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Arrests Overshadow Palestinians’ Bid to Oust Israel From FIFA

By SAM BORDEN and JODI RUDOREN May 28, 2015 ZURICH — The protesters outside the arena where FIFA staged the opening ceremony for its annual congress Thursday held Palestinian flags and blunt banners. “Red Card Israel Apartheid,” one read. “Occupation = Segregation,” another said. “EXPEL Israel, Say NO to racism and discrimination.” But as the congress convened, the Palestine Football Association’s proposal to oust its Israeli counterpart from FIFA, soccer’s international […]

The Qatari connection in FIFA indictment

|TAP Special| It has been stated that the indictment of the FIFA bosses by the US Attorney General is not likely to impact the World Cup in Qatar, but there are several instances of the Qatar connection being mentioned in the FIFA indictment by the US District Court. The Qatar connection comes in the form of Co-Conspirator #7, whose name has not been disclosed, but has been […]

The No. 1 Stock In The World – Part 2

Op-Ed Contributor: Art and Hypocrisy in the Gulf

Op-Ed Contributor By NICHOLAS MCGEEHAN May 28, 2015 LONDON — On May 11, the Lebanese artist Walid Raad was turned away at the airport when he tried to enter the United Arab Emirates, where the government is making a big investment in art with the Saadiyat Island project. The project, in the capital, Abu Dhabi, will include branches of the Louvre and the Guggenheim as well as a campus […]

Yemeni-Americans, Thrust Into Limbo, Say U.S. Embassy Unfairly Revokes Passports

Mosed Shaye Omar, 64, a naturalized American citizen since 1978, sued the State Department and Secretary John Kerry, claiming he was coerced into acknowledging that he had a name different from what was on his passport. By LIZ ROBBINS May 27, 2015 For nearly five hours on Jan. 21, 2013, in a windowless room at the United States Embassy in Sana, Yemen, an American citizen and Brooklyn grocery store […]

China's Huawei sees strong smartphone growth in southeast Asia

A worker adjusts the logo at the stand of Huawei at the CeBIT trade fair in Hanover March 15, 2015. Reuters/Morris Mac Matzen/Files BANGKOK China’s Huawei Technologies, the world’s No. 2 telecom equipment maker, expects total shipments of smartphones in southeast Asia to rise 160 percent to 8 million units in 2015, boosted by strong demand in Myanmar, it said on Thursday. In the first quarter, Huawei […]

HR technology trends in focus at Dubai summit

HR technology trends in focus at Dubai summit DUBAI, 22 days ago The latest trends in implementing technology for human resources (HR) function in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region will be shared exclusively at a conference in Dubai, UAE next week. The HR Tech Mena, under the theme ‘Smart HR Evolution,’ will take place on May 13 and 14 at the Taj Towers Dubai, […]

Travel tech firm moves to Microsoft Azure cloud technology

Travel tech firm moves to Microsoft Azure cloud technology DUBAI, 22 days ago Microsoft has signed a strategic deal with Illusions, a Dubai-based travel tech firm, to support the transfer of the company’s entire business operating platform onto Microsoft’s cloud technology, Azure, an initiative aimed at enhancing productivity and client satisfaction. The move to Azure will incorporate the existing system on which Illusions operates to provide services […]

Signs of maturity in Middle East private equity market

UAE. The private equity market in the Middle East has matured in the last five years in terms of deal structures, volumes and values, according to speakers at a debate organised by ICAEW’s Corporate Finance Faculty in the UAE. ICAEW members and guests gathered at Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai last week (Wednesday, 20th May) to discuss private equity in the region. The event, sponsored by Merrill […]

Innovation very important to 82% of executives in financial firms, finds Deloitte survey

UAE. Fifty-seven percent of global financial services executives believe regulation has enabled growth of their business, according to the results of Deloitte’s Staying Ahead of the Pack survey.  In addition, half of executives expect much more regulation in the near future, with 69 percent feeling prepared for it. The survey of 200 executives at banking, securities, insurance and investment management firms around the world was conducted to […]

Astronaut Aldrin tells Abu Dhabi majlis Moon was his destiny

ABU DHABI // Lunar pioneer Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon, shared his space journey and excitement for the UAE Mars mission during a lecture at Al Bateen palace on Wednesday. The former Nasa astronaut addressed an audience of dignitaries and industry leaders who included Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister for Culture, Youth and Community Development, Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed, Chairman of the […]

National panel to publicise FNC elections

ABU DHABI // The National Election Committee (NEC) has set up branches in all seven emirates to publicise the Federal National Council elections being held in October. The offices will improve communication between the NEC and the public to increase voter turnout. Each committee will comprise representatives of the Rulers’ Offices, police and members of civil society. The Abu Dhabi office will be situated in the Abu […]

Emirati students will attend US universities’ space programmes

ABU DHABI // The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre will send students to American universities this summer as part of the UAE’s Mars Mission Hope. They will undergo an intensive programme in space sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Colorado Boulder that will help them along a career path as Emirati scientists and engineers. “We don’t have a proper career path for […]

France Rejects Iran Leader’s Ban on Unlimited Nuclear Inspections

By RICK GLADSTONE May 27, 2015 France challenged Iran’s supreme leader on Wednesday over a disputed element of the Iranian nuclear talks, asserting that it would not sign any pact unless Iran allowed all its nuclear installations, including military sites, to be inspected. The French position was stated by the foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, just as negotiations reconvened in Vienna with the aim of reaching a final agreement by […]

Internet Population Explosion Could Mean Trouble

We all know the Internet has revolutionized civilization, but have you ever stopped to think just how much it has changed your life over the past 15 years — and what the future may hold? The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) reports unprecedented growth in information and communications technologies (ICTs) since 2000. Here are some mind boggling statistic from the latest ITU report: there are over 7 billion […]

World Briefing: Tony Blair to Resign in June as Special Middle East Envoy

World Briefing By STEVEN ERLANGER May 27, 2015 LONDON — Tony Blair, former prime minister of Britain, will resign as special Middle East envoy at the end of June, he informed the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, in a letter, diplomats said Wednesday. Mr. Blair took the job in 2007, representing the Middle East “quartet” of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union. But […]

Facebook's Oculus Beefs Up 3D Team

As virtual-reality enthusiasts await the first consumer edition of Oculus Rift next year, Facebook, which owns the game and the firm that makes it, is beefing up its talent roster. Oculus Wednesday said it acquired a trio of 3D reconstruction experts from computer vision firm Surreal Vision. The three founders of the UK-based immersive technology company will be moving over to Oculus: Richard Newcombe, the inventor of […]

Other Foreigners Detained in Iran

From left: Maziar Bahari, Reza Taghavi and Amir Hekmati. By THE NEW YORK TIMES May 27, 2015 In the past seven years, other journalists and American travelers have been arrested in Iran for spying. All have denied the accusations. ▪ Roxana Saberi: An Iranian-American journalist arrested in January 2009 on accusations of spying, and sentenced to eight years. She was released after 100 days and wrote a book about her experience. […]

Banco Santander: One Of The Best Banks In The World Sells At A Discount

Netanyahu Wants Talks With Palestinians on Settlements, Officials Say

By JODI RUDOREN May 26, 2015 JERUSALEM — Hinting at a new strategy as he starts his fourth term with a more conservative coalition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel told the European Union’s foreign policy chief that he wants to negotiate with the Palestinians over which settlements in the occupied West Bank would be annexed by Israel, officials said Tuesday. Palestinian leaders quickly rejected the idea as a […]

The No. 1 Stock In The World – Part 1

Iraqi Army and Shiite Militias Begin Push to Take Ramadi From ISIS

Shiite fighters during an operation to retake the remaining areas of the Baiji oil refinery from the Islamic State on Monday in Salahuddin Province in Iraq. By TIM ARANGO May 26, 2015 BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials said Tuesday that a combined force of Iraqi soldiers and allied Shiite militias had started moving to retake the city of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar Province, from Islamic State fighters. The officials billed […]

Jason Rezaian of Washington Post Goes on Trial in Iran

Video | Reporter’s Brother on Iran Spying Trial Ali Rezaian — the brother of Jason Rezaian, a reporter for The Washington Post — spoke on Tuesday as his brother’s trial on espionage charges began in Iran. By THOMAS ERDBRINK May 26, 2015 Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post correspondent accused by Iran of espionage who has been imprisoned for more than 10 months, went on trial in a Tehran courtroom […]

Foxconn plans 10-12 new Indian facilities by 2020 – chairman

A motorcyclist rides past the entrance of the headquarters of Hon Hai, which is also known by its trading name Foxconn, in Tucheng, New Taipei city, December 24, 2013. Reuters/Pichi Chuang/Files GUIYANG, China Taiwan’s Foxconn Technology, the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, is aiming to develop 10-12 facilities in India, including factories and data centres, by 2020, Chairman Terry Gou said on Tuesday. The company could spend […]