• A Palestinian sits next to his tent during sunset in the Jordan Valley. EPA
    A Palestinian sits next to his tent during sunset in the Jordan Valley. EPA
  • A man carries a wounded boy to a field clinic during clashes near the maritime border between Israel and Gaza Strip, northern Gaza Strip. EPA
    A man carries a wounded boy to a field clinic during clashes near the maritime border between Israel and Gaza Strip, northern Gaza Strip. EPA
  • A fighter with the Syrian Democratic Forces keeps watch in the Baghouz area in Deir Ezzor during an operation to expel ISIS forces from the region. AFP
    A fighter with the Syrian Democratic Forces keeps watch in the Baghouz area in Deir Ezzor during an operation to expel ISIS forces from the region. AFP
  • A soldier with the Syrian Democratic Forces keeps watch near veiled women standing on a field after they fled from the Baghouz area in Deir Ezzor. AFP
    A soldier with the Syrian Democratic Forces keeps watch near veiled women standing on a field after they fled from the Baghouz area in Deir Ezzor. AFP
  • Omani women enjoy the sea view from a hotel lobby in the newly developed property, Al Mouj Muscat, in Muscat, Oman. Reuters
    Omani women enjoy the sea view from a hotel lobby in the newly developed property, Al Mouj Muscat, in Muscat, Oman. Reuters
  • Palestinian schoolchildren walk past Israeli soldiers after forces closed a street near the settlement of Beit Hadassa in the divided West Bank city of Hebron. AFP
    Palestinian schoolchildren walk past Israeli soldiers after forces closed a street near the settlement of Beit Hadassa in the divided West Bank city of Hebron. AFP
  • A tourist walks out of a traditional Islamic collectables shop in a souq in Muscat, Oman. Reuters
    A tourist walks out of a traditional Islamic collectables shop in a souq in Muscat, Oman. Reuters

The Middle East framed - regional photography for February 13, 2019


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Match info:

Portugal 1
Ronaldo (4')

Morocco 0

Grand slam winners since July 2003

Who has won major titles since Wimbledon 2003 when Roger Federer won his first grand slam

Roger Federer 19 (8 Wimbledon, 5 Australian Open, 5 US Open, 1 French Open)

Rafael Nadal 16 (10 French Open, 3 US Open, 2 Wimbledon, 1 Australian Open)

Novak Djokovic 12 (6 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledon, 2 US Open, 1 French Open)

Andy Murray 3 (2 Wimbledon, 1 US Open)

Stan Wawrinka 3 (1 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 1 US Open)

Andy Roddick 1 (1 US Open) 

Gaston Gaudio 1 (1 French Open)

Marat Safin 1 (1 Australian Open)

Juan Martin del Potro 1 (1 US Open)

Marin Cilic 1 (1 US Open)

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While you're here
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Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

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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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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

The biog

Favourite Emirati dish: Fish machboos

Favourite spice: Cumin

Family: mother, three sisters, three brothers and a two-year-old daughter

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4