Qatar Holding sells 379M shares in Barclays, making it second Gulf fund to cash in on UK bank

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Barclays shares dropped 5 percent Tuesday after the British bank’s largest shareholder, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, said it was selling a stake worth more than $2 billion.

Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Investments buys $328 million in Banco Santander’s Brazilian bank subsidiary

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Abu Dhabi investment fund with the biggest stake in Mercedes-Benz said Sunday it has spent $328 million for a piece of a Brazilian bank recently floated by Spanish financial giant Banco Santander.

Qatar Holding becomes biggest shareholder in company that owns much of London’s Canary Wharf

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund said Saturday it has become the biggest shareholder in the company that owns much of London’s Canary Wharf business district, highlighting a renewed appetite by Gulf investors for property in well-established markets.

Sudan’s army says more areas of North Darfur have been cleared of rebel presence

KHARTOUM, Sudan — The Sudanese army said Sunday it has cleared several more areas of rebel control in North Darfur province ahead of peace talks set for October. Rebels denied the government claims.

With oil prices settling in, OPEC not expected to cut crude output

VIENNA — With oil prices about where OPEC wants them and a modest economic upturn in the offing, the oil cartel isn’t likely to tighten the taps when its leaders meet this week in Vienna.

Qatar Holdings to acquire 17 percent stake in Porsche company

DOHA, Qatar — Qatar Holding has announced it will acquire a 17 percent stake in Volkswagen AG, which is merging with Porsche, in a deal that will exceed $10 billion.

Latest archaeological digs may revamp Qatar’s entire history

DOHA - Recent excavations conducted in Qatar has resulted in a substantial number of new sites being discovered and significantly more archaeological research in the region, which may revamp the whole history of the nation written so far.

Porsche Automobil Holding SE says CEO Wendelin Wiedeking to step down immediately

STUTTGART, Germany — The supervisory board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE said Thursday it has voted to accept the resignation of CEO Wendelin Wiedeking with immediate effect.

Porsche, VW face uncertain, yet intertwined path, amid bids, counterbids for takeover

BERLIN — The boards of Porsche and Volkswagen meet Thursday in what could be a decisive moment in the battle over competing plans for takeovers and new investors. At stake is who will control what would be Germany’s most powerful auto maker.

Porsche board agrees to seek a capital increase and supports talks with Qatar investment fund

STUTTGART, Germany — Porsche Automobil Holding SE’s supervisory board agreed early Thursday morning to seek a capital increase of at least €5 billion ($7.1 billion), and threw its weight behind talks with a Qatar investment fund, a spokesman said.

Volkswagen shares slide more than 8 percent as Porsche speculation swirls

FRANKFURT — Shares of Volkswagen AG slid Monday following a report that a plan by Europe’s biggest auto maker to buy Porsche could be derailed by hefty tax demands.

Palestinian government lifts ban on West Bank operations of Al-Jazeera satellite TV

RAMALLAH - The Palestinian Authority (PA) has decided to lift its ban preventing the al-Jazeera satellite channel from working in the West Bank, but at the same time said it would go ahead with planned legal measures against the Qatari-based broadcaster.

Up to 30 feared dead after ship capsizes off Qatar capital Doha in rough Persian Gulf waters

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — As many as 30 people are feared dead after a ship capsized and quickly sank in choppy Persian Gulf waters off the Qatari capital Doha, the vessel’s operator said Wednesday.

Poland signs $550 million gas deal with Qatargas

WARSAW, Poland — Poland signed a $550 million contract with Qatargas on Monday to receive 1.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year over 20 years, officials said.

NYSE Euronext invests in rebranded Qatari stock exchange, gains foothold in Gulf

LONDON — Stock exchange operator NYSE Euronext said Friday it has invested 200 million pounds in a rebranded stock exchange in Qatar, reducing the size of its planned investment in the energy-rich Persian Gulf.

No orders for Boeing, damp skies at Paris Air Show clouded by recession, Flight 447 crash

LE BOURGET, France — Airbus edged into the lead Tuesday in a muted race with Boeing for plane orders at the Paris Air Show, which has been hobbled this year by recession, tight credit markets and plane crash concerns.

Race for airplane orders begins at Paris Air Show, clouded by recession, Flight 447 crash

LE BOURGET, France — A defiant Boeing said Monday the aviation industry’s troubles may be ending, while Airbus kicked off the race for plane orders at this year’s Paris Air Show, clouded by rainy skies, recession and the unexplained crash of Air France Flight 447.

Prince Charles victorious as developers drop plans for steel tower at old London army barracks

LONDON — Developers who wanted to build a glass-and-steel tower on the site of a former army barracks in London said Friday they have abandoned their plans in the face of opposition from Prince Charles.

Porsche confirms exclusive talks with Qatar investment fund

BERLIN — Porsche is in exclusive talks with a Qatar state investment fund looking to take a stake in the German sports carmaker, a spokesman confirmed Wednesday.

Americans Padgett and Felix take home wins in men’s 100 meters and women’s 400 meters in Qatar

DOHA, Qatar — Travis Padgett and Allyson Felix of the United States won the men’s 100 meters and women’s 400 at the Qatar Super Grand Prix on Friday.

Tourism makes strange bedfellows: Cuba and Qatar team up to to build $750 million beach resort

HAVANA — Cuba and Qatar signed an agreement Wednesday to build a $75 million, 450-room resort on a cay south of the island.

Bitter battle for FIFA seat to be decided by vote at Asian congress

BANGKOK, Thailand — A bitter and raw political fight for a seat on FIFA’s powerful executive committee, involving claims of vote buying and perceived threats of violence, will be resolved within a week by an Asian Football Confederation vote.

Man held for years as ‘enemy combatant’ pleads guilty to terror support charges in Ill.

PEORIA, Ill. — A man whose case sparked a furious legal debate over whether the government can hold terrorism suspects indefinitely entered a surprise guilty plea, admitting to training in al-Qaida camps and coming to the nation’s heartland a day before Sept. 11.

Man held for years as ‘enemy combatant’ pleads guilty to terror support charges in Ill.

PEORIA, Ill. — An al-Qaida sleeper agent who was locked up without being charged for years pleaded guilty Thursday to supporting terrorism in the months before and immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Report: Premier says Qatar eying possibility of buying stake in Germany’s Porsche

CAIRO — Qatar is in discussions about the possibility of buying a stake in Germany automaker Porsche AG, the country’s prime minister said in the latest indication the energy rich Persian Gulf nation is pushing ahead with its growth and investment plans despite the global recession.

Olympic Council of Asia threatens legal action over allegations of football vote buying

KUWAIT CITY — The Olympic Council of Asia is threatening legal action over allegations it was attempting to buy votes for a candidate in the campaign for a seat on the executive committee of football world governing body FIFA.