Dubai and Saudi Arabia are at the forefront of bitcoin technology in the Middle East, according to a report by Accenture entitled: "How the Middle East can unleash blockchain's transformative potential". Financial services companies in areas such as payment, supply chain financing and trade, reporting, compliance and operations could gain the most ...

This article talks about the Strait of Hormuz, often forgotten in articles about Iran. It's the strait between Iran and Ras Al Khaimah, an emirate in the United Arab Emirates. There's always been a lot of action there, such as fishing boats moving to the wrong waters and getting fired on. Most activity has not hit the news. This time it has. It's e...

While I concentrate on the Middle East, it is Asia where the action is. India is targeting Pakistani militants, successfully, according to the news. Will we see a war between the countries? Although much of the political negotiation has been with Saudi Arabia and Iran, the spectre of losing an ally in the region in the shape of Benjamin Netanyahu i...

Egypt is preparing to open a new capital, yet unnamed, 49 kilometres east of Cairo. The president, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is behind the move, which is reminiscent of what the pharaohs did centuries ago, when Thebes and Memphis were capitals. Perhaps he is wanting to be a pharaoh. (For more on this read The Economist of January 26). One would think so...

Looking at sovereign wealth funds, the New Zealand fund continues to perform well. Here is the latest news. 20 February 2019 Appearing before Parliament's Finance and Expenditure Select Committee today for the 2017/18 Annual Review of the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, Chair Catherine Savage provided an update on the performance of the NZ...

When I lived in Dubai from 2005- 2014, Egypt was a barometer of what could happen in the rest of the Middle East.  It is frightening. And most of the GCC countries, the UAE and Saudi Arabia in particular, are supportive of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Here's what Al Monitor says. Shahira Amin February 14, 2019 Article Summary The rare voice...

MBC is a TV channel that is entertainment based. In Dubai, we were not only in the same building but also on the same floor. In Dubai Media City. Of course, I didn't know that a Saudi businessman was bankrolling MBC. Here is the latest news, c/o of Al Monitor. Launch of Saudi news channel sparks controversy among Iraqis READ IN: العربية Omar al-Jaf...

I read this story that was on Newshub New Zealand with shock and horror. ( https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/02/saudia-arabian-6yo-beheaded-in-front-of-mother-over-religious-beliefs.html ) It's a story that should have been covered more widely. Sadly, it wasn't. This is the true face of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian 6yo beheaded in front of m...

I was stunned when I read this article, but I was not surprised and certainly believed that what is outlined in the article could happen. Everything is politicised in the UAE, including sport. Although I wrote about finance, business and economics for many years in the UAE, it was important to know the relationship each family had to one another, b...

Iran is like a sword in the side of America. It won't go away. The US, or at least President Trump, has decided that Iran is developing nuclear weapons and may use them soon. US intelligence agencies disagree. When I was living in the UAE there was one occasion, in 2013, when Israel was firing at Iran's nuclear plant in the south of the country. We...

This article shows how the NZ Superannuation Fund is evolving and new appointments that have been made. The Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation has appointed Sam Porath to the position of Manager – NZ Equities. Mr Porath will lead the team managing the NZ Super Fund's in-house active New Zealand equities mandate. Currently Portfolio Manager – S...

Until I read this article, I had not realized that Qatar had a problem with the money it grants to the Gaza Strip authorities. Each tranche has to be agreed and approved by Israel. The third tranche was frozen. Here is how Al Monitor explains the situation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his diplomacy-defense cabinet on Jan. 25, asking ...

I hit upon this issue the other day- ageism. It's not only a problem in New Zealand- one that is seldom discussed- but in other places too, such as the United Kingdom. There, when you are about 30 you are "too old", or rather "not a good fit" for an organisation. It's all about semantics. In both the UK and NZ ageism might be against the law- in ot...

There has always been a lot of discussion about the number of people who are caught drinking without a licence in the UAE and obviously the few murders that take place. Wow, in this case, both have happened together. This article from Khaleej Times, for which I once worked, explains what can happen. Drunk man stabs Dubai roommate over Dh100 after l...

News in the Middle East is usually dominated by Iran, Saudi Arabia and sometimes Qatar and the economic sanctions against it by the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). But Israel, often said to be the only democratic country in the Middle East, is also having its "issues" and maybe becoming less democratic.  Here is why. Should Netanyahu be ...

This article intrigued me. It talks about freedoms and democracy. Of course, in the Middle East, this is nothing unusual. When I was in the UAE I was asked the same questions regarding my friends and family. It is scary. I chose to leave because it was too intrusive. So this article shows that Israel is going the same way. It is still the only demo...

Israel has hit Iranian targets in Syria, according to news reports. Unusually, Israel has confirmed the reports while Syrian state media has reported that the country's air defences have shot down "hostile targets", according to Al Jazeera English. What is going on and what is the strategy? How does the US pull out of troops affect developments? He...

There's been much talk about what the withdrawal of US troops in Syria means for the rest of the world and for the rest of the Middle East in particular. According to President Trump, Islamic State has been defeated In Syria. The fact that US troops were killed in Syria on Thursday is beside the point. This is what Al Monitor has to say on the matt...

Tuesday's vote by British MPs against Prime Minister Teresa May's Brexit deal has left the country in chaos. This was to be expected. The anti-deal vote was overwhelming at 432 votes while those for the deal only numbered 202. What does this result mean for Britain, for Europe, and for Teresa May? What does it mean for the rest of the world and the...

With the partial government shutdown in the US over funding for the wall, the pulling out of US troops in Syria, the on-going Russian probe, and the many tweets from President Trump that determine foreign policy, it's easy to forget there might be other issues at play in the Middle East, especially concerning Iran. After living in the Middle East f...