Starr and Alan Eizer say “You can have anything you want in life, if you will just help enough other people get what they want”. The rationale behind this website business is that “Industry experts predict that over 500 Million domains will be active annually within the next ten years. GDI has no competition in the network marketing industry. We are the only company that has the ability to market our domain names through the power of network marketing, and we’re willing to pay you handsomely for helping us get the word out worldwide.

There are no geographical or income

Investigation

limits with GDI (GDI website)”.

The people (let’s call him Person A) who sign up are paid $1 per month, per domain. So if they refer five people, they get $5 per month. If it doesn’t seem like much, the deal supposedly becomes sweeter by leveraging the power of “networks” or “pyramiding”.

For this scheme to work and for everyone to make a profit, there would have to be an endless supply of new members which becomes statistically impossible the “larger” the pyramid grows. There may or may not be legitimate products involved. But at the end of the day, it’s all about how many people can you get to work building the pyramid? And who is the pharaoh who sits at the echelon to whom all the money is being funneled to? That’s an interesting question.

The VIP Lifestyle In the midst of all these yearning for this kind of “charmed” life comes a video which is titled “Millionaires in Manama want to ban this video”. We watched this video and saw the kind of expensive life accompanied with all the toys money can buy, the cars, the yacht, and the sleek, designer suits.

And apparently, we can live this same kind of lavish luxury as soon as we give out our credit card digits. These types of sites and advertisements rely on testimonials from people which serve as their “word of mouth” advertisement.

However, we don’t even know if they exist or if they are using their real identities.

A story appeared in The Daily Tribune last October, regarding a scammer who went by the name of “Omar Safa”, who claimed to be a Bahrain resident. His testimonial said that he has made a lot of money using the work at home job program and that he has been interviewed by media people. However, a quick search of Bahrain publications revealed nothing of this interview. We have tried to contact several companies that offer quick money schemes, to get their side on this matter, but so far no one has gotten back to us.

In addition, there has been a lot of fake pictures going around the internet specifically targeting Bahrain; including a certain billionaire from Bahrain whose

We have tried to contact several companies that offer quick money schemes, to get their side on this matter, but so far no one has gotten back to us. name and picture was used to endorse a product called Cloudtrader. In reality, these businesspeople don’t endorse these companies.

The lowdown on Pyramids Because of the number of complaints received by the Industry and Commerce Ministry’s Consumer Protection Hotline on both pyramid schemes and network marketing; a ministerial order has banned both business models in Bahrain. So far, no case has been referred yet to the Public Prosecution office but “if anyone is ignoring the ban and continues with such practices, they can face a prison sentence and a fine of up to BD5,000”.

Bottom line, are these get rich sites a scam? Answer: Yes!

Gulf Insider January 2017

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Experts Reveal Life Secrets

How to Win in Life Every month Gulf Insider publish 2 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.

Take the time to learn what we reveal each month and you will be rewarded a thousand times over!

Part 4 A 15-Minute Activity That Will Make You More Successful

By Drake Baer

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Gulf Insider January 2017

A

ccording to a new working paper from Harvard Business School, setting aside 15 minutes to write at the end of the workday is enough to make you better at your job.

“When people have the opportunity to reflect, they experience a boost in selfefficacy,” says HBS professor Francesca Gino. “They feel more confident that they can achieve things. As a result, they put more effort into what they’re doing and what they learn.”

In a series of laboratory and field experiments, Gino and her colleagues found that reflection leads to better performance. The most telling example comes from their field experiment with an Indian outsourcing company called Wipro.

The researchers put new employees into groups where people either reflected on their days or didn’t. In the reflection group, employees were given a paper journal and asked to spend 15 minutes at the end of their workdays writing about what went well that day, which they did for 10 days.

The result: The journaling employees had 22.8% higher performance than the control group.

“In the field study, we were asking people to work less,” Gino

says. “It’s counterintuitive, because you think you want to use those 15 minutes to keep working, but it actually leads to performance.”

The study sprang from the experiences Gino and her colleagues have had as instructors. After each class she teaches, she takes time to debrief, noting the comments students made and what points of hers led to quality discussions.

She then folds those insights into the next class she teaches.

That daily routine is easy to replicate across industries. It’s just a matter of making an appointment with yourself to reflect on the day’s successes so you can incorporate those lessons into the next day. It’s like the process of “iteration” that startup folks are always talking about. You introduce a stimulus, gather the data of your experience, and then improve from there.

But you shouldn’t be keeping the learning in your head, Gino cautions. Take the extra step and write it down.

Psychology research shows that writing about your life experiences has loads of positive effects, including increasing student’s grade point averages, reemployment after losing a job, and improving memory. This is because writing helps “codify” the things you’ve gone through, Gino says.

“It’s very easy to deceive yourself if you’re just thinking about it,” she adds, but when you write things down on paper, it’s easier to identify what’s helpful.”

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

A Negotiating Method To Earn More From Clients

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any service providers agonize over how to price their services. If the number is too high, it might scare away potential clients; if it’s too low, you’re providing your services on the cheap. What’s the solution? Ask about the budget before discussing the price.

Start the conversation by discussing the client’s specific needs, and scope out, in general terms, the results that both of you expect from the service you’ll be providing. At that point, ask, “What kind of budget did you have in mind?” You’ll get one of three possible answers:

1. “We don’t have a budget yet.”

2. “About how much will this cost?”

3. “The budget is around $xxxx.”

Answer No. 1: “We don’t have a budget yet.” - The potential client is not

ready to buy, so it’s pointless to talk about price. Instead, turn the conversation to the budgeting process. Find out how budget decisions are made, how (and what) his company has paid for similar services in the past, and what you need to provide to help the client secure a budget, who the decision makers are, etc. Work through the budget process until the client comes up with a number, then move directly to Answer No. 3.

Answer No. 2: “About how much will this cost?” - In this case, the potential client already has a budget in mind and wants to know if you’re in the ballpark of what he’s thinking. If you hear this answer, do not stonewall in the hopes of getting a budget number. You’ll only irritate the client. Instead, quote a range of prices, with the final price dependent upon the exact amount of work involved.

Answer No. 3: “The budget is around $xxxx.”- Answer No. 3 means

money in the bank. The number given reflects the value the client puts on the service you provide. That’s a really good thing to know, because if you know your service is top quality, you deserve top dollar, and top dollar is defined as the highest amount somebody is willing to pay for something. If the number is absurdly low, explain that your service is not in his company’s price range and suggest an alternative. If the number is anywhere within reason, confirm that you can work within that budget.

The potential client is not ready to buy, so it’s pointless to talk about price.

Instead, turn the conversation to the budgeting process.

Gulf Insider January 2017

35

Telecoms

Dubai airports now offer unlimited free high-speed WiFi Dubai airports now offer unlimited FREE high-speed WiFi for visitors (previously users had an hour to surf before having to pay). Dubai’s airport authority has also added 6,000 new WiFi access points to upgrade the entire wireless network infrastructure with increased speeds of up to 5Gbps. New web applications have also been specially developed for each terminal and concourse to improve information for passengers.

Michael Ibbitson, Executive Vice-President of Business Technology at Dubai Airports said “As the world’s largest international hub we are the heart of many journeys across the world today. When our passengers arrive in Dubai after a long journey, they now expect to keep in touch with friends and family all over the world”.

“To enable this, Dubai Airports has invested heavily in developing a state of the art infrastructure to deliver industry leading WiFi capability. It is just one of many initiatives we have undertaken to serve and delight the 83 million passengers that will pass through our airports this year,” he added.

A new battery could charge phone in seconds and be ready in two years British researchers believe they may be heading towards the holy grail for our digital age – mobile phones and laptops which can be charged up in just a few seconds. It could be a reality within two years, using an alternative to battery power potentially between 1,000 and 10,000 times more powerful than existing supercapacitors.

Supercapacitors store energy using electrodes and electrolytes and both charge and deliver energy quickly, unlike a conventional battery.

However their main shortcoming is their low energy density, meaning the amount they can store per kilogram is very low.

Jim Heathcote, chief executive of Supercapacitor Materials Ltd., said prototypes of supercapacitors should be ready for independent testing by the spring. If the technology works, it could be used to create supercapacitors which could cut the size of mobile phone batteries and make them chargeable in seconds, a boon for the busy modern urbanite.

The iPhone 8 is coming The launch of the new Apple iPhone 8 is highly anticipated. Several sources, including Bloomberg, have reported that Apple is currently testing wireless charging tech, and that it could very likely appear in the next iPhone. Even better, the cutting-edge tech would allow devices to be recharged from far away -- even from across a room.

According to several reports, Apple is planning to release three different versions of the iPhone 8. There may be a “premium” model that features a curved OLED screen, and then two others (perhaps in 4.7in and 5.5in sizes) that sport a lesser-quality curved LCD display. Considering the testing of 10 different prototypes though, it’s unclear exactly what sizes and configurations will make the final cut.

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Technology

Powered by mac The new Apple MacBook Pro is trying to make you give up your money.

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pple has unveiled a radical overhaul of its MacBook and continued its mission to kill off outdated technology.

The machine’s new keyboard gets rid of the traditional USB ports and function keys, replacing them with smaller USB-C ports and a smart screen.

There’s also a new TV app that will allow users to easily find and watch streamed and live TV in one place.

The smart screen above the keyboard also doubles as a fingerprint sensor, allowing different users to easily log in and there’s a new high resolution cinema screen. The firm has confirmed it’s killing off its MacBook Air range in favour of a lower cost version of the new MacBook with traditional function keys.

At just 14.9 mm thin, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is 17 per cent thinner and 23% less volume than the previous generation, and nearly half a pound lighter at just three pounds.

The new 15-inch MacBook Pro, at just 15.5 mm thin, is 14% thinner and 20% less volume than before, and weighing just four pounds, is nearly half a pound lighter.

Retina display on the new MacBook Pro is 67 per cent brighter than the previous generation, features 67% more

contrast and is the first Mac notebook display to support a wide colour gamut.

The app brings together content from other video and TV apps, allowing them to be easily seen in one place. It can also show live TV, and users can ask for shows using Siri’s voice recognition.

Hopefully it will be in stores in Bahrain and the rest of the GCC from December.

Prices from US$1,499 - US$2,399

Gulf Insider January 2017

37

Society

Groundbreaking Ceremony

Marassi Al Bahrain held a Grounbreaking and Contractor event for its first residential towers— Marassi Residences.

Business events

Farewell Reception

Farewell reception on the ocassion of the retirement of Mr. Aqeel Raes, CEO & Board Member of Gulf Hotels Group

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Society

BBBF Annual Christmas Lunch Meet

The Bahrain British Business Forum met at The Diplomat Radisson Hotel for their annual festvities.

Lamborghini Showroom launch

Al Ghassan Motors opens a new Lamborghini showroom in Seef.

Opening of McLaren

Kanoo Motors launched the McLaren brand in their showroom.

Gulf Insider January 2017

39

Society

Art Exhibition

Abdulla Al Khan held his exhibition entitled “Behind the Painting” at Bahrain Art Centre.

what’s Happening

Italian Embassy gala dinner

The Italian embassy held its annual gala dinner at Sofitel Thalassa Sea and Spa.

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Society

Launch of SS17 sunglasses

A chic reception was held at La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art, for the launch of SS17 sunglasses.

House of Noir

The House of Noir event entranced Bahrain society with its sophisticated show.

Gulf Insider January 2017

41

Society

AWA Visions 2016

The American Women’s Association held its annual Visions exhibit at the Swiss Belhotel.

Yulia’s engagement party

Our very own Yulia Trubnikova celebrated her engagement in The Domain Hotel.

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Society

Italian Wine Dinner

Teatro Downtown hosted a stylish wine dinner.

VIP opening of Coda Jazz Lounge

The Coda Jazz Lounge successfully held its VIP opening.

Rick Costa birthday party

Trust Rick Costa to throw a birthday party in style.

Gulf Insider January 2017

43

Opinion

Ask

Each month we will be putting a legal problem to consultant Ali Al Jabal to answer.

A full service law firm for Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman, founded in 1995 by Mr Ali Al Jabal

This month - Foreign Inheritance

in Bahrain

Question: My husband and I are both Non-Muslim British Nationals and long-time residents of Bahrain. Having decided to retire in this country, we bought a property on Amwaj Island.

However, I have been told that upon my husband’s demise the property will not automatically revert to me, instead it will be shared amongst our children and I will only receive a small portion as my share.

I am concerned about this as I feel it puts me in an insecure position. I contributed financially to the purchase of the house and our children are married with homes

of their own in the U.K. and have no desire to live in Bahrain.Could you please clarify the inheritance laws in Bahrain.

AJ Answer: Following Bahrain’s Code of Procedures and in the event of your husband’s death, the first thing to do, is to file a lawsuit to claim your inheritance from your deceased spouse’s estate.

The lawsuit will be referred to the High Civil Court which has the jurisdiction and competence to decide all disputes relating to the personal status of nonMuslims (as in your case).

It should be noted, that the appointment of heirs and the determination of the shares of inheritance and the devolution of the funds will be decided by the provisions of the law of the country of the deceased, in your case the U.K. The High Civil Court will then review the matter and provide it’s ruling at its own discretion of the distribution of the inheritance, based on the law of the U.K. I hope this puts your mind at rest.

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

Hope the handbrake is on!

Saudi daredevil parks truck on the side of a cliff (but is all as it seems?)

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his foolhardy motorist has taken car parking to a whole new level - by stopping his truck on a steep incline at the top of a mountain.

The man appears to be standing at the edge of the 11,500ft-high Fifa Mountain in Saudi Arabia with his car in a precarious position.

But is everything as it appears?

Many Saudis have noted that people performing such

dangerous stunts should either be jailed or perhaps recruited by the army.

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While some say the driver had behaved in a reckless fashion, others shared their disbelief and suspected the images may have been altered or taken from an angle to make it look more terrifying than it really was.

Saudi newspapers picked up the story and warned youngsters from the Kingdom against taking similar pictures that might look ‘courageous’ but can lead to life-threatening situations.

It is not the first time a daring incident went viral on Saudi social media.

In December last year, a video showing Saudi youngsters jumping into a car driving on two wheels at high speed went viral. Many Saudis have noted that people performing such dangerous stunts should either be jailed or perhaps recruited by the army.

Motors

INSIDER

MOTORS Automotive News and Reviews

Gulf Insider January 2017

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Motors

Our favorite

cars of 2016 Over the last 12 months, Gulf Insider tested lots of great cars, but these were the ones that particularly stood out.

Not all of them are sports or “luxury” cars, but they had a certain something that made them special. We include the issue number of the magazine in case you wish to read the full review online, as well as dealer details in case you would like to test any of them yourself.

2016 Jaguar XFS (Issue 133) This is a good looking car. It has a sleek body and sexy LED headlamps, and the black low profile sports alloys on the car I drove made it look even better. Parked among rival car brands of a similar car range it certainly stood out.

To arrange a test drive contact Euro Motors Tel: +973 1746 0460.

Porsche 911 Carrera S (Issue 133) The 911 is a supercar that can be enjoyed as an everyday car. There aren’t many direct rivals to the 911 for the price, and many exotic rivals with often considerably higher price tags are typically unable to match the 911 for its overall practicality and handling. Therefore, the Porsche 911 remains the benchmark sports car in this price range.

To book a test drive contact Porsche Centre Bahrain, Tel: +973 1745 991 1 46

Gulf Insider January 2017

Motors

718 Boxster S (Issue 136) For doing hot laps around the Yas Marina Circuit, the 718 Boxster S took the prize. It’s light, perfectly balanced and responsive, and terrific fun. The standard 718 Boxster is a great car, but add the S and it’s a different beast.

I easily outraced a driver of the 718 Boxster while I was driving a 718 Boxster S. When we swapped cars, it was different, I couldn’t keep up. This experiment proves that so often it is a car and not the driver that “wins a race”.

To book a test drive contact Porsche Centre Bahrain, Tel: +973 1745 991 1

2016 Chrysler 200cc (Issue 139) The 200c drives like a luxury car and comes fully loaded, both in its powertrain and options. The price may seem a little high for a mid-size salon, but it comes with all sorts of technological wonders to make your life easier.

McLaren 570S

To arrange your own test drive of a 2.4L or 3.6L Chrysler 200c, call Ahmed Zayani on +973 1723 8822

(Issue 137) The McLaren 570S was a pleasure to drive, perfect in every way.

As a substantially new brand competing against traditional sports cars, McLaren Automotive has progressed well in the industry.

By successfully making a name in the market, it’s undeniable that McLaren’s doing something right.

To book a test drive please contact, McLaren Manama Tel: +973 8000 8988

Lexus GSF (Issue 140) This luxury performance car will go from 0 to 100kph in just 4.4 seconds and it will do so smoothly. This is a car that I feel you could drive for long journeys in comfort. The cockpit of the GSF is a nice place to be. There’s plenty of shoulder and hip room and clear visibility.

I didn’t get 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 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!

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

Gulf Insider January 2017

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Motors

Porsche Panamera Turbo (Issue 141) The Panamera Turbo is a sports supercar and a luxury sedan rolled into one. It’s the fastest four door sedan you can buy while for luxury can legitimately be called a serious alternative to choices like the BMW 7 Series or the Mercedes S class. As a high performance sports car, neither the BMW nor the Mercedes came close to matching the Panamera’s performance.

To book a test drive contact Porsche Centre Bahrain, Tel: +973 1745 991 1

Infiniti Q50S (Issue 143) Building on the previous Q50, the Q50S is a four door luxury sports sedan. It has new interior and exterior design features with a 3.0 liter V6 twin turbo engine which delivers up to 400 horsepower and a fantastic performance. Relentless and even a bit ferocious, it pumps out 350 pound feet of torque.

This is one of the most interesting and impressive cars that Infiniti has made.

To arrange your own test drive call Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons Tel +973 17 732 732

Infiniti Q30 (Issue 142) The infiniti Q30 has arrived in Bahrain and is available with 1.6L or 2.0L Turbo variants in a 2WD configuration. If you’re looking for a small family hatchback, I strongly recommend you arrange a test drive for this car and test its strengths for yourself.

To arrange your own test drive call Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons Tel +973 17 732 732 / 17 211 111

Volvo S90 (Issue 142) The Volvo has plenty of power as well as a very simple to use entertainment system. The engine offers an impressive 350 hp and Volvo will be bringing out a 407 hp twin engine model soon. Volvo has always been a favorite of people who look for quality and safety in a car. They have a built-in active safety overview which can detect large, moving objects. This is a segment leading active safety override that is very forward thinking on Volvo’s part and proves the company is a leader in such technology.

To book your test drive: Motorcity Bahrain, Tel. +973 1773 6222 48

Gulf Insider January 2017

Motors Subaru Legacy Special Price :

Was BD.8,700 Now BD.7,995

The Subaru Legacy Since its launch, the Subaru Legacy has been a consistent placer in the sports sedan category.

With all the features of a sports car as well as the comfort and value of a utility vehicle, this is a top pick for an all-around family vehicle.

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his new Subaru has a sporty yet refined feel. Maintaining the spacious, comfortable cabin space the Legacy is known for; the styling focuses on a sculptured body evoking a sense of safety and a strong base which grips the road with its all-wheel-drive. The Legacy’s steering system has been revised for a better feel. Add to that a body-integrated hexagonal grille and hawk-eye headlights and you have a very classy sports sedan.

This makes the Legacy very enjoyable to drive with drivers having the exhilarating ability to direct the car exactly where they want.

Night visibility is not a problem with this model as you get rear combination lamps which has the same design motif as the front. Subaru says this is “in pursuit of a more fearless image”. In addition, LED lamps are employed for the tail and brake lamps to help enhance fuel economy, and optimal light distribution.

Subaru’s interior is comfortable and sporty, designed to dramatically improve quality while creating a next-generation interior offering a sportier driver’s area and an infotainment system for a more

enjoyable in-car experience. The cabin is configured for comfortable long driving, striking a balance between openness and security with adequate forward space. In addition, the wide dashboard has horizontal highlights to give an even wider feel.

With a standard allwheel drive and a suite of available safety technology at a competitive price in a handsomely well-assembled car (manufactured in Japan), the Legacy is an undeniably smart buy.

Solid Performance, Classy Interiors You can choose between a sporty black and an ornate ivory configuration for the interior. In the black interior, silver highlights have been added as a base tone to create a horizontal design in the black trim, creating a tight and sporty, yet spacious feel. Meanwhile in the ivory interior, ivory spreads horizontally throughout for a sporty, yet bright and elegant feel. Class, excitement, and comfort!

With a standard all-wheel drive and a suite of available safety technology at a competitive price in a handsomely wellassembled car (manufactured in Japan), the Legacy is an undeniably smart buy.

It’s also a solid performer, with a 2.5-liter, 175-hp flat-four or an optional 3.6-liter, 256-hp flat-six, both paired with a continuously variable automatic.

For more information contact the Motorcity Subaru Showroom in Sitra on 17736222 or visit motorcity.com.bh.

Gulf Insider January 2017

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Motors

Hajwalah

“orchestrated mayhem” Youths burn up their tyres and write off their cars in growing 160kph ‘sport’.

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t’s a ‘sport’ that is rapidly on the rise, although many of the original surviving participants will not be happy about that.

Hajwalah, or Middle East Drifting, sees motorists drive their cars at speeds of around 160 kph while repeatedly shifting their vehicles left and right, causing the vehicles to slide and challenging them to regain control.

The dangerous activity began in Saudi Arabia in the 1970s where ‘wealthy youngsters’ would carry out drifting stunts in wide sections of road.

Police are often called to stop the sport 50

Gulf Insider January 2017

When people are caught they can face the death penalty, with one man beheaded in Saudi Arabia in 2012 after his drifting killed two bystanders.

but the use of ‘spotters’ to alert drivers of the authorities means they frequently escape action.

When people are caught they can face the death penalty, with one man beheaded in Saudi Arabia in 2012 after his drifting killed two bystanders.

To combat this, leagues are now being set up by professional racers in arenas across the Middle East to give the sport a legitimate presence and discourage motorists from taking to the streets.

Photographer Peter Garritano last year spent a week in the United Arab Emirates photographing the sport for a

Motors

Motorplex every fortnight from dusk until around 2am, usually involving 70-or-so participants, with many aged between their teens and 20s.

They are given three minutes to perform stunts, and many use SUVs from mainstream brands like Toyota that have been upgraded with engines from supercars like Ferraris.

‘It’s the same sentiment behind teenagers doing donuts in any part of the world.’

series he produced.

He said the sport used to be the ‘Wild West’ of street racing in the Middle East but that efforts have been made to ‘formalise’ it in recent years.

Championships have been set up, including the Middle East Drift Championship that spans the GCC countries.

Events are now held in large arenas such as the Emirates Motorplex, a car club and venue which is around an hour away from Dubai and hosts drag races and drifting.

A video by Motorplex track owner

Wael Hammad shows the tyres of one white SUV smoking as they are burned as the vehicle - which has OO7 written on one side - performs power slides along the asphalt.

Flames can also be seen shooting from an exhaust pipe below the vehicle as the engine roars.

Speaking to Wired, Mr Garritano said: ‘It was way more formal than I was expecting. It used to be going out with your friends on the streets and causing mayhem. Now, it’s causing orchestrated mayhem.’

Events are said to be held at the

Points are given out to the most daring drivers for the levels of risk they take, providing they don’t crash, although hospital selfies are regarded as one of the highest honours a driver can achieve.

Mr Garritano added: ‘Everyone I spoke to had a picture of themselves on Instagram in a hospital bed recovering.

‘It’s the same sentiment behind teenagers doing donuts in any part of the world.’

Images: Instagram/Wael_Hammad

Gulf Insider January 2017

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Gulf Review

Snow falls in the Sahara for the first time in 37 years Villagers were stunned at an unexpected white Christmas as snow fell on the Sahara for the first time in a long time. Snow was last recorded in the town of Ain Sefra in February 1979 - when snowfall lasted just an hour. Stunning photos taken by amateur photographer Karim Bouchetata helped capture this exquisite phenomenon, which lasted for almost a day.

Through his wide-photo lens, Bouchetata said “It looked amazing as the snow settled on the sand and made a great set of photos”. The Sahara Desert covers most of Northern Africa and it has gone through shifts in temperature and moisture over the past few hundred thousand years. Although the Sahara is very dry today, it is expected to become green again in about 15,000 years.

Ridiculed Bangladeshi cleaner showered with gifts A Bangladeshi cleaner in Saudi Arabia was showered with gifts after a photo of him staring into a jewellers’ window was ridiculed and went viral on social media. Nazer al-Islam Abdul Karim, 65, who works in Riyadh, was mocked by an Instagram user who shared the photo, writing: ‘This man deserves to only look at rubbish.’

An outpouring of support for the cleaner ensued and Abdullah Al-Qahtani, who has a Twitter account called ‘Ensaneyat’ ‘humanitarianism’ in Arabic - set out to find him.

Al-Qahtani’s tweet was shared more than 6,500 times and users were able to identify the cleaner’s location from the reflection of the shop window in the photo.

Karim, whose monthly salary in Riyadh is $187 (700 Saudi Riyal), said he didn’t realize the photo was taken. ‘I was just doing my job as a cleaner in the municipality and found myself in front of the gold shop. I am very happy about the gifts and very thankful,’ he said.

Legal blow for expats seeking return of passports At least 10 expats in Bahrain have been arrested after attempting to reclaim their passports from employers despite having court orders obliging the employer to return the passports. When the expats arrived at the police station with their court orders as instructed they were arrested and detained for illegal residency status or charges brought against them by the employer.

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Gulf Insider January 2017

Gulf Review

Income tax coming to Bahrain?

Income tax in Bahrain could be a reality by 2020 according to KPMG Managing Director Jamal Fakhro, blaming government debt and funding requirements.

He was speaking on the implementation of VAT in Bahrain in 2018 during a panel discussion at the 8th International Conference of the Bahrain Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Other speakers were Hassan Jarrar, CEO of BISB, Dr. Jarmo Kotilaine, chief economist of EDB, and Sushil Jain, Director of Finance & Risk at Bin Faqeeh. The panel agreed that 2017 will be “a challenging year”.

Dubai most expensive city to celebrate nye The annual survey of the world’s most popular cities by the currency exchange firm Travelex reveals that the most expensive to celebrate New Year’s Eve - BY FAR - is Dubai.

According to the survey the 6 most popular cities, along with average costs per person, are as follows:

Saudi Arabia’s new expat fees

1. Dubai = BD 240 per person

From next year, the levy on expat workers will be gradually revised upwards, providing an additional impetus for employers to hire more Saudis. For companies in which expats do not exceed the number of Saudi or GCC employees, the fee will no longer be waived, but will be charged at a discounted rate. This is according to a report by Thomson Reuter’s Zawya.

In 2017, dependents of expats will each incur a monthly fee of SR100 from July onwards. This will double in the year 2018. Companies with equal or lower foreign employees as compared to Saudis will have to pay a monthly fee of SR300. Ditto for companies whose foreign employees exceeds the number of Saudis who will have to pay SR400. The fee levy shows an upward increase up to the year 2020.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan told reporters in Riyadh that these fees do not apply to domestic helpers, such as drivers and cleaners, but only to expats working in commercial entities.

2. New York = BD 185 3. London = BD 144 4. Paris = BD 117 5. Amsterdam = BD 96 6. Sydney = BD 95

Follow us at Gulf Insider for more great posts. /GulfInsider

@GulfInsider

@GulfInsider Gulf Insider January 2017

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Life

Inside an Iranian women’s prison

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leeping in squalid conditions, queuing for hours on end for food and struggling to care for a newborn baby are just some of the horrifying challenges girls in Iran’s grim prison’s face.

Dozens of juvenile offenders - some of whom are just nine years old - are languishing on death row for crimes such as murder, drug trafficking and armed robbery. Award-winning photographer Sadegh Souri, who lives in Tehran, has given an insight to the harsh conditions young people face in these grimy institutions as they anticipate their fate.

Young women can be hanged for crimes, sometimes following unfair trials based on forced confessions.

The girls are imprisoned in a Juvenile Delinquents Correction Centre after their sentence verdict and a large number of the inmates are then killed when they reach 18.

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Gulf Insider January 2017

Mahsa is 17. She falls in love with a boy and intends to marry him, but her father is against the marriage. One day she has an argument with her father and kills him with a kitchen knife. Mahsa’s brothers are requesting death penalty or lex talionis (an ‘eye for an eye’).

Life

Last year there was an escalation in the use of the death penalty in Iran, with at least 830 people executed between 1 January and 1 November 2015. There were reports that at least four of these were juvenile offenders.

Female inmates can keep their newborns with them in prison until they are two years old. Zahra married when 14 and has two children. She is 17 now and she is in jail because of stealing women’s mobiles. She has been in prison for the same reason three times

Mr. Souri was born in 1985 in Nahavand City, Hamedan Province in Iran. He has a BA in Photography and Cinematography from the University of Applied Science and Technology. He started out in 2005 and then has had four solo exhibitions in 2009, 2011 and 2012.

Khatereh, aged 13, ran away from home because her uncle raped her. A week after she escaped she was attacked and gang raped by a group of youths in a park. Police found her unconscious on the ground and after treatment she was transferred to Juvenile Delinquents Correction Centre.

Shaqayeq, 15, has been in prison for almost a year on charge of armed robbery from a chain store in Tehran. Her grandmother had come to visit her after a year. Her death sentence has been issued and she must reach 18 so the verdict can be carried out Images: Sadegh Souri Gulf Insider January 2017

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Art

Yemen Preserved

Mareh – The capital of Sabean Kingdom from the 5th Century B.C. and one of Yemen’s most archaeological site.

Abdulla Dashty is a Bahrain based photographer who regularly goes on “photography holidays” to capture the beauty of ancient cities and traditional villages around the world. These images are from his trip to Yemen between 2006 and 2009.

A Janabia dagger seller in Souk El-Milh.

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Gulf Insider January 2017

Art

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“The Green Belt of Yemen” is known for its rain, lush green mountains and cold climate in the summer.

Socotra Island – Located in the Arab Sea 500km from Aden and 350km from Mukala. Consists of four islands famous for its unique fauna and flora, especially the Dragon Blood Tree.

Omran – Located 140km north of Sana’a; a farmer on his land.

Wadi Dhaher, Sana’a – A fertile wadi 15km north of Sana’a with a small village, famous for its grapes, pomegranates and nuts. The five story palace on the rocky mountain was the residence of Imam Yahya before the revolution.

Gulf Insider January 2017

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Last Word

luxury at the sea The Middle East’s largest marina will be built in Dubai

135

metre height

1,400

Another landmark! The ‘Dubai Lighthouse’ will stand at 135 metres high and feature a luxury hotel and an observation deck that will offer 360 degree views. The façade can be used as a gigantic screen for high resolution projections and light shows

An artist’s impression of what the ‘Dubai Harbour’ will look like upon completion. It will sit to the side of the world famous man-made Palm Island

Berths

Images: Dubai Government Media Office

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he Ruler of Dubai in the New Year announced plans to develop the largest marina in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum unveiled plans on January 2nd to build an impressive terminal in Dubai that will have 1,400 berths in a bid to boost the cities tourism industry.

The ‘Dubai Harbour’ will also feature a cruise ship port and a terminal that can accommodate 6,000 passengers at a time, a government statement said. Yacht berths will also be built to accommodate large yachts of the mega wealthy.

The new project will include a 135-metre lighthouse featuring a hotel and observation deck.

The marina will expand Dubai’s yacht capacity by around 50 percent from its current 3,000 berths, the statement said.

The project will be located off the upmarket Dubai Marina neighbourhood and next to the man-made Palm Island.

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Gulf Insider January 2017

Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (centre) looks over the proposed project that looks to boost the city’s already expanding tourism sector. He said that Dubai Harbour ‘represents a unique and innovative new addition to the region’s tourism landscape’

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