Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Columbia University will cancel its main commencement ceremony due to pro-Palestinian protests that have engulfed the campus for weeks, administrators said on Monday.
The elite New York City university was the site of a large student-led camp and protest in support of Palestine.
School administrators eventually called on the New York Police Department to break up the camp and try to restore order.
The protests have since spread to universities across the US, North America and Europe as a younger generation struggles with the horrors of a war broadcast across social media at a level never seen before.
The school has said it will focus on “class days” and “school-level ceremonies” rather than the customary graduation ceremony.
“These past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for our community,” the university said in a statement.
“Just as we are focused on making our graduation experience truly special, we continue to solicit student feedback and are looking at the possibility of a festive event on May 15 to take the place of the large, formal ceremony.”
As the protests continue to dominate campuses across the US, schools are struggling with how to honour graduating students – many of whom missed their high school ceremonies because of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions – while avoiding confrontation and disruption from demonstrations.
At the University of Michigan on Saturday, anti-war protesters waving Palestinian flags demonstrated at a massive outdoor commencement ceremony.
Watch: Pro-Palestine protesters disrupt graduation ceremony
Last month, the University of Southern California announced it would cancel its main graduation month in light of "new safety measures" and unrest after the school decided to not allow valedictorian Asna Tabassum to speak.
Ms Tabassum, who is Muslim, minored in genocide studies and has shared pro-Palestinian comments on social media, which some campus groups have called anti-Semitic.
Shortly after Columbia announced its decision, Emory University in Georgia, where large protests have also been held, decided to move its ceremonies.
“I have been firm in my commitment that Emory will celebrate our graduating students at commencement,” school president Gregory Fenves said in a statement.
“While that commitment has not changed, concerns about safety and security require us to adjust the plans.”
At George Washington University in the US capital, the institution's president called the student protest camp on the main lawn "illegal" and asked for help from the police.
"What is currently happening at GW is not a peaceful protest protected by the First Amendment or our university’s policies," Ellen Granberg said in a statement.
"The demonstration, like many around the country, has grown into what can only be classified as an illegal and potentially dangerous occupation of GW property."
Ms Granberg suggested that outside agitators had "co-opted" the protest.
"It is increasingly unsafe and a violation of university and city regulations to have so many unidentified and unvetted people from outside the GW community living on university property," she said.
Watch: Columbia students describe 'dystopian' night after police break up pro-Palestine camp
Scoreline
Arsenal 0 Manchester City 3
- Agüero 18'
- Kompany 58'
- Silva 65'
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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SPECS
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- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Mobile phone packages comparison
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
2pm Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,800m
Winner AF Al Baher, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner Davy Lamp, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly.
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Winner Ode To Autumn, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
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Winner Arch Gold, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
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5pm Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner Native Appeal, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
5.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Amani Pico, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
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- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
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2019 ASIA CUP POTS
Pot 1
UAE, Iran, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia
Pot 2
China, Syria, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Qatar, Thailand
Pot 3
Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, India, Vietnam
Pot 4
North Korea, Philippines, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Turkmenistan
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Trolls World Tour
Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Rating: 4 stars
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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