• Hector Gomez and Jordi Poblete, worship leaders at the Mariners Church Irvine, leave flowers outside the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California. AP
    Hector Gomez and Jordi Poblete, worship leaders at the Mariners Church Irvine, leave flowers outside the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California. AP
  • An Orange County Sheriff's Department officer guards the grounds of Geneva Presbyterian Church. AP
    An Orange County Sheriff's Department officer guards the grounds of Geneva Presbyterian Church. AP
  • A K-9 unit checks the grounds. AP
    A K-9 unit checks the grounds. AP
  • A police officer removes yellow tape from the crime scene. AP
    A police officer removes yellow tape from the crime scene. AP
  • Crime scene tape is stretched across the exterior of the Geneva Presbyterian Church. AP
    Crime scene tape is stretched across the exterior of the Geneva Presbyterian Church. AP
  • Investigators walk outside the Geneva Presbyterian Church. AP
    Investigators walk outside the Geneva Presbyterian Church. AP
  • Orange County Sheriff's Department Undersheriff Jeff Hallock takes questions from the media. AP
    Orange County Sheriff's Department Undersheriff Jeff Hallock takes questions from the media. AP
  • A man opened fire during a lunch reception at the Southern California church on Sunday before he was stopped in what the official called an act of 'exceptional heroism and bravery'. AP
    A man opened fire during a lunch reception at the Southern California church on Sunday before he was stopped in what the official called an act of 'exceptional heroism and bravery'. AP
  • Police patrol the church grounds. AP
    Police patrol the church grounds. AP
  • Police said the shooting left one person dead, four critically wounded and one with minor injuries. Getty Images / AFP
    Police said the shooting left one person dead, four critically wounded and one with minor injuries. Getty Images / AFP
  • A law enforcement source said the gunman had sealed the doors to prevent parishioners from escaping. Getty Images / AFP
    A law enforcement source said the gunman had sealed the doors to prevent parishioners from escaping. Getty Images / AFP
  • The pastor hit the gunman with a chair when he paused to reload his weapon, said one parishioner. Reuters
    The pastor hit the gunman with a chair when he paused to reload his weapon, said one parishioner. Reuters
  • Coming on the heels of the shooting in Buffalo, New York, the event in Laguna Woods has left the community shaken. EPA
    Coming on the heels of the shooting in Buffalo, New York, the event in Laguna Woods has left the community shaken. EPA
  • The gunman's motive remains unclear and officials said they do not know whether the incident was hate-related. Reuters
    The gunman's motive remains unclear and officials said they do not know whether the incident was hate-related. Reuters
  • All of the shooting victims were Asian American. The Orange County Register / AP
    All of the shooting victims were Asian American. The Orange County Register / AP
  • The Geneva Presbyterian Church. Reuters
    The Geneva Presbyterian Church. Reuters

World

US

Man accused of carrying out California church shooting pleads not guilty

David Chou has been charged with killing one person and wounding five at Presbyterian church meeting in Laguna Woods

Associated Press

August 19, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

A Las Vegas, Nevada, man pleaded not guilty in a California court on Friday after being accused of killing one person and wounding five others in a shooting at a Taiwanese Presbyterian church meeting.

David Chou was ordered to be held without bail by Orange County Superior Court Judge Cynthia M Herrera.

David Chou, accused of carrying out a shooting rampage at a Laguna Woods church, makes his first in-person appearance in court in Santa Ana, California. AP
David Chou, accused of carrying out a shooting rampage at a Laguna Woods church, makes his first in-person appearance in court in Santa Ana, California. AP

Mr Chou has been charged with murder with an enhancement for a hate crime in the killing of a 52-year-old doctor who tried to stop the attack on a May lunch gathering of largely older members of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church.

He is also charged with five counts of attempted murder.

Authorities have said Mr Chou was motivated to attack the gathering of churchgoers in Laguna Woods due to hatred of Taiwan that stemmed from the years he lived on the island as a boy after his family was forced to leave mainland China.

  • Police tape blocks off the scene of a shooting at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California. Getty Images
    Police tape blocks off the scene of a shooting at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California. Getty Images
  • Jeff Hallock, of Orange County Sheriff's Department, takes questions from the media outside the church, where a man opened fire during a lunch reception before he was stopped in what the sheriff's office called an act of 'exceptional heroism and bravery'. AP Photo
    Jeff Hallock, of Orange County Sheriff's Department, takes questions from the media outside the church, where a man opened fire during a lunch reception before he was stopped in what the sheriff's office called an act of 'exceptional heroism and bravery'. AP Photo
  • An Orange County dog unit checks the grounds outside the scene of the shooting. AP Photo
    An Orange County dog unit checks the grounds outside the scene of the shooting. AP Photo
  • Police vehicles are parked near the scene of the shooting in which at least one person was killed. AFP
    Police vehicles are parked near the scene of the shooting in which at least one person was killed. AFP
  • Police officers arrive at a press conference after the shooting, which also left four people critically injured. AFP
    Police officers arrive at a press conference after the shooting, which also left four people critically injured. AFP
  • The fatal shooting at Geneva Presbyterian Church took place only one day after a gunman had killed 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York state. Reuters
    The fatal shooting at Geneva Presbyterian Church took place only one day after a gunman had killed 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York state. Reuters
  • Police at the scene in Laguna Woods, California. AFP
    Police at the scene in Laguna Woods, California. AFP

During his arraignment, Mr Chou appeared in a caged section of the courtroom wearing thick glasses, a face mask and yellow jail jumpsuit.

Mr Chou spoke with the assistance of a Mandarin interpreter using a headset.

At times, he told the judge in English he couldn’t hear through the headset and was unsure what she wanted him to do. She repeated her questions, which the interpreter relayed and he responded through the interpreter.

The district attorney’s office declined to comment after the hearing and so did Mr Chou’s lawyer.

He is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on October 21.

UAE squad

Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.

UAE tour of Zimbabwe

All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I

What is Genes in Space?

Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.

It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration. 

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.”

Updated: August 19, 2022, 10:37 PM
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