Here’s what you need to know in UAE business and globally on this Monday morning:
• Is this the end of the oil price pain?
From those painful lows of Brent oil in the region of $28 earlier this year, it feels like the storm clouds are lifting after a gain of almost a third in the past few weeks. Has the production freeze agreed by the likes of Saudi and Russia done the trick? Or will softening seasonal demand send the price tumbling back down again?
• UAE expats feeling the pinch
We're all aware of the economic effects that the low oil price has had during the past few months, and it is affecting everyday lives too as can be seen by our most read story over the weekend. Personal Finance columnist Nima Abu Wardeh's 'UAE expats prices out of their lives' was written back in November, 2014, but has gone viral during the past few days.
• Central banks looking shaky
That’s according to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) which yesterday voiced concerns over sub-zero interest rates and emerging economies. “The latest turbulence has hammered home the message that central banks have been overburdened for far too long post-crisis,” the head of the BIS monetary and economics department, Claudio Borio, said in its first quarterly report of the year.
“Market participants have taken notice. And their confidence in central banks’ healing powers has - probably for the first time - been faltering.”
• Arabtec powers up
The Dubai contractor's shares experienced an extraordinary week last time around - gaining the most in seven years as they rose 42 per cent. And it continued yesterday as well, gaining another 13 per cent.
• Moody’s warning
The credit ratings of more than 10 oil producing nations in the developing world, including the UAE, were placed on review for a downgrade by Moody's Investors Service over the weekend. It cited the shock of depressed oil prices on these economies.
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OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
SPECS
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
WWE Super ShowDown results
Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title
Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.