A protester holds aloft the flag of Palestine during a confrontation with Israeli forces in the Shuafat camp for Palestinian refugees, neighbouring the Israeli settlement of Ramat Shlomo, in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem. AFP
Palestinian protesters light a Molotov cocktail petrol bomb during confrontations with Israeli forces in the Shuafat camp for Palestinian refugees, in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem. AFP
A member of Israeli security rushes past burning barricades at the Shuafat camp for Palestinian refugees, in East Jerusalem. AFP
Israeli security forces fire tear gas at protesters the Shuafat camp for Palestinian refugees, in East Jerusalem. AFP
A Palestinian protester holds a Molotov cocktail during confrontations with Israeli forces in the Shuafat camp for Palestinian refugees, East Jerusalem. AFP
A Palestinian protester is silhouetted against a burning barricade during a confrontation with Israeli forces in the Shuafat refugee camp, East Jerusalem. AFP
At least 11 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank on Friday, amid mounting anger over Israel's actions in East Jerusalem and deadly air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
By Saturday evening the country was braced for more violence as Israel redeployed 1,000 border police to towns hit by rioting.
A Palestinian security source said the violence was the "most intense" since the second intifada – or uprising – that began in 2000.
Within Israel, an unprecedented wave of mob violence has seen Arab and Jewish citizens attack each other, and synagogues and mosques set alight. More than 900 people have been arrested this week, Israeli police said.
On Saturday, a Hamas rocket killed a civilian in the Ramat Gan suburb of Tel Aviv while Israeli authorities issued "red alerts" for impending rocket strikes in cities across the country.
Tel Aviv. Courtesy Magen David Adom
The West Bank regularly sees weekend demonstrations over the decades-old Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory, but the protests on Friday were more widespread and violent.
Israeli forces fired rubber bullets and, in some instances, live rounds as protesters across the West Bank hurled stones, Molotov cocktail petrol bombs and other projectiles.
Israeli soldiers aim their weapons during confrontations with Palestinian protesters in the centre of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank. AFP
"It would be shameful to remain quiet with what's going on in Gaza," said Oday Hassan, 21, who was protesting in the city of Al Birah, north of Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said more than 250 people had been wounded in the West Bank, as it appealed for blood donations.
The Israeli military said one of the Palestinians killed was shot dead after attempting to stab a soldier north of the city of Ramallah, and reported another attempted knife attack during "a violent riot" in Nablus.
The protests came a day before Palestinians observe the Nakba – or catastrophe – marking the loss of their homes during the creation of Israel in 1948.
Death toll rises in Gaza
Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza rose as Israel carried out more air strikes throughout Saturday.
At least ten people were reported killed in an Israeli air strike on a home in Gaza city early on Saturday, according to the militant group Hamas that controls Gaza. The death toll, which included eight women and two children, was expected to rise as rescuers were still searching through the rubble of the three-storey house on the edge of the Shati refugee camp.
A combination picture shows a tower building before and after it was destroyed by Israeli air strikes in Gaza. Reuters
"I saw the bodies of four people, including children, being rushed to hospital," Said Alghoul told Associated Press.
In the hours after the air strike, the Israeli air force also bombed an office block which housed international media, including Associated Press and Al Jazeera. Journalists had been given one hour to evacuate the building.
"We have communicated directly to the Israelis that ensuring the safety and security of journalists and independent media is a paramount responsibility," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said later.
The Israeli bombardment began on Monday, in response to rocket fire towards Jerusalem from Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza.
Hamas rocket attacks began after Israeli police stormed the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, the third holiest site in Islam, in the Old City of Jerusalem, firing rubber bullets and stun grenades and injuring hundreds of Palestinians.
More than 2,300 rockets have been fired at Israel, while Israel has hit nearly 800 targets in Gaza, including a massive assault on Friday on a Hamas tunnel network.
At least 145 people have been killed in Gaza – including 41 children – and 1,000 others wounded, Palestinian medical officials said.
Among the ten dead in Israel were a soldier patrolling the Gaza border and seven civilians, including two children, Israeli authorities said.
The strikes on Gaza levelled buildings, forcing families to seek shelter in schools and mosques.
"All the children are afraid and we are afraid for the children," said Kamal Al Haddad, who fled with his family to a UN-supported school in Gaza city.
Early on Saturday, the Israeli military said it had hit a Hamas "operations office" near the centre of Gaza city, with additional overnight strikes targeting what the military called "underground launch sites".
There were overnight confrontations in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Shuafat, adjacent to the Israeli settlement of Ramat Shlomo in Israel-occupied East Jerusalem.
Mob violence in Israel sparks fear of 'civil war' as tensions rise in Lebanon
In one of the most shocking episodes of the intercommunal violence, a far-right Jewish mob beat a man they considered an Arab in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, on Wednesday, leaving him with serious injuries.
In the north, where Israel remains technically at war with neighbouring Lebanon and Syria, tensions are also rising.
The Israeli military said it "fired warning shots towards a number of rioters who crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory" on Friday.
Israel's arch-enemy, the Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, said one of its members, 21-year-old Mohamad Kassem Tahan, was killed by the Israeli gunfire.
Three rockets were later launched at Israel from southern Syria, where Hezbollah is present, but there was no immediate confirmation of a link between the events.
Pro-Palestine protests take place across the Middle East – in pictures
Protesters demonstrate in solidarity with Palestinians in the Jordanian town of Karameh, on the border crossing with Israel. AFP
Protesters fly the flag of Palestine as they demonstrate in solidarity with Palestinians, in the town of Karameh, Jordan. AFP
Demonstrators express solidarity with the Palestinian people in Jordan's capital Amman. AFP
Protesters pray for Palestinians who have died in Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip, at the Haci Bayram mosque in Ankara, Turkey, during a pro-Palestinian rally held after Friday prayers. AFP
A boy looks on during a pro-Palestinian rally after Friday prayers at the Haci Bayram mosque in Ankara, Turkey, held to protest against Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip. AFP
Ankara Castle is illuminated with a composite of the Turkish and Palestinian flags to show solidarity with the Palestinian people, in Ankara, Turkey. Reuters
A demonstrator carries the flag of Palestine during a anti-Israel protest in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. AFP
Protesters wave Iraqi and Palestinian flags during a demonstration against Israel's use of force against Palestinians, in Baghdad, Iraq. AP Photo
Protesters wave Palestinian flags at a demonstration to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, after Friday prayers in Istanbul, Turkey. Reuters
A Palestinian flag flies near the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, near the border with Israel, Lebanon. Reuters
UN to meet as US envoy arrives in Tel Aviv for ceasefire talks
The UN said the Security Council would meet on Sunday to address the crisis.
US Secretary for Israel-Palestinian Affairs Hady Amr arrived in Israel on Friday as part of mediation efforts.
Mr Amr will hold talks with Israeli officials and Palestinian leaders in the West Bank and encourage a "sustainable calm", State Department deputy spokeswoman Jalina Porter said.
But Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave no indication that Israel was ready to ease its campaign.
"I said we'd deliver heavy blows to Hamas and other terror groups, and we're doing that," Mr Netanyahu said.
Israel estimates that more than 30 leaders of Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have been killed.
The UN said 10,000 Gazans had been forced from their homes by the bombardment.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Tips to keep your car cool
Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
Park in shaded or covered areas
Add tint to windows
Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A
Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
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
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
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.”
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.
