DUBAI // The guiding ethos of the Dar Al Ber Society, one of the UAE’s oldest charitable organisations, was established many centuries before the first dirham was donated. “Our people have always liked to help others, including the relatives of the foreigners who have visited here,” executive director Abdullah Ali bin Zayed said. “The people who started Dar Al Ber knew there were people out there asking […]
What’s going to generate headlines this week in international news? We’re experimenting with offering readers a tip sheet. Let us know if you find it useful or what you’d like to see here. Contact [email protected]. — Hanna Ingber, Assistant Editor, International Desk MONDAY: Secretary of State John Kerry will be traveling all week, after spending the weekend in Cairo, where he pushed Egyptian officials to show greater […]
DOHA, Qatar — Persian Gulf monarchies issued a cautious endorsement on Monday of the accord Secretary of State John Kerry negotiated last month to constrain Iran’s nuclear program. “This was the best option among other options,” said Khalid al-Attiyah, the foreign minister of Qatar, who hosted a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council that Mr. Kerry attended. In a news conference with Mr. Kerry, Mr. Attiyah said […]
JERUSALEM — The how-to manual in Hebrew reads like a chilling premonition. Among its recommendations, how to set fire to a Palestinian house: “Stock up with a petrol bomb, preferably of a liter and a half; a lighter; gloves; a mask; a crowbar/hammer; a bag to carry it all. When you get to the village, search for a house with an open door or window without bars.” […]
Billions of dollars of investment emanating from the GCC and Muslim jurisdictions are increasingly seeking Shariah compliant investment opportunities in key global real estate markets, said organisers of an upcoming real estate event in London. The International Real Estate Finance (IREF) Summit, a premier real estate event in the UK is scheduled to take place on December and 2 at The Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London. The […]
The Iranian energy projects market represents a $167 billion opportunity for regional and international companies as the Islamic Republic prepares for the lifting of sanctions, a report said. According to the latest data from Meed Projects, the Mena leading projects tracking service, there are 197 individual energy (oil, gas, petrochemical, industry and utilities) projects either planned or under way in Iran, a number that could well double […]
Gold’s tumble to the lowest since 2010 promises to prolong a mergers and acquisitions boom that’s seen transactions at a three-year high as weaker prices slash asset valuations. Deals valued at $9.6 billion were proposed or completed in the six months to June 30, up 7 percent on the previous half, as producers including OceanaGold Corp. agreed acquisitions, according to data complied by Bloomberg. They totaled $22.3 […]
CAIRO — Secretary of State John Kerry told the Egyptian authorities on Sunday that they would not be able to defeat terrorism at home unless they showed greater respect for human rights. “The success of our fight against terrorism depends on building trust between the authorities and the public,” Mr. Kerry said at a joint news conference with his Egyptian counterpart. “If that possibility does not exist, […]
TEHRAN — Despite the smiling clown, a symbol of the Great Satan’s love for meat, buns and fries, there were no angry mobs punching fists in the air, shouting “Death to America”; nor did the smell of burnt American flags permeate this Tehran neighborhood. It smelled of juicy burgers, flipped by a cheerful Iranian teenager named Jahan. His kitchen was crowned with a flashing logo that looked […]
A BMW i3 electric car is seen during the opening of the 85th International Motor Show in Geneva March 5, 2015. Reuters/Arnd Wiegmann/Files VIENNA The chief executive of BMW (BMWG.DE) hinted in a German paper that there was potential for another of its “i” electric car models. “Between the i3 and the i8, there is space if you look at it from the number point of view,” […]
JALAZOUN REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank — Palestinian youths clashed with Israeli forces while thousands of Israelis flocked to rallies, all of them protesting an arson attack that killed a Palestinian toddler — a rare instance of mutual shock in a land attuned to bitter violence. Israel’s president implored the country to consider how the attack on Friday morning could have happened; Palestinians pointed to a widespread sense […]
INTERNATIONAL. New research from PwC projects that traditional assets under management (AuM) in 12 markets across Africa will rise to around $1,098 billion by 2020, from a 2008 total of $293 billion. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 9.6%. Traditional asset management, in particular the mutual fund industry, is expanding aggressively across Africa. This will largely be driven by a number of factors: […]
ABU DHABI // Sky News Arabia has started broadcasting its radio service on 90.3 FM in the UAE. The frequency was previously used by the BBC World Service, which stopped broadcasting on June 30. “Our audience will receive comprehensive news bulletins 24/7 that cover a gamut of Arab and international news developments in real time. This coverage will include news focused on politics, economy, sports, as well […]
A French order to apply the “right to be forgotten” to Google searches not just across European domains but globally would risk “serious chilling effects on the Web,” according to the Internet search giant. Rather than comply, Google is asking the French agency that issued the order to withdraw it. France’s Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés, or CNIL, issued the global delisting order to Google […]
Protesters in Baghdad on Friday. High temperatures have made the lack of reliable electricity a bigger political issue than usual. By ANNE BARNARD August 1, 2015 BAGHDAD — In the Iraqi summer, when the temperature rises above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, electricity becomes even more of a political issue than usual. This past week, at the top of Iraqis’ agenda, it has even eclipsed war with the Islamic State. The […]
Laith al-Khaldi who was shot of Friday during a demonstration near Ramallah, died on Saturday. By DIAA HADID August 1, 2015 RAMALLAH, West Bank — A teenager who was shot while protesting the arson attack that killed a Palestinian toddler died from his wounds early Saturday, according to family members and residents. It was the sixth fatal shooting by Israeli security forces in recent weeks, and the latest death […]
Mark Karpeles, chief executive of Mt. Gox, attends a news conference at the Tokyo District Court in Tokyo February 28, 2014. Reuters/Yuya Shino/Files TOKYO Mark Karpeles, the former head of defunct bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox, was arrested on Saturday in connection with the disappearance of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the virtual currency, Japanese media reports said. The French-born Karpeles, 30, is suspected of falsifying […]
By ANNE BARNARD and ERIC SCHMITT July 31, 2015 BAGHDAD — A Syrian insurgent group at the heart of the Pentagon’s effort to fight the Islamic State came under intense attack on Friday from a different hard-line Islamist faction, a serious blow to the Obama administration’s plans to create a reliable military force inside Syria. The American-led coalition responded with airstrikes to help the American-aligned unit, known as Division 30, in […]
BAGHDAD — A Syrian insurgent group at the heart of the Pentagon’s effort to marshal local foot soldiers against Islamic State militants came under intense attack on Friday from a different hard-line Islamist faction, the Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. The Nusra Front said in a statement that its aim was to eliminate the American-aligned unit, known as Division 30, before it could gain a deeper foothold in Syria. […]
FRANKFURT/SAN FRANCISCO BMW (BMWG.DE) and Apple (AAPL.O) may rekindle a courtship put on hold after an exploratory visit by executives of the world’s top maker of electronic gadgets to the headquarters of the word’s biggest seller of premium cars. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook went to BMW’s headquarters last year and senior Apple executives toured the carmaker’s Leipzig factory to learn how it manufactures the i3 electric […]
Tech company Nvidia has just issued a voluntary recall of about 88,000 of its Shield eight-inch tablets. If you bought your Shield between July 2014 and July 2015, it seems you might need to worry about the tablet catching fire. The good news is Nvidia will replace the one in your hands absolutely free. “Nvidia has determined that the battery in these tablets can overheat, posing a […]
An employee works inside the office of U.S. online cab-hailing company Uber, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, April 24, 2015. Reuters/Anindito Mukherjee REUTERS – Uber Technologies Inc will invest $1 billion in India in the next nine months, as the online taxi-hailing company looks to expand its services in its biggest market outside the United States. Uber said it would use the additional investment to […]
ABU DHABI // Bertrand Piccard, co-founder of the Solar Impulse project and one of the pilots of Solar Impulse 2, the world’s first totally solar-powered aircraft, is looking to his staunchest supporters for funds to continue his journey around the world. Mr Piccard returned to Switzerland looking for €20 million (Dh80m) to repair the damage caused to Solar Impulse 2 as it flew to Hawaii. As the […]
