It is a rare thing for politicians to admit flaws. Yet in a refreshingly candid speech in Abu Dhabi this week, former US defence secretary James Mattis spoke of Washington's frailties as well as its strengths and put across the strongest possible case for multilateralism. At times, he said, it might seem "like it's chaotic in Washington…It can certainly cause concern to our friends to look at this and say: 'Wow, is America coming apart at the seams?'" Yet in the face of internal divisions in Capitol Hill, he said, it was alliances such as the US-UAE relationship that laid the foundations for a stronger future, particularly in the face of the continuing threat from Iran.
Mr Mattis has been coming to the Middle East for four decades and is no stranger to the complexities of its geopolitics, nor to the rapid development that has transformed the UAE into a key strategic and business partner for the US. When he resigned as defence secretary in December last year, it was over political differences with president Donald Trump, who had just announced a withdrawal of US troops from Syria and Afghanistan. An Iran hawk, he has long warned officials of the threat posed by Tehran and its proxies, describing the regime as "the single most enduring threat to stability and peace" in the Middle East. He was also a vociferous critic of the 2015 nuclear deal. In this, the US and UAE are greatly aligned. The impact of Tehran and its proxies has been evident this week, from sabre-rattling threats to the US from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps to attacks from Iran-backed militia on a Saudi oil pipeline. These events, as Mr Mattis said, highlight "why Iran's behaviour must change", and highlight the need for putting up a united front: "This is an area where we are in agreement." As he pointed out, unilateralism will not work in countering a threat which spans the globe. Tehran's nefarious behaviour is wide-ranging and aims to cause maximum disruption globally.
To that end, the former defence chief called for a day when the GCC is "once again back together and united" to act as a bulwark against such misdemeanours. His speech was, in essence, a call for greater unity everywhere: from the transcontinental alliance with the UAE to solidarity between Muslims worldwide. While the US is wrangling with internal struggles and figuring out its place in the world, further challenged by competition for influence from China and Russia, bonds such as the relationship with the UAE will help both "find their way back to common ground". The need to counter Iran's influence has strengthened ties with the UAE, despite the US administration's sometimes erratic Middle East strategy. With the advantage of years of experience, seasoned politician Mr Mattis is an advocate for resolving disputes through political settlements and believes "Washington needs to engage more in the world and intervene militarily less". Only by engaging in multilateral dialogue can the US really work out its role in a changing world.
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
The Little Things
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto
Four stars
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.
Sweet%20Tooth
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What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 20: 11am to 7pm - Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival and Para jiu-jitsu.
Sunday, April 21: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (female) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Monday, April 22: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (male) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Tuesday, April 23: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Wednesday, April 24: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Thursday, April 25: 11am-5pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Friday, April 26: 3pm to 6pm Finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Saturday, April 27: 4pm and 8pm awards ceremony.
On racial profiling at airports
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
