We are only a few days into 2019, and already the US administration is sending confusing signals about its approach to some of the main issues it is likely to encounter during the course of the year.
By far the most startling development has been President Donald Trump's announcement over the festive break that he intends to withdraw the 2,000 troops Washington still has deployed in Syria.
While the military campaign against ISIS is drawing to a close, many of the issues relating to Syria’s long-running civil war still remain unresolved, not least the fate of the Kurdish fighters who have been loyal and effective allies of the US-led coalition. Without US protection, there are well-founded fears the Kurds could find themselves either targeted by Turkey, which remains concerned about the formation of an independent Kurdish homeland, or the Assad regime, which remains committed to reclaiming all Syrian territory under its control.
But, as Mr Trump made clear during a 95-minute cabinet meeting at the White House earlier this week, the president believes that Syria is “lost” so far as Washington is concerned, and that the time has come for the White House to cut its losses by withdrawing American forces over a “period of time”.
Ever since entering the White House, Mr Trump has said he has little appetite for committing US forces to costly and difficult overseas military interventions, unless it is absolutely in America’s national interest to do so.
Consequently, his hard-nosed approach to America's foreign military entanglements has also led to questions being raised about Washington's continuing commitment to the conflict in Afghanistan, where the US still has around 14,000 troops fighting in support of the Afghan government. The president's announcement that he intends to cut the American force by 7,000 by the summer is said to be the main reason behind the resignation of the much-respected defence secretary Jim Mattis.
Mr Trump is now claiming that he “essentially fired” Mr Mattis, who was keen to maintain American troops levels in Afghanistan at their current level, because the president believes his former defence secretary’s handling of the Afghan mission had not been “too good”.
But while Mr Trump’s announcements concerning Syria and Afghanistan might give the impression that his main focus is to scale down America’s military involvement in the Middle East and Central Asia, his surprise visit to US forces in Iraq over Christmas suggested that, in other parts of the region, the president remains committed to maintaining America’s military presence.
Ostensibly, the president’s visit to the Al Asad air base to the west of Baghdad was to give his personal thanks to the estimated 4,000 troops based in Iraq who have been involved in the fight to destroy ISIS.
“Two years ago, when I became president, they were a very dominant group,” Mr Trump declared. “Today they're not so dominant any more. Great job."
Mr Trump also said that, despite his announcements regarding Syria and Afghanistan, he had no intention of withdrawing American forces from Iraq. He even suggested that the US could use its military presence in Iraq as a forward base if it "wanted to do something in Syria".
The other reason, though, that Mr Trump is so keen to maintain Washington's military engagement with Iraq is that maintaining good relations with Baghdad is vital to his administration's wider goal of confronting Iran over its continued meddling in the affairs of the Arab world.
If Washington is to stand any chance of increasing the pressure on Tehran to change its behaviour, then having a strong alliance with Iraq is vital to its chances of success.
And on this front, the White House still has much work to do.
The recent appointment of Adel Abdul Mahdi as Iraq’s new prime minister has certainly been a welcome development so far as Washington is concerned, as he is regarded as a pragmatist who will resist Iran’s attempts to dominate Iraq’s domestic political agenda.
But the fact that a planned meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Mahdi had to be cancelled because of disagreements over how it should be conducted suggests the White House still has a lot of work to do before a good working relationship is established between Baghdad and Washington.
There will also be many, both in Washington and elsewhere, who will question why, if the president is really serious about confronting Iran, he is preparing to withdraw American forces from Syria, a country that remains Tehran’s most important ally in the Arab world?
The answer lies in the reality of the situation on the ground where, because of key foreign policy mistakes dating back to the Obama era, the dominant foreign powers in Syria today are Russia and Iran, with the Americans being confined to the perimeters of the conflict.
The days when Washington policymakers still clung to the notion that the Assad regime could be overthrown are long gone and, with the main military campaign against Isis drawing to a close, Mr Trump’s desire to end Washington’s unhappy involvement in the Syrian conflict is understandable.
But Mr Trump also needs to be aware that, if his main priority in the Middle East is to confront Iran, turning his back on Syria could make that task a great deal more difficult. Now that Tehran has achieved its main objective of keeping the Assad regime in power, it is looking to consolidate its military presence in Syria, one that in future might be used to undermine American efforts to challenge Iran.
Con Coughlin is the Daily Telegraph’s Defence and Foreign Affairs Editor
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
Company%20Profile
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If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Company%20profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
TRAINING FOR TOKYO
A typical week's training for Sebastian, who is competing at the ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon on March 8-9:
- Four swim sessions (14km)
- Three bike sessions (200km)
- Four run sessions (45km)
- Two strength and conditioning session (two hours)
- One session therapy session at DISC Dubai
- Two-three hours of stretching and self-maintenance of the body
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The%20specs
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Scores
Rajasthan Royals 160-8 (20 ov)
Kolkata Knight Riders 163-3 (18.5 ov)
Spec%20sheet
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Company%20Profile
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Company%20Profile
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Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
It
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor
Three stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Messi at the Copa America
2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final
2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals
2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
