As representatives of the 193 member states of the United Nations convene in New York for the organisation's 73rd General Assembly, it might be tempting to dismiss the annual gathering as a spectacular piece of theatre.
The general debate opens on Tuesday and, with each speaker limited to 15 minutes, the UN's main policymaking body has under a week to tackle an agenda framed by seven hugely challenging themes, ranging from the implementation of new global compacts on migration and refugees to reform of the UN and – the raison d'etre at the core of the organisation's being – the promotion of world peace.
The sheer scale of the ambition embraced by this daunting agenda should not be a cause for despair but for cautious optimism.
The assembly has met every year since the UN’s creation in October 1945, barely a month after the end of the Second World War, when 51 nations came together to prevent such a global catastrophe happening again. It has, so far at least, been successful in that endeavour and over the past 73 years, the UN has expanded its remit to create a forum in which nations great and small can turn for support and assistance in the face of all kinds of existential threats.
There have been failures; most notably the inability to prevent the slaughter of 800,000 Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994 and, the following year, the Srebrenica massacre of 8,000 Bosnian Muslims in a UN “safe area”. The UN also failed to prevent the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and all that has flowed from it.
But without the UN’s tireless fight for world peace and its parallel battle against hunger, poverty, illiteracy, poor health and the other targets of its Sustainable Development Goals, how much worse a place might the world be today?
As UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres acknowledged, there are multiple and multiplying conflicts and crises throughout the world, and nowhere more so than in the Middle East. From ongoing wars in Yemen and Syria to the instability in Iraq and Lebanon, all shot through with the poison of Iran’s nefarious empire-building, this region poses multiple challenges, which a week of delicate diplomatic negotiations cannot hope to solve.
What those discussions might yield, however, is a starting point for peace – whether in the Palestinian peace process, in the tug-of-war between the US and China or in consolidating the recent deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Beyond the fine rhetoric flowing from the podium in the General Assembly Hall, there is hope it will lead to resolutions paving the way to positive action.
The UN, as its late secretary general Kofi Annan once said, is the "last best hope of humanity". The annual General Assembly, at which almost every nation in the world has a platform, is the tangible manifestation of its unique role. It might be flawed, cumbersome and its reach might often fall short of its grasp. But without the UN, where else can the world turn for hope?
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
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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
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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
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.
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
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
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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
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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.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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RESULTS
West Asia Premiership
Thursday
Jebel Ali Dragons 13-34 Dubai Exiles
Friday
Dubai Knights Eagles 16-27 Dubai Tigers
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
THE SPECS
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
