Qatari Diar appoints thirteen international law firms to legal panels

Qatari Diar appoints thirteen international law firms to legal panels 21/03/2012 Page Content 13 international firms appointed over six panels; 46 international firms invited to tender. 21 March 2012 (Doha, Qatar)- Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company (Qatari Diar), an international leader in sustainable development and investment, has confirmed its appointment of thirteen international law firms to Qatari Diar’s six legal panels. The six legal panels cover the following practice areas: hotels, construction, finance, corporate, UK projects and international. Commenting on the panel appointments, Qatari Diar Group CEO Eng. Mohammed bin Ali Al Hedfa said, “I am delighted that we have appointed these thirteen international firms to support Qatari Diar’s global presence across our six panels. Qatari Diar was impressed by the high quality of the proposals received from the firms which participated. ” “Having prior knowledge and experience of Qatar and the GCC as well as the sectors and other regions we work in were essential in the selection of firms and is crucial to Qatari Diar’s vision of making a positive impact and improving the quality of lives in the communities we are serving,” added Al Hedfa. 46 firms were long-listed and invited to tender – the largest ever tender by the company - and firms were requested to submit their proposals in January 2012, with short-listed firms invited to present in London and Doha in late February. No one firm has been appointed to more than 3 panels with appointments starting 1st April 2012 for three years. Qatari Diar recently marked its sixth anniversary and has over 49 projects under development or planning in 29 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East with a combined value of more than US$35 Billion.​ ============== Qatari Diar proud to win £557 million Deal of the Year for London’s East village 21/05/2012 12 Page Content 21 May 2012, Doha, QDD, the joint venture between Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company and Delancy Ltd celebrate recognition for acquisition of East Village as Deal of the Year at last week’s inaugural RESI Awards 2012- a leading event for the residential property market. The award celebrates a deal worth £557 million signed by a joint venture between Qatari Diar and Delancey who joined forces mid-2011 as QDD Ltd to acquire the Athletes' Village from the Olympic Delivery Authority ODA (to be known as East Village post-Games). Qatari Diar is excited about delivering a new dynamic community which will deliver for London’s businesses and communities beyond the Games. East Village is the first legacy neighborhood post this summer’s London 2012 Games, a new landmark community for London, providing over 2,800 homes, which residents will be able to move into from summer 2013. Commenting on the achievement, Eng. Mohammed bin Ali Al Hedfa, Group CEO of Qatari Diar said: "We at Qatari Diar look forward to applying our skills and knowledge in sustainable urban development towards ensuring that the Olympic Village becomes a fitting legacy to the London 2012 Games, and one that will benefit the local communities. Our commitment to the UK market and to building long-term relationships with our partners and the wider community is of paramount importance to us to ensure that we leave a positive cultural, environmental and sustainable footprint.” Chairman of Qatari Diar Delancey East Village Operations, Stuart Corbyn said: "We are delighted that this acquisition has been recognised as Deal of the Year, East Village will become London's newest and most exciting neighborhood meeting the needs of Londoners who want high-quality, long-term housing with access to world-class facilities - unique for today's London residential property market." The transaction created a significant partnership between the Olympic Delivery Authority and QDD which Ralph Luck, Director of Property at the ODA, is delighted to take forward: "We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with QDD on the management and future development of East Village as it enters an exciting new phase post-Games. East Village is a highly innovative concept and to be recognized at the RESI Awards 2012 reflects the support within the wider property industry for the steps that QDD is taking to address the needs of London's housing market." ===============

Meteorite explodes over Russia, more than 1,000 injured

Meteorite explodes over Russia, more than 1,000 injured Fri, Feb 15 15:40 PM EST 1 of 17 By Andrey Kuzmin CHELYABINSK, Russia (Reuters) - A meteorite streaked across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday, raining fireballs over a vast area and causing a shock wave that smashed windows, damaged buildings and injured 1,200 people. People heading to work in Chelyabinsk heard what sounded like an explosion, saw a bright light and then felt the shock wave, according to a Reuters correspondent in the industrial city 1,500 km (950 miles) east of Moscow. The fireball, travelling at a speed of 30 km (19 miles) per second according to Russian space agency Roscosmos, had blazed across the horizon, leaving a long white trail that could be seen as far as 200 km (125 miles) away. Car alarms went off, thousands of windows shattered and mobile phone networks were disrupted. The Interior Ministry said the meteorite explosion, a very rare spectacle, also unleashed a sonic boom.

"I was driving to work, it was quite dark, but it suddenly became as bright as if it were day," said Viktor Prokofiev, 36, a resident of Yekaterinburg in the Urals Mountains. "I felt like I was blinded by headlights."

The meteorite, which weighed about 10 metric tons and may have been made of iron, entered Earth's atmosphere and broke apart 30-50 km (19-31 miles) above ground, according to Russia's Academy of Sciences. The energy released when it entered the Earth's atmosphere was equivalent to a few kilotonnes, the academy said, the power of a small atomic weapon exploding. No deaths were reported but the Emergencies Ministry said 20,000 rescue and clean-up workers were sent to the region after President Vladimir Putin told Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov to ease the disruption and help the victims. The Interior Ministry said about 1,200 people had been injured, at least 200 of them children, and most from shards of glass. WINDOWS BLOWN OUT The early-morning blast and ensuing shock wave blew out windows on Chelyabinsk's central Lenin Street, buckled some shop fronts, rattled apartment buildings in the city center and blew out windows.

"I was standing at a bus stop, seeing off my girlfriend," said Andrei, a local resident who did not give his second name. "Then there was a flash and I saw a trail of smoke across the sky and felt a shock wave that smashed windows."

A wall and roof were badly damaged at the Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant but a spokeswoman said no environmental threat resulted. One piece of meteorite broke through the ice the Cherbakul Lake near Chelyabinsk, leaving a hole several meters (yards) wide. The region has long been a hub for the Russian military and defense industry, and it is often the site where artillery shells are decommissioned. A local Emergencies Ministry official said meteorite storms were extremely rare and Friday's incident may have been connected with an asteroid the size of an Olympic swimming pool that was due to pass Earth. But an astronomer at Russia's Academy of Sciences, Sergei Barabanov, cast doubt on that report and the European Space Agency said its experts had confirmed there was no link. The regional governor in Chelyabinsk said the meteorite shower had caused more than $30 million in damage, and the Emergencies Ministry said 300 buildings had been affected. Despite warnings not to approach any unidentified objects, some enterprising locals were hoping to cash in. "Selling meteorite that fell on Chelyabinsk!" one prospective seller, Vladimir, said on a popular Russian auction website. He attached a picture of a black piece of stone that on Friday afternoon was priced at 1,488 roubles ($49.46). RARE EVENT The Emergencies Ministry described Friday's events as a "meteorite shower in the form of fireballs" and said background radiation levels were normal. It urged residents not to panic. The first footage was shot by car dashboard video cameras and soon went viral. Russians also quickly made fun at the event on the Internet. A photo montage showed Putin riding the meteorite and Nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovksy said in jest it was really a new weapon being tested by the United States. Experts drew comparisons with an incident in 1908, when a meteorite is thought to have devastated an area of more than 2,000 sq km (1,250 miles) in Siberia, breaking windows as far as 200 km (125 miles) from the point of impact. Simon Goodwin, an astrophysics expert from Britain's University of Sheffield, said that roughly 1,000 to 10,000 metric tons of material rained down from space towards the earth every day, but most burned up in the atmosphere. "While events this big are rare, an impact that could cause damage and death could happen every century or so. Unfortunately there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop impacts." The meteorite struck just as an asteroid known as 2012 DA14, about 46 m in diameter, was due to pass closer to Earth - at a distance of 27,520 km (17,100 miles) - than any other known object of its size since scientists began routinely monitoring asteroids about 15 years ago. ($1 = 30.0877 Russian roubles) (Additional reporting by Gabriela Baczynska in Moscow; Writing by Timothy Heritage and Thomas Grove; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Michael Roddy) ============== In a rarity, a meteor hit and an asteroid near-miss on same day Fri, Feb 15 18:08 PM EST * Events are unrelated, scientists say * Asteroid DA14 was closest known object of its size * Meteor exploded over Russia, injuring 1,200 By Irene Klotz BOSTON, Feb 15 (Reuters) - An asteroid half the size of a football field passed closer to Earth than any other known object of its size on Friday, the same day an unrelated and much smaller space rock blazed over central Russia, creating shock waves that shattered windows and injured 1,200 people. Asteroid 2012 DA14, discovered just last year, passed about 17,200 miles (27,700 km) from Earth at 2:25 p.m. EST (1925 GMT), closer than the networks of television and weather satellites that ring the planet. "It's like a shooting gallery here. We have two rare events of near-Earth objects approaching the Earth on the same day," NASA scientist Paul Chodas said during a webcast showing live images of the asteroid from a telescope in Australia. Scientists said the two events, both rare, are not related -the body that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, at 10:20 p.m. EST Thursday (0320 GMT Friday) came from a different direction and different speed than DA14. "It's simply a coincidence," Chodas said. NASA has been tasked by the U.S. Congress to find and track all near-Earth objects that are .62 miles (1 km) in diameter or larger. The effort is intended to give scientists and engineers as much time as possible to learn if an asteroid or comet is on a collision course with Earth, in hopes of sending up a spacecraft or taking other measures to avert catastrophe. About 66 million years ago, an object 6 miles (10 km) in diameter smashed into what is now the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, leading to the demise of the dinosaurs, as well as most plant and animal life on Earth. Scientists estimate that only about 10 percent of smaller objects, such as DA14, have been found. "Things that are that tiny are very hard to see. Their orbits are very close to that of the Earth," said Paul Dimotakis, a professor of aeronautics and applied physics at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Asteroid DA14, for example, was discovered last year, and it was found serendipitously by a group of amateur astronomers. "This is a shot across the bow," Dimotakis said. "It illustrates the challenge of the observation campaign which is now in progress." The planet is regularly pelted with objects from space, adding up to about 100 tons of material per day, said astronomer Donald Yeomans, with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Rocks the size of basketballs come in every day. Things the size of a small car arrive every couple of weeks. Larger meteors are less common, so the frequency of hits decreases, Yeomans added. DIFFICULT TO SEE AHEAD OF TIME The rock that broke apart over Russia was believed to be a tiny asteroid, estimated to be about 49 feet (15 metres) - more than twice the size of a small car - and traveling at 11 miles (18 km) per second, NASA said. "These things are very faint until they get close enough to the Earth to be seen. An asteroid such as this, which approaches the Earth from the daytime sky, is virtually impossible to see ahead of time because telescopes have to look in the night-time sky to discover asteroids," Chodas told reporters on a conference call. The asteroid weighed about 7,000 tons, and created a fireball trail visible for 30 seconds - in daylight - as it plummeted through the atmosphere. Shock waves from the blast shattered thousands of windows and damaged buildings. Many of the 1,200 people injured were hit by flying glass, Russia's Interior Ministry said. "You can see what sort of destruction and shock wave that a smaller asteroid can produce. It's like Mother Nature is showing us what a tiny one can do," Chodas said. The Russian fireball was the largest space rock to hit Earth's atmosphere since the 1908 Tunguska event when an asteroid or comet exploded over Siberia, leveling 80 million trees over 830 square miles (2,150 sq km), NASA said. Asteroid DA14 blazed past the planet at about 8 miles (13 km) per second. At that speed, an object of similar size on a collision course with Earth would strike with the force of about 2.4 million tons of dynamite, the equivalent of hundreds of Hiroshima-type bombs. "It's a good thing it's not hitting us, because truth be told there's nothing we could do about it except possibly evacuate, which is not going to be easy given the uncertainty about where the impact would take place," Dimotakis said. "We would essentially take the hit," he added. (Editing by Kevin Gray and Mohammad Zargham) ================= A massive 130,000-ton asteroid hurtled past the earth, veering closer to the planet than any known object of its size. The event transpired on the same day that a meteorite wreaked havoc when it exploded over Russia’s Urals region. On average, objects of this size only pass this close to Earth once every 40 years, and strike the planet once every 1,200 years. If DA14 were to hit the Earth, it could blast a crater with a force equivalent to hundreds of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima. ==========

Facebook says it was a target of sophisticated hacking

Facebook says it was a target of sophisticated hacking Fri, Feb 15 19:30 PM EST By Tim Reid and Joseph Menn (Reuters) - Facebook Inc said on Friday it had been the target of an unidentified hacker group, but it found no evidence that user data was compromised. "Last month, Facebook security discovered that our systems had been targeted in a sophisticated attack," the company said in a blog post posted on Friday afternoon, just before the three-day Presidents Day weekend. "The attack occurred when a handful of employees visited a mobile developer website that was compromised." The social network, which says it has more than one billion active users worldwide, also said: "Facebook was not alone in this attack. It is clear that others were attacked and infiltrated recently as well." Facebook declined to comment on the motive or origin of the attack. A security expert at another company with knowledge of the matter said he was told the Facebook attack appeared to have originated in China. The FBI declined to comment, while the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Facebook's announcement follows recent cyber attacks on other prominent websites. Twitter, the microblogging social network, said earlier this month it had been hacked and that about 250,000 user accounts were potentially compromised, with attackers gaining access to information, including user names and email addresses. Newspaper websites, including those of The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, have also been infiltrated. Those attacks were attributed by the news organizations to Chinese hackers targeting coverage of China. While Facebook said no user data was compromised, the incident could raise consumer concerns about privacy and the vulnerability of personal information stored within the social network. Facebook has made several privacy missteps over the years because of the way it handled user data and it settled a privacy investigation with federal regulators in 2011. Facebook said it spotted a suspicious file and traced it back to an employee's laptop. After conducting a forensic examination of the laptop, Facebook said it identified a malicious file, then searched company-wide and identified "several other compromised employee laptops." Another person briefed on the matter said the first Facebook employee had been infected via a website where coding strategies were discussed. The company also said it identified a previously unseen attempt to bypass its built-in cyber defenses and that new protections were added on February 1. Because the attack used a third-party website, it might have been an early-stage attempt to penetrate as many companies as possible. If they followed established patterns, the attackers would learn about the people and computer networks at all the infected companies. They could then use that data in more targeted attacks to steal source code and other intellectual property. In its statement, Facebook said the attack was launched using a "zero-day," or previously unknown flaw in its software that exploited its Java built-in protections. "Zero-day" attacks are rarely discovered and even more rarely disclosed. They are costly to launch and often suggest government sponsorship. In January 2010, Google reported it had been penetrated via a "zero-day" flaw in an older version of the Internet Explorer Web browser. The attackers were seeking source code and were also interested in Chinese dissidents, and Google reduced its operations in the country as a result. Attention to cyber security has ratcheted up since then and this week President Barack Obama issued an executive order seeking higher safety standards for critical infrastructure. Other companies stand to benefit more from comprehensive legislation, which has stalled in Congress. Republicans have opposed additional regulations that would come with mandatory security standards. (Reporting by Tim Reid.; Editing by Gary Hill, G Crosse and Andre Grenon)

Real estate: Abu Dhabi Group to invest $45 billion in Pakistan

Real estate: Abu Dhabi Group to invest $45 billion in Pakistan Malik Riaz of Bahria Group signs contra­ct to bring record foreig­n invest­ment into the countr­y. By Our CorrespondentPublished: February 16, 2013 Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al Nahyan and Malik Riaz sign the investment agreement in Abu Dhabi. PHOTO: PRESS RELEASE ABU DHABI: Former chairman and present consultant of Bahria Town, Malik Riaz Hussain has signed an agreement with His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al Nahyan, Chairman Abu Dhabi Group, Union National Bank and United Bank Limited under which $45 billion will be invested in Pakistan. The investment will be made in various construction projects, and is the biggest-ever foreign investment in Pakistan. Out of the total investment value, $10 billion will be invested in Islamabad and Lahore whereas $35 billion will be invested in Sindh. These projects also include the construction of the tallest building of the world (Taller than Burj Khalifa, Dubai) in Karachi. Moreover, the project encompasses sports city, educational and medical city, international city and media city. The project also includes the construction of miniatures of the Seven Wonders of the World. These projects will employ more than 2.5 million people and will boost more than 55 industries like cement, bricks, iron, steel and glass. Moreover these projects are expected to represent all the social classes of society and middle-class and lower-middle class will have equal representation. The agreement will have a revolutionary impact on not only Pakistan’s economy but also the tourism of the country and will be a milestone in reviving the lights of Karachi. Speaking on the occasion, His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al Nahyan said that Bahria Town not only represents modern Pakistan but is also a credible, respected and authentic name in the real estate sector the world-over. “I am genuinely happy that in this historic project of Pakistan we are working with the visionary Malik Riaz Hussain, this guarantees that not only the project will be delivered beyond our expectations but also before time. We will Inshallah be welcoming first residents in next 3-4 years.” Malik Riaz expressed his pleasure at the signing and said that it was a matter of great pride to be part of this project as such a huge amount of foreign investment has never been made before. A distinguished feature of this project is the utilisation of seawater to produce electricity. The projects will have their own grid station. Moreover, a separate modern water treatment plant will be established to convert seawater into drinking water. These features make this a landmark project in Pakistan, which addresses the current water and electricity issues of the country. The Abu Dhabi Group has previously made huge and successful investments in Pakistan by the establishment of Bank Alfalah, Warid Telecom and Wateen Telecom. Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2013. ==== Abu Dhabi lays foundations for mammoth Pakistan property project Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak al-Nahayan applauds the top three riders during the prize-giving ceremony of the Global Champions Tour 2011 at the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi November 26, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Martin Dokoupil ABU DHABI | Sun Feb 17, 2013 6:44am EST ABU DHABI (Reuters) - A member of Abu Dhabi's royal family says he plans to spend $45 billion over up to 15 years on a real estate project in Karachi, touted in Pakistan as the country's biggest ever foreign investment. Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak al-Nahayan said the investment plans - which his business partner in Pakistan said on Friday included the tallest building in the world - were at a very early stage. Sheikh Nahayan, chairman of conglomerate Abu Dhabi Group, said his privately-owned construction firm, Dhabi Contracting, had signed a memorandum of understanding with Pakistani real estate tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain to build residential properties on an island in Karachi. "We have signed an MoU but a lot of studies will still have to be done," he told Reuters on Sunday on the sidelines of a defense industry exhibition in the United Arab Emirates capital. Nahayan, who is also the UAE's minister for higher education, gave no details of how he would finance such huge developments, beyond saying it could be done through loans or cash. "It will be in phases. Every phase will be studied by itself... It depends on the situation when we decide to go ahead with the projects." Abu Dhabi Group, which invests in emerging markets, already has large investments in Pakistan including Bank Alfalah (BAFL.KA), Warid Telecom, Al Razi Healthcare and Wateen Telecom. A statement issued in Pakistan on Friday said the deal had the potential to transform the south of the country. Karachi, the country's commercial hub, is known for its violent crime, which claims about a dozen lives a day, the risk of being kidnapped and crumbling infrastructure. The deal included plans to construct a miniature seven wonders of the world, the tallest building in the world, a sports city, an education and medical city, an international city and a media city, according to the press release. Sheikh Nahayan said on Sunday that a final decision to build the world's tallest tower had not been made, adding that developments would be mainly residential. The tallest tower currently is the Burj Khalifa, built in Dubai at a cost of $1.5 billion. (Reporting by Raissa Kasolowsky; Writing by Amran Abocar; Editing by John Stonestreet) =================== Pakistan’s 1st Island City: Bahria Town signs $20b deal with US tycoon Projec­t will genera­te 2.5m jobs, boost 55 indust­ries, house 1m people. By Our CorrespondentPublished: March 12, 2013 US real estate tycoon Thomas Kramer and Bahria Town former chairman Malik Riaz shake hands after signing a $20 billion agreement for Pakistan’s first ever island city. ISLAMABAD: American real-estate tycoon Thomas Kramer and Bahria Town CEO Ahmed Ali Riaz Malik signed a $20 billion agreement for Pakistan’s first-ever Island City, Bundal & Buddo Islands, Karachi. A joint consortium of international investors will join hands to develop this project and the deal with Kramer is the first level of this agreement. Announcement of other global investors from the Middle East and around the globe will be made soon. Covering 12,000 acres of land, this project will be developed in a span of 5-10 years but the residential communities will start being handed over to people in 2016. The global attractions of the project comprise world’s tallest building, world’s largest shopping mall, sports city, educational & medical city, international city and a media city – all having the most modern facilities and amenities and the most advanced infrastructure. Island City will be connected to the DHA Karachi via a six-lane modern bridge. The entire city will be a ‘high security zone’, having its own drinking water (converting seawater into drinking water) and power generation plants to enable it to be self-sufficient in electricity. The project will have mosques, cinemas, spas, golf clubs, school, hospital and other global standard amenities to furnish a modern lifestyle. Speaking on the occasion, Thomas Kramer said, “I have full confidence in the people and economy of Pakistan. In 1970 when I started my project in Germany it was the worst era of their history. Likewise when Miami Beach project was started, the area was in full control of Cuban criminals, different mafias and gangsters. Dead bodies used to be scattered on the beaches. I completed my projects successfully. Today they are the world’s most secure and advanced regions. “Current situation in Pakistan is much better than those areas. I am confident that this project along with boosting the economy will also eradicate terrorism from Pakistan. This is a once in a lifetime chance to bring Pakistan back on the map to the leading nations in the world.” The current consultant and former chairman of Bahria Town, Malik Riaz Hussain, said, “Our slogan is ‘Bahria Town Commits – Bahria Town Delivers’ and Alhamdulillah we have fulfilled all our promises made with Pakistan and Pakistanis. We know that the construction sector has played a key role in transforming the USA, Malaysia, Japan, Turkey and Germany into developed nations. In the same manner, Insha Allah, Pakistan will also become a developed nation, which is our vision. This project will not only provide 2.5 million jobs but will help revive 55 national industries and provide housing to 1 million Pakistanis. It will also help eliminate terrorism and crimes.” Thomas Kramer is a visionary businessman commonly known as TK. He surveyed an island hideout of Cuban pirates in 1991-92 and later on developed it into the present day Miami Beach, which is one of the biggest international tourist destinations today. He is specialist in building skyscrapers in coastal areas. His company has successfully constructed several projects around the globe. A spokesman for Bahria Town said that it’s an honour to join hands with a visionary developer of Kramer’s caliber. Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2013. ======================

Dell closer to buyout as price talks narrow: source

Dell closer to buyout as price talks narrow: source Mon, Feb 04 14:04 PM EST 1 of 2 By Greg Roumeliotis NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dell Inc moved closer to a nearly $24 billion buyout deal, with price negotiations narrowing to $13.50 to $13.75 a share in what would be the biggest leveraged buyout since the financial crisis. Talks between Dell, the world's No. 3 computer maker, and a consortium led by its founder and chief executive, Michael Dell, to take the company private were in the final stages on Monday, a person familiar with the matter said. An outcome is expected soon, the person said, cautioning that no final agreement had been reached and negotiations could still break down. Dell shares fell 2.6 percent to $13.27 in afternoon trading. Microsoft Corp, which provides its Windows software for Dell computers and is also part of the investment consortium, is expected to invest around $2 billion in the deal, while private equity firm Silver Lake is expected to put in about $1 billion, the source said. Michael Dell is expected to roll over his roughly 16 percent stake and put in some of his own money so he has control of the company, the source added. Dell and Silver Lake declined to comment and Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for a comment. The $13.50 to $13.75 per share price range being negotiated translates into an equity valuation for Dell of between $23.5 billion to $23.9 billion. The $13.75 per share is a premium of about 23 percent to the average of $11 per share Dell traded before news of the deal talks broke and is far below the $17.61 that the shares were trading a year ago." Dell has steadily ceded market share in PCs to nimbler rivals such as Lenovo Group and is struggling to re-ignite growth. That's in spite of Michael Dell's efforts in the five years since he retook the helm of the company he founded in 1984, following a brief hiatus during which its fortunes waned rapidly. Any deal that Michael Dell negotiates would need the approval of a majority of the shareholders. Deals that involve the considerable stake of a founder who is also the chief executive of the company are also likely to come in for extra scrutiny over whether the board exercised its fiduciary duty. Dell has formed a special committee to take a close look at any potential deals on the table, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters earlier. (Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis in New York; Additional reporting by Poornima Gupta; editing by Carol Bishopric and Kenneth Barry)

Car bombs in Shi'ite areas of Iraq kill >100

Top News Car bombs in Shi'ite areas of Iraq kill 34 Fri, Feb 08 08:52 AM EST 1 of 2 By Kareem Raheem BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Five car bombs killed at least 34 people in Shi'ite areas of Iraq on Friday, police and medics said, as sectarian and ethnic tensions intensify ahead of provincial elections in April. Two car bombs were detonated simultaneously at a bus stop near a Friday street market selling birds and other pets in the Shi'ite district of Kadhimiya in Baghdad, killing at least 16 people and wounding another 44, police and hospital sources said. Footage of the scene showed dozens of buses and taxis destroyed by the explosion and blood on the ground. Ongoing violence following the withdrawal of U.S. troops in late 2011 is stoking fears of a return to the sectarian strife that killed tens of thousands of Iraqis in 2006 and 2007. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shi'ite, is facing mass protests by disenchanted Sunni Muslims and is at loggerheads with ethnic Kurds who run their northern region autonomously from Baghdad. The prospect of the election is hardening the divisions as political leaders appeal to their constituencies with often hostile rhetoric that rejects compromise. In the Shi'ite city of Hilla, 100 km (60 miles) south of Baghdad, 15 people were killed in two car bomb explosions at a vegetable market. "I was shopping when I heard the first explosion. I was scared and tried to reach my car to run away but before I got in the second explosion went off," said Habib al-Murshidi who was at the scene. "I saw many people, women and old men lying on the ground which was covered with blood and scattered fruit and vegetables". Another three people were killed by a parked car bomb in Kerbala, 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad, police said. Thousands of Sunni Muslims have taken to the streets since late December in protest at what they see as the marginalization of their sect since the fall of Saddam Hussein and the empowerment of Iraq's Shi'ite majority through the ballot box. The demonstrations in the Sunni heartland of Anbar are also compounding fears that war in neighboring Syria, where Sunni rebels are fighting to topple a leader backed by Shi'ite Iran, could further upset Iraq's own delicate sectarian and ethnic balance. No group claimed responsibility for the attacks on Friday. Iraq is home to several Sunni insurgent groups that have carried out at least one high-casualty attack a month since the U.S. withdrawal. They include a local branch of al Qaeda, the Islamic State of Iraq, which often targets Shi'ites, seeking to reignite sectarian strife. On Monday, a suicide bomber attacked a government-backed militia in Taji, killing at least 22 people -- the seventh of eight suicide bombings in Iraq over the past month alone. (Additional reporting by Ali al-Rubaie in Hilla; Writing by Suadad al-Salhy; Editing by Isabel Coles and Jon Hemming) =============== Fifty killed in Syria bombing: monitor group Fri, Feb 08 08:39 AM EST BEIRUT (Reuters) - More than 50 workers at a military factory in central Syria were killed in a bombing earlier this week, an opposition watchdog which monitors violence in Syria said on Friday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 54 people died in Wednesday's explosion which struck their bus as they were preparing to return home at the end of their shift, and the number could rise further. The Observatory said 11 of the victims from the bombing in Buraq, about 10 km (six miles) south of the city of Hama, were women. The workers were from cities of Homs, Hama and the town of Salamiyah. There has been no claim of responsibility for the bombing, which angered many Syrian activists, who blamed Islamist hardliners for the attack. Some described it as "terrorist" attack which targeted civilians. "They are workers, they are civilians. Some people need to work to feed their families. This does not make them criminals," said an activist from Hama province who declined to be named. The Islamist Nusra Front last month said it was behind a car bombing which killed 42 people, including women and children in Salamiyah. The target of that attack was a pro-government militia, they said. Activists in Salamiyah posted pictures of children and young people who were killed in the attack. (Reporting by Dominic Evans; Editing by Jon Boyle) ============ More than 70 killed in wave of Baghdad bombings Mon, May 27 13:39 PM EDT 1 of 2 By Kareem Raheem BAGHDAD (Reuters) - More than 70 people were killed in a wave of bombings in markets in Shi'ite neighborhoods across Baghdad on Monday in worsening sectarian violence in Iraq. No group claimed responsibility for the blasts. But Sunni Muslim Islamist insurgents and al-Qaeda' s Iraqi wing have increased attacks since the beginning of the year and often target Shi'ite districts. More than a dozen blasts tore into markets and shopping areas in districts across the Iraqi capital, including twin bombs just several hundred meters apart that killed at least 13 people in the capital's Sadr City area, police and hospital officials said. "A driver hit another car and left pretending to bring traffic police. Another car rushed to take him away and right after his car exploded among people who had gathered to see what was happening," said bystander Hassan Kadhim. "People were shouting for help and blood covered their faces." Tensions between the Shi'ite leadership and the Sunni Muslim minority are at their worst since U.S. troops left in December 2011, and the conflict in Syria is straining Iraq's fragile communal balance. More than 700 people were killed in attacks in April, according to a U.N. count, the highest monthly toll in almost five years. So far in May more than 300 have died. Thousands of Sunnis began staging street protests last December against Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, whom they accuse of marginalizing their sect since the fall of Saddam Hussein after the 2003 invasion. The latest surge in violence began in April after a raid by the Iraqi army on a Sunni Muslim protest camp in the town of Hawija led to clashes with the security forces and more attacks. Bombings on Shi'ite and Sunni mosques, security forces and Sunni tribal leaders over a month-long surge in violence are heightening worries Iraq risks returning to the level of sectarian violence that killed thousands in 2006-2007. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad; Writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Angus MacSwan) ===============

Qatar Airways Expands Network In Iraq

Qatar Airways Expands Network In Iraq Posted on 31 January 2013. Tags: air routes, Najaf, Qatar, Qatar Airways Pages: 1 2 Qatar Airways has introduced its latest gateway in the Republic of Iraq with the launch of scheduled flights to the central city of Najaf. Following its move into Iraq six months ago with the start of flights to both the capital Baghdad and Erbil, the Doha-based airline has inaugurated new services to its third city in the country. On the back of passenger demand to Iraq, Qatar Airways viewed expansion as being vital, fuelled by the country’s reconstruction drive. The arrival of Qatar Airways’ flight QR 742 at Al Najaf International Airport was welcomed by a traditional water salute followed by a reception presided by local officials. Fathi Al Shehab, Qatar Airways Senior Vice President GCC, Levant, Iran and Indian Subcontinent, led an official delegation on the flight from the airline’s head office in the Qatari capital Doha. With three Iraqi routes now in its stable, Qatar Airways takes its frequency across Baghdad, Erbil and Najaf up 50 per cent to 12 services each week. Najaf, to be operated four-times-a-week, becomes destination number 124 in the airline’s global network spanning cities across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America. Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “With our new Najaf services, we are giving the people of Iraq more choice and greater travel options to fly around the world after years of restricted access to air services. Similarly, with all the reconstruction efforts well underway in Iraq, there is a need for flights to bring in construction workers. “As an air service provider, we at Qatar Airways have the faith and are doing our bit in the rebuilding efforts of the country. “Najaf represents a significant part of Qatar Airways’ growth strategy of opening new, diverse routes connecting people in underserved markets to destinations around the world with more ease and convenience than ever before.“ Addressing guests gathered at Al Najaf International Airport, Fathi Al Shehab said: “Today is all about celebration and further developing our warm relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Iraq. “On behalf of Qatar Airways, I would like to thank the government of Iraq, the local authorities and airport officials for supporting Qatar Airways’ expansion with the addition of an integral route to our international network that will offer great connections to the people of Najaf and the surrounding areas to such an exciting array of destinations globally such as London, Singapore, Tokyo, New York, Shanghai and Melbourne. “Qatar Airways looks forward to welcoming our newest passengers to experience our award-winning world class service and fine hospitality.“ The Doha – Najaf route is being operated by a state-of-the-art Airbus A320 featuring 144 seats in a two-class configuration of 12 seats in Business Class and 132 in Economy. The aircraft offers seatback TV screens, providing passengers with the next generation interactive onboard entertainment system, featuring a choice of more than 800 audio and video on-demand options, together with an SMS text messaging service from each seat. The convenient timings of the Doha – Najaf flights allow for good connections to key destinations across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. (Source: Qatar Airways) Pages: 1 2