Among the images that flashed across the world after the London terrorist attack, photographs of Britain’s Middle East minister Tobias Ellwood tending a dying policeman have become engraved on countless minds.
His forehead, hands and suit bloodstained, the former army captain is seen kneeling by the side of PC Keith Palmer, who had been stabbed after the assailant, Khalid Masood, breached the perimeter fence of the Palace of Westminster.
Surrounded by emergency teams, the minister placed his hands on the constable’s chest, attempting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and tried to staunch the flow of blood from his wounds. And in some pictures, his dejection on realising the 48-year-old officer is beyond further help, is plain.
While the familiar landmarks, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, create a striking backdrop to the shocking scenes, there is undeniable drama and poignancy in the sight of one man’s forlorn efforts to save another human being.
In comparison to many terrorist outrages, the attack caused mercifully few fatalities. Three other innocents also died, and many more were injured. But Masood had used a rented Hyundai 4X4 to mow down pedestrians on one of London’s busiest river crossings: Westminster Bridge; it is a wonder the death count was not closer to the 86 killed when a lorry was driven into crowds in Nice last July.
The instinctive response of Ellwood, whose ministerial duties normally find him working on Middle East security issues and diplomacy, drew widespread admiration. Britain’s prime minister Theresa May had him in mind when she said the aftermath of the attack revealed humanity at is best.
Fellow parliamentarians put aside political differences to pay tribute, too. Ellwood was swiftly elevated to membership of the Privy Council, a body of senior politicians, royalty and clerics that advises the United Kingdom’s monarchs, and there are calls for him to receive a knighthood. Many feel an honours system that marks the achievements of footballers and pop stars should also reward the minister.
Ellwood, 50, married with two sons, served with the British army’s Royal Green Jackets in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Kuwait, Germany, Gibraltar and Bosnia. He has been vice chairman of the UK’s all-party parliamentary group on Afghanistan, is an authority on conflict and has tragic experience of the impact of terrorism.
Elwood’s older brother, Jonathan, director of studies at an international school in Vietnam, was among 202 killed in the bombings in Bali, Indonesia, in 2002. He could identify the charred body only after turning it over and noticing an old operation scar.
Born in New York to British parents working at the United Nations, Tobias Ellwood attended schools in Austria and Germany. He then obtained an MBA from City University, London, and later completed a senior executive course in national and international studies at Harvard. On leaving regular military service – while remaining an active reservist – he worked as a researcher for a leading Conservative politician, Tom King, before obtaining executive posts at the London Stock Exchange and the law firm Allen & Overy.
Since he entered parliament in 2005, representing the safe Conservative constituency of Bournemouth East, a gradually rising career has taken him from junior defence and Europe roles to his appointment in 2014 as parliamentary undersecretary at the foreign ministry with three portfolios: the Middle East, Africa and counterterrorism.
Ellwood campaigned for the losing Remain camp in last year’s referendum on leaving the EU, but takes a pragmatic approach to the outcome. Addressing Arab ambassadors to the UK at a reception during the Conservatives’ annual conference in Birmingham last year, he spoke of Britain’s enduring bond with the region, which he expected to grow following Brexit. “We want to build on the ties we have across the world,” he said. “We want to further our relationships – and no more is that the case than with our Arab friends.
“Of course there are challenges in the Middle East: Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Syria and so forth. But there are also huge prosperity opportunities. Look at the skyline of London. It reflects massive investment from across the Middle East. It shows that these are good friends ... historical friends.”
He does his job well, one Conservative official who has worked closely with him tells The National. “He’s a really good Middle East minister with a great grasp of what is happening in the region, going above and beyond to ensure he is clued-up and sensitive to all issues.”
Dealing with terrorism is a major feature of his work. “With Daesh [ISIL] on its doorstep in Iraq and Syria, one of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s key aims is to defeat [its] murderous ideology,” Ellwood told the Oxford Business Group think tank last year. “And the UK is standing with the GCC at the forefront of international efforts to defeat Daesh.
“We’re doing this through military support to the global coalition, by working to squeeze Daesh’s finances and continuing to clearly and publicly condemn Daesh propaganda and its perversion of Islam.”
Ellwood has also shown himself ready to ruffle feathers. Despite being “a long-standing friend of Israel”, he condemns the threatened demolition of the Palestinian village of Khan Al Ahmar as part of the programme, against international law, to resettle Jews in the West Bank.
The minister has visited the village, met local leaders and warns Israel that pursuing its contentious “land-regularisation” policies threatens the viability of a two-state solution.
For all his attention to regional issues, however, Ellwood – a qualified pilot and enthusiastic saxophone player – will long be remembered for what he did in the heart of London on Wednesday, March 22.
He describes himself as “deeply humbled and overwhelmed” by messages of support. In parliament, he quietly accepted the stream of plaudits from all sides.
But he rejects suggestions of heroism, offering the more modest thought that he merely applied his military training.
Ellwood is keen to make contact with the family of the murdered officer, who was married with a 5-year-old daughter.
In a moving statement on his website, he underlined his sorrow at the absence of a happy ending. “I am heart-broken,” he wrote, “that I could not do more for PC Keith Palmer, who gave his life in holding the line against terrorism and defending democracy.”
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
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Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
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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.”
Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16 second leg
Paris Saint-Germain (1) v Borussia Dortmund (2)
Kick-off: Midnight, Thursday, March 12
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Live: On beIN Sports HD
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Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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
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The specs
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Paatal Lok season two
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Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
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Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
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- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
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Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
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Points about the fast fashion industry Celine Hajjar wants everyone to know
- Fast fashion is responsible for up to 10 per cent of global carbon emissions
- Fast fashion is responsible for 24 per cent of the world's insecticides
- Synthetic fibres that make up the average garment can take hundreds of years to biodegrade
- Fast fashion labour workers make 80 per cent less than the required salary to live
- 27 million fast fashion workers worldwide suffer from work-related illnesses and diseases
- Hundreds of thousands of fast fashion labourers work without rights or protection and 80 per cent of them are women