As we prepare to bid 2017 farewell and herald in a new year, much remains unresolved in the Middle East. Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Libya suffer from acute crises, while regional challenges such as unemployment and water scarcity await much-needed collective action. Marking anniversaries like seven years since uprisings kicked off in Tunisia and three years since the Houthi coup in Yemen, it is difficult to imagine a path forward to steer much of the Arab world out of turmoil. And while some of these issues feel age-old, this year did witness developments that will impact the trajectory of events in 2018 – both in the region and beyond.
Perhaps the most iconic image of the year has been that of young Palestinian Ahed Al Tamimi standing up to Israeli soldiers to protect her West Bank village of Nabi Saleh. While 70 years of occupation have meant that civilian Palestinians confronting military might is not a new phenomenon, it is a reminder that a century after the Balfour Declaration, Palestinian statehood remains at the heart of the region's aspirations. Al Tamimi is still detained, despite being a child, yet her actions have gone beyond boundaries and captured the support of millions around the world. Her arrest comes at a time when the majority of UN member countries have condemned American president Donald Trump's unilateral decision to name Jerusalem Israel's capital, prompting renewed calls for a peaceful end to the occupation of Palestine. Mr Trump's decision will continue to cast its shadow on the region in the coming year, while the pressing need to restart a peace process is once again at the fore.
A second development that was of major significance this year was the defeat of ISIL in Iraq and Syria. While some terrorist fighters remain in both countries, ensuring that ISIL does not control significant territory in either should be lauded. However, political and security challenges in both countries mean that a resurgence of extremist groups is not far from the horizon. For 2018 to mark real progress in terms of defeating extremism, strengthening Iraq's security forces and political process is key. The situation is more complex in Syria. With a regime that is deemed illegitimate, and an array of armed groups on the ground, the failure of the new round of UN talks on Syria to bring about a tangible progress means that the coming year will not witness an end to the war there.
Despite the failure of the UN's mediation at bringing a solution to the Syrian crisis and to the Yemen war, there were more significant UN moves when it came to Libya. This year witnessed the appointment of Ghassan Salame to the role of UN envoy to Libya. Salame's ability to meet warring groups and lay down a road map for Libya has been one of the few successes of international efforts in 2017. While many challenges remain, this is a significant development and if successful, could bring much-needed stabilisation to Libya and its neighbours.
Unlike the first four developments mentioned, perhaps the most important one in the region was entirely domestic – and came from Saudi Arabia. As the largest economy in the Arab world and home to the two holiest sites for Muslims, any changes in Saudi Arabia have a lasting impact on the region. And 2017 was a year of change par excellence for the Kingdom. With the promotion of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the next in line to rule Saudi Arabia last June, economic and social reforms have meant an unprecedented transformation. In the coming weeks and months, how Riyadh steers its domestic reforms and regional aspirations will impact its neighbours and beyond.
Saudi Arabia is being watched wearily by Iran. Furthermore, the arrival of Mr Trump in the White House and his administration's rejection of Iran's expansionist policies has also caused concern in Tehran. Understanding that its actions in the Arab world, including its support for the Houthis in Yemen and Hizbollah in Lebanon, will not go unaccounted for, Iran has ramped up its military efforts in the region. June this year witnessed Iran launching its first ballistic missile at Syria, while the US has produced evidence of Iranian-made missiles targeting Saudi Arabia. Iran's missile activity in 2017 could either lead to further escalation in 2018 or could be the catalyst for international moves to curb it.
Predictions would be foolish in a fast-moving region but what is certain is that 2017 has set the stage for a challenging year ahead.
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Company%20Profile
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City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Al Jazira 3 (O Abdulrahman 43', Kenno 82', Mabkhout 90 4')
Al Ain 1 (Laba 39')
Red cards: Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20Profile
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Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans
Jasmin Mujanović, Hurst Publishers
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars
Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More coverage from the Future Forum
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What is an ETF?
An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
There is no fund manager deciding which stocks and other assets to invest in, instead they passively track their chosen index, country, region or commodity, regardless of whether it goes up or down.
The first ETF was launched as recently as 1993, but the sector boasted $5.78 billion in assets under management at the end of September as inflows hit record highs, according to the latest figures from ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five largest providers BlackRock’s iShares, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisers, Deutsche Bank X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
While the best-known track major indices such as MSCI World, the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, you can also invest in specific countries or regions, large, medium or small companies, government bonds, gold, crude oil, cocoa, water, carbon, cattle, corn futures, currency shifts or even a stock market crash.
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 6 Huddersfield Town 1
Man City: Agüero (25', 35', 75'), Jesus (31'), Silva (48'), Kongolo (84' og)
Huddersfield: Stankovic (43')
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
The%20specs
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950
Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Stage 2 results
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 04:18:18
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:02
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:04
4 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates
5 Rick Zabel (GER) Israel Start-Up Nation
General Classification
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 07:47:19
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:12
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:16
4 Nikolai Cherkasov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:17
5 Alexey Lutsensko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 00:00:19
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
