• Police investigate the scene after a car crashed into a barrier on Capitol Hill, in US capital Washington. AP Photo
    Police investigate the scene after a car crashed into a barrier on Capitol Hill, in US capital Washington. AP Photo
  • A procession accompanies a vehicle carrying the body of police officer William Evans, killed after a car rammed into two officers at a barricade outside the US Capitol. AP Photo
    A procession accompanies a vehicle carrying the body of police officer William Evans, killed after a car rammed into two officers at a barricade outside the US Capitol. AP Photo
  • Law enforcement officers investigate the scene. The driver of the vehicle, named as Noah Green, was shot dead by police. AFP
    Law enforcement officers investigate the scene. The driver of the vehicle, named as Noah Green, was shot dead by police. AFP
  • National Guard personnel leave the Capitol perimeter they had been guarding, with the Capitol dome prominent behind them. AP Photo
    National Guard personnel leave the Capitol perimeter they had been guarding, with the Capitol dome prominent behind them. AP Photo
  • The car that crashed into a barrier on Capitol Hill viewed from the Senate side of the US Capitol. It struck two police officers, killing one. The second officer is in a stable condition. AP Photo
    The car that crashed into a barrier on Capitol Hill viewed from the Senate side of the US Capitol. It struck two police officers, killing one. The second officer is in a stable condition. AP Photo
  • Law enforcement officers gather evidence at site. Police said that the attack did 'not appear to be terror-related'. Reuters
    Law enforcement officers gather evidence at site. Police said that the attack did 'not appear to be terror-related'. Reuters
  • Officials remove the vehicle from the scene. EPA
    Officials remove the vehicle from the scene. EPA
  • The American flag at the US Capitol is lowered to half-mast in honour of police officer William Evans, who was killed in the incident. AP Photo
    The American flag at the US Capitol is lowered to half-mast in honour of police officer William Evans, who was killed in the incident. AP Photo

Vehicle slams into US Capitol barrier, killing a police officer


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Two people, including a police officer, were killed after a vehicle rammed into a security access point outside the US Capitol in Washington on Friday.
Police say the person who crashed the vehicle was wielding a knife and was killed after being shot by authorities at the scene.

"At this time, [the situation] does not appear to be an ongoing threat," said acting Washington Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Contee. "It does not appear to be terrorism related."
Two police officers were injured in the attack and one succumbed to his injuries.

The dead police officer was confirmed "with profound sadness" by Capitol Police to be William "Billy" Evans, an officer who had served on the force for 18 years.

According to authorities, Evans was a member of the Capitol Division's First Responders Unit.

The second officer is in stable condition.

Law enforcement officials identified the deceased suspect as 25-year-old Noah Green. Agents are currently investigating his background to discern his motive for the attack.

An undated selfie image from his Facebook page shows Noah Green, identified as the man involved in the US Capitol attack on April 2, 2021. Noah Green Facebook Page / AFP
An undated selfie image from his Facebook page shows Noah Green, identified as the man involved in the US Capitol attack on April 2, 2021. Noah Green Facebook Page / AFP

Authorities were recently reported to be working to obtain warrants to access his online accounts.

Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said the suspect did not appear to have been on the police radar.

"Jill and I were heartbroken to learn of the violent attack at a security checkpoint on the US Capitol grounds, which killed Officer William Evans of the US Capitol Police and left a fellow officer fighting for his life," US President Joe Biden said, referring to his wife, first lady Jill Biden.

He thanked Capitol Police and the National Guard Immediate Response Force who responded to the incident.

"We know what a difficult time this has been for the Capitol, everyone who works there and those who protect it," he said.

The US president said he has been receiving updates and will continue to receive details as the investigation develops.

Mr Biden ordered that White House flags be lowered to half-mast in honour of Evans.

Shortly after 1pm local time, police responded to "the North Barricade vehicle access point along Independence Avenue for reports someone rammed a vehicle into two officers".
The statement came after members of Congress and staff were told to shelter in place due to an "external security threat" via text alerts and sirens in Capitol buildings.

People were advised to stay away from exterior windows and doors, or "seek cover" if outside.

The Capitol complex remained on lockdown for two hours following the incident. All entrances and exits were sealed until shortly after police announced there was no ongoing threat.
Congressional offices were sent a message saying the "external threat" that led to the lockdown "has been neutralised".

Roads around the Capitol, Constitution Avenue between Second Street NE and First Street NW as well as First Street between Constitution Avenue NE and Independence Avenue SE, were closed following the incident.

National Guard and US Air Force personnel  were deployed to the Capitol complex to support police.

Both the House and Senate are in recess at the moment.

The FBI said it is assisting police in the investigation.

This incident comes nearly three months after a violent mob of supporters of former president Donald Trump attacked the US Capitol, with the aim of overturning the 2020 presidential election.

The riot resulted in the deaths of five people, including a police officer.

The January 6 attack led to the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops in Washington and the placement of security fencing and barriers.

The security presence had decreased in recent months but had not fully returned to normal.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Evans "is a martyr for our democracy" in what she called a "heinous attack".
She commended police for their work.
"Today, once again, these heroes risked their lives to protect our Capitol and our country with the same extraordinary selflessness and spirit of service seen on January 6," she said.
Ms Pelosi declared that Congress will work with law enforcement on the investigation.

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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.”

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