RELATED: Trump assassination attempt – what we know so far
Former US president Donald Trump was shot through the ear at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday in an assassination attempt that sent shock waves through America.
The Republican presidential candidate was left streaked with blood but quickly rose to shout “Fight! Fight! Fight!” with a raised fist as Secret Service agents mobbed him.
The suspected gunman – identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, by the FBI – had fired several rounds from a rooftop at the open-air rally in the town of Butler. He was shot dead seconds later by law enforcement marksmen on the roof of an adjacent building. A spectator was killed and two others were critically injured.
Moments earlier as he spoke to the cheering crowd, Trump, 78, was seen slapping his right ear before ducking behind the podium as members of the audience screamed.
Blood appeared to be coming from the right side of his face. More gunshots could be heard as agents tended to him and bundled him into an SUV.
He took to his Truth Social platform after the shooting and thanked the Secret Service and law enforcement for their rapid response.
Trump said that he “was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear”. He ended the message with “GOD BLESS AMERICA”.
The shooting took place less than four months before the November 5 election, when Trump faces an election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden. Most opinion polls show the two locked in a close contest.
Police said there were no further threats recorded after the rally incident.
The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, which Trump will attend, will inevitably be held amid heightened security, while political aides to President Joe Biden said the assassination attempt may postpone discussions on replacing Mr Biden as the party's presidential nominee.
Certainly Trump needs more protection - there’s a lot of inquiry now about whether the Secret Service was totally prepared
Stephen Moore,
senior Trump campaign adviser
Trump "looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th president of the United States. As our party's nominee... [he] will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again," read a statement from his campaign and the Republican National Committee.
As the investigation at the rally ground in Butler began, US media quoted law enforcement as saying that an “AR-style” rifle was recovered at the scene.
Images shared on social media, which were not released by the authorities, showed the dead gunman as a young man with long blonde hair.
Reports said the gunman was perched about 120 metres from Trump – a bit more than the length of a football field.
“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump on 13 July,” the FBI said early on Sunday.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation.”
Questions are being asked about how prepared the Secret Service and local police were, with some spectators apparently spotting the gunman before law enforcement did.
Speaking to the BBC World Service's Weekend programme, senior Trump campaign adviser Stephen Moore said the shooting was an exceptionally close call.
"It appeared from the video that he’d only been grazed by this bullet but what’s so frightening to all of us is that if that bullet had been one inch further towards his head this would have been an assassination," he told the show.
Mr Moore said "certainly Trump needs more protection - there’s a lot of inquiry now about whether the Secret Service was totally prepared".
A witness told the BBC he had seen the gunman climb on to the roof of a low-rise building right outside the security perimeter with a rifle and that he had shouted to nearby police officers to alert them to the potential threat.
Police initially seemed confused and did not immediately respond to the warning, he said.
The spectator who was fatally injured - who has not been publicly named - appeared to have been caught in the crossfire, a witness told NBC.
"It seemed like the man was in the way of the shots between whoever was shooting the gun and the president," he told the outlet. "The man who was hit, it seemed like he was in the crossfire."
The witness, who gave his name as Joseph, said the man was shot from behind between benches as people fled the scene.
A doctor attending the rally said the man was shot in the head.
A fundraising page for the victims, authorised by Trump, garnered over $170,000 overnight, NBC reported.
Trump, after his spokesman Steven Cheung said he was in good condition, later boarded a flight to New Jersey and was seen walking down the steps of the plane on arrival.
Police began vacating the fairgrounds shortly after Trump left the stage in what local officers described as a crime scene.
“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information,” President Joe Biden said.
“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Mr Biden later said that he had spoken with Trump.
"We cannot be like this, we cannot condone this," he said.
Following the incident, Trump's son Donald Trump Jr said that he had spoken to his father and described him as in “great spirits”. He also posted a photo of his father with his fist raised on X saying that he will “never stop fighting to Save America”.
His daughter, Ivanka Trump, described the attack as "senseless violence" and said she was praying for the country.
"As you saw today, my father is a fighter and he will continue to fight for you and the USA," said other daughter Tiffany Trump.
The Trump campaign later said that the former president was “doing well” and would still attend the Republican National Convention, which will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, next week.
House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X that he was praying for Trump.
Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, quickly issued a statement that “political violence of any kind is never acceptable”.
“My thoughts and prayers are with former president Trump. I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response,” Mr Jeffries wrote on X.
Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the House whose husband survived a politically motivated attack at their home, also expressed deep concern for the former president.
“As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know first-hand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society,” she said. “I thank God that former president Trump is safe.”
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement that “violence has no place in our politics”.
Trump's former vice president Mike Pence, whom the former president has blamed for agreeing to certify Mr Biden's electoral win in the 2020 election, tweeted that he and his wife Karen “are praying for president Trump and urge every American to join us”.
Senator Josh Hawley called the incident an assassination attempt and called for a congressional investigation.
“The nation needs to know who did this. And why. And we need a full, public investigation by Congress into HOW it happened,” he wrote on X.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
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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.”
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
liverpool youngsters
Ki-Jana Hoever
The only one of this squad to have scored for Liverpool, the versatile Dutchman impressed on his debut at Wolves in January. He can play right-back, centre-back or in midfield.
Herbie Kane
Not the most prominent H Kane in English football but a 21-year-old Bristolian who had a fine season on loan at Doncaster last year. He is an all-action midfielder.
Luis Longstaff
Signed from Newcastle but no relation to United’s brothers Sean and Matty, Luis is a winger. An England Under-16 international, he helped Liverpool win the FA Youth Cup last season.
Yasser Larouci
An 18-year-old Algerian-born winger who can also play as a left-back, Larouci did well on Liverpool’s pre-season tour until an awful tackle by a Sevilla player injured him.
Adam Lewis
Steven Gerrard is a fan of his fellow Scouser, who has been on Liverpool’s books since he was in the Under-6s, Lewis was a midfielder, but has been converted into a left-back.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place play-off
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
Conservative MPs who have publicly revealed sending letters of no confidence
- Steve Baker
- Peter Bone
- Ben Bradley
- Andrew Bridgen
- Maria Caulfield
- Simon Clarke
- Philip Davies
- Nadine Dorries
- James Duddridge
- Mark Francois
- Chris Green
- Adam Holloway
- Andrea Jenkyns
- Anne-Marie Morris
- Sheryll Murray
- Jacob Rees-Mogg
- Laurence Robertson
- Lee Rowley
- Henry Smith
- Martin Vickers
- John Whittingdale
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
THE CARD
2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
2.30pm: Handicap Dh 76,000 (D) 1,400m
3pm: Handicap Dh 64,000 (D) 1,200m
3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m
4pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (D) 1,000m
4.30pm: Handicap 64,000 (D) 1,950m
Results for Stage 2
Stage 2 Yas Island to Abu Dhabi, 184 km, Road race
Overall leader: Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Stage winners: 1. Fernando Gaviria COL (UAE Team Emirates) 2. Elia Viviani ITA (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) 3. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal)
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20specs
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The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta
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ICC Intercontinental Cup
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (captain), Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Saqlain Haider, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Naveed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Boota, Amir Hayat, Ashfaq Ahmed
Fixtures Nov 29-Dec 2
UAE v Afghanistan, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Hong Kong v Papua New Guinea, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Ireland v Scotland, Dubai International Stadium
Namibia v Netherlands, ICC Academy, Dubai
more from Janine di Giovanni
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
