Gulf Insider - July 2019

The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

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173

Issue

knowledge is power

+ INSIDE Bahrain Tourism Growing New Porsche 911 Hyundai Sonata & Palisade ... and much more!

BMW X3 M & X4 M

Two High Powered Luxury German Suvs

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Contents July 2019 Issue 173

12 50 Facebook Followers

405,089 Simply unparalleled online presence that connects region’s most inspired communities.

People & Culture

12 33 36

World’s Largest Underwater Theme Park

Money & Business

16 23 24

Ahli United Bank: Digital Transformation

Car News & Reviews

46 50 54 56

BMW X3 M & X4 M

Unfollowing anti-government social media accounts Bahrain Tourism Growing

Cryptocurrency in Bahrain Keypoint: Considering Engaging Consultants

Porsche 911 Volvo XC40 Hyundai Sonata and Palisade

… and much, much more!

Knowledge is power

Comment...

Publisher & Editor in Chief

- Nicholas C. Cooksey

Editorial Contributors

- Sawsan Abu Omar - Ryan Ernst - Dhanyasree M - Hugh Haskell-Thomas - Nicholas Cortes - Bill Daly

Sales & Business Development

- Charlie Cooksey

- Dhanraj S Layout Designs Admin & Finance

A picture is worth a thousand words.

- Nikesh Pola

- Angelo Jose A Photography Distribution Executive

- Mohammed Yousif

Here's last month’s most 'Liked' #BestInBahrain picture posted to our social media.

For Advertising Opportunities Call Charlie Cooksey

Dhanyasree M

M. +973 3652 0004

M. +973 3612 8111

charlie@gulf-insider.com

sales1@gulf-insider.com

Published by:

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

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.

The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

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The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

Bahrain BD2

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KSA SR20

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Kuwait KD1.75 Oman RO2 Qatar QR20 UAE DHS20

Issue

172

knowledge is power

Issue

173

knowledge is power

+ INSIDE Bahrain Tourism Growing New Porsche 911 Hyundai Sonata & Palisade ... and much more!

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www.Gulf-Insider.com

Bahrain BD2

new rides on the island

+ INSIDE Shangri-La Cathay Pacific Cheese for MICE? ... and much more!

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GulfInsider

The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

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171

knowledge is power

170

knowledge is power

Issue

46,160 People Reached

GulfInsider

The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

Issue

Photo by Jane-e Alam

Complimentary Copy

Two High Powered Luxury German Suvs

Complimentary Copy

BMW X3 M & X4 M

1,973 Reactions, Comments & Shares Send us your own photo – it could be featured next!

Revolution foR the PRecRafted houses

The FuTure ICT hub

Complimentary Copy

bahrain will soon emerge as the regional ICT hub.

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interview with Mr. Robbie antonio the founder and ceo, Revolution Precrafted Follow us on

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Training Today for a Safer Tomorrow

Agora Training Centre Bahrain, offers a vast variety of training programs approved

by Ministry of Labour and Tamkeen as well as International Accreditation bodies. The training is deliver by highly experienced instructors with at least 5 years experience.

www.agoratrainingservices.ae

Intended audience Occupational first aid providers who are not healthcare providers or professional rescuers

Class configurations Max student to instructor ratio: 12 to 1 l Recommended student to equipment ratio: 3 to 1 l

MEDIC First Aid-approved training materials Digital Resources Recognized certification period l

MEDIC First Aid BasicPlus

CPR, AED, and First Aid for Adults MEDIC First AidÂŽ BasicPlus is a combined adult CPR, AED, and first aid training program designed specifically for the occupational first aid provider.

This extremely flexible program will help employers meet OSHA and other federal and state regulatory requirements for training employees how to respond and care for medical emergencies at work. This program conforms to the 2015 AHA Guidelines Update for CPR and ECC and the 2015 AHA and ARC Guidelines Update for First Aid.

Up to 2 years

Successful completion

Certification

(certification)

On completion of this course successful candidates will receive a Ministry of Labour approved Certificate on Basic First Aid Entry.

There is no revalidation period for this type of training, however refresher training is recommended every 2 years.

l l

Written evaluation Performance evaluation

Recommended time to complete Initial training: 6-8 hours Renewal training: Less than initial instructional time l l

For more informations contact: Agora Training Center Villa 270, Rd No 503, Muqabah, Kingdom of Bahrain, Tel: +973 3370 1547

Inbox

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

Highlighted Posts:

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Events

Day & Night Bahrain Summer Festival When: 1st - 27th July 2019 Where: Various Locations Held under the slogan “Our Year of Celebrations”, the 11th edition of the Bahrain Summer Festival is returning with an exciting one-month long program! The annual festival, which has become one of the most anticipated events will be filled with diverse performances along with artistic activities, educational and creative workshops.

For more information: culture.gov.bh

Rapunzel When: 11th July 2019 Where: Cultural Hall For the 3rd year, the Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) is coming to Manama, as part of the 2019 Bahrain Summer Festival. Ms. Grace McGeoch and Mr. Adam Ferguson from MCT will select a cast of 50 to 60 local children to act in an original musical adaptation of the timeless tale Rapunzel.

For more information: culture.gov.bh

10

Gulf Insider July 2019

Summer Activities – Youth City 2030 When: 7th July 2019 Where: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre The event focuses on key growth areas for Bahraini youth, aiming to promote creative thinking among them and encourage talent in areas such as leadership, media, information technology, arts, languages, science and sports.

For more information: +973 1711 4146

Gulf Summer Fair Bahrain When: 9th July 2019 Where: The K Hotel Get ready to learn, grow and experience the best of both training and education under one roof! Meet local and international educational and training institutions which offers opportunities for study, scholarships and much more.

For more information: alphaintl.org

Lifestyle

A moment captured in time...

VIP motorcade drives through Mina Salman in 1961

Gulf Insider July 2019

11

People & Culture

World’s Largest Underwater Theme Park To Open In Bahrain Next Month A Boeing 747 was last month sunk off the coast of Bahrain to form part of a new dive park.

T

he Boeing 747-236B SF was built in 1981 and had various owners over the years.

From 1982 until 2005 the plane belonged to Malaysian Airlines. Malaysian retired the plane in 2005 and it went briefly into storage.

Later that year, the aircraft was picked up by the then Fort Lauderdale based Focus Air, a wet lease cargo operator that ceased operating three years later in 2008.

The reef will cover 100,000 square metres Air Atlanta Icelandic took the 747 in June 2008. They flew it until May 2013 when it was finally retired and went into storage at Fujairah 12

Gulf Insider July 2019

People & Culture

Its final resting place, at a depth of 24 metres off the coast of Bahrain

After flying millions of miles and carrying countless passengers around the world, this mighty plane was towed to its final resting place, at a depth of 24 metres off the coast of Bahrain last month, where it will form the centrepiece of an artificial reef. When complete, the reef will cover 100,000 square metres.

Prior to it being sunk, the aircraft had a high pressure wash to get rid of oil, grime, and post production coatings. All contaminants were removed – wiring, adhesives, oils, fluids, plastics, rubbers, and any other materials that could prove potentially toxic.

The world’s largest eco-friendly underwater theme park, located off Diyar Al Muharraq, is scheduled for opening in August.

The Bahrain Underwater Themepark will include several unique dive spots in addition to artificial coral reefs that will be submerged in the later stages of the project in order to form a safe haven for the kingdom’s marine ecosystem, said the officials of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA).

The park will boast other structures such as a replica of a traditional Bahraini pearl merchant’s house and artificial coral reefs.

Sculptures will be fabricated from eco-friendly materials and submerged to provide a safe haven for coral reef growth and habitat for marine life, said the officials.

Gulf Insider July 2019

13

People & Culture

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN ANNOUNCES TOM BRADY AS GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR

W

ith six Super Bowl titles, four Super Bowl MVP Awards, three League MVP Awards, and 16 Division titles – Tom Brady embodies greatness. IWC and Brady are both best in class and their shared principles of excellence and timeless style make their partnership a seamless fit.

Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, said: “Tom Brady is arguably the best quarterback of all time, but also an admired role model. On the field, his focus is on performance and precision; off the field, he is a true gentleman, incredible father and husband while also embodying elegance and style.”

Tom Brady is a world-class athlete, modern day icon and a connoisseur of haute horlogerie. His collection includes several IWC watches, among them a Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar and the iconic Portugieser Perpetual Calendar.

“I am honored to be partnering with IWC Schaffhausen, a brand I’ve long admired, not only for their timeless design but their precise engineering and attention to detail,” said Brady. “I am excited to be part of the IWC family and look forward to collaborating with their talented team to share the brand’s unique heritage globally.”

Brady’s unprecedented football career includes a multitude of NFL records. He is the first player in NFL history to accumulate 80,000 total yards. Brady also holds the most game wins of any quarterback, is the alltime leader in passing yards and has the most career touchdown passes of any player in history.

IWC Schaffhausen and Tom Brady look forward to bringing their partnership to life with many exciting new projects planned.

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Gulf Insider July 2019

Chopard hosts an exclusive event at Modal Mall to discover its novelties

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Money & Business

Samih Abutaleb

How Digital Transformation is

changing Banking

Gulf Insider spoke with Samih Abutaleb, Group Head of Digital Transformation, Ahli United Bank one of biggest financial firms in Bahrain, on how they approach digital transformation.

W

hat is the greatest threat facing the banking industry today?

Abutaleb: Customer expectations present a valuable opportunity for organizations in the banking industry. Some might consider them the greatest threat facing the industry, but at Ahli United Bank we have always strived to service our customers with the best and latest

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Gulf Insider July 2019

technology available, thus enabling us to make the most out of the ongoing wave of digital transformation by putting the customer first.

Previously, businesses had the luxury of dictating the time, place and method to conduct business with their customers while today customers expect to interact with their service providers at their own convenience through multiple touchpoints. This

shift is driving the banking industry to transform to enhance their customer experience and add value to their services.

This opportunity comes at a time when the market in Bahrain is ripe for change, with excellent Government support through initiatives such as Bahrain FinTech Bay, the largest FinTech hub in the MENA region, and a pioneering regulator that is working

Money & Business

to develop an advanced regulatory environment that supports FinTech innovation.

What does digital transformation mean to you and Ahli United Bank?

Abutaleb: Digital transformation is about change and speed. The banking industry is very competitive, and we need to keep up with smaller, more nimble financial firms, including FinTechs, as well as the larger established ones. We are approaching

Mohammed Abusaqer, Samih Abutaleb and Amal Mashkoor

At Ahli United Bank we have always strived to service our customers with the best and latest technology available.

digital transformation by evolving IT and how we engage with our bank stakeholders. This means identifying new IT-business working models and identifying new technologies. We are continually driving innovation to meet business objectives.

What are the roles and responsibilities of the digital team?

Abutaleb: Ahli United Bank introduced a digital team to work with business units and understand their goals. The digital team is also responsible for engaging with other financial services companies to understand best practices and see how they are innovating. From there, we put together a plan that goes from developing new products to new distribution methods and increasing the efficiency of IT. Strong internal engineering capabilities. We brought in new competencies around engineering as it is now the core of what we do. And we

embraced agile IT to enable delivery, which meant organizing it around small multi-disciplined teams (squads) and empowering them to make decisions.

We also introduced product owners from the business to work in our IT squads.

Cloud-native application architecture.

The success of cloud-native companies like Google and Amazon is driven by their cloud-native software development methods. These companies are agile, move quickly, and we want to replicate what they do. With major improvements to our application architecture, we aim to have less than 10% of our applications remain legacy within three to five years.

Modernized infrastructure. We need to implement next-generation infrastructure to enable our complex IT environment. IaaS and PaaS services are good for this, in Bahrain, banks can use public clouds and we want that level of agility, so we built our own cloud strategy to completely own open-source tools and easily shift our environment over. The private cloud will give us the ability to scale up and down as needed.

Integrated security. Information security must be embedded into all our processes and products including new technology, but more importantly, continuous user training. Ahli United Bank employees are much more aware of phishing risks through training and simulated phishing attacks.

How are Ahli Untied Bank driving innovation internally?

As with any major transformation within an organization, Executives’ buy-in and management support is critical. At Ahli United Bank, we have tremendous support from our Board of Directors and Group CEO as they believe technology is at the core of the bank, and it will help us continue our success as one of the leading banks in the region. A culture of innovation that is championed by leadership and cascaded through the organization is the fuel powering our digital transformation journey.

Gulf Insider July 2019

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People & Culture

Why Dubai?

Loud, ambitious and unashamedly glitzy. Dubai is a holiday destination that divides opinion more than most.

O

n the one hand, this metropolis-on-sea is a playground for luxury lovers - its designer shopping is unrivalled, there’s a lively nightlife scene and hotels here are bigger, taller and more in your face than New York, London or LA. On the other, the sheer amount of glass and steel can be overwhelming for the first-time visitor. It’s home to the tallest building on earth - which looms audaciously over a futuristic skyline of high-rise towers and an elevated metro system that zips through the city.

But it’s not all shopping and skyscrapers - there are plenty of off-thebeaten-track activities for dubious Dubai visitors to enjoy and, most importantly,

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Gulf Insider July 2019

now is the time to start thinking about winter sun. Fortunately for us, the United Arab Emirates has it by the bucketload.

The amazing skyline Whether you’re downtown around the Burj Khalifa - the tallest manmade structure on earth - or soaking up the sun at the Marina, you’re never far from

People & Culture

for: Bestro, a meat and dairy-free counter in the Dubai Mall serves up tasty plant-based dishes that are more than worth the hype.

The Beaches

an amazing view in Dubai. The city is jam-packed with skyscrapers, making for one impressive cityscape.

The Cuisine Dubai has a growing culinary scene to match the ambition of its futuristic vision. There are international offerings from La Petite Maison, Zuma, Cipriani and Marina Social by Jason Atherton,

while Nusr-et in the Four Seasons serves some of the best steak in town. Locals recommend heading to Al Hadheera, a restaurant in the desert run by five-star hotel Bab al Shams which serves an impressive live buffet of Arabic, Mediterranean, Levant and Emirati food. For sliders and milkshakes, head to Salt - a trendy aluminium burger van parked on Kite Beach founded by a local Emirati. Even vegans are catered

If you love nothing more than the feeling of sand between your toes, you’ve come to the right place. There’s no shortage of sun, sea and sand in Dubai, although it’s important to note that the lion’s share of beaches are owned by the large resorts - meaning that if you’re not a guest, you won’t be able to access them. However, there are plenty of excellent free beaches to be found such as the popular Jumeirah public beach and the Umm Suqeim beach - which sits underneath the landmark Burj Al Arab. If you’re looking for something a little more remote, try the peaceful Al Sufouh beach, which has a spectacular view of the famous Palm Islands.

The Palm Islands The city’s man made islands are just some of the many examples of Dubai’s ambitious energy. These artificial archipelagos look like a stylised palm tree from above, and are primarily home to hotels, resorts and private villas. In fact, they are one of the only man made structures visible from outer space.

The best way to see these spectacular islands is by boat - hire one of the yachts or speedboats offered by one of the many private touring companies, or hop aboard the Palm Monorail that runs to the Atlantis resort.

Growing art scene From the hip Alserkal Avenue art district that’s emerging in the industrial Al Quoz area, to the glossy art galleries lining the Financial Centre, Dubai has a burgeoning art scene worth a visit from anyone looking to expand their collection. The Dubai Design District, a purpose-built community dedicated to promoting and nurturing emerging local talent, is the creative hub of young Dubai while design festivals like Art Dubai and Design Days bring international artists and collectors to the heart of the city throughout the year.

Gulf Insider July 2019

19

The 12 Best Restaurants in Bahrain at The Ritz-Carlton

Mirai Restaurant & Lounge

CUT by Wolfgang Puck

My CafĂŠ

Cantina Kahlo

at The Four Seasons

La Pergola at The Gulf Hotel

Le Sauvage at The Domain

Masso Most voted!

Mahonia

Primavera at The Ritz-Carlton

Play Restaurant & Lounge at Jumeirah Royal Saray

re/Asian Cuisine at The Four Seasons

The Meat Co

+ these 28 restaurants were voted “Highly Recommended” Attic

Haji’s Café

Namli

Babel

Imari

Naseef

Bushido

Hazel Rooftop & Lounge

Oliveto

Tel: 1771 7780

Tel:1721 0647

Tel: 1711 0511

Tel: 1600 0333

Tel: 1758 3555

Calexico

Tel: 1766 6644

Café Lilou

Tel: 1771 4440

Coco’s

Tel: 1771 6512

David’s Stir Fry Crazy Tel: 1754 0188

Fatto

Tel: 6677 8822

Golestan Restaurant

at the Sheraton, Tel: 1753 3533

Judged by Bahrain’s Leading Hotels: Al Areen Palace & Spa ART Rotana Crowne Plaza The Domain Downtown Rotana Four Seasons Gulf Hotel InterContinental Regency Jumeirah Royal Saray Mövenpick Reef Resort The Ritz-Carlton Sheraton Sofitel The Westin Honorary Judges: The Capital Club The Royal Golf Club

Tel: 3962 2882

Tel: 17231231

Tel: 1771 6747

La Mer

Rasoi by Vineet

at The Sofitel, Tel: 1763 6363

at The Gulf Hotel, Tel: 1774 6461

La Vinoteca Barcelona

Rosso

Tel: 1700 7808

Tel: 1600 0111

Lanterns

The Foundry

Tel: 1759 1807

Tel: 6996 0000

Lumee

The Cheesecake Factory

Tel: 1733 3747

Tel: 1711 0602

Maki

Villa Mamas Tel: 1730 5031

Tel: 1752 2733

Florence La Maison Mediterranean Tel: 1733 8373

Tel: 1769 5959

Medzo

at InterContinental Regency, Tel: 1722 7777

Meisei

Tel: 1700 7770

We are pleased to recognize, for the first time, the best restaurants in Bahrain.

Bahrain Confidential the asked experts from Bahrain’s leading luxury hotels to reveal what were in their opinion the island’s best restaurants. Each hotel provided up to 3 F&B professionals, whose job it is to know what makes a restaurant special, to judge.

No suggestions were offered. Our only stipulation was that restaurants recommended must not be connected to their own hotel band. Based on combined votes there were 12 winners + 28 restaurants that were “Highly Recommended.”

Sponsored By:

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News Roundup

Bahrain to introduce biodegradable garbage bags

Bahrain named among top ecosystems for female start-ups Bahrain is one of the top 10 startup ecosystems with the largest share of female founders, according to the 2019 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER), launched at the recent TNW conference in Amsterdam.

The report, produced by StartUp Genome in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, showed that with 18% of its start-ups founded by women, Bahrain topped even Silicon Valley (16%) and London (15%).

The report also lauded Bahrain as one of the top 10 ecosystems to watch in FinTech in Europe and the Middle East and a top 15 ecosystem for the affordability of qualified talent worldwide.

According to Janahi, more than 59% of women have been served as part of Tamkeen’s microfinance support, while more than 50% were served within the business development program, which offers a co-financing service to cover 50% of business equipment.

Leading female Bahraini startup founders include Hala Sulaiman and Ameera AlQubaiti, co-founders of Alrawi, a successful audiobook startup and Pitch@Palace Global 3.0 People’s Choice 2018 winner.

Furthermore, Bahrain’s Al Waha Fund of Funds, a $100 million fund set up by the Bahrain Development Bank, has an all-female leadership.

The Municipality is currently renewing contracts with the suppliers to incorporate new eco-friendly and biodegradable garbage bags.

This comes in accordance with the Ministerial Resolution No.11 of 2019 promulgated the Technical Regulations for plastic products which will enter into force from July 21, banning all single-use plastic bags across the Kingdom.

The transition to garbage bags will involve banning the import of non-bio degradable plastic bags to local markets.

A study conducted by SCE revealed that the transition to eco-friendly and biodegradable garbage bags will not affect the plastic products manufacturing sector in Bahrain.

Bahrain: Employer faces court for forging expat’s signature A Bahraini Employer faces court as he obtained electricity and water connection under his Pakistani’s employee’s name without obtaining the latter’s consent.

The case was referred to the court when the expat found that he was obliged to pay BD 900 to settle outstanding EWA bills.

Court documents revealed that the incident took place in the Northern Governorate where the employer with the assistance of an unknown individual forged the expat’s signature and identity to obtain power and water connection for a commercial shop.

The expat had worked with the defendant from 2011 to 2013 and he had left the job because of payment issues. The crime came to light when the expat approached the authority to apply for a power connection.

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Gulf Insider July 2019

Money & Business

Bahrain Is Opening

Its Doors to Crypto

B

ahrain, once the Middle East’s primary hub for financial industries, is attempting to regain its footing by allowing companies using crypto currency to work in the country on a trial basis, as it considers how to regulate them.

Dalal Buhejji, business manager at Bahrain’s Economic Development Board, said she is confident that the central bank will issue regulation, without specifying a timeline. The central bank said it previously issued a consultation paper on draft regulations for cryptoasset platform operators.

The country’s attempt to attract companies focusing on blockchain technology and crypto currency trading

Allowing companies using crypto currency to work in the country on a trial basis, as it considers how to regulate them. comes as the sector remains largely unlicensed and unregulated in major global financial hubs. That’s forcing adopters to seek clarity from smaller

jurisdictions that have been more open to regulating the market such as Malta, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar.

The Bahraini central bank allows companies “to test their solution on a limited number of users, with a limited number of transactions,” Buhejji said.

The program’s purpose is for companies to find a quick way to enter the market, she added.

SprinkleXchange, an initial public offering platform built using blockchain, is among the 28 companies that received approval to work under the central bank’s so-called regulatory sandbox. Each of those companies operate on a trial basis for nine months, as the central bank looks into potential regulation.

Gulf Insider July 2019

23

Money & Business

Should a business consider

engaging consultants?

By Wajdi Al Jallad, Managing Director of Keypoint.

‘G

ood’ expert advice tends to be both expensive and hard to get. In an uncertain economic climate, where threats seem to be increasing on an almost daily basis, competition is increasing and the traditional fundamentals of business are being replaced by previously unfathomable drivers of change like artificial intelligence and digital transformation. Clients increasingly have high expectations of professional services firms.

I am often asked to explain the value of getting expert advice. At Keypoint our core culture empowers us to provide creative, efficient solutions to complex business needs, drawing on the deep knowledge and experience of

24

Gulf Insider July 2019

The case for seeking expert advice and engaging an external consultant should be more than just financial. our professionals across a number of different areas of expertise.

Experience in a tough regional market suggests that our clients expect us to have the skills and capabilities that the market needs now (and will need in the future), not the skills that were needed ten years ago – or even last year. Clients

are increasingly fixed on their bottom lines, expecting us to either reduce our fees or add extra value in other ways (including expanding scope).

We know that we need to better understand client needs now – and in the future. Clients value our skilled, specialised professionals because using those professionals allows key decision makers to redeploy expensive resources from administrative responsibilities to core business areas - where they are much more likely to add significant value and help companies develop a comparative advantage. But the case for seeking expert advice and engaging an external consultant should be more than just financial.

So why should businesses engage consultants? It is more than just being able to focus on core business matters.

Money & Business

We offer access to specialized, hard-tofind and expensive skill and expertise that few, if any, regional businesses can easily justify keeping on staff – such as chartered tax advisors, IFRS specialists or ‘white hackers’. Those skills can either be bought for the long-term (in which case it might be possible that having an in-house resource makes sense) or for the short-term.

Why engage a consultant? In short: so managers can focus on business matters.

Because of the wide range of businesses we work with, we understand (if not set) leading practice, developing an unrivalled understanding of what works – and why. As an external advisor, we deliver the highest levels of confidentiality – a key requisite when organisations are seeking to protect personal information such as levels of pay (and an important reason for the success of our payroll services). Finally, where a professional services firm is engaged to provide a specific, specialist service, it is the firm’s responsibility to ensure any resource substitution – however it is caused – is dealt with seamlessly. Clients engage us to provide a service – and that service has to be provided.

Why do we do what we do? Over the last 13 years, our market, clientele

and staff have evolved and we now employ over 100 qualified, experienced professionals – the core reason for our success - including lawyers and members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts, the Institute of Internal Auditors, the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development, the Institute of Chartered Tax Advisors and the Institute of Certified Fraud Examiners , as well as advanced degree holders in a wide range of subjects including law, IT, banking & finance, accounting, economics, management, HR and business administration. Our professionals’ experience and expertise make Keypoint one of the GCC’s most comprehensive providers of professional business services. For over a decade, our dedication and innovation have made us the consultant of choice to local and regional firms, multinational corporations, financial institutions, high net worth individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises and family offices.

Our people – from senior director down to our freshest graduates – bring learnings from their previous personal and professional experiences into each new stakeholder engagement – and ensure that they are applying the relevant learning to each new engagement. Our people disseminate knowledge and communicate clearly and effectively with stakeholders across organisations about the impact of our work at both a macro and a micro level.

So – why engage a consultant?

In short: so managers can focus on business matters; to give clients access to high end specialist skills and knowledge that are generally found in consulting firms and that a business may not have; to reduce the cost of short-term engagements; to give clients access to leading practice developed on engagements with similar businesses; to protect certain matters from becoming common knowledge within a firm; and because replacement of specialisms is easier with a thirdparty.

For more details of Keypoint’s services visit Keypoint.com

Gulf Insider July 2019

25

Business Society

Portuguese National Day celebration at The Royal Golf Club

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Gulf Insider July 2019

BBBF hosts their monthly networking lunch meeting with the new deputy ambassador, Mr. Stuart Summers at The Diplomat Hotel

People & Culture

A Bahraini Abroad The Road to Mount Elbrus

By Ammr Donia @Travel_Duck_Adventures

I

found myself sitting on the edge of a cliff in the most incredible mountain range in the world; the Everest Region. I was searching for something new and itching for another big adventure. I realised that I have spent days in the mountains getting ready for something bigger, it’s time for Elbrus I thought to myself.

My friend was sitting in the distance, watching over the cliff tops. I went over and mentioned Elbrus, my friend looked up with a big grin nodding, it’s time.

The dates were decided; we will climb Elbrus between 27 July and 04 August 2019.

Mount Elbrus is a dormant volcano, situated in the Caucasus mountains in Southern Russia. It is the highest mountain in Europe at 5642m.

Elbrus can be climbed in 7 days and is considered dangerous due to its unpredictable weather and harsh climate. Temperatures range from +25°c at the base to -25°c at the top.

Preparing for Elbrus It is now the middle of Ramadan, full of feasts, late gatherings and dessert.

Mount Elbrus is a dormant volcano, situated in the Caucasus mountains in Southern Russia.

It is the highest mountain in Europe at 5642m.

This had to stop, it’s time to get serious.

I changed my diet and ate healthier. I avoided sugars and processed foods.

Training wise, I began walking long hours with a heavy backpack to simulate trekking. Bahrain is flat, hot and humid so getting on the treadmill at an incline with a weight belt is a good alternative, and so is walking up the stairs of a tower. I go cycling too and do strength and conditioning workouts.

Climbing for Charity Combining my passion with charity work, I decided on a charity with a cause I believe in, sustainability through research and development. I am dedicating this climb to their cause.

Omneyat is a charitable foundation promoting effective and evidence-based practice in the treatment of autism and developmental delays in Bahrain. For more information and how you can help, visit www.omneyat.org If you have any enquiries or want to join our climb for charity, contact me on Instagram and follow our next adventure @ Travel_Duck_Adventures

Ammr Donia is a seasoned Adventurer and Traveller and the founder of Travel Duck Adventures. He visited over 70 countries, lived in 5 different places, went backpacking for 2 years, climbed 8 mountains, rode motorbikes crosscountry, and trekked around the most impressive mountain ranges in the world. He aims to climb more of the seven summits and visit over 100 countries.

Gulf Insider July 2019

27

News Roundup

GCC countries impose selective tax law

Oman has just introduced a 100% tax on tobacco, alcohol and pork, as the sultanate follows other Gulf governments in trying to pare its reliance on oil revenue.

The electronic system for registering excise taxpayers in Oman went live on June 15, in line with the agreement struck between all six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The tax – also known as an excise tax, because it is added at the point of manufacture rather than sale – applies to goods that are deemed harmful to public health and the environment.

The six-member GCC has pledged to introduce excise and other taxes including VAT, to boost non-oil revenues and reduce consumption of harmful products that cause diabetes, obesity and other health risks.

Saudi Arabia has just imposed a 100 per cent tax on electronic cigarettes and a 50 per cent levy on some sugary drinks, broadening the excise duty on similar products The kingdom already has a 100 per cent excise duty on cigarettes and other tobacco products, and a 50 per cent tax on energy drinks.

The UAE’s excise tax came into effect in October 2017, when a 50 per cent levy was imposed on soft drinks and a 100 per cent levy on tobacco products and energy drinks.

The country is now considering the inclusion of more products on its excise tax list, according to a statement by the Ministry of Finance in April.

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UAE: Expat woman makes Dh184,000 through online begging An expat woman promoted herself as a victim of failed marriage made $50,000 in just 17 days, by taking advantage of residents’ generosity, said a Dubai Police official.

A case has been registered against the expat woman when her husband lodged a complaint on the Dubai Police eCrime platform for defaming his reputation.

Brig Al Jallaf urged people to not sympathize with beggars on the streets or on social media. “Begging via online channels is a crime that is being dealt with by the Dubai Police through the eCrime platform.

People seek help by pretending to have a disease or disability, or by showcasing apparent poverty to exploit people’s generosity.”

He added that 128 beggars – 85 males and 43 females – were arrested during Ramadan. This includes 108 visitors, 19 residents and one GCC national with the total money confiscated from them amounts to over Dh38,000.

UAE: Etisalat reveals first 5G compatible device UAE telecoms giant Etisalat said its subscribers can now enjoy 5G access on the ZTE Axon 10 Pro, the first available 5G device.

Etisalat customers can now take advantage of the “blazing speed” of the 5G network up to 1Gbps and lower latency around 1 millisecond.

The breakthrough achievement in 5G will enable subscribers to unleash highly connected technologies blending physical and digital realms with live streaming of 4K resolution video anywhere at any time, with virtually no lag.

5G network will be available for all Etisalat postpaid, prepaid, consumer and business customers using 5G devices

People & Culture

2 Harvard professors discover

why we procrastinate

By James Clear

of eating a donut is immediate and the cost of skipping workouts won’t show up until you’ve skipped for months.

However, in one year, would you rather be overweight and eating donuts or healthy and exercising consistently?

In the long-run the choice is easy, but when it comes time to make the choice in this very moment, we discount the long-term costs and overvalue the immediate benefits of unproductive behaviors. Behavioral economists refer to this concept as “time inconsistency”.

To beat procrastination and make better long-term choices you have to find a way to make your present self act in the best interest of your future self. You have three primary options:

1. Make the rewards of long-term behavior more immediate - The

I

n 2006, two Harvard professors began to study why people procrastinate. Why do we avoid doing the things we know we should do, even when it’s clear that they are good for us? Professors Todd Rogers and Max Bazerman conducted a study where participants were asked whether they would agree to enroll in a savings plan that automatically placed 2% of their paycheck in a savings account.

One version of the question asked participants to enroll in the savings plan immediately. In this scenario only 30% said they would enroll in the plan. In another version, participants were asked to enroll in a savings plan a year from today. In this scenario, 77% said they would enroll. This little experiment reveals a lot about why we procrastinate.

To beat procrastination and make better longterm choices you have to find a way to make your present self act in the best interest of your future self.

Present You vs. Future You - We

like to enjoy immediate benefits in the present, especially if the costs of our choices don’t become apparent until far in the future. For example: The payoff

reason we procrastinate is because our mind wants an immediate benefit. If you can find a way to make the benefits of good long-term choices more immediate, then it becomes easier to avoid procrastination.

2. Make the costs of procrastination more immediate -

The cost of procrastinating on exercise only becomes painful after weeks and months of lazy behavior. However, if you pre-commit to working out with a friend, then the cost of skipping your workout becomes more immediate.

3. Remove procrastination triggers from your environment - The most

powerful way to change your behavior is to change your environment. Remove the distractions from your environment.

Each day, we are faced with decisions.

These daily choices end up defining our reality.

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People & Culture

Before Boko Haram and ISIS The first white man to travel through the desert lands of Niger reveals why he’d never go back.

T

he landlocked west African nation of Niger has been battling terrorism threats on all fronts for more than six years.

But British explorer Alistair Carr landed in the area before the militant Islamist groups Boko Haram and ISIS

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wreaked havoc.

The 46-year-old says that at the time he was the ‘first white man’ to travel through certain parts of the country and photographs of his epic journey reveal a certain sense of serenity before suicide bombing took hold.

Recalling his two-month trip, which

took him thousands of miles across the gaping Sahara desert on camel, Carr said: ‘We spent dawn to dusk in the saddle and we clocked around 50 kilometres a day.

‘We drunk a type of Chinese tea which came in three different types of filtration. It was amazingly thirstquenching in the heat and not once did I have to reach for my water bottle.

‘For lunch and dinner we would feast on goat, pasta and sardines. My breath smelled pretty vile.’

So why did Carr want to explore such a vast and unforgiving wilderness where he said his hair turned to a ‘mat of knots mixed with congealed flies’?

‘I had an overwhelming sensation I had to go there. I always go with my gut,’ the adventurer mused. Expanding on this ‘yearning’ a little more, he added: ‘I have a love, and natural affinity, for vast wildness landscapes.

‘I heard about this vast wilderness, northeast of Zinder - the second largest city in Niger - called the Manga, which had been mislaid by the modern world. I favour the unknown and felt a

People & Culture

Carr says he thoroughly enjoyed his time in west Africa but he wouldn’t want to return: ‘My life truly was in the hands of my guides. Bearing in mind the attacks

by Boko Haram.

strong calling to explore this forgotten landscape.’

Along with adapting his diet, Carr also had to look the part for his expedition.

He ditched his denims and dress shirts for a long cotton robe and turban.

Given the scolding 35 Celsius degree heat, it was essential that the Brit protected his skin. His lips were the one part he found difficult to keep covered and the scolding winds left them chapped and bleeding.

As he rode his camel day after day, Carr’s hands also adopted a leathery look, with an extreme farmer’s tan forming.

Despite its raging glare, the sun did have its plus points. Carr said that he enjoyed the routine the natural light gave him. He would get up around 6am every morning when the sun rose and darkness at 8pm signalled bed time.

When it came to safety, Carr reveals how his 2008 trip was fraught with many dangers other than getting sunstroke.

Niger was apparently already bubbling with unrest and the Tuareg Rebellion was in full swing when he arrived.

The insurgency, which began in February 2007 and rattled on until 2009, involved the Tuareg people living in the Sahara desert regions of northern Mali and Niger.

Their traditional homeland in the Sahara was carved apart by the French during the Scramble for Africa in the late 19th century and divided among Mali, Niger and Algeria.

The borders were drawn by France to reflect its own interests in Africa with this fracture in turn triggering decades of unrest.

Carr said as he trotted along over the golden sands he was fully aware of the turmoil close by.

Recounting his steps, he said: ‘We were travelling with the rebellion behind us. We didn’t have time to loiter. I heard disturbing stories about executions.

There was definitely some sense of urgency.’

As he went, Carr said he had to persuade many locals that he was British as they instinctively assumed he was French with his fair skin and gave him the ‘cold shoulder’.

Fast forward nine years, Niger is now pretty-much off limits to visitors.

Carr says he thoroughly enjoyed his time in west Africa but he wouldn’t want to return: ‘My life truly was in the hands of my guides. Bearing in mind the attacks by Boko Haram, and in particular those over the last twelve months, in southeastern Niger, I would not wish to go back. I was very fortunate to make it there when I did.’

Alistair Carr recounts his journey through Niger in his book The Nomad’s Path.

Gulf Insider July 2019

31

News Roundup

Saudi: Around 75% of jobs are controlled by expats According to the figures released by the General Organization of Social Security (GOSI), expatriates are in control of about 75.6% of jobs in the Saudi labour market.

The Saudis represented about 24.4% of the job holders. They consisted of 16% men and 8.4% women.

According to the statistical reports of the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) for the first quarter of 2019, there were 12.765 million workers in the Kingdom of whom about 10.949 million were men representing about 82.2% and 2.270 million women representing about 17.8%.

The report said the number of Saudi workers was 3.112 million of whom about 65.4% were men and 34.6% women who were 1.075 million.

It said the Saudis in the age group of 30-35 represented about 18.5% of the working people followed by citizens in the age group of 35-39 who represented 17.3%.

The working Saudis who were above 65 years of age represented only abbot 0.4%.

The report said a majority of the Saudis were working in Riyadh, Makkah and the Eastern Province representing about 77.2% with Riyadh having the largest number of the working Saudis who represented about 39.2%.

Saudi: Visa in 3 minutes for visitors to Jeddah events Visitors buying online tickets for the Jeddah Season program of events will be able to secure an e-tourism visa at the same time, organizers have revealed. Saudi will offer e-visas to visitors who buy tickets online for the 41-day ‘Sea and Culture’ festival being held in Jeddah. Organisers have said the e-visas will be issued in “three minutes”.

The Jeddah Season festival, which runs until July 18, is part of the kingdom’s efforts to boost tourism into the country. The programme features concerts, street music performances and parades, visual arts displays, fireworks, lights and laser shows, and a glow garden. Festivities will also include dance performances as well as Michelin-starred restaurants and pop-up eateries at the Jeddah Waterfront.

Overall, the festival will feature 150 local and international activities and events, and it is expected to attract nearly four million visitors from within and outside the kingdom.

The festival is also anticipated to provide some 20,000 seasonal jobs and volunteering opportunities, according to the organisers.

Saudi has been focussing on boosting its tourism sector as part of its ambitious Vision 2030 strategy to diversify its economy away from oil.

As part of the strategy, the kingdom aims to attract 1.5 million tourists by 2020 and increase the revenue generated from tourism to 18 per cent in the next 14 years. The number of tourists visiting the kingdom stands at around 200,000.

In 2017, the kingdom also approved plans to start issuing tourist visas last year under a wider strategy to help diversify the economy.

Saudi: Expats to face deportation upon expired iqamas The Directorate General of Passports warned expats of deportation due to failure in the renewal of resident ID’s before its expiry as per the rules and regulations in the Kingdom.

The Jawazat said failure to renew the resident IDs for expats for the first time will result in a fine of SR500 which will go up to SR1,000 the second time and deportation from the country for failure to do so the third time. The resident IDs (earlier known as iqamas) should be renewed at least three days before their expiry through Absher electronic service of the Interior Ministry or the Muqeem e-gate.

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People & Culture

Bahrain urges citizens to stop following anti-government social media accounts

A

text message was sent out to Bahraini phones urging them to avoid following dissenters Bahrain has warned citizens and residents that following anti-government social media accounts could result in legal action.

The interior ministry sent text messages to Bahraini phones in June warning that “following accounts which are biased or incite discord could expose you to legal liability”.

The government had said in midMay that “promoting” views on such accounts would result in legal measures being taken, but singling out the specific act of following critical accounts for legal action is a new development.

Bahrain has pursued a wide-ranging security crackdown on enemies of the state since a 2011 uprising saw dozens die and led to troops being sent in from neighbouring ally Saudi Arabia.

Following and circulating “inflammatory” social media accounts that promote “sedition” would expose people to legal liabilities.

Most opposition figures are now either imprisoned or have fled abroad.

The push began in mid-May when the interior ministry said it was taking legal steps against people running accounts from “Iran, Qatar, Iraq and some

European countries such as France, Germany and Australia”.

It urged people to avoid dealing or interacting with such accounts and said legal measures would be taken against people “promoting their messages”.

The ministry later tweeted that following and circulating “inflammatory” social media accounts that promote “sedition” would expose people to legal liabilities.

“Closing them immediately is a national duty,” it said.

An expanded ministry statement published a few days later said these instructions do not impinge on freedom of speech as such content “intends to harm civil peace and the social fabric”.

Since 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed an economic and diplomatic boycott on Qatar over allegations that Doha supports terrorism, a charge Qatar denies.

Gulf Insider July 2019

33

Money & Business

Uber acquires Careem to expand the greater Middle East regional opportunity together

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Careem to become a whollyowned subsidiary of Uber, operating as an independent company under the Careem brand and led by Careem founders Opportunity for both companies to rapidly expand and capitalise on the region’s underpenetrated mobility opportunity and growing digital economy Transaction would be largestever technology industry transaction in the greater Middle East region

Gulf Insider July 2019

U

ber and Careem have reached an agreement for Uber to acquire Careem for $3.1 billion, consisting of $1.7 billion in convertible notes and $1.4 billion in cash. The acquisition of Careem is subject to applicable regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2020.

Uber will acquire all of Careem’s mobility, delivery, and payments businesses across the greater Middle East region, ranging from Morocco to Pakistan, with major markets including Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Upon closing, Careem will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Uber, preserving its brand. Careem co-founder and CEO Mudassir Sheikha will lead the Careem business, which will report to its own board made up of three

representatives from Uber and two representatives from Careem. Careem and Uber will operate their respective regional services and independent brands.

“This is an important moment for Uber as we continue to expand the strength of our platform around the world. With a proven ability to develop innovative local solutions, Careem has played a key role in shaping the future of urban mobility across the Middle East, becoming one of the most successful startups in the region. Working closely with Careem’s founders, I’m confident we will deliver exceptional outcomes for riders, drivers, and cities, in this fast-moving part of the world,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.

“Joining forces with Uber will help us accelerate Careem’s purpose of simplifying and improving the lives of people, and building an awesome

Money & Business

organisation that inspires. The mobility and broader internet opportunity in the region is massive and untapped, and has the potential to leapfrog our region into the digital future. We could not have found a better partner than Uber under Dara’s leadership to realise this opportunity. This is a milestone moment for us and the region, and will serve as a catalyst for the region’s technology ecosystem by increasing the availability of resources for budding entrepreneurs

technology infrastructure and proven ability to develop innovative local solutions. Both companies believe it will provide an opportunity to expand the variety and reliability of services offered, at a broader range of price points to serve more consumers. Similarly, for drivers and captains, the companies believe an increase in trip growth and improved services could provide better work opportunities as well as higher and more predictable earnings through greater utilisation of drivers’ time on the road.

Jefferies LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to Careem on the transaction.

About Uber Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 10 billion trips later, we’re building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.

Uber and Careem have reached an agreement for Uber to acquire Careem for $3.1 billion, consisting of $1.7 billion in convertible notes and $1.4 billion in cash.

from local and global investors,” said Careem CEO and co-founder, Mudassir Sheikha.

The greater Middle East region is already seeing the economic and social benefits of rapid technology adoption and improved access to transportation.

This transaction supports the collective ability of Careem and Uber to improve the region’s transportation infrastructure at scale and offer diverse mobility, delivery and payment options. It will speed up the delivery of digital services to people in the region through the development of a consumer-facing super-app that offers services such as Careem’s digital payment platform (Careem Pay) and last-mile delivery (Careem NOW).

This transaction brings together Uber’s global leadership and technical expertise with Careem’s regional

About Careem Careem is the internet platform for the greater Middle East region. A pioneer of the region’s ride-hailing economy, Careem is expanding services across its platform to include mass transportation, delivery and payments. Careem’s mission is to simplify and improve the lives of people and build a lasting organisation that inspires. Established in July 2012, Careem operates in 120 cities across 15 countries and has created more than one million economic opportunities in the region.

Gulf Insider July 2019

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People & Culture

Bahrain Tourism Growing Bahrain welcomed 3.2 million visitors during the first quarter of 2019, a 3.1% increase compared with the same period last year, it has been revealed.

T

he number of international arrivals reached 3.5 million, a 3.1% increase from last year as well, the chief executive officer of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, said.

The BTEA is focusing its efforts on enhancing the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy through its wide-ranging comprehensive strategies, which seek to promote local tourism at both regional and international levels.

In this regard, Shaikh Khaled highlighted that 22 new hotels are

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Gulf Insider July 2019

22 new hotels are scheduled to open in the next four years scheduled to open in the next four years.

In addition, the five-star hotel occupancy rate increased to 53% during the same period last year, while-fourstar hotels occupancy reached 46% compared to 42% during Q1 2018.

The tourism statistics for Q1 2019 showed an increase in the use of

the kingdom’s ports of entry – a 2% increase in visitors arriving via King Fahad Causeway, reaching a total of 2,810,822 visitors. It also showed an increase of 3% in visitors arriving via Bahrain International Airport, reaching a total of 299,196 visitors, and an 82% increase in visitors arriving via Khalifa bin Salman Port, reaching a total of 81,371 visitors.

The total number of nights spent by tourists in the Kingdom reached approximately 4.1 million nights, an average of 3.3 nights per tourist.

The average expenditure of visitors increased by 3.1%, which increased

People & Culture

the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP. The real GDP share of hotels and restaurants increased by 8%, a nominal GDP increase of 7.1%. In addition, the number of arriving passengers increased by 3.3% and departing passengers increased by 3.7%, marking a 3.1% average increase in passenger movements.

Five-star hotel occupancy rate increased to 53% Shaikh Khaled highlighted that these positive results come as part of the BTEA’s long-term strategy to develop the tourism sector under the slogan “Bahrain. Ours. Yours”, which focuses on promoting tourism offerings to attract more regional and international visitors, and increasing the sector’s contribution to the national economy in line with the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.

Gulf Insider July 2019

37

News Roundup

Bahrain ranks 5th in suicide rates among arab nations

Tripartite agreement and insurance protects domestic workers in Bahrain Domestic workers will benefit after the implementation of a tripartite agreement and insurance

by LMRA..

The LMRA adopted the Tripartite Domestic Contract this year which regulates the relationship between the employment office, the employer (the household) and the domestic worker (domestic expatriate employees and their equivalents), and all recruitment offices are obliged to apply it.

“We are monitoring the tripartite agreement and if needed, we are willing to propose amendments for the welfare of all the parties involved,” said Secretary of the Bahrain Recruitment Society.

He said the Kingdom’s Government and the Labor Ministry are in their best efforts to ensure the rights of each and every worker are protected.

Bahrain: Annual fee to be imposed on home-based food businesses Home-Based Food Businesses to be imposed an annual fee of BD 100 based on new regulations. The move follows the recent Sitra incident in which three women lost their lives while preparing Eid lunch.

The incident has sparked municipal councilors to regulate home-based food businesses to ensure food safety in residential areas, along with a draft law being presented to the Ministry.

Workshops are being recommended by municipal councilors to ensure the safety of home-based businesses. The women died after breathing excessive amount of poisonous carbon monoxide gas in the kitchen as per preliminary reports.

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German Media Website,” Deutsche Welle”, ranks Bahrain 5th among Arab nations in suicide rates.

Quoting World Health Organization (WHO), the website revealed the top five nations in the Arab world with the highest suicide rates.

While Yemen topped the ranks, Sudan was a close second followed by Djibouti and then Qatar standing fourth.

Nearly 13 suicides were officially reported since the beginning of 2019 in the Kingdom of Bahrain, urging authorities to make efforts to reduce the incidents.

Bahrain plans to ban plastic bags from july Bahrain will start phasing out the use of plastic bags in July, Bahrain News Agency, BNA, has reported.

A Ministerial order with respect to the technical regulations for plastic products will come into effect on July 21, 2019.

The order will regulate and phase out the use of plastic bags.

The first phase will focus on single-use plastic bags as well as banning the import of non-biodegradable plastic bags. Later phases will witness a permanent ban on the use of plastic bags at certain malls and supermarkets.

The relevant authorities are currently working on the implementation phase for the remaining plastic products.

Guidelines will be issued for manufacturers and suppliers on reducing plastic waste to ensure a smooth transition.

Bahrain has joined a number of leading countries in banning the import of plastic waste, following the United Nations’ call to mitigate ocean pollution and climate change, added the BNA report.

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Experts Reveal Life Secrets

Part 12

How to Win in Business and 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!

7 Ways To Have Productive Mornings

By James Clear

Y

ou’ll wake up for about 25,000 mornings in your adult life, give or take a few. Once I realized this, I started thinking about how I could develop a better morning routine. Here are 7 strategies I’ve found to be most effective for getting the most out of my morning:

1. Manage your energy, not your time - You’ll probably realize that you

are better at doing certain tasks at certain times. For example, my creative energy is highest in the morning, so that’s when I do my writing each day. By comparison, I block out my afternoons for interviews, phone calls, and emails. I don’t need my creative energy to be high for those tasks, so that’s the best time for me to get them done. And I tend to have my best workouts in the early evening, so that’s when I head to the gym.

2. Prepare the night before - Spend a few minutes each night organizing your to–do list for tomorrow. Write a short list of the most important items to accomplish. It takes 10 minutes that night and saves 3 hours the next day.

3. Don’t open email until noon Sounds simple. Few do it. Nobody is going to email you about a true emergency, so leave your email alone for the first few hours of each day. Use the morning to do what’s important rather than responding to what is “urgent.”

4. Turn your phone off and leave it in another room - This eliminates the

urge to check text messages, Facebook, Twitter, and so on. This simple strategy eliminates the likelihood of slipping into half–work where you waste time dividing your attention among meaningless tasks.

5. Work in a cool place - Have you ever noticed how you feel groggy and sluggish in a hot room? Turning the temperature down or moving to a cooler place is an easy way to focus your mind and body.

6. Sit up or stand up - Your mind needs oxygen to work properly. Your lungs need to be able to expand and contract to fill your body with oxygen, but here’s the problem: most people sit hunched over while staring at a screen and typing. When you sit hunched over, your chest is in a collapsed position and your diaphragm is pressing against the bottom of your lungs, which hinders 40

Gulf Insider July 2019

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

metric that you know (without a doubt) you can complete.

6. Work in small blocks of time The Pomodoro technique is probably the most well-known version of this technique. It involves working for twenty-five minutes and then taking a five-minute break.

7. Track time - Most people

10 Productivity Habits That Take 5 Minutes Or Less

A

ll of these habits are from S.J. Scott’s “Habit Stacking: 97 Small Life Changes That Take Five Minutes or Less.” Scott argues that if you add them to a routine, “you’ll see a dramatic improvement in both the quantity and the quality of your efforts.”

1. Focus on your three most important tasks – An effective way to plan out your day is to focus on your Most Important Tasks (MITs).

Picking your MITs each day gives you something to focus on so you don’t waste your day on tasks of low importance.

2. Manageable steps - For each task

your ability to breathe easily and deeply.

Sit up straight or stand up and you’ll find that you can breathe easier and more fully. As a result, your brain will get more oxygen and you’ll be able to concentrate better.

7. Develop a “pre–game routine” to start your day - My morning routine

starts by pouring a cold glass of water.

Some people kick off their day with ten minutes of meditation. Similarly, you should have a sequence that starts your

on your schedule, consider how it can be broken down into smaller steps.

3. Reward yourself - Alternate your work tasks with small treats. You’ll work faster and with more enthusiasm when you have something to look forward to at the end of it.

4. Remove distractions – During

work time, close your email tab, ban social media, and clear all paperwork off your desk except what you will need that day - out of sight, out of mind.

5. Commit to a small goal - Look

at your hardest task and plan a small, easy first step to completing it that will take only a few minutes. Pick a simple

morning ritual. This tiny routine signals to your brain that it’s time to get into work mode to accomplish your task.

Additionally, a pre–game routine helps you overcome a lack of motivation and get things done even when you don’t feel like it.

Just as it’s rare for anyone to experience overnight success, it’s also rare for our lives crumble to pieces in an instant. Most unproductive or unhealthy behaviors are the result of slow, gradual

overestimate the amount of time they spend doing actual work and spend a surprisingly large amount of time doing mindless tasks. By tracking your time, you become more aware of how you’re spending it.

8. Capture every idea - Our minds tend to wander. Rather than a drawback this is one of the fascinating ways that we gain insights. Pull out a notepad and write them down. You can come back to them later and, who knows, it just might be a great idea.

9. Write a done list - Most people are familiar with to-do lists, but these lists can easily make you feel overwhelmed and demotivated if you try to plan too much. A done list has the opposite effect. By writing down everything you achieve each day, you’ll feel motivated to continue.

10. Review your goals -You need

to review your goals so that you can create plans to reach those goals, put your day in perspective and know what’s important to accomplish.

choices that add up to bad habits. A wasted morning here. An unproductive morning there.

The good news is that exceptional results are also the result of consistent daily choices. Nowhere is this more true than with your morning routine. What you do each morning is an indicator of how you approach your entire day. It’s the choices that we repeatedly make that determine the life we live.

Gulf Insider July 2019

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People & Culture

Elite Hospitality Group...

Gateway to Arabian Hospitality

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or any traveller to The Kingdom of Bahrain, Elite Hospitality Group is a very familiar and known name. Known for their all suite hotels, this Bahrain Hotel group owns and operates four hotels and a service apartment in prime locations of Bahrain. Over the last two decades Elite Hospitality Group has set the benchmarks for four star services and redefined the food and beverage outlets in the realm. Having developed a loyal following from across the globe, the group continues to listen to the needs of the GCC travellers and offer modern concepts but with the traditional Arabic Hospitality our region is known for.

The Elite family tree includes four all suite hotels and a luxury residence, each property has its own uniqueness and exquisiteness, Starting in Juffair, The Elite Crystal Hotel is a 4 star luxury hotel, perfect for both business and leisure travellers, known for its contemporary interior designs and Arabian flair and offering

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an excellent combination of all suits accommodations, luxurious facilities, efficient and personalized services to guests.

Based in Muharraq, The Elite Resort and Spa is located just off Sheikh Hamad Causeway, with spectacular views overlooking the Bahrain bay.

Elite Resort & Spa offers an oasis of tranquillity and deluxe modern suites complete with the latest amenities to provide the best stay to the guests, it is considered as the perfect escape in the heart of the city.

Situated in the centre of the exciting Seef district, Elite Grande Hotel’s biggest attraction is that it is right across the road from Bahrain City Centre, Bahrain’s largest shopping mall. Offering plush all suite accommodation options we offer a very convenient location for families seeking shopping trips and family entertainment programs.

Nestled in the centre of the Kingdom’s main shopping and business district, Elite Seef Residence and Hotel offers the comfort of spacious suites

with the fun of city living. Complete with elegant and modern furniture and a wide range of facilities to fulfil all needs and requirements. Elite Seef Residence and Hotel Stands out of the crowd with its very own ‘Kids Club’ and salons; offering great child care services and a wide variety of games and entertainment to keep children and families happy and busy during their stay at the Hotel.

All the hotels and service apartments are designed to serve the needs of the modern day GCC traveller and are the preferred choice for the international travellers who want to experience Traditional Arabic hospitality.

All four Hotels of Elite Hospitality Group offer an array of multi cuisine and speciality restaurants, as well as a range of bars, executive lounges, state-of-theart health clubs, wellness spas, high speed internet access, conferencing and banquets facilities and nightclubs.

To view more on our hotels, please visit: www.elitegrouphotels.com

News Roundup

Expat visa ban extended further in Oman Oman’s government has extended the expat visa ban for a further six months in certain professions and industries, national daily Times of Oman reported. The ban covers a number of jobs, most noticeably in industries like sales and marketing and procurement.

The Ministry of Manpower first introduced the visa ban in January 2018 as it worked to reduce the number of unemployed locals in the country as part of the Omanization project.

The ban has been extended a number of times since it was introduced.

Approximately 55,000 expatriates who previously worked in Oman have been dismissed by companies in one year, up to March, 2019, according to data published by the Omani government.

Oman blacklists nearly 40 universities worldwide Oman’s Ministry of Higher Education has put 39 names on a blacklist of fake universities in an attempt to stop students from mistakenly applying to them.

These ‘universities’ are present only online, and exist to cheat people out of their hard-earned money in exchange for fake degrees unrecognised by official bodies, 66% of these universities claimed to be listed in the US, making it the location of choice the bogus universities used while trying to lure students. A total of 26 fake universities have US locations, a further seven are in India, and another six universities are distributed across other nations.

The names of the fake universities in the US are Kingsbridge University, Corllins University, Columbus University, University of Atlanta, Baytown University, South Creek University, The American University of London, the American University of Hawaii and the Atlantic International University.

In 2018, the ministry uncovered 20 cases of people who had fake certificates. Since 1975 more than 1,250 cases of fake qualifications have been put in front of the Ministry of Higher Education.

Saudi Labor Ministry imposes three month mid-day work ban Emirates to operate its shortest route to Muscat Dubai airline Emirates deployed double daily A380 flights to Omani capital Muscat from July 1.

Muscat will become Emirates’ shortest scheduled A380 flight, flying a distance of 340 kilometres each way.

The twice daily A380 services will replace EK 862/863 and EK 864/865.

Both A380s flying to Muscat will be operated in a three-class configuration, with 429 seats in Economy Class on the lower deck, as well as 76 flat-bed seats in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites on the upper deck.

Emirates has been flying to Oman since 1993, and today operates three daily services using the Boeing 777-300ER between Dubai and Muscat.

Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development has announced a three-month midday outdoor work ban.

Under the ban, private sector companies and establishments are not allowed to let their employees work under the sun from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. during the three-month period ending on Sept. 15.

The ministry expressed their interest in protecting the safety and health of workers in the private sector and providing them a secure working environment in the kingdom.

Saudi labor ministry urged its citizens and expatriates to contact the ministry’s customer service No.19911 or visit the ‘Together with Rasd’ portal for any queries or to lodge complaints about any violations.

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People & Culture

So you stopped smoking and went electronic instead

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top all that bad tar, chemicals and smoke - with E cigarettes its just water vapour, some nicotine and a bit of flavor. So no more cough‌or so you thought!

It seems that it is nicotine after all that is part of the cause of the smokers cough and not just the chemical that keeps you hooked. Researchers at the University of Kansas Medical Center have looked into how nicotine impacts human cells, and here are the facts; The normal lining of the airways contains cilia (small hairs) and a layer of mucus. They work together to propel mucus and particles caught during breathing in the direction of the mouth and nose to be expelled passively.

Coughs happen when the airways are irritated by anything that should not enter the lungs. It is how our body protects our lungs.

When this mechanism is interfered with and breaks down, it is called Mucociliary dysfunction. It is what causes the build up of mucus in the lungs. When that happens we need to cough out what should in normal circumstances come out passively. It is seen in asthma, COPD, and cystic fibrosis, causing shortness of breath, and coughing.

Researchers found that nicotine can slow down the rate of mucus clearance, by dehydrating the airways. This makes the mucus thicker and stickier, reducing the airway clearance ability, making these airways chronically inflamed and more susceptible to infections. Since there is more nicotine in a vaping session than in a normal cigarette it potentially worsens the problem.

Another reason is that tobacco carries nicotine quickly into the bloodstream, but vapor does not. Hence there is an accumulation of nicotine in the lung tissue. This will cause a build up of phlegm which will increase the risk of a cough, asthma, and chronic bronchitis. This has been found to occur faster in younger E smokers.

There is much research being conducted by the FDA recently into e cigarettes as they have up till now not been regulated. Not much is known about them. What we do know is that they contain many chemicals that were never meant to be inhaled like food flavourings. We know that they are not safe.

Dr Jalal Kamal Graduated from RCSI Ireland 1994. Completed specialty in Family Medicine 1999. Working as a Consultant Family Physician at Dr Abdulla Kamal Clinic since 2001.

Contacts: 17256704, 17241412, Jalal.kamal@drabdullakamalclinic.com 44

Gulf Insider July 2019

UAE to grant citizenship for over 3,000 people The United Arab Emirates has announced that it has completed all necessary procedures, granting 3,354 children of Emirati mothers the UAE citizenship.

In a statement, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship said that all 3,354 applications received were reviewed and met with citizenship application requirements and conditions, in accordance with legal provisions and in coordination with the concerned authorities.

This latest achievement is as a result of the UAE President’s directives to fast-track efforts to ensure that all necessary procedures to grant citizenship to eligible persons are completed, ensuring their inclusion in the UAE social fabric, the Authority concluded.

Saudi: More than 3,000 fake engineering degrees seized More than 3,000 fake or forged engineering certificates issued abroad were seized during a massive campaign launched by the Saudi Council of Engineers, according to the chairman of the authority’s board of directors Saad AlShahrani.

As many as 2,288 certificates were found to be fake, while 712 others were forged. He said all these certificates were issued in the name of universities outside the Kingdom.

Expatriates caught with forged or fake certificates were imprisoned, fined and then deported.

The campaign against the fake engineering certificates was launched by the council in collaboration with the public security, the passport police and other control and supervisory bodies.

The council maintained contacts with a number of universities around the world to verify the authenticity of their certificates.

CAR News

& reviews

Porsche 911

BMW X3 M

Hyundai

Volvo XC40

Car Bahrain

The first ever

BMW X3 M and X4 M ...in the USA!

Charlie Cooksey goes to New York, USA to experience two high powered luxury German SUVs.

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eing invited to New York by BMW Group Middle East to drive their latest luxury sports compact SUVs is a pretty nice invitation and I was one of a select few journalists from the Middle East to be invited. Now that’s an honour! It’s a long way to travel but who cares that it’s a 17 hour journey – this was an opportunity I wasn’t going to refuse and two cars I wanted to get behind the wheel of.

And, not only did I have the opportunity to experience these monster sports SUVs, and of course experience New York, but also to meet,

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Each looked aggressive and extremely muscular.

They quite simply look fast and powerful. question and learn from some of the experts behind these vehicles; Herbert Bayerl, Christian Flessa and Marcus Engelke. These were the brilliant expert engineers and project managers who

dedicated years of their lives in creating the vehicles I’d be driving over the next couple of days.

The “M” badge on a BMW makes it special. “M” (for Motorsport) was created for BMW’s racing program back in the 1960s. BMW now use the M badge to signify models that have substantially improved sporting performance. So, the X3 M and X4 M are performance versions of BMW’s existing X3 and X4.

We were lead to a fleet of South Carolina-made sparkling new X3 and X4 M’s with the South Carolina plates to match, each looked aggressive and

Car Bahrain

BMW X3 M Competition

All this enables acceleration from zero to 100 kph in just a hairs breadth over 4 seconds.

That’s quite a statement for an SUV.

extremely muscular. They quite simply look fast and powerful, not that BMW has anything to prove here. We were given the keys to the Competition trim models which are the sportiest of the range.

The X3 M and X4 M share the same 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six mated to an eight-speed Steptronic auto transmission with all-wheel drive, these provide 510 horsepower to Competition models and 480 horses for the base M models, with 442 pound-feet of torque for both… All this enables acceleration from zero to 100 kph in just a hairs breadth over 4 seconds. That’s quite a statement for an SUV. The Competition trim of the X3/X4 M offers an extra 30 horses under the bonnet, 21” instead of 20” wheels and few visual upgrades

– not a huge difference, but when you’re on a racetrack you want as much horsepower as you can get!

Only the best fine materials are used in the interiors, and comfortable Merino leather sport’s seats keep driver and passenger in position during hard cornering (as I was about to find out).

Both cars offer BMW’s latest iDrive - an intelligent, quick and easy-to-use in car entertainment and communication system and Apple CarPlay comes as standard. The Germans didn’t mess around with sound system too, at one point (I got carried away) the car sounded something similar to a Ibiza super club with my tech/house playlist on the Harman Kardon hi-fi speakers.

There are all sorts of settings for the steering, suspension, engine, transmission, stability control, and all-wheel drive system. Adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking come as standard, if you want to make the exhaust louder, there’s even a button for that… which I left switched on the whole time – it just sounded so good. The sport driving mode makes it all more fun and drastically changes how the car drives… and despite the sheer power of this car, when in normal driving mode, it drives smooth for everyday driving.

We took a 2 hour drive to Monticello Raceway – a private race track in southern New York state which is an awesome yet tricky track, with some tough blind turns that creep up on Gulf Insider July 2019

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BMW X4 M Competition

Few would have even fathomed a 510-horsepower luxury SUV. It would have been considered far too powerful – and impossible. But now it’s a reality.

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thinking you’re doing maybe half that.

Steering was at all times precise and sensitive. In fact I’d say it’s the best steering of any SUV I’ve ever driven in that I could feel the road so well.

Appearance wise, the X3 differs from the X4 in that it has a more conventional SUV shape, while the X4 is a coupe with a low, sloping roof. The X3 offers lots of room inside, and that includes good headroom (I’m over six foot). The X4 sacrifices some of this space for its sportier shape. My own personal preference is the X4 because of its sleek styling at the rear, though I’m sure many will prefer the more traditionally shaped X3 for its extra space. I loved the Toronto red colour of the X4 M too.

Not so long ago, an SUV was a purely practical vehicle used by practical people who needed space and offroading capabilities. But over time they have become increasingly more stylish, luxurious, and sporty. Few would have even fathomed a 510-horsepower luxury SUV. It would have been considered far too powerful – and impossible. But now it’s a reality. you and would probably leave you hitting a wall if you didn’t first learn the track. Taking the X4 on the track really changed my perspective about what an SUV can do. BMW’s advanced engineering provides a wide spread between Comfort and Sport+ modes so the driver can adapt the vehicle to their favorite driving style. I kept forgetting that I was driving an SUV as it handled like a supercar, and because you’re in a well isolated in the cabin you’ll easily lose track of speed and hit 200kph

The cars will be available in Bahrain from August 2019.

BMW X3M Competition prices start from BD35,500 BMW X4M Competition prices start from BD36,500

For more information contact, BMW EuroMotors on +973 17 750 750

Business Society

Behbehani Bros hosts the launch of the all new Porsche 911 at The Royal Golf Club

E K Kanoo hosts the launch of the all new 2020 Toyota Corolla at Toyota Showroom, Sitra

Gulf Insider July 2019

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The New Porsche 911 Charlie Cooksey goes to Stuttgart, home of Porsche, to drive his dream car.

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he Porsche 911 has always held a special place in my heart. There’s something I find special about it and have done since I was a little boy.

It’s iconic. But I have a confession – I had never actually driven one before.

So what better way to be introduced to the car of my dreams than be invited to go to where they are made and drive the very latest model, the eighth generation, on Germany’s world famous autobahns?

The Porsche 911 was introduced to the world back in 1963 and is

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The eight generation is known as the 992 series. It’s slightly longer and wider than the previous generation. generally recognized as being the most commercially successful sports

car in the world. It has a reputation as the best value and most practical and reliable sports car that money can buy. A Supercar than can be driven every day.

In Stuttgart I was also able to visit the Porsche factory and museum, leaving me with the impression that the company and all those working in it are justifiably proud of Porsche and its history. I was shown historic cars dating back to the company’s inception, all of them loving maintained.

The 911 has kept its ‘DNA’ probably better than any other car. The shape has deliberately remained recognizable

Car Bahrain

The engine has been improved and offers even more power than before.

All 911s offer zero – 100 kph in under 4 seconds.

throughout the years. You don’t have to be a car lover to recognize a 911 everyone recognizes a 911! But, most people couldn’t tell one model from another - a clean 2008 model could for many pass for a 2018 model. And that’s just how Porsche and their loyal customers like it. A new 911 looks very much like an older model… until you go beneath the shell.

The eight generation is known as the 992 series. It’s slightly longer and wider than the previous generation (20mm and 46 mm respectively). The pop-

up rear spoiler is slightly bigger. The gearbox now has eight speeds instead of seven. There’s bigger rear wheels – 21”. A new continuous LED rear light strip looks dramatic. And there’s advanced technology LED headlights that allow greater illumination of the road ahead at night without dazzling other drivers.

The body shell is made of mostly lightweight aluminum. And, of course, the wonderfully designed flat-six engine remains at the rear! The engine has been improved and offers even more power than before. All 911s offer zero – 100 kph in under 4 seconds.

The interior has been completely revamped, as have the seats to offer even greater comfort. There’s more digital stuff including a bigger touchscreen, permanent connectivity,

Gulf Insider July 2019

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I was incredibly lucky to be able to test it in different environments – from windy Germany country roads to Porsche’s own race track.

and lots of apps. A new climate control system offers an optional Ioniser for cleaner air quality inside the car.

There’s a choice of 3 sound systems.

The top system available is the Burmester® with twelve speakers and a total output of 855 watts.

I started my road trip in Stuttgart, and drove to Leipzig, a journey of approximately 500 kilometers. I enjoyed every moment and every kilometer as I hit the autobahn and was able to comfortably and safely travel at speeds of sometimes up to 250 kph. The car will exceed 300 kph if desired but traffic conditions and, to be honest, my own driving capabilities kept me well below this upper limit.

It was an amazing experience to drive this iconic car. It handled brilliantly.

Firm, responsive, refined… just perfect.

And when I put it into Sport/Sport Plus mode it became a monster, albeit a perfectly behaved monster… faster acceleration, sounds louder, handles differently and so on. It’s fascinating how the turn of the drive mode button transforms the car from what you can comfortably drive every day, to a serious sports car. And I have to say, I was incredibly lucky to be able to test it in different environments – from windy Germany country roads to Porsche’s own race track in Leipzig to tight city roads and the new 911 is a smooth and pleasure to drive in all areas. Most certainly on the track – that’s where the real fun is!!

For more information, contact Porsche Centre Bahrain, tel: +973 1745 9911 52

Gulf Insider July 2019

Car Bahrain

Ebrahim K. Kanoo launches

all-new 2020 Toyota Corolla The all-new 12th generation Toyota Corolla was launched in Bahrain last month by Ebrahim K. Kanoo.

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he Corolla is Toyota’s all-time best-selling car with more than 46 million cars sold worldwide since it was released in 1966. With each new generation, the Corolla has evolved to suit the needs of the time.

Senior Manager of Toyota Marketing at Ebrahim K. Kanoo; Mr. Ayman Shehadeh said, “Few cars truly deserve iconic status like the Toyota Corolla that has built its reputation since it was first launched. Toyota’s commitment to focus on, and continually improve quality, desirability and reliability are clearly evident in this latest Corolla.”

The all-new Corolla has three powertrain options; these include a newly developed 2.0-liter four-cylinder which produces 168 hp and ‎is mated to a new 10-speed Sequential Shiftmatic transmission; and a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 121 hp, which is paired with a Multidrive 7S seven-speed automatic transmission. Meanwhile,

motors producing 97 hp and 71 hp with a combined power of 121 hp.

The vehicle can be driven entirely on electrical p ‎ ower with zero-fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions, or by combining the power generated from both the petrol e ‎ ngine and two electric motors, depending on the vehicle’s speed and driving behavior. ‎Its hybrid electric batteries are continuously charged by either the petrol e ‎ ngine or when decelerating and braking, eliminating the need to plug in a power cord. Furthermore, the hybrid electric model features a host of advanced technologies, yet drives like any other conventional vehicle and d ‎ oes not require special fuel.

the new electrified hybrid powertrain combines two power sources consisting of a petrol engine and two electric

For more information, call on Ebrahim K. Kanoo. B.S.C. (c) +973 1726 2262

Gulf Insider July 2019

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Car Bahrain

Volvo XC 40 Gulf Insider drives the Swedish compact SUV rival to luxury German and Japanese brands.

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he compact SUV has become one of the most popular classes of car in the Middle East because they are practical to own. The XC40 is Volvo’s compact SUV. It’s stylish inside and out. It’s also roomy and practical. There’s lots of storage space including cleverly located cubby holes (more on this later) and lots of boot space. It’s also built for safety

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XC 40 is well equipped and has as standard many things that other luxury car makers charge extra for.

just like Volvos are famous for.

The XC 40 comes in T4, or sportier T5 variants, and all crossovers are available in Inscription, Momentum, and R-Design trims. All-wheel drive (AWD) comes as standard.

The 2.0-liter turbo-4 eight speed auto on the T5 I drove provided 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Zero to 100 kph in just 6.2 seconds!

Car Bahrain

has undertaken on the XC 40 makes the car so much easier to live with.

Despite its low price compared to other luxury crossovers, the XC40 doesn’t skimp on quality and everything used, materials and attention to detail, is excellent.

Starting price in Bahrain BD 16,900

For more information or to book a test drive, visit Motorcity showrooms in Sitra or call 1773 6222 or visit www.motorcity.com.bh I tested this car on an empty piece of road near Gulf Insider’s Seef offices and can confirm it’s suitably fast. I found the XC 40 light and agile to drive, with a surprisingly quick gear ratio.

Volvo’s semi self-driving system, which they call Pilot Assist, offers active lane control and adaptive cruise control as an optional extra. This enables the car to drive in stop-and-go traffic without driver input. Volvo calls it a “driver support” system.

Should you want to take it off-roading, there’s 21cm of ground clearance, and you can switch to an off-road calibration at the push of a button.

The XC 40 is well equipped and has as standard many things that other luxury car makers charge extra for.

These include LED headlights, 18 inch wheels leather upholstery, power adjustable driver’s seat, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth connectivity, and more.

I found the seats to be super comfortable. In fact all round I found it a very nice car to drive with a great driving position. There’s plenty of head

XC40 doesn’t skimp on quality and everything used, materials and attention to detail, is excellent. and leg room in both the front and rear for even the tallest adults.

Car makers have turned cabin storage into an art form in recent years, and Volvo doesn’t disappoint with lots of clever space saving ideas. The hi-fi bass units are in the dash instead of doors which allows significantly more storage space in each door bin. The console has a deep armrest bin and a removable bin.

It would make for a boring article if I went into any more detail of all the clever storage spaces this car has because it’s not the sort of info that is sexy to read or helps to sell a car, but this smart attention to detail that Volvo

Alternative options:

Mercedes GLA Starting Price: BD 17,500

BMW X1 Starting Price: BD 17,000

Infiniti QX30 Starting Price: BD 13,500 Gulf Insider July 2019

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Hyundai

Sonata and Palisade Gulf Insider goes to Korea to drive the latest offerings from Hyundai

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ast month we were invited

by Hyundai to visit Korea and experience two very different new cars, the eighth generation Sonata – a midsized saloon, and the new Palisade, a big SUV considered by the company to be their flag-ship vehicle.

We were also there to learn more about Hyundai and visit one of the company’s huge and impressive car factories, including a visit to their R&D center.

We drove the new Sonata and Palisade on modern roads that cut through the beautiful green and mountainous Korean countryside.

Sonata Engine options for Bahrain are 56

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The Sonata’s interior looks just as good as its exterior.

It’s roomy, luxurious, with plenty of leg room in the back even for tall adults. a 2.5-liter inline-four providing 191 horsepower and a less powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder 158 horsepower option, but we were not given the opportunity to drive the second option.

Thanks to advanced design, the

Sonata looks far sportier than it actually is. I asked Hyundai’s senior designer, Englishman Simon Loasby, why they designed such a sporty looking car that didn’t quite deliver the performance its styling promised. He confirmed there’s a sportier turbo charged 2.5 liter version coming soon.

The Sonata’s interior looks just as good as its exterior. It’s roomy, luxurious, with plenty of leg room in the back even for tall adults. There’s stylish looking air vents and classy looking seat stitching that you’ll usually only find on more expensive cars.

Everything is high quality with well laid out user friendly instruments and touchscreen in a curved, driver-centric layout. There’s a wireless charging pad, a 12-volt 180-watt plug, and two USB ports.

Car Bahrain

The Palisade is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine, with 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque.

Palisade Hyundai’s flagship SUV looks big, solid, and up-market. It’s also extremely comfortable. Again, everything on this vehicle is finished to a high standard.

The Palisade is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine, with 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This V6 is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Six different drive modes can change the drive experience and Hyundai claims it can tow around 5,000 pounds.

It comes in three trims. The standard trim includes forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and lanefollowing assist. Higher trim levels have drive assist, adaptive cruise control, lane centering, speed limit adjusting, and upgraded blind-spot monitoring.

The interior is spacious and stylish.

Instruments are attractive and practical.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and there’s seven USB Type-A ports, three 12-volt outlets and a 115volt, 150-watt, three-prong outlet. The second row seats slide forward with the touch of a button.

And get this - there’s a device that enables those siting in the front to amplify their voice over those in the

back. Ideal for parents to talk over naughty children.

We discovered that typically Korean cars are deliberately made with soft dampening so they can comfortably ride over the multitude of speed bumps in the country – something that could be useful for Bahrain’s sometimes bumpy roads.

Korea has made fantastic progress in a very short time when it comes to making high quality motor cars. The biggest complaint until recently was their lack of styling, but this has been resolved with Hyundai investing in design technology and engaging top class international design experts.

Korean cars today as not only mechanically and technologically equal to any other international brand, but look every bit as stylish as well. The latest Sonata and Palisade are testament to this.

New Sonata prices still to be confirmed Palisade prices start from BD19,000 Excluding VAT

To arrange a test drive in Bahrain for any Hyundai call First Motors +973 1712 1121

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Bahrain Car News Bahrain: Traffic Policeman Accused Of Embezzlement A traffic policeman who works at the Registration Department in the General Directorate of Traffic has been accused of embezzlement.

The defendant is accused of collecting vehicles registration fees without entering the data in the directorate system and embezzling the paid amounts in 2016. However, the crime came to light one year later.

In 2017, many drivers were shocked to find out that their cars were not registered for an entire year despite paying fees and receiving receipts for the same.

The directorate immediately launched an investigation into the matter and confronted the accused for fraudulent behavior during his shift.

The traffic policeman initially claimed that his login password was used on several computers in the department adding his superior did not take any action when it was reported.

Bahrain: New Signal System Provides Safe Stop For Drivers The new signal system provides drivers sufficient time for a safe stop, said the General Directorate of Traffic. Red light violations have significantly declined in the Kingdom owing to the newly introduced green and red light systems.

The signal flashes the green lights thrice before switching on to yellow and red lights at intersections. The Traffic Directorate along with the Ministry of Works in coordination to ensure road safety measures for residents.

The traffic signals with the new system have been expanded to several other areas of intersection in the Kingdom.

Chery Bahrain Wins Outstanding Market Development Award Motorcity, the sole distributor of Chery vehicles in Bahrain, attended the Chery 2019 Annual Conference of Global Dealers in Ningbo, China, where it was awarded the ‘Outstanding Market Development Award’ for 2018.

The conference comprised several activities including a visit to Auto Shanghai 2019, the Ningbo Zhoushan Port, test drives of new Chery vehicles, theme meetings, product & digital marketing seminars, an EXEED dealer-attracting roadshow and a tour of the city of Ningbo.

Motorcity Chairman, Mr. Waleed Kanoo lauded the award stating; “Motorcity and Chery have cooperated for 14 years since the Chery brand was established in 2005, growing from strength to strength together and gaining the trust of the Bahrain market.”

In 2018, Motorcity launched the Tiggo7 and successfully executed a series of marketing and sales activities which

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contributed to its overall impressive market performance.

2018 sales volumes for Chery cars in Bahrain increased over 200% compared to 2017.

Mercedes-Benz Loyalty Program.

Sign up with Al Haddad Motors Loyalty Program and experience the exclusivity of being a Mercedes-Benz owner.

Contact us on 17785454 for more information.

Al Haddad Motors, Kingdom of Bahrain, Tel: (+973) 17785999 marketing@alhaddad-mercedesbenz.com, www.bahrain.mercedesbenzme.com

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