Pope warns against use of religion in politics



AMMAN // Pope Benedict XVI warned against the "manipulation" of religion for political ends yesterday as Jordan's top religious adviser publicly thanked the pontiff for expressing regrets for a 2006 speech that was perceived as an insult to Islam. Speaking at the King Hussein bin Talal mosque in the Jordanian capital of Amman on the second day of his much scrutinised, week-long pilgrimage to the Middle East, the Pope told the crowd of diplomats and religious leaders that twisting religion rather than faith itself could be a source of violence.

"The contradiction of tensions and divisions between the followers of different religious traditions sadly cannot be denied," he said. "However, is it not also the case that often it is the ideological manipulation of religion sometimes for political ends that is the real catalyst for tension and division and at times even violence in society?" His speech came after Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed, the top religious adviser to his cousin King Abdullah, attempted to draw a final line over the controversy by thanking Pope Benedict for the clarification of the 2006 Regensburg speech when he quoted a medieval emperor who described the Prophet Muhammed's teachings as "evil and inhuman".

Shortly afterwards, Pope Benedict said he regretted his comments. "Hence Muslims also especially appreciated the clarification by the Vatican that what was said in the Regensburg lecture did not reflect Your Holiness's own opinion but rather was simply a citation in an academic lecture," Prince Ghazi said yesterday. The Pope's expression was impassive as the prince spoke. He made no reference to it.

Prince Ghazi, a major figure in the arena of interfaith dialogue, is believed to be the most senior figure in the Muslim world so far to publicly express acceptance of the Pope's regrets over the controversy. There has been little popular enthusiasm from the Muslim majority country about the Pope's visit compared to the reception the public gave the late Pope John Paul II in 2000. Prince Ghazi gave the Pope a tour of the mosque, a graceful edifice of pale yellow stone where the pontiff briefly stopped in a "respectful moment of reflection" but did not "pray in a Christian sense", a Vatican spokesman said.

The only sour note was hit when he did not take off his shoes before stepping inside the mosque which everyone is required to do. A Vatican spokesman said later that the Pope did not do so because his hosts did not ask him. The papal visit to the Arab country has been defined so far by the Vatican's efforts to repair relations between the Abrahamic faiths by speaking of the common bonds between them.

At one point, Pope Benedict even referred to God as "merciful and compassionate," using the Islamic phrase when referring to Allah. However, he also hinted at the restrictions Christians face in many Muslim countries. "Religious freedom is, of course, a fundamental human right and it is my fervent hope and prayer that respect for the inalienable rights and dignity of every man and woman will come to be increasingly affirmed and defended," he said.

Earlier in the day the pontiff retraced the steps of the prophet Moses to Mount Nebo where the Bible says he saw the promised land. He prayed at the Basilica of The Memorial of Moses, a fourth century church built to commemorate the place of the prophet's death although his precise burial place is not actually known. Pope Benedict reminded Christians and Jews of their shared heritage. "May our encounter today inspire in us a renewed love for the canon of sacred scripture ... and a desire to overcome all obstacles to the reconciliation of Christians and Jews in mutual respect and co-operation," he said.

But as a foretaste of the difficult time he faces in Israel next week, the Israeli government has demanded that he explicitly condemn Catholics who deny the Holocaust. The minister of religious affairs, Yaakov Margi, said the Pope's visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial scheduled for tomorrow would give the Vatican the opportunity to "unequivocally condemn and distance itself from Holocaust deniers".

At Mount Nebo the Pope gave a brief prayer service in the open air church, which is being renovated. Then he slowly walked across a floral carpet laid out for his visit to the serpentine cross which stands on the edge of the mountain looking west towards Jerusalem. hghafour@thenational.ae * With additional reporting by Suha Philip Ma'ayeh

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
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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.”

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
TOUCH RULES

Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.

Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.

Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.

A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.

After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.

At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.

A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.

Where can I submit a sample?

Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.

Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:

  • Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
  • Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
  • Al Towayya in Al Ain
  • NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
  • Bareen International Hospital
  • NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
  • NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
  • NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
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