Hugh Jackman's selfie on Instagram after he had a basal cell carcinoma on his nose treated. Hugh Jackman / AP Photo
Hugh Jackman's selfie on Instagram after he had a basal cell carcinoma on his nose treated. Hugh Jackman / AP Photo

Hugh Jackman treated for skin cancer



Hugh Jackman treated for skin cancer

Hugh Jackman revealed he has been treated for skin cancer and shared a selfie showing his bandaged nose. "Deb said to get the mark on my nose checked. Boy, was she right!" he wrote on Instagram on Friday, referring to his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness. The 45-year-old actor said he had a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer that is rarely fatal. He didn't say when his medical treatment took place. "Please don't be foolish like me. Get yourself checked. And USE sunscreen!!!" he said. – AP

Lady Gaga tops Billboard chart

Lady Gaga's third studio album, ARTPOP, debuted at No 1 on the US Billboard 200 album chart this week, after three months of steady promotion behind her singles Applause and Do What U Want. Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP 2 – last week's top album – went down to No 2. The pop hits compilation Now 48 entered the chart at No 3. Eminem's song The Monster, which features Rihanna, was the top song on the digital songs chart. – Reuters

Shekhar Kapur dazzled by Deepika Padukone’s performance in Ram-Leela

Deepika Padukone says the biggest compliment she has been paid for her new film Ram-Leela was from the filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. "I received a message from him that says I have added so many layers to Leela that even Shakespeare didn't think about this while writing for Juliet. For me, that's a big compliment," said Padukone. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and also starring Ranveer Singh. Ram-Leela (Rama's play) has stirred up a lot of controversy in India because of its title, which some critics say hurts Hindu sentiments. On Thursday, the high court in the state of Uttar Pradesh banned the film from screening. Ram-Leela is currently playing in UAE cinemas. – IANS

Serbia pulls out of Eurovision

Serbia, the winner of the 2007 Eurovision song contest, will abstain from next year's glitzy competition because of the high costs involved. "This decision was made because of financial reasons, notably the high costs necessary to participate in the contest," said the public broadcaster RTS, Serbia's local organiser of the Eurovision competition. Earlier this year, Croatia withdrew from the contest, citing the "country's poor recent performances" and the "costs of participation". – AFP

Saif Ali Khan always wanted gangster role

Saif Ali Khan, who plays the gangster Raja Mishra in Bullett Raja, says he's always wanted to play such a character. "After many years, I got this chance to play a character which is very different from me," the 43-year-old told reporters. He says the film, directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia and based on a fictional mafia based in Uttar Pradesh, is neither vulgar nor violent. "There is action in the film but not violence, there is comedy but not vulgarity. I'm very glad I could be part of it." Bullett Raja is out on Thursday. – IANS

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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.”

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Bio

Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village

What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft

Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans

Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface

How to donate

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

Stree

Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5

if you go

The flights

Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes

The package

Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January

The info

Visit www.gokorea.co.uk

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

Directed by: Shaka King

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons

Four stars

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Drishyam 2

Directed by: Jeethu Joseph

Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy

Rating: 4 stars

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Profile of Tamatem

Date started: March 2013

Founder: Hussam Hammo

Based: Amman, Jordan

Employees: 55

Funding: $6m

Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media