I hosted the US congressman Brian Baird, a Democrat from Washington state retiring from Congress, on my weekly television programme Viewpoint on Abu Dhabi TV last week. His departure after 12 years of service is a loss for both the House of Representatives and America. There are several qualities that have distinguished Mr Baird's work. At the top of the list have been his commitment to principle and courage, which have led him to tackle tough issues, defying both political expediency and, at times, his own party's leadership.
These traits were apparent in Mr Baird's approach to the Iraq war. An opponent of the war, he argued before the invasion that it was both a mistake and a dangerous diversion that would draw attention and resources away from unfinished business in Afghanistan. By 2006, the Democratic leadership in Congress found the courage to oppose a war they never should have supported. They began half-hearted legislative to withdraw US forces from Iraq. Mr Baird, who had made numerous visits to the war zone, once again found himself the contrarian. Arguing that the US had a responsibility both to the country we had invaded and to the Americans and Iraqis who had given their lives in battle, he broke with his party and supported the Bush "surge". He did so, not because he was confident in its success, but because he knew that withdrawal meant certain failure fraught with danger for Iraq, the region and US interests.
Having recently returned from his seventh visit to Iraq, Mr Baird is once again challenging accepted wisdom when he proposes that the Obama administration may need to reconsider the December 2011 deadline for the withdrawal of all US forces from Iraq. He argues that while the Iraqi army has made significant progress, lethal and destabilising threats remain, and too many lives have been sacrificed to now squander the achievements of the past three years. "The mission in Iraq is not finished," he says. "Just as it was a mistake to neglect Afghanistan for Iraq, we must not now neglect Iraq for Afghanistan".
Mr Baird recognises, of course, that the US and Iraq have established a timetable for withdrawal in their 2008 Status of Forces Agreement, but he says that should the Iraqi authorities request a continuation of American military trainers or logistical support, we ought to be willing to provide that assistance into 2012 and beyond. He says: "Walking away from atrocities does not make them go away, and it is not conscionable morally or wise strategically … Once a conflict begins, the costs of succeeding can be far higher than we want to pay, but the costs of failure can be far greater still." One may not agree, but these are arguments that should not be casually dismissed.
Another issue where Mr Baird's courage and conviction have been demonstrated is in his approach to Gaza. He and fellow Congressman Keith Ellison were the first two American officials to travel to that devastated strip after the Israeli assault in January 2009. In his report back to Congress after that visit, he spoke passionately about the destruction of Gaza's infrastructure and the suffering inflicted on the Palestinian civilian population. He called for a new American policy that not only pursued an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, but that also addressed the urgent humanitarian needs of Gaza's people.
When the Goldstone Report was released, Mr Baird once again teamed up with Mr Ellison, this time to defend the integrity of Justice Goldstone and to decry the efforts of their colleagues in Congress who were demanding that the report's findings be rejected. Mr Baird told Congress: "This is about much more than just another imposed political litmus test that we are all too often asked to perform." He then proceeded to list the atrocities he had observed, saying: "This is also about our own domestic security. If we are seen internationally as condoning violations of human rights and international law, if our money and our weaponry play a leading role in those violations, and if we reflexively obstruct the findings … of Justice Goldstone, it can only diminish our international standing and our own security."
I confess that while I have been in Washington for 33 years and understand the game of politics, I remain drawn to political leaders who demonstrate integrity and a passion for justice. I remember all too well when first seeing Mister Smith Goes to Washington how moved I was by that young senator's insistence that the truth be told. Every time I see that movie, I am inspired with the hope that Washington can be more like that and less like the place that it all too often is.
Every once in a while our faith in politics can be restored: by Senator Dick Durbin standing up against torture, or Senator Russ Feingold casting a lone vote against the Patriot Act, or by the courageous leadership shown by Brian Baird. In no way do I mean to suggest that these individuals are alone. There are many principled members of Congress (too many, in fact, to name). But it is clear that there are not enough. When one of these leaders leaves the Congress, it is a loss we must lament.
James Zogby is the president of the Arab American Institute
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
'O'
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Match info:
Portugal 1
Ronaldo (4')
Morocco 0
Results
Stage 4
1. Dylan Groenewegen (NED) Jumbo-Visma 04:16:13
2. Gaviria (COL) UAE Team Emirates
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) Bora-Hansgrohe
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal
General Classification:
1. Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 16:46:15
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07
3. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:35
4. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40
5. Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 0 Southampton 3 (Ings 49', Armstrong 54', Redmond 79')
RESULTS
6.30pm: Handicap (rated 100 ) US$175,000 1,200m
Winner: Baccarat, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (78-94) $60,000 1,800m
Winner: Baroot, Christophe Soumillon, Mike de Kock
7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes Group 3 $200,000 1,600m
Winner: Heavy Metal, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.15pm: Handicap (95-108) $125,000 1,200m
Winner: Yalta, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 $200,000 1,800m
Winner: Promising Run, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
9.25pm: Handicap (95-105) $125,000 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
10pm: Handicap (95-105) $125,000 1,400m
Winner: Oh This Is Us, Tom Marquand, Richard Hannon
THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5
The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Healthcare spending to double to $2.2 trillion rupees
Launched a 641billion-rupee federal health scheme
Allotted 200 billion rupees for the recapitalisation of state-run banks
Around 1.75 trillion rupees allotted for privatisation and stake sales in state-owned assets
