US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner has long promised a big reveal of his so-called "peace plan" after Ramadan. His interview on Sunday with a US broadcaster could have been an opportunity for the Middle East envoy to win Arab and Palestinian backing for the US's "deal of the century". Instead, when asked if he thought that Palestinians could govern themselves, Mr Kushner replied: "The hope is that they, over time, will become capable of governing". Not only was this deeply offensive; the immediate impact has been to set back any hope of a legitimate peace process. As senior Palestine Liberation Organisation negotiator Saeb Erekat tweeted, Mr Kushner "disqualified himself from any role in the peace-making".
Mr Kushner’s statement was deemed to be a reference to the Palestinian boycott of the upcoming economic conference for Palestine, hosted by the US and Bahrain. The refusal to attend by the Palestinian Authority has been criticised as a luxury it can ill afford, at a time when ordinary Palestinians are in dire need of aid and an economic crisis looms. But inferring that Palestinians are incapable of self-governance is neither going to convince them to attend nor bolster Arab support for any peace deal. The statement is not only condescending, it is simply untrue because the Palestinian people have never been given a chance to govern themselves in the first place.
Certainly, Palestinian leadership has been flawed and not always acted in the best interests of its people. The Gaza Strip was seized by Hamas in 2007 while Fatah runs the occupied West Bank. The two political factions have been at loggerheads for more than a decade and there is no unified government. In addition, both territories are rife with mismanagement and corruption. However, this bleak situation cannot be blamed on Palestinian civilians. The hardships they endure, from the Gaza blockade to poor basic supplies of water and power, stem from the ongoing Israeli occupation, which has made it impossible for citizens to travel or even communicate between the two territories. Meanwhile illegal settlements and the ubiquity of checkpoints have crippled the West Bank, preventing communities from coming together and ordinary Palestinians from leading normal lives. The crippling siege on Gaza has also entrenched Hamas further and rendered violence against protesting Gazans an everyday occurrence.
Nefarious behaviour from politicians and instability are not unique to Palestine. Israeli politics of late have been rife with alleged misdemeanours and back-stabbing, with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected to be indicted for corruption. Israel is now facing its second election this year after the Knesset was dissolved and Mr Netanyahu's former allies have turned on him – yet no one claims that Israelis cannot self-govern. The reality is that political machinations do not justify stripping an entire population of their basic rights. Wherever the Palestinian diaspora has been given the chance to thrive, its members have excelled and made names for themselves. There is no doubt they could do the same in their homeland, given half a chance.
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.
Napoleon
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Barbie
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Jawan
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THE SPECS
Touareg Highline
Engine: 3.0-litre, V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 340hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh239,312
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Blonde
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