The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Director: David Slade
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
***
But it doesn't take a genius to work out why tens of millions of crazed fans (mostly teenagers, but a percentage of whom are people old enough to know better) have bought into the phenomenon. It is the intense love between the two lead characters - Edward Cullen (Pattinson) and his human companion, Bella Swan (Stewart) - that has hypnotised its horde of avid readers. The teenage couple spend the majority of their time sitting in a field reading poetry to one another, listening to Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy, and staring into each other's eyes while waxing on and on about much they can't live without one another.
An average love story though, one might think, until reminded that Edward has been frozen at the age of 17 for more than 100 years - one of the many side effects of being a vampire. Throw in a spectacularly muscular and lovelorn Native American, called Jacob (Lautner), who also doubles as a werewolf, and you have a love triangle of supernatural proportions, which has helped make the Twilight saga one of the most popular series of young adult books in years.
Set in the sleepy town of Forks, Washington (which has seen tourism increase tenfold since the first Twilight novel was released), not much has changed in the third movie of the saga, which follows Bella and Edward as they take their disgustingly sappy relationship to the next level, after deciding to get engaged.
Having battled some nasty vampires (in Twilight) and tried the whole "taking some time apart" thing (in The Twilight Saga: New Moon) the couple have to contend with yet another problem before telling Bella's father, Charlie (Billy Burke) the "good" news - the flame-haired femme fatale, Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard), and her obsessive desire to kill Bella. Understandable perhaps, given that the self-professed loner spends the majority of her time with her face set in an angsty scowl, but surely a good hard slap would suffice.
Nonetheless, Victoria begins to put together an army of "newborns" (newly-created vampires whose strength, the first few months after being turned, is almost unbeatable) with which she intends to take down both her human nemesis and the Cullen family. As a result, both vamps and werewolves are forced to work alongside one another in order to defeat their bigger, angrier, enemy, eventually - and begrudgingly - forming a bond.
With the film just under two hours long, the director David Slade (Hard Candy) handles the convoluted plot as best he can, although there are more than a few points at which the film drags - most of which involve Bella. Sure, she has a very hard decision to make, choosing between a life without Edward and a life as a vampire, but to have it repeatedly restated is tiresome.
Equally troublesome is the entire theme of the saga, especially given how much of an influence it has had on its targeted teenage demographic. We all know how intense life feels at that age; but for Meyer to have Swan completely ignore the advice of almost every other character involved - so intent is she on staying with Edward - seems irresponsible. Nevertheless, Eclipse is passably entertaining, the acting, for one thing, having improved noticeably. Three movies in, it is also interesting to discover the backgrounds of several of the vampires - including Rosalie (Nikki Reed) and Jasper (Jackson Rathbone).
As for the burning question, Team Edward or Team Jacob? Forget it. It's all about Carlisle Cullen (Peter Facinelli) and Charlie Swan (Burke). Trust me.
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.”
More on Quran memorisation:
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Points Classification
1. Marcel Kittel (Germany / Quick-Step) 63
2. Arnaud Demare (France / FDJ) 38
3. Andre Greipel (Germany / Lotto) 25
4. Sonny Colbrelli (Italy / Bahrain) 24
5. Mark Cavendish (Britain / Dimension Data) 22
6. Taylor Phinney (U.S. / Cannondale) 21
7. Geraint Thomas (Britain / Team Sky) 20
8. Thomas Boudat (France / Direct Energie) 20
9. Stefan Kueng (Switzerland / BMC Racing) 17
10. Michael Matthews (Australia / Sunweb) 17
