Paradis talks about her split with Depp
The French singer-actress Vanessa Paradis has commented about her break-up with Johnny Depp for the first time. "I don't want to talk about him. Who said that artists should sell their soul, expose everything about themselves?" she told the latest issue of French Elle while promoting her new film Cornouaille. "It's my duty to promote this movie and my albums, but can you imagine what it feels like to see people making a business out of your pain?" The pair broke up in June after a 14-year relationship. – IANS
Injuries force Chenoweth to exit show
Kristin Chenoweth says that injuries she sustained while filming the TV legal drama The Good Wife last month are preventing her from returning to the show. The 44-year-old actress was hit on the head by a piece of equipment while on set and was hospitalised. In a statement, she expressed "deep regret" that she would be unable to return in her recurring role "at this time". But Chenoweth says she is "getting better slowly". She does appear in the show's fourth-season premiere, which will air on September 30. – AP
Fans commemorate Elvis Presley's death
Elvis Presley's fans are flocking to his Graceland estate in Memphis for the 35th anniversary of his death today. Organisers of the annual Elvis Week expect this year's edition to be the largest ever, with Presley's widow Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie also participating. Highlights of the nine-day-long Elvis Week included an all-night candlelight vigil, held yesterday at Graceland's gates, where fans waved virtual candles via a special Elvis Week smartphone app. Today, a concert at a downtown stadium -featuring Priscilla, Lisa Marie and the surviving members of Presley's band - will review Presley's musical legacy. The sixth annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest will also be held, with contestants from as far afield as Australia and Japan. - AFP
Renner speaks out against the Kardashians
Jeremy Renner slammed the Kardashians for having "zero talent" when the reality TV clan's name was brought up in his interview with The Guardian this week. "Oh, all those ridiculous people with zero talent who spend their lives making sure everyone knows their name. Those stupid, stupid people," said Renner, who's currently promoting his new film The Bourne Legacy. "I know it's a cliché but I never wanted to be famous. I don't believe anybody wants to be famous," he said in the same interview. - IANS
Changes in store for The Voice US
The Voice US is adding a bit of thievery to its format. Its executive producer Mark Burnett said the singing contest will let coaches "steal" contestants from each other during the show's "battle rounds". The show will also introduce a new "knockout round" to reduce the number of contestants on each coach's team. Burnett, who was promoting the series' third season (premiering on September 10), was joined by the show's host Carson Daly, and the coaches – Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. – AP
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Blonde
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAndrew%20Dominik%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAna%20de%20Armas%2C%20Adrien%20Brody%2C%20Bobby%20Cannavale%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
The%20specs
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
THE%20SWIMMERS
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Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
2019 Asian Cup final
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh132,000 (Countryman)
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.”
TYPES%20OF%20ONLINE%20GIG%20WORK
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