Rapper Nicki Minaj – also a somewhat underrated singer – looks set to perform in Dubai soon. She dropped a big hint of an upcoming UAE gig on Twitter when she posted: "Yes. I'm cming back to Dubai", in response to a fan who had asked why Dubai hadn't been mentioned as a stop on for her tour. Details of the concert have yet to be announced, but it is possible that Minaj will stop off in Dubai in mid-April after the conclusion of her European tour, or, more unlikely, pay a visit towards the end of the year. Her latest tour follows the release of her third album, The Pinkprint, which came out last year and featured the hit singles Anaconda and Pills n Potions. – The National staff
Top Gear petition hits one million
An online petition to reinstate Jeremy Clarkson as the host of the hit BBC programme Top Gear reached a million signatures on Friday, as the controversial presenter hinted that he might be sacked by the corporation. In a stunt organised by the Guido Fawkes political blog, the petition was delivered to the BBC headquarters in London on a tank with a banner reading "Bring Back Clarkson". The presenter was suspended by the BBC this month over a "fracas" during which he allegedly punched one of the show's producers – later reported to be a spat over not being provided with a hot meal after a day's filming. The BBC has pulled the last three episodes of the series, which has more than 350 million viewers around the globe. A boorish bigot to some and a straight-talking maverick to others, the presenter was already on a final warning from the broadcaster after a string of scandals over apparently racist remarks. The results of an investigation by the BBC into the latest incident are expected next week, although, during an appearance at a charity event Clarkson appeared to say it would be a foregone conclusion in an expletive-laden tirade. – AFP
HBO and Snoop Dogg working on TV drama
Snoop Dogg is developing a television drama series for HBO. The rapper announced on Friday at the South by Southwest festival that he is working with Allen Hughes – a director whose films include Dead Presidents, Menace II Society and The Book of Eli – on a show about 1980s Los Angeles. "HBO is the number one network in the world as far as developing and having these types of shows come to life," he said. "This is a dream come true to be able to tell a story that's going to be told the right way on the right network." – AP
James McNair’s children to get settlement from Wal-Mart
The children of comedian James McNair, who was killed in the car crash that injured 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan, are getting a US$10 million settlement from Wal-Mart. Court documents also reveal that Jamel McNair, 26, and Denita McNair, 19, are putting part of the payment toward annuities that will pay them ever-increasing monthly amounts, starting at $3,000, for the rest of their lives. The payment was disclosed in documents filed in Surrogate’s Court in New York’s Westchester County, where James McNair lived until the June 7 accident, in which a Wal-Mart lorry hit a limo van in which him, Morgan and other friends were travelling home from a show in Delaware. Morgan suffered broken bones and what his lawyer, Benedict Morelli, described as a traumatic brain injury, from which he is still recovering. Morgan and two others injured in the crash have sued Wal-Mart. The lorry driver, Kevin Roper, has been charged with death by auto and other offences but has not yet been indicted. The McNair family lawyer, Daryl Zaslow, had announced in January that Wal-Mart had settled with the children but at that time the amount was said to be confidential. – AP
Pharrell Williams urges children to take care of the environment
Pop star Pharrell Williams – best known for his hit Happy – was mobbed by children when he addressed the UN General Assembly on Friday's "International Day of Happiness", as he spoke out about the dangers of climate change. After his address, Happy was played on the speakers of the normally solemn hall and dozens of teenagers and younger children ran toward him to take photos. Security guards rushed into the crowd, fearing a stampede as an official took the microphone to urge everyone to step back. Williams has been working with former US vice president Al Gore to organise global concerts in June to build public pressure for a UN-backed agreement on climate change at a conference this year in Paris. "You should know that happiness is your birthright," Williams told the hundreds of assembled children, whose placards all read "#happyplanet" instead of the usual names of UN member states. "If you don't take care of your home, you don't have a life, so we have to now transition from climate change to climate action." Environmentalist Philippe Cousteau Jr, grandson of legendary French ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, joined the singer to warn that climate change's effects were looking even worse than initially feared. – AP
Obama’s close aide buys ‘Robin’s Nest’ from Magnum P.I.
A sprawling beachfront home used in the filming of the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I. has sold for US$8.7 million to a close friend of President Barack Obama. A lawyer for Marty Nesbitt said that his client had bought the 3-acre property in Waimanalo, next to the town of Kailua, where the Obama family has spent winter holidays in recent years. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Friday that Obama had nothing to do with the purchase. Tom Selleck's character lived in the house on Magnum, P.I. It was known as "Robin's Nest" on the show and belonged to a never-seen millionaire friend called Robin Masters. Nesbitt is a Chicago businessman who was treasurer for Obama's first presidential run. He is the chairman of the Barack Obama Foundation, which will build the president's future library. – AP
Harrison Ford to narrate documentary on the history of aviation
Harrison Ford, who this month was injured when his vintage airplane crashed on a Los Angeles golf course, is back in the air already – on film at least. National Geographic Studios said that the Star Wars and Indiana Jones actor will narrate a documentary due out next month called Living in the Age of Airplanes. The Imax movie, filmed from the air over 18 countries, is a history of a century of aviation. It will premiere on April 8 at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington and two days later will open on Imax and similar big screens. The announcement comes as Ford, a longtime pilot and aviation enthusiast, recovers from the March 5 crash-landing of a Second World War-era plane, the engine of which failed shortly after take-off. – AP
Drake sued for disassociating with his upcoming film
A film company that is bringing the rapper Drake to the big screen has filed a lawsuit against its own star over a tweet.
Ahead of the US release on Thursday of the movie Drake's Homecoming: The Lost Footage, the Canadian hip-hop artist wrote on social media that he had played no part in making the film. "I feel it is my responsibility to inform and protect my fans," Drake wrote to his 21.6 million Twitter followers and on his Facebook page, which is liked by more than 36 million people. SpectiCast, the company that made the film, on Thursday announced a lawsuit in a California court that accused Drake of libel. "Drake authorised the filming, he was paid for it, he still has a financial stake in the movie, and his current statements to the contrary are completely false," said Peter Haviland, a lawyer for SpectiCast. The company is seeking damages as well as a declaration that the film is authorised by Drake. – AFP
Chris Brown off probation
R&B star Chris Brown celebrated on Friday after a US judge released him from probation imposed for assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009.
The attack left the female pop singer battered and bruised on the eve of the Grammys.
“I’M OFF PROBATION!!!!!!! Thank the Lord!!!!!” Brown posted on his Twitter page shortly after the court hearing in Los Angeles, where he smiled as it was announced that he had fulfilled all of his probation conditions.
LA Superior Court Judge James Brandlin said the 25-year-old had completed about 1,000 hours of community labour, along with all other terms of his probation, including attending a domestic-violence treatment programme.
In June 2009, Brown pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna, who suffered facial injuries and was forced to cancel an appearance at the Grammy Awards. Brown was sentenced to five years’ probation, a year-long domestic-violence programme and 180 days of community labour. – AFP
AJ Pero no more
A J Pero, the drummer for the heavy-metal band Twisted Sister, died Friday. He was 55. The band said Anthony Jude Pero died of an apparent heart attack while touring with Adrenaline Mob, a group with which he played in between performing with Twisted Sister. The band’s guitarist Jay Jay French said Pero was on a tour bus Friday morning when Adrenaline Mob band members could not wake him up. He was taken to a hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he was declared dead shortly after 11am. . – AP
Marion Knight collapses in court
Former rap music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight collapsed in a courtroom on Friday shortly after a judge ordered him held on US$25 million bail in a murder case. Bailiffs cleared the courtroom and paramedics were seen going inside a few minutes later. Defence attorney Matthew Fletcher said Knight was unconscious when the lawyer left the courtroom and an update on his condition was not immediately available. Fletcher said his client, who is diabetic and has a blood clot, previously told him that he hadn’t received any medication since Thursday. Fletcher said Knight hit his head on a chair when he fell after the bail hearing. The collapse marked the fourth time that Knight has been taken by ambulance from a courthouse since he was charged with killing Terry Carter, 55, in February. Knight, the 49-year-old co-founder of Death Row Records, has pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder and hit-and-run charges. – AP
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
RESULTS
5pm Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Munfared, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Sawt Assalam, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Dergham Athbah, Pat Dobbs, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Rajee, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
7pm Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Kerless Del Roc, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Pharoah King, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8pm Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Sauternes Al Maury, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE%20ILT20
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
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.”
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
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
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
