Israeli police prevent a Jewish worshipper from breaking through the police barrier to enter Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. AP
Israeli police prevent a Jewish worshipper from breaking through the police barrier to enter Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. AP
Israeli police prevent a Jewish worshipper from breaking through the police barrier to enter Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. AP
Israeli police prevent a Jewish worshipper from breaking through the police barrier to enter Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. AP

Israeli minister Ben-Gvir joins more than 1,000 settlers at Al Aqsa mosque compound


Nada AlTaher
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Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

More than 1,000 Israeli settlers stormed Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem accompanied by security forces, before Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir caused further provocation when he arrived at the site to pray.

The Department of Islamic Endowments in Jerusalem said Israeli forces stationed at the gates of the courtyard prevented Muslim worshippers from entering the site, which is considered holy by Muslims, Christians and Jews and has been a focal point of tension.

“Settlers desecrated the Al Aqsa Mosque's courtyards and carried out Talmudic rituals in unprecedented scenes, with more expected to arrive in the evening,” a statement from the department said.

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his security, approach the entrance to Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site. AP
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his security, approach the entrance to Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site. AP

Mr Ben-Gvir visited the site and performed prayers alongside Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Israel's Minister for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev and Galilee.

According to an agreement between Israel and Jordan, which oversees Al Aqsa compound, Jewish worshippers are prohibited from performing prayers at the site. After Mr Ben-Gvir's visit, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the status quo at Al Aqsa “has not and will not change”.

It added that policies regarding the site were determined by the leader of the Israeli government. “The event this morning ... is an exception to the status quo,” his office said in a statement on Tuesday.

Mr Ven-Gvir's visit was roundly condemned by the international community. On Tuesday evening, the UN said the move was "unduly provocative"and the US called it "unacceptable".

"We certainly are paying close attention to actions and activities that we find to be a detraction from Israeli security, [and] a contributor to greater insecurity in the region," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said at a briefing. "Not only is it unacceptable, it detracts from what we think is a vital time, as we are working to get this ceasefire deal across the finish line."

The storming of the mosque comes amid the war in Gaza and almost near-daily Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank in recent weeks. Several arrests and attacks have taken place.

More than 10,000 Palestinians, including 700 children, have been arrested in the West Bank since October 7 and at least 22 detainees have died in Israeli custody as a result of “torture, starvation and medical neglect”, Palestinian rights groups said.

Israeli forces also carried out raids on the West Bank overnight. Mohammed Hamdan, secretary general of the ruling party Fatah in Nablus, and his brother were arrested, Wafa reported. Fatah has not yet commented on the detention.

An 18-year-old was also killed in Qalqilya by Israeli forces. Hamas claimed him as a commander. Israel carried out other raids and arrests in Al Khalil's Al Aroub refugee camp, Ramallah and Tulkarem.

In Gaza, at least 32 Palestinians were killed and 88 others were injured in Israeli strikes overnight, the ministry of health said. At least 10 people were killed in strikes on Khan Younis on Tuesday and four others, including children, were killed in attacks on Deir Al Balah.

Reem Abu Haya survived an Israeli strike that killed her entire family on August 13. She was taken to Al Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis after the assault. Reuters
Reem Abu Haya survived an Israeli strike that killed her entire family on August 13. She was taken to Al Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis after the assault. Reuters

Two bodies were moved to Khan Younis's Al Nasser Medical Complex, where thousands of displaced people are taking shelter, Wafa reported. More than 39,900 Palestinians have been killed and at least 92,000 have been injured since the start of the Gaza war on October 7. The conflict began after an attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel killed about 1,200.

Gaza does not have a single fully functional hospital after many of its health centres were either damaged or destroyed.

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.”

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Gulf Under 19s final

Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B

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While you're here
Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

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Profile box

Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting

-      Don’t do it more than once in three days

-      Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days

-      Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode

-      Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well

-      Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days

-      Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates

-      Manage your sleep

-      People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting

-      Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert

Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Updated: August 14, 2024, 7:09 AM