More plot details are trickling out about the Bollywood film Dishoom. Indian newspaper Mumbai Mirror reported that its sources have confirmed that Indian international cricketer Virat Kohli was the inspiration for Saqib Saleem's character in the action-adventure film, part of which was filmed in Abu Dhabi, in association with twofour54. The report said that Saleem's character is that of a cricketer who is kidnapped. The casting makes sense, given that before he started acting Saleem played cricket for the state of Jammu & Kashmir in India. The rumours gained strength when a photograph of Kohli and Saleem surfaced on social-media sites. Bombay Talkies, a leading Bollywood site, also reported yesterday that the opening scene of the movie would feature Saleem, and not the film's man stars, Varun Dhawan and John Abraham. – Sonali Kokra
Adele buys US$9.5m LA mansion
Adele bought a mansion in a secret sale last month for US$9.5 million (Dh34.8m). According to celebrity news website TMZ, the massive home is 6,600 square feet and is located in a popular gated community for celebrities in Beverly Hills. Along with four bedrooms and six bathrooms, the home also has a pool, a treehouse and an outdoor train set. Adele’s new neighbours include Jennifer Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Cameron Diaz and Nicole Richie. Adele has not moved in yet as she’s still on tour. – The National
Emilia Clarke wants to be Bond, Jane Bond
Amid rumours that actor Tom Hiddleston may replace Daniel Craig as the next James Bond, the Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke says she wants to be the first woman to play the role. The 29-year-old, who plays Daenerys Targaryen in GoT, told the Daily Star that one of her goals is to break new ground by becoming the first female to play Bond. "I have a lot of unrealised dreams," she said. "I would love to play Jane Bond. My ultimate leading man would be Leonardo DiCaprio. No doubt about it." Clarke is promoting her new film, director Thea Sharrock's Me Before You, an adaptation of a romantic novel of by Jojo Moyes. – The National
Emraan Hashmi talks about book on son’s health battle
Actor Emraan Hashmi's book on his son Ayaan's battle against cancer, The Kiss Of Life, will be released in Marathi and Hindi in June. At the launch of the English-language book at the end of May, Hashmi said: "Next month, the Hindi and Marathi version will be launched. So looking forward to that. When we thought that this is going to be documented in this book, I thought it's going to be an extremely painful journey to relive all of that once again." Hashmi's son was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 when a large tumour was found near his kidney. He was 3 years old. He was treated in Canada and is now in remission. Hashmi added, "I think it was very therapeutic. It's like counselling. There are feelings. You've been through them, but the moment you talk about them or write them down, it finds some kind of a closure." – IANS
Jesse Eisenberg will return as Lex Luthor in Justice League movies
Actor Jesse Eisenberg, who played Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, has confirmed that he will reprise his role in the follow-up DC Comics movie, Justice League. Eisenberg said: "I'm kind of in wait. They just started filming Justice League, so I'm kind of like waiting for my crack at it. I don't know what I'm allowed to say because I feel like there's probably some drone following me from DC, and if I say anything wrong I get, you know, picked off." Batman v Superman's Zack Snyder will also return to direct the movie, which will be released in two parts. Justice League Part One is scheduled for release on November 17, 2017, with part two in June 2019. Henry Cavill returns as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. They will be joined by Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash and Ray Fisher as Cyborg. – IANS
Thief who stole from Saturday Night Live actor is jailed
A bookkeeper who stole US$234,500 (Dh861,350) from former Saturday Night Live cast member Joe Piscopo has been sentenced to three years in prison. Frank Larocca's lawyer asked the judge to sentence his client to probation and a suspended prison term. But the judge declined, noting the benefits of the plea agreement Larocca received from prosecutors. Larocca, 40, pleaded guilty in February to theft. His wife also pleaded guilty to theft and is expected to be sentenced to three years' probation. Prosecutors said Piscopo hired LaRocca to pay his bills and manage his bank account. The thefts happened between February 2010 and March 2014. Larocca used the money for personal expenses. Piscopo's appeared on SNL from 1980 to 1984. – AP
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
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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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Sawt Assalam, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Foah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Faiza, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: RB Dixie Honor, Antonio Fresu, Helal Al Alawi.
7.30pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Boerhan, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard.
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2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
- Parasite – 4
- 1917– 3
- Ford v Ferrari – 2
- Joker – 2
- Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
- American Factory – 1
- Bombshell – 1
- Hair Love – 1
- Jojo Rabbit – 1
- Judy – 1
- Little Women – 1
- Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
- Marriage Story – 1
- Rocketman – 1
- The Neighbors' Window – 1
- Toy Story 4 – 1
I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
