Tag Archives: opinion
UAE, UK to fight organised crime
UAE, UK to fight organised crime Sudeshna Sarkar (sudeshna@khaleejtimes.com) / 8 October 2013 With around 6,000 criminal groups — which add up to 38,000 organised criminals — targeting the UK, from home soil as well as overseas, security agencies need more teeth to protect the islands. A shot in the arm came on Monday with the launch of a new organisation that will work with UAE law enforcement agencies to tackle some of the world’s toughest and most organised criminals. The National Crime Agency (NCA), accountable to British Home Secretary Theresa May and to be headed by a chief constable, will be staffed with more than 4,000 specialist crime fighters fanned over 40 global locations. Its reach will stretch across 150 countries. The NCA will work with UAE partner agencies and organisations to tackle drugs trafficking, child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, immigration crime and cyber crime. Since the UAE is a major financial centre, the two sides will also jointly fight money laundering and the investment of criminal assets. UAE partners and the NCA will pool in intelligence on joint threats and targets. If required, they will also intercept people, property and money moving to and from the UK. Dominic Jermey, the British Ambassador to the UAE, said the bilateral cooperation between the UK and the UAE covers an enormous range, including tackling organised crime. “The NCA will allow law enforcement agencies in both countries to join hands and use their shared expertise to track down the perpetrators of serious crimes and bring them to justice,” he said. The UK already has officers from its Serious Organised Crime Agency, Revenue and Customs, and Counter Terrorism and Extremism actively based in the UAE, working together with local UAE contacts and agencies. Their actions involve identifying and targeting major British criminals involved in organised/fiscal crime harming the UK and related assets. These officers have been holding regular operational meetings with police and immigration in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to discuss trends and agree on responses. May said the NCA was born of the realisation that organised crime was one of the greatest threats to national security. Every year it costs the UK between £20 billion and £40 billion per year, She said the impact is felt every single day: “The drug dealing on street corners; the burglary and muggings by addicts; the trafficking of vulnerable young women into prostitution; the card cloning and credit card fraud that robs so many.” The NCA, she added, will transform the authorities’ response. Continue reading
Obama cancels Asia trip due to US government shutdown
Obama cancels Asia trip due to US government shutdown (Reuters) / 4 October 2013 President Barack Obama cancelled plans to attend summits in Indonesia and Brunei on Thursday, bowing to the reality that the political impasse over the US government shutdown requires him to remain in Washington. The decision means Obama will no longer depart on Saturday for what had originally been a four-nation, week-long Asia trip. He had cancelled visits to Malaysia and the Philippines earlier this week because of his budget struggle with Republicans in Congress. The move to cancel the remaining stops in Indonesia and Brunei, where two summits critical to US interests in Asia are being held, was made on the third day of the US government shutdown and was a sign that it could linger for days, as Obama and Republicans battle over funding. “The president made this decision based on the difficulty in moving forward with foreign travel in the face of a shutdown, and his determination to continue pressing his case that Republicans should immediately allow a vote to reopen the government,” the White House said. It could have been damaging for Obama in terms of appearance to leave the United States and to be seen rubbing shoulders with foreign leaders abroad at a time of budget crisis in Washington. The stalemate has idled hundreds of thousands of federal government workers and comes two weeks before Washington faces an even more crucial deadline – raising the US debt limit so the United States can pay its bills. A bitter debate rages over that issue as well. Secretary of State John Kerry will lead delegations to both countries in place of Obama. The president had been scheduled to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Bali, Indonesia, and a separate Asia security summit in Brunei. Obama phoned both President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Sultan of Brunei to inform them of his decision, the White House said. Cancelling the trip was a direct result of the budget feud that has enveloped Washington. Republicans who control the House of Representatives have blocked a vote on legislation to fund the government because they want to gut Obama’s signature healthcare law, which came into effect on Oct. 1. The White House statement was sharply critical of Republicans, blaming them for the trip’s cancellation. “This completely avoidable shutdown is setting back our ability to create jobs through promotion of US exports and advance US leadership and interests in the largest emerging region in the world,” it said. Obama looks forward to working with Asian allies and returning to the region at a later date, the White House said. Continue reading
Green firms miffed at being shown the exit
Green firms miffed at being shown the exit Staff Reporter / 4 October 2013 Thirty-five exhibitors of ‘green companies’ who had come together to promote eco-friendly products at a mall in Dubai were allegedly shown the door by a manager. Ten days ago it was confirmed that Goumbook — an online green business directory in the Middle East — would host the event called Future Green for the fourth consecutive year. Goumbook had partnered with the mall to host Future Green 2013 on Thursday and today. The Eco-friendly products that were on display before the exhibitors were asked to leave the mall. — Supplied photo Future Green is an exhibition designed to promote environmental awareness and eco-friendly products and services, supporting eco-wise consumer behaviour and sustainable living in the UAE. This event had 35 exhibitors for two hours on day one before the chaos started. Tatiana Antonelli Abella, Owner and Managing Director at Goumbook-your green connection, said: “It was him, one person who insulted us, called this ‘worse than a carboot sale in the UK’, and said to the exhibitors that your products are not up to the standard to be sold in a mall.” The art and craft products up on display, as well as all other products and exhibitors were selected by Goumbook and were certified eco-friendly products and services covering different categories, including Food & Beverage, Home & Garden, Health & Wellbeing, Beauty, Business & Technology, and Environmental Science. The exhibitors were doing good business in the two hours that they were up for. The suppliers told Abella they were selling their wares even a little while after the tables were taken away. The manager was, however, not available for comments. One company, ‘6 am Babies’, wrote online: “Very disappointed that the Future Green event was cancelled midway due to management’s last-minute change of heart! Thank you for Goumbook-your green connection for handling it very professionally … we look forward to joining you in the next event you organise! The power of social media kicked in when the manager came back and told Tatiana she could have her stalls back if the tweets stopped. “But he did not apologise,” she said. And so a two-day event that had gathered publicity in the last fortnight and won the support of three dozen exhibitors was unceremoniously canned. A lady was stranded at the mall with her wares, as her husband from Ras Al Khaimah had planned to pick her up only later in the evening. — nivriti@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
