US actor Alec Baldwin photographed on the set of the film Rust in New Mexico in 2022. AFP
US actor Alec Baldwin photographed on the set of the film Rust in New Mexico in 2022. AFP
US actor Alec Baldwin photographed on the set of the film Rust in New Mexico in 2022. AFP
US actor Alec Baldwin photographed on the set of the film Rust in New Mexico in 2022. AFP

Alec Baldwin charged again with manslaughter over Rust movie-set shooting


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Alec Baldwin was indicted by a grand jury in New Mexico for a second time on Friday on charges of involuntary manslaughter.

It follows the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film Rust.

The indictment comes months after prosecutors dismissed previous charges filed against the actor.

Mr Baldwin's lawyers, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, issued a statement on behalf of their client saying: “We look forward to our day in court.”

Friday's indictment followed an independent forensic test concluding that Mr Baldwin would have had to pull the trigger of a revolver he was using in a rehearsal for it to fire the live round that killed Ms Hutchins. The finding was the same as a previous FBI test on the firearm.

Mr Baldwin, who starred in the hit NBC television comedy 30 Rock, has denied pulling the trigger and said he was not responsible for Ms Hutchins' death.

  • Alec Baldwin outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico, after he was questioned about a shooting on the set of the film 'Rust', which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. AP
    Alec Baldwin outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico, after he was questioned about a shooting on the set of the film 'Rust', which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. AP
  • A distraught Alec Baldwin lingers in the car park outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office. AP
    A distraught Alec Baldwin lingers in the car park outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office. AP
  • The entrance to the film set of 'Rust'. Reuters
    The entrance to the film set of 'Rust'. Reuters
  • The entrance to the Bonanza Creek Ranch used for film shoots. AP
    The entrance to the Bonanza Creek Ranch used for film shoots. AP
  • A vehicle from the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office exiting the set of 'Rust'. Reuters
    A vehicle from the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office exiting the set of 'Rust'. Reuters
  • Media crews outside the gate of the film set of 'Rust'. Reuters
    Media crews outside the gate of the film set of 'Rust'. Reuters
  • Director of photography Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin on the set of 'Rust'. AP
    Director of photography Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin on the set of 'Rust'. AP
  • Journalists outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico. AP
    Journalists outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico. AP
  • Security guards block the Bonanza Creek Ranch. AP
    Security guards block the Bonanza Creek Ranch. AP
  • The Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed, one day after the incident. Photo: Roberto E Rosales / Albuquerque Journal
    The Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed, one day after the incident. Photo: Roberto E Rosales / Albuquerque Journal
  • A sign points to the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe. AFP
    A sign points to the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe. AFP
  • A security guard speaks with a compliance officer from the State of New Mexico at the Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed. AFP
    A security guard speaks with a compliance officer from the State of New Mexico at the Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed. AFP
  • Security guards at the entrance of the 'Rust' film set. AP
    Security guards at the entrance of the 'Rust' film set. AP
  • A vigil in Albuquerque, New Mexico, held in the honour of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. AP
    A vigil in Albuquerque, New Mexico, held in the honour of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. AP
  • A candle bearing Halyna Hutchins's name is placed among others during a vigil in her honour. AP
    A candle bearing Halyna Hutchins's name is placed among others during a vigil in her honour. AP
  • A large crowd of movie industry workers and New Mexico residents attend the candlelight vigil. AP
    A large crowd of movie industry workers and New Mexico residents attend the candlelight vigil. AP
  • New Mexico residents at the vigil. AP
    New Mexico residents at the vigil. AP
  • Members of the local film community mourn the loss of Halyna Hutchins. Reuters
    Members of the local film community mourn the loss of Halyna Hutchins. Reuters
  • Film industry worker Jake Extine pays his respects. AP
    Film industry worker Jake Extine pays his respects. AP
  • A sign calling for workplace safety at the vigil. Reuters
    A sign calling for workplace safety at the vigil. Reuters
  • People light candles to honour Halyna Hutchins. AP
    People light candles to honour Halyna Hutchins. AP

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey previously said she would file new charges against Mr Baldwin if the independent test showed the reproduction long Colt .45 revolver was in “working condition”.

Prosecutors previously dismissed charges against Mr Baldwin based on evidence the hammer of the revolver might been modified, allowing it to fire without the trigger being pulled.

The single-page indictment filed with the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe charges Mr Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter under two alternative bases of law – causing a death by “negligent use of a firearm” and by acting “without due caution or circumspection.”

Mr Baldwin was originally charged in January 2023 with involuntary manslaughter in Ms Hutchins' death but those charges were dropped in April.

The movie's chief weapons handler, Hannah Gutierrez, was also charged. She faces a 2024 trial.

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Three stars

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Gulf Under 19s final

Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

The drill

Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.

Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”

Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”

Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.” 

US tops drug cost charts

The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.

Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.

In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.

Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol. 

The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.

High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.

Polarised public

31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views

19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views

19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all

Source: YouGov

THE SPECS

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Updated: January 20, 2024, 5:15 AM