Anders Behring Breivik acted alone when he killed at least 93 people and wounded nearly 100 in a bombing and shooting rampage, Oslo police said yesterday.
In pictures: Norway killings, Anders Behring Breivik
Anders Behring Breivik, who has admitted to the killings, says he intends to explain his rationale to the media.
In pictures: Norway attacks
At least 91 people died in a shooting at a summer school meeting organised by the ruling Labour Party on Utoeya, an island outside the capital of Norway, while seven were killed when a powerful bomb ripped through central Oslo.
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As investigators pored over a 1,500-page internet tract by Mr Breivik, who is 32, looking for clues to Friday's atrocity, Norway's King Harald V, Queen Sonja and the prime minister Jens Stoltenberg led the nation in mourning at an emotional memorial mass in Oslo Cathedral.
Mr Breivik is expected to appear in court in Oslo today. He has admitted carrying out the bombings and shootings, but says his actions were neither criminal nor reprehensible. His lawyer, Geir Lippestad, said: "He feels that it was cruel to have to carry out these acts but that, in his head, it was necessary."
Police detained several people yesterday in a raid on an Oslo property thought to be connected to the attacks, but released them later.
Some witnesses had reported seeing a second gunman during the attack, but the Oslo police commissioner, Sveinung Sponheim, said: "During questioning, he said he acted alone. We will try to verify this through our inquiry."
In the internet tract posted on the day of the attack, Mr Breivik wrote that he had been preparing the "martyrdom operation" since at least autumn 2009. Police said the tract ranted against Muslim immigration to Europe and vowed revenge on "indigenous Europeans" whom Mr Breivik accused of betraying their heritage.
It ends with a detailed description of the plot, ending with a note dated 12.51pm on Friday: "I believe this will be my last entry."
A 12-minute video clip posted on YouTube with the same title as the manifesto featured slides suggesting Europe was being overrun by Muslims. One image showed the BBC's logo with the "C" changed into an Islamic crescent. Another declared that the end result of the left's actions would be an "EUSSR".
The video also featured photographs of Mr Breivik dressed in a military uniform and in a wetsuit pointing an assault rifle.
Meanwhile Norway was struggling to understand how a country that is a beacon of peace could experience such bloodshed on its soil. Mr Stoltenberg told mourners in Oslo Cathedral that the names and photographs of the victims would soon be released and "the scale of the evil will then emerge".
He told the hushed congregation that despite the tragedy Norway would demonstrate "more democracy, more openness, more humanity, but without naivety".
"We are a small country but we are a proud people," he said, and Norway "will never abandon its values".
After the service, people sobbed and hugged one another in the streets as they streamed out of the cathedral. Many lingered over a memorial of flowers and candles. In Friday's two attacks at least seven people were killed in a car bomb blast outside government buildings in Oslo and a further 85 were shot dead on the nearby island of Utoeya, where a Labour party youth meeting was being held.
The death toll rose to 93 after one of those wounded in the attacks died in hospital. The toll could rise further as the search continued for four or five people still missing from the island, aided by a mini-submarine and Red Cross scuba divers.
Harrowing testimony emerged from the summer camp where scores of youngsters were mown down,
Stine Haheim, a Labour Party politician who was on the island, said Mr Breivik had carried out his killings methodically. "He was very calm. He was not running, he was moving slowly and shooting at every person he saw," she said.
Other witnesses at the island youth retreat described how Mr Breivik lured them close by saying he was a police officer before raising his weapons. People hid and fled into the water to escape the rampage; some played dead. "Many of those who have died were friends," Mr Stoltenberg said at the memorial mass. "I know their parents and it happened at a place where I spent a long time as a young person … it was a paradise of my youth that has now been turned into hell."
Norway's police have revealed that the near-sinking of a police boat and a decision to await a specially armed unit from Oslo some 45 kilometres away delayed police getting to the island of Utoeya.
Erik Berga, police operations chief in the northern Buskerud County, said: "When so many people and equipment were put into it, the boat started to take on water, so that the motor stopped," said.
The killer went about his deadly work undisturbed by police for an hour after the first reports of gunfire, other police officials said yesterday, revising a previous estimate of about 90 minutes.
Sissel Hammer, the police chief in Hoenefoss, said she understood why critics "think it took too long for the police to come", but said they had moved as quickly as possible.
On Saturday, the acting police chief in Oslo, Sveinung Sponheim, said the killer had spent almost 90 minutes firing at young Labour Party members as they fled around the island or dived into the large Tyrifjord lake. Mr Sponheim said yesterday his previous estimate was "a bit high" and defended his special anti-terror unit's decision to travel some 45km to the scene by road instead by helicopter.
"It was faster going by car," he said, "because we would have had to get a helicopter from the base down south and that would have taken longer". He said the only helicopter available to the Oslo-based unit was 50 to 60km south of the capital.
* With reporting by Agence France-Presse, Associated Press and Bloomberg News
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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.”
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company Profile
Company name: NutriCal
Started: 2019
Founder: Soniya Ashar
Based: Dubai
Industry: Food Technology
Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount
Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia
Total Clients: Over 50
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
