If any good is to emerge from the deepening crisis in Eastern Europe, it is the growing evidence that the western alliance may finally have rediscovered the unity of purpose necessary to deal with Russia's troop build-up on the Ukrainian border.
Ever since the US-led Nato security alliance presided over the catastrophic withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan last summer, serious concerns have been raised about the ability of the West to present a united front when dealing with a major crisis. One of the defining features of the Afghanistan fiasco was Washington's willingness to act unilaterally and without engaging in proper consultation with fellow Nato member states and other allies, a failing that contributed significantly to the subsequent chaos that unfolded at Kabul airport as the US and its partners struggled to implement their individual responses to the crisis.
No one would have followed these humiliating events, at least from the West’s point of view, more closely than Russian President Vladimir Putin who, in his desire to reassert Moscow's standing on the world stage, looks to seize upon any sign of weakness or division among its rivals. Indeed, it has been argued that a key motivating factor in Moscow's decision to mount a military presence on the Ukrainian border has been his desire to test the West's resilience, specifically Washington's leadership role.
Even US President Joe Biden's most loyal acolytes would concede that their leader's first year in office has been less than impressive, especially when it comes to working with key allies. Mr Biden's neglect of America's vital relationship with Europe was reflected in the fact that his administration spent nearly all of last year without having appointed ambassadors in many of the continent's capitals, including Berlin, Paris and London, a failing that undermined its attempts to maintain cordial ties.
Indeed, Mr Biden's less-than-convincing performance, on global issues as well as domestic concerns, has led some prominent members of his Democratic Party to question whether he should run for re-election in 2024.
That Mr Biden, in cohort with his European allies, has helped to forge something approaching a coherent and unified approach to the Kremlin's moves near Russia's border with Ukraine is a welcome sign. He has proved that, in a time of crisis, the West still has the ability to summon the resolve to tackle major global issues.
Mr Biden's response has not been faultless. He apparently misspoke during a news conference to mark his first year in office, when he seemed to question whether Nato would respond if Russia only carried out a "minor incursion" in Ukraine. Mr Biden was obliged to issue a hasty clarification the next day, making it "absolutely clear" that any Russian move into Ukraine would be seen as an "invasion".
Nato has remained robust in rejecting all of the Kremlin's key demands
Nor has Mr Biden been the only prominent western leader to struggle to mount an effective response. French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to suggest he was willing to compromise Kiev's sovereignty in return for getting Mr Putin to scale down Russia's military presence on the border.
New German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was another key western leader whose performance has been questioned after he described Ukraine's hopes of one day acquiring membership of the Nato alliance as "absurd". Germany's willingness to cut a deal with Moscow, which it relies upon heavily for its energy needs, on the Ukraine issue caused so much alarm in Washington that Mr Biden felt obliged to hurriedly arrange a summit with Mr Scholz to get him to toe the line.
Despite these wobbles, however, Nato has remained robust in rejecting all of the Kremlin's key demands.
As tensions over Ukraine deepened towards the end of last year, Mr Putin made clear his requirements for de-escalating the crisis by presenting Nato with a highly contentious list of security guarantees contained in an eight-point draft treaty released by the Russian foreign ministry in December. The demands included a ban on Ukraine entering Nato and a limit to the deployment of troops and weapons to Nato's eastern flank, in effect returning alliance forces to where they were stationed in 1997, before an eastward expansion.
After studying the proposals in detail, both the US and Nato have formally rejected Russia's demand limiting Ukraine's membership of Nato, while offering the possibility of opening discussions on areas such as missile defence and transparency over military drills. The alliance, moreover, has maintained a unified position in this regard, even if some member states, such as France and Germany, would prefer to find a compromise solution to ease tensions.
This welcome – and some would say long-overdue – display of Nato unity has certainly made life a lot more difficult for the Kremlin, as it contemplates its next move.
Despite the Russian defence ministry's claims earlier in the week that Moscow had begun withdrawing some of its heavy armour, western security officials remain unconvinced. They are concerned that Russia remains committed to establishing a friendly regime in Kiev through military force. While a possible invasion date of February 16 mooted by US intelligence passed without incident, both western and Ukrainian leaders have not ruled out the possibility of an invasion in the coming weeks.
And if an invasion does take place, having a robust and unified western alliance will be vital to dealing with the most formidable security challenge Europe has faced since the Second World War.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
Scribe
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
IPL 2018 FINAL
Sunrisers Hyderabad 178-6 (20 ovs)
Chennai Super Kings 181-2 (18.3 ovs)
Chennai win by eight wickets
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
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GAC GS8 Specs
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6 UNDERGROUND
Director: Michael Bay
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco
2.5 / 5 stars
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
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Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
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- Deliveroo will team up with Pineapple Express to offer customers near JLT a special treat: free banana caramel dessert with all orders on January 26
- Jones the Grocer will have their limited edition Australia Day menu available until the end of the month (January 31)
- Australian Vet in Abu Dhabi (with locations in Khalifa City A and Reem Island) will have a 15 per cent off all store items (excluding medications)