HSBC has won a court order freezing the British and some foreign assets of the ailing Al Gosaibi business empire in Saudi Arabia.
The assets consist mainly of property in London and shares in companies in the Virgin Islands, Channel Islands and Liberia.
HSBC is one of five banks that won a court case in London last month against Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi and Brothers, requiring it to repay some US$250 million (Dh918m) owed to banks.
Al Gosaibi lawyers told the London court it was unlikely the family would be able to repay the debt.
The new order, granted in the London High Court by Justice Julian Flaux last Thursday, names 20 members of the partnership and tells them they "must not in any way dispose of, deal with or diminish the value of any of their assets" as listed in the order.
Anyone disobeying the order "may be held in contempt of court, and may be imprisoned, fined or have … assets seized", the order adds.
The order will be lifted if the parties named pay a cash surety of about $95m to the court or agree some other security with the bank.
The document names five properties in the Mayfair area of London's West End.
It also identifies four private companies in which Al Gosaibi family members have shares: Foulkes Investments and Perowne International of the British Virgin Islands; Celendine, a company registered in the Channel Islands; and Allvest Properties, registered in Liberia.
The move is another squeeze on the family's assets outside Saudi Arabia. Recently, legal and accounting advisers to the family secured "charges" against the London properties, meaning they could not be sold without the advisers' permission.
The Al Gosaibis have for the past two years been involved in a bitter legal dispute with Maan Al Sanea, a Kuwaiti-born entrepreneur who married into the family.
The Al Gosaibis allege that Mr Al Sanea stole billions of dollars from them, a charge he has consistently denied. The Al Gosaibi and Al Sanea businesses owe as much as $20 billion to more than 100 banks.
The Al Gosaibi family is in the process of preparing a schedule of its assets for the London court, to be used as the basis for a possible negotiated settlement with creditors. Most of their assets, perhaps as much as 85 per cent, according to insiders, are in Saudi Arabia.
Al Gosaibi lawyers have told the London court that its order for the repayment of $250m is not enforceable in the kingdom.
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- 600-seat auditorium
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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1. Featherweight 66kg
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Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
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7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
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Gender equality in the workplace still 200 years away
It will take centuries to achieve gender parity in workplaces around the globe, according to a December report from the World Economic Forum.
The WEF study said there had been some improvements in wage equality in 2018 compared to 2017, when the global gender gap widened for the first time in a decade.
But it warned that these were offset by declining representation of women in politics, coupled with greater inequality in their access to health and education.
At current rates, the global gender gap across a range of areas will not close for another 108 years, while it is expected to take 202 years to close the workplace gap, WEF found.
The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracked disparities between the sexes in 149 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
After years of advances in education, health and political representation, women registered setbacks in all three areas this year, WEF said.
Only in the area of economic opportunity did the gender gap narrow somewhat, although there is not much to celebrate, with the global wage gap narrowing to nearly 51 per cent.
And the number of women in leadership roles has risen to 34 per cent globally, WEF said.
At the same time, the report showed there are now proportionately fewer women than men participating in the workforce, suggesting that automation is having a disproportionate impact on jobs traditionally performed by women.
And women are significantly under-represented in growing areas of employment that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, WEF said.
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The five pillars of Islam
1.
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4.
5.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
Our family matters legal consultant
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
