Stirring political unrest is not a tactic worthy of an any Arab country, nor is using it against another Arab country, wrote columnist Salem Al Nuaimi in The National’s sister newspaper, Al Ittihad.
One must distinguish between disappointment in the Qataris over their foreign policy and Qatar as a country. Opinions are bound to diverge as some practices are going to cause discord among Gulf countries for various reasons.
Each political entity is entitled to take sovereign measures to ensure national safety and security, such is a right guaranteed by political logic and international laws and customs, though one must commit to other countries’ right to protect their own nations, especially between neighbour countries that share common borders.
It is not permissible for any Gulf state to fund, incite, conspire, support, serve as a base or externally fund or have recourse to methods that may result in destabilising neighbouring states in the Arab World and in the Gulf.
“As Arab peoples, we reject any rivalry or substantial differences that could instil weakness in the Arab ranks, despite the magnitude of the challenges and constraints heading our way from all directions, our national security is and remains vital” highlighted Al Nuaimi.
GCC countries long ago achieved their political independence and are still working on achieving independence in economy, knowledge, science and culture, but none of them wishes to be an “energy supermarket”.
There seems to be no rational explanation to recent happenings in the Gulf. “We hope that this does not result from the personal ambition of specific individuals, matters of political heritage and legacy they wish to secure alongside private business interests” explained the columnist. “A solo alliance with Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood, Israel and Turkey to keep the strait of Hormuz open would be pointless without unity in the GCC and unsustainable from a political and security perspective”, he added.
The mastermind behind the current instabilities in the Arab world, within a strategy to redraw the maps and leave a personal mark in the region, has miscalculated its approach.
GCC countries should elaborate a uniform foreign policy agenda, which should have been a prerequisite to any cooperation as it requires internal coordination to face external matters and the white weapons of diplomacy and agendas that may lead the Arab dream to its death.
The Emir of Qatar is an ambitious and intelligent young man who believes in the union of Gulf states. There is no doubt that he will realign his country’s foreign policy with that of the Council’s members.
Released nuns used for political purposes
A group of nuns held for three months by insurgents in Syria have finally been released in exchange for the release of more than 150 women detained by the Assad regime. This event, however, has been used for political purposes in Lebanon and Syria, Hussam Itani commented in the London-based Arabic daily Al Hayat.
The condemnation of the kidnapping and the group behind it, Jabhat Al Nusra, should not obscure some facts surrounding the issue from its start to its relatively happy ending, the writer said.
The Syrian regime still persists in using Syrians to improve its political image, using Qatar’s mediation to have the prisoners released, without concern about the legal status of the released people who have suffered arbitrary detention with all the maltreatment associated with it.
Secondly, the media coverage of the event, especially the Lebanese media, lacked objectivity and professional ethics. The suspicious insistence on Lebanon’s Arsal village and on the nuns’ statements that they had not been mistreated were examples of the media using the case for political purposes.
Thirdly, some political parties are using the nun incident to advance their political interests. They have excessively focused on the kidnapping and the issue of minority protection while they ignored that 1,400 Syrians have been killed by the regime’s chemical weapons.
Libyans must join hands to rebuild
The extremists in Libya have turned the country’s spring into a scorching summer, as turmoil continues to daunt the Libyans, editorialised the UAE-based newspaper Al Bayan.
While the government of prime minister Ali Zeidan struggles to build legislative and executive institutions to overcome the impasse, gunmen are destabilising and wreaking havoc on the country and seek to control oilfields, the paper noted.
The critical status quo in Libya requires collaboration between all Libyans, government and people and political forces, to cross this critical period.
Granted, some people might be unhappy with the government’s performance, but dissatisfaction should be expressed in the right way, without challenging the legitimate authorities or seeking personal gains.
Perhaps the number one requirement at this point is to collect weapons from all people who are not part of the state’s forces, and end the gunmen’s takeover of areas where oil is produced.
Libyans must join hands to fulfil the thorny task of ending Al Qaddafi’s legacy and establish the rule of law, the paper concluded.
* Digest compiled by Translation Desk
Translation@thenational.ae
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
What should do investors do now?
What does the S&P 500's new all-time high mean for the average investor?
Should I be euphoric?
No. It's fine to be pleased about hearty returns on your investments. But it's not a good idea to tie your emotions closely to the ups and downs of the stock market. You'll get tired fast. This market moment comes on the heels of last year's nosedive. And it's not the first or last time the stock market will make a dramatic move.
So what happened?
It's more about what happened last year. Many of the concerns that triggered that plunge towards the end of last have largely been quelled. The US and China are slowly moving toward a trade agreement. The Federal Reserve has indicated it likely will not raise rates at all in 2019 after seven recent increases. And those changes, along with some strong earnings reports and broader healthy economic indicators, have fueled some optimism in stock markets.
"The panic in the fourth quarter was based mostly on fears," says Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. "The fundamentals have mostly held up, while the fears have gone away and the fears were based mostly on emotion."
Should I buy? Should I sell?
Maybe. It depends on what your long-term investment plan is. The best advice is usually the same no matter the day — determine your financial goals, make a plan to reach them and stick to it.
"I would encourage (investors) not to overreact to highs, just as I would encourage them not to overreact to the lows of December," Mr Schutte says.
All the same, there are some situations in which you should consider taking action. If you think you can't live through another low like last year, the time to get out is now. If the balance of assets in your portfolio is out of whack thanks to the rise of the stock market, make adjustments. And if you need your money in the next five to 10 years, it shouldn't be in stocks anyhow. But for most people, it's also a good time to just leave things be.
Resist the urge to abandon the diversification of your portfolio, Mr Schutte cautions. It may be tempting to shed other investments that aren't performing as well, such as some international stocks, but diversification is designed to help steady your performance over time.
Will the rally last?
No one knows for sure. But David Bailin, chief investment officer at Citi Private Bank, expects the US market could move up 5 per cent to 7 per cent more over the next nine to 12 months, provided the Fed doesn't raise rates and earnings growth exceeds current expectations. We are in a late cycle market, a period when US equities have historically done very well, but volatility also rises, he says.
"This phase can last six months to several years, but it's important clients remain invested and not try to prematurely position for a contraction of the market," Mr Bailin says. "Doing so would risk missing out on important portfolio returns."
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlmouneer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dr%20Noha%20Khater%20and%20Rania%20Kadry%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEgypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E120%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBootstrapped%2C%20with%20support%20from%20Insead%20and%20Egyptian%20government%2C%20seed%20round%20of%20%3Cbr%3E%243.6%20million%20led%20by%20Global%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cargoz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Premlal%20Pullisserry%20and%20Lijo%20Antony%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2030%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scoreline:
Al Wahda 2
Al Menhali 27', Tagliabue 79'
Al Nassr 3
Hamdallah 41', Giuliano 45 1', 62'
The specs: 2018 Jaguar E-Pace First Edition
Price, base / as tested: Dh186,480 / Dh252,735
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 246hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 365Nm @ 1,200rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
All%20We%20Imagine%20as%20Light
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPayal%20Kapadia%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kani%20Kusruti%2C%20Divya%20Prabha%2C%20Chhaya%20Kadam%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5