You may have thought you'd heard everything there was to hear about Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, thanks to our rather abundant coverage of the film late last year. But no, in time for the release of the DVD today, here's another nugget of fact. According to a source, the sandstorm that engulfs Tom Cruise and pretty much the whole of Dubai in the film wasn't actually sand, but sawdust, specially shipped in because sand apparently doesn't show up on film cameras. Let this be the last we ever speak about Mission: Impossible. Until another fact emerges.
Rouwaida Attieh coming to Coke Studio
Have you been watching the Arab incarnation of Coke Studio on MBC1? It is broadcast on Wednesday evenings and last week saw the Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram perform in the pilot episode. In the programme's second episode, which is broadcast tomorrow at 10.30pm on MBC1, the Syrian Rouwaida Attieh will be singing her heart out. Attieh catapulted to fame when she became the first runner-up on the first season of Arab Super Star, the pan-Arab import of Pop Idol. Along with the Lebanese contestant Melhem Zein, she was a favourite to win the contest, which was won by the Jordanian contestant Diana Karazon.
Tomorrow night, Attieh meets The Yugoslavian Gypsy Brass Band from the Balkans. They will perform together in a fusion of Oriental tarab and gypsy music.
Visit www.facebook.com/CokeStudioBel3arabi for information on the weekly episodes.
Work doesn't stop for Katrina Kaif
Katrina Kaif has finished the first schedule of Yash Chopra's untitled film opposite Shah Rukh Khan earlier this month. Already, the actress is busy training for performing daredevil stunts in Dhoom 3.
In her third consecutive movie for Yashraj, Kaif will be seen playing Aamir Khan's love interest as a ballet dancer.
Mail Online India reports that Katrina will be working for four hours a day to get into shape.
Tom Petty offers reward for stolen guitars
The rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are offering a US$7,500 (Dh28,000) reward for the return of five guitars stolen from a Los Angeles studio last week, ahead of their US and Europe tour. The band said on their website that the guitars include Petty's 1967 12-string blonde Rickenbacker 360 and his 1965 Gibson SGTV Junior, as well as instruments belonging to the bassist Ron Blair, the rhythm guitar player Scott Thurston and the lead guitarist Mike Campbell.
Pottermore site now open to the public
The Pottermore website, an official site dedicated to the Harry Potter series, is finally up and running and taking registrations from "Muggles" after eight months of limited beta testing. The free site, which offers all seven books of the franchise in e-book version, also offers a variety of content related to the boy wizard, much of it written by the author JK Rowling.
There was no real official website before Pottermore, no apps and, until last month, as was reported in The National last week, no legitimate e-books. The closest the boy wizard came to a digital existence was in the DVDs of his movie franchise.
Taylor Lautner in talks for Grown Ups 2
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Twilight star Taylor Lautner is now in negotiations to make a cameo in Adam Sandler's forthcoming comedy Grown Ups 2.
If that happens, he would join much of the cast from the 2010 original: Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Maya Rudolph and Salma Hayek.
The magazine cites sources who say he'd play a "fun" role, during which he'd go up against Sandler himself.
Lautner will appear in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, the final instalment in the series, which will be released in November.
Sallu leads Boney's son into acting
Salman Khan has again launched a newcomer into the world of acting, reports Mail Online India. This time it is Boney Kapoor's son, Arjun Kapoor, who will be seen making his debut this year with the much talked-about film Ishaqzaade.
Though he was expected to be an actor, Arjun always wanted to be a director. He started with being the assistant director in films such as Kal Ho Na Ho and Wanted.
When Khan noticed him on the set of Wanted, he realised Arjun should be in front of the camera rather than behind it.
Ishaqzaade will be released next month.
Lady Antebellum's Dave Haywood marries
The last single member of Lady Antebellum is officially off the market, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The guitarist Dave Haywood, 29, married Kelli Cashiola, 30, on Saturday at a ceremony on a private farm just outside of Nashville.
Antebellum members Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley were both in attendance, according to a statement released by Haywood's representative.
Visa changes give families fresh hope
Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income
Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.
Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process
In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.
In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.
To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation
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.”
Kill
Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
Starring: Lakshya, Tanya Maniktala, Ashish Vidyarthi, Harsh Chhaya, Raghav Juyal
Rating: 4.5/5
EMIRATES'S REVISED A350 DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULE
Edinburgh: November 4 (unchanged)
Bahrain: November 15 (from September 15); second daily service from January 1
Kuwait: November 15 (from September 16)
Mumbai: January 1 (from October 27)
Ahmedabad: January 1 (from October 27)
Colombo: January 2 (from January 1)
Muscat: March 1 (from December 1)
Lyon: March 1 (from December 1)
Bologna: March 1 (from December 1)
Source: Emirates
SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Almouneer
Started: 2017
Founders: Dr Noha Khater and Rania Kadry
Based: Egypt
Number of staff: 120
Investment: Bootstrapped, with support from Insead and Egyptian government, seed round of
$3.6 million led by Global Ventures
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Director: Adam Wingard
Starring: Brian Tyree Henry, Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens
Rating: 4/5
Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45+2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
A QUIET PLACE
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Rating: 4/5
MEDIEVIL (1998)
Developer: SCE Studio Cambridge
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Console: PlayStation, PlayStation 4 and 5
Rating: 3.5/5
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Company Profile
Name: Takestep
Started: March 2018
Founders: Mohamed Khashaba, Mohamed Abdallah, Mohamed Adel Wafiq and Ayman Taha
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: health technology
Employees: 11 full time and 22 part time
Investment stage: pre-Series A
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5
Company Profile
Name: Direct Debit System
Started: Sept 2017
Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
Funding: Undisclosed
Investors: Elaine Jones
Number of employees: 8
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
