The world as we know it has been shaped by political, economic, military and technological developments. The lasting effect of several of these changes influences our daily lives and will do so for many years to come.
There is talk of a new Sykes-Picot agreement redividing the region along ethnic and religious lines.
The sectarian and doctrinal conflicts we are witnessing today are reminiscent of the beginning of the religious wars that defined Europe during the Middle Ages.
It seems we are on the cusp of a new regional and international Cold War where the Middle East is a key arena.
While the Ottoman Empire completely unravelled almost a century ago, there are those who dream of its return and are actively working towards the realisation of this goal, considering it part of their religious duty. History has clearly bypassed them, as has the rule of the logic tied to the nation-state.
The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the end of a divisive ideology. Now we see those who are trying to create their own cultural, religious and sectarian divisions through the promotion of grand ideological theories such as the clash of civilisations.
There is a prevailing belief that the scale of destruction caused by the atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki removed the spectre of a nuclear war taking place.
However, the mad desire to acquire nuclear weapons has consumed many countries and there are some among that group that can hardly be considered rational players.
These countries hold ambitions for domination based on religious tenets. The likelihood of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorist groups is also a distinct possibility, meaning that another Hiroshima and Nagasaki cannot be ruled out.
The reader will note that I care most about events where the effect is likely to transcend both space and time, but I am less concerned with those that bear no relevance to the present day.
I also take great interest in sociopolitical, economic and cultural issues and concerns which we are currently experiencing regionally and internationally, such as: sectarianism, succession and revolution.
Added to this, I am also concerned with events in the Arab world that teach us about missed opportunities, historical precedents that govern development over time and readily available alternatives that help us to avoid repeating the same mistakes of the past.
For example, we must be careful to avoid the dangers that arise out of remaining silent towards extremism, being lenient towards grand designs for global dominance or ignorant of rising hostility between different communities, races, sects and cultures.
Historical catastrophes are often small and difficult to detect. The danger of such episodes is not always fully appreciated until they reach the point of explosion for which future generations pay a dear price with bloodshed and instability.
The history of the Arab and Muslim worlds, and the history of the entire world for that matter, is littered with specific acts, events and inventions that aimed to increase human happiness and facilitate development. Similarly, the moment in history we have reached today contains several rays of light that require our attention to help them to expand.
Such opportunities must be seized before it is too late so that history does not repeat itself and the world doesn’t have to endure similar catastrophes and tragedies to the ones it has faced before now.
Dr Jamal Sanad Al Suwaidi is the director general of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This is an extract from the first in a series of essays written by the author called Events That Changed History
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat
Barbara J King, University of Chicago Press
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
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.
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo
Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 28
Sector: Financial services
Investment: $9.5m
Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors.
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The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
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.
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.