This author regularly sends me articles, many of which are very interesting in that they are written from an academic rather than a journalistic perspective. In this case, he writes about the Kurdish plight and the conflict Turkey has dealing with this group, which I think the government hates more than IS. As a consequence, the US is also conflicted. And Saudi Arabia continues to focus on destroying Iran rather than any threat from a Sunni terrorist group, such as IS.
New Zealand PM bows out
Here's an article from The Economist which, while talking about John Key's resignation, states that NZ is "one of the most successful countries in the world. While this is debatable, there is no doubt that Key has had successes- namely international recognition- along with failures, housing, immigration and the environment. We have yet to see whether the new Prime Minister, John English, will have the same success.
After having lived in the UAE for some years I’m frequently asked if it is hard for women. It wasn’t. No, it is not like Saudi Arabia. Women do not have to be fully covered- although it can help if you do. They have to be modestly dressed though. And they don’t have to deal with the restrictions that they do in Saudi Arabia.
Further investigation into the Trump's link to Russia shows that this connection is not imagination. I was in Dubai when I was working on the proposed Glencore and BHP Billiton transaction. I learned a lot, especially about the involvement of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) in Glencore. Recently, to Putin's pleasure, Glencore and QIA took a 19.5% stake in Russia's Rosneft. Grant Stern found out the following information.
Like many people, I've been keeping an eye as to what will happen with Brexit. I admit to having a vested interest, with a house outside central London, in Turnham Green. The exchange rate between the New Zealand dollar and the British pound has fallen astronomically - from 3.5 in the pounds heyday to 1.75 now. What a difference? What does this say about Brexit, if at all? Is it any wonder if the Scots vote for independence and to stay in the EU? But it is all about the timing. And how to get it right?
Today, a ban was imposed on travelers carrying laptops and other large electronic items as cabin luggage on direct flights into America and the UK, mainly on airlines from the Gulf Arab countries. This is an interesting, but not unexpected, development. After having covered the aviation sector in the Middle East for a number of years (while at Khaleej Times and then Mergermarket) this ban is probably a long time coming.
Most Most Any
Any debate about illegal immigrants in America often focuses on black and Mexican illegals. But there are many Irish who are illegal too, but they have the benefit of being white. This article, that first appeared in CNN, highlights some of the challenges that Irish immigrants are facing.
I came across this article today and it fascinated me. What? Building another city to rival Cairo? How is this possible? What is the government up to? I had so many questions and didn't really understand what's happening. Maybe you will too. Here is the article
We know the animosity between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Shia versus Sunni. This article that appeared in the UK"s Independent newspaper the other day illustrates how wide the hatred between the two countries has become- or is the "cosiness" between Saudi Arabia and the USA?
It’s good to know that the organisation for New Zealand’s Techweek ‘17, which will run from 6-14 May 2017 is moving ahead. A week of events bringing together bright minds to tackle global issues with local ingenuity. Head to Techweek‘17 to meet like-minded people, discover new opportunities, and learn about the latest and most exciting technologies that are changing the shape of the near future, according to Techweek’s website.
Recently, I've been reading about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how we can exploit it in different fields such as education. Therefore, I was very interested when I came across this article that talks about AI and the advertising industry. How uncomfortable would you feel if AI was preferred to a human?
Recently I was elected president of Queenstown Travel Club and at the first meet up of the year we learned all about Iran. Here is what the speakers said.
Jon and Robyn Bitchero talked about their experiences in Iran when they spoke at the Queenstown Travel Club, which met on 27 February. They pointed out how different Iran is from the way it is portrayed in the media. Referred too in the ancient world as Persia, it conjures up romance, great food and great living. In contrast, the country Iran often conjures up visions of burqa wearing women (which is often not the case), tyranny and evil. Yet it is the same country.
This story made me laugh. Since it appeared in the "Evening Harold" I take it, it's tongue n' cheek. It's well said though.
This article crossed my desk the other day. It was sent by one of the author's, Amin Rajan. in it, Rajan and Pascal Blanqué explain the blurry distinction between passive and active investing. The article first appeared in The Financial Times.
“Truth is rarely pure and never simple,” cautioned Oscar Wilde, the 19th- century playwright. The advice is worth heeding in the current seemingly black and white debate on active versus passive investing. It ignores the rise of a third way, factor investing, that is blurring old demarcations.
How accessing the right information in crisis situations can be crucial
In this article Lucia Dore and Melisande Middleton, founder of the Center for Internet & Media Ethics (CIME), discuss how information flows matter in crisis situations, even in small, far away countries like New Zealand.
During the civil war in Afghanistan (1989-92) Iran opened its borders to refugees but not many people knew about this, cites an Afghan familiar with the situation. “Many people fled to there and sought safe haven and temporary education for their kids. Many didn’t hear about it and stayed and I know many people who lost their loved ones because they didn’t know that Iran had finally opened the border.”
From time to time I receive press releases from private equity firms since I worked in this sector for so long, in Asia/Pacific and in the Middle East. Here is the latest release from Gaw Capital Partners, a Chinese private equity firm that specialises in real estate.
This article first appeared in Haaretz on February 28th. It's worth the read.
Bernie Sanders' Speech on Israel, Trump and anti-Semitism at J Street Conference
Thank you for inviting me to address you here today. It’s a pleasure to be here with J Street, which has been such a strong voice for saner, more progressive foreign policy ideas. And I am delighted to be in the company of friends from the Middle East and all over the world who I know will continue the struggle for a world of peace, justice and environmental sanity.
It's interesting that trust and warmth matter more than competence when people first meet you. What does that mean for you?A Harvard psychologist says people judge you based on 2 criteria when they first meet you
It's been a week since I last posted on here. Since then I've been on a 60km hike from Te Anau and back again. It's a hike known as the Kepler Track http://www.doc.govt.nz/keplertrack, one of New Zealand's Great Walks. It is a great way to get away from it all, without going on a retreat. No internet, no cellphones- only freez dri food and lots of walking, with a full pack.
For me, since my great grandfather was an early explorer around Lake Manapouri and I was born in that part of the world and spent my early years there, the information I found out was even more impactful. Here are some photos.
by Lucia Dore
On a road show around New Zealand are Sir Geoffrey Palmer, law professor and former prime minister, and Andrew Butler, a litigator at Russell McVeagh in Wellington, New Zealand. They are promoting their book: “A constitution for Aotearoa New Zealand” and are asking people for their views on the points they have laid down for a otential written constitution.