A striking feature of global financial markets since the crises of 2007 and 2008 has been the high propensity of many wealthy private investors to sit out all the turmoil, holding cash in bank accounts rather than in riskier assets. Might that be about to change? The word among bankers in conservative Switzerland — the world’s largest centre for cross-border private wealth management — is that it […]
By Robin Emmott and Kylie MacLellan | BRUSSELS/LONDON BRUSSELS/LONDON NATO’s European allies and Canada increased defence spending by 3.8 percent last year, or $10 billion more than 2015, the alliance’s head said on Tuesday, but a report said Britain missed a key NATO goal. Russia’s annexation of Crimea has given the alliance new momentum after years of cuts, but the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a global […]
Tenants in Dubai could have the upper hand when negotiating rental rates thanks to a significant amount of stock coming to the market in 2017, according to real estate consultancy Asteco. Its new report said there are 31,500 apartments and 12,500 villas and townhouses scheduled to be delivered this year in areas including City Walk by Meraas, Damac’s Akoya, Dubai Wharf by Dubai Properties and Emaar’s Mira. […]
Executive Nader Henein. BlackBerry BlackBerry executive Nader Henein believes that as more Internet of Things (IoT) and connected healthcare devices come into play, the industry must take steps to reevaluate their security — from the ground up. The use of IoT and connected devices can provide healthcare providers and patients with a range of benefits — such as the use of mobile technology to track conditions, improved […]
President Donald Trump has tried to ban people from certain Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. and has begun deportation raids, following through on his campaign promise to creating a more cautious, less open America. Recent migrants to the country are starting to worry how far the measures will go and some Indians are worried that the skilled-worker visas they use to enter the country could become […]
SEOUL/KUALA LUMPUR The half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been killed in Malaysia, the Yonhap News Agency and other South Korean media outlets reported on Tuesday, citing unidentified sources. Yonhap, citing a South Korean government source, said Kim Jong Nam was killed on Monday morning in Malaysia. It gave no more details. TV Chosun, a cable television network, said separately that Kim was poisoned at […]
People ride Ofo-bicycles in Shanghai Unlock them with an app, drop them off anywhere, and nip past lanes of stationary car traffic: the humble bicycle is seeing a revival in China as a new generation of start-ups help tackle urban congestion and pollution with fleets of brightly coloured two wheelers. The bike-share concept has attracted huge venture capital as fledgling firms wrestle for market share. Such has […]
GENEVA Soldiers targeting the Kamwina Nsapu militia group in central Democratic Republic of Congo killed at least 101 people between Feb. 9 and Feb. 13, including 39 women, the U.N. said on Tuesday. The soldiers fired indiscriminately with machine guns when they saw the militia fighters, who were armed mainly with machetes and spears, human rights spokeswoman Liz Throssell said, citing sources in the country. “We are […]
ANKARA Turkey-backed rebels have largely taken control of the Syrian town of al-Bab from Islamic State militants, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday. “Al-Bab has been largely taken under control. Our aim is to prevent the opening of corridors from territories controlled by terrorist organisations to Turkey,” he said while speaking to members of his ruling AK Party in parliament. The Syrian rebels, backed by […]
Photo Credit Justin Renteria It’s a fair bet that the first meeting on Wednesday between President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel will feature big smiles and reassuring words. Both men are eager to demonstrate that the hostility that poisoned Mr. Netanyahu’s relations with President Barack Obama is a thing of the past. But personal chemistry can go only so far. The issues facing the […]
US markets regulators have delayed enforcement of new derivatives rules due to come into effect in two weeks’ time because few of the hundreds of pension funds, insurers and asset managers affected would be ready in time. There were fears that the widespread lack of readiness to comply could have caused market disruption if they were enforced as planned on March 1. The rules require some derivatives […]
By Cindy Silviana and Eveline Danubrata | JAKARTA JAKARTA Supporters of the governor of Indonesia’s capital are hoping their checkered shirts in red, white and blue will help galvanize the vote in a city election on Wednesday and win a second term for their leader. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama is Jakarta’s first ethnic Chinese and Christian governor, and the election in the city of 10 million people has […]
KINSHASA Police in Democratic Republic of Congo launched an assault on the residence of the leader of a separatist religious sect in Kinshasa early on Tuesday and fired live ammunition and tear gas at his supporters, a Reuters witness said. The assault on the home of Ne Muanda Nsemi, a self-proclaimed prophet and leader of the Bundu dia Kongo (BDK) sect, began around 4:30 a.m. local time […]
By Jutarat Skulpichetrat | CHONBURI, Thailand CHONBURI, Thailand The most senior U.S. officer to visit Thailand since a 2014 coup emphasised the importance of restoring democracy on Tuesday as he launched the annual Cobra Gold military exercise. The United States scaled down its presence at Asia’s largest annual multinational military exercise as one of the former U.S. administration’s steps to pressure the junta. With ties improving even […]
14 February 2017 Manama, Bahrain – SAH Global conducted the MENA region’s first-ever Proton Therapy Patient Reunion in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Founded in 2005, SAH is the only company in the MENA region that is already treating patients from the area, while establishing a network of Proton Therapy centers globally, with the first center slated to be in the GCC. The event was held under the […]
By Ned Parker and Ju-min Park | UNITED NATIONS/SEOUL UNITED NATIONS/SEOUL The U.N. Security Council denounced North Korea’s weekend missile launch, urging members to “redouble efforts” to enforce sanctions against the reclusive state, but gave no indications of any action it might take. Pyongyang’s test of the intermediate-range ballistic missile on Sunday was its first direct challenge to the international community since U.S. President Donald Trump took […]
SYDNEY Asian shares inched to 19-month highs on Tuesday as the potential for economic stimulus in the United States underpinned the dollar, bond yields and Wall Street stocks. Yet caution bled into markets ahead of testimony by the head of the Federal Reserve, which could highlight the likelihood of two or more U.S. interest rate hikes this year. Japanese shares also ran into trouble after Toshiba Corp […]
Huawei’s next flagship smartwatch is now believed to be unveiled at this year’s Mobile World Congress, as informed by a recent Weibo post by Huawei’s CEO. The device in question will reportedly feature calling, texting, and more, without a smartphone. ( Vivien Killilea | Getty Images ) Huawei looks seemingly set to unveil its next flagship smartwatch, the Huawei Watch 2, at this year’s Mobile World Congress in […]
DUBAI // Sustainable travel hit the UAE running on Monday, as US electric car maker Tesla opened for business in Dubai with plans to launch a shop and service centre in Abu Dhabi next year. Chief executive Elon Musk said at the World Government Summit in Dubai that the company planned to invest millions in the UAE on infrastructure including recharging stations. “We expect to invest tens […]
Donald Trump’s embrace of protectionism and opposition to multilateral trade deals has prompted EU leaders to ask how Europe might deepen ties with Asia as a way of bolstering global commerce and safeguarding export markets. Some officials have talked about Europe performing its own trade pivot to Asia as well as other emerging markets. But closer engagement, especially with China, at a time of global economic upheaval […]
HONG KONG A Hong Kong court found seven police officers guilty on Tuesday of beating a handcuffed pro-democracy activist during demonstrations in 2014, a rare incident of police brutality in the financial hub that triggered public outrage. The 79 days of student-led protests paralysed parts of Hong Kong and posed one of the greatest challenges to the central government in Beijing in decades. But Beijing gave no […]
BEIJING China plans to launch its first cargo spacecraft in April, state media reported on Tuesday, taking a step towards its goal of establishing a permanently manned space station by 2022. President Xi Jinping has prioritised advancing China’s space programme, saying it was needed to enhance national security and defence. Plans for the maiden voyage of the cargo spacecraft were reported on the front page of the […]
SEOUL The new type of ballistic missile launched by North Korea on Sunday has a range of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles), according to South Korea’s intelligence agency, the South’s Yonhap News Agency reported on Tuesday. The solid-fuel missile, which the North said was an upgraded, extended-range version of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, reached an altitude of about 550 km and flew about 500 km towards […]
BEIJING Senior officials need to “build a fence” to ensure neither they nor those around them abuse power, and must practice greater self-discipline, state media cited President Xi Jinping as saying as he drives home his anti-corruption message. Since assuming office four years ago, Xi has waged war on deep-seated graft, warning like others before him that the problem is so bad it could affect the party’s […]
