Follow the latest developments from the UN General Assembly.
There were no surprises in US President Joe Biden’s address to the 77th UN General Assembly. Mr Biden laid out his country’s positions on Russia, climate change, democracy and a number of other issues.
The start of the speech featured key themes dominating discussions in New York this week: food insecurity, record heat in countries around the world, floods, droughts, Covid-19, rising inflation and, of course, the war in Ukraine.
Mr Biden was clear in his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, hours before Mr Biden’s speech, announced a partial military mobilisation for the war in Ukraine.
Mr Biden’s speech, which was delayed a day due to his attendance at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in London, was not as highly attended by world leaders as speeches by his predecessors have been.
A number of countries, including Russia and Ukraine, did not have even their foreign ministers attend.
The US president urged countries around the world to see the harm of “nations pursuing imperial ambitions” — a reference to Russia in Ukraine — without mentioning other countries who have had similar ambitions.
While Ukraine and Russia dominated Mr Biden’s speech, he was keen to highlight a number of other issues of concern and interest to the US.
On China, he was more conciliatory, stressing “we do not seek conflict”. He also repeated that his country respects the “One China” policy on Taiwan, despite his escalatory statements days earlier, in which he said the US would commit to “defending” the territory, if needed.
Mr Biden pledged that, when it comes to China, “as we manage shifting geopolitical trends, the US will be a responsible leader”.
“We do not ask any nation to choose between the US and any other partner,” he said.
Unlike previous years, the Middle East did not feature heavily in the US president's speech. He repeated known US positions, such as support for “the Jewish state of Israel” and the possibility of a two-state solution with the Palestinians.
He also spoke of the need to extend the truce in Yemen.
On Iran, Mr Biden stated that “we will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon”, while stressing his support for a return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
In a wider context regarding nuclear weapons, Mr Biden said that there is a concerning build-up.
“A nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought,” he said.
There was no mention of Afghanistan or Iraq, two countries that the US invaded in the past two decades and which took up most of its diplomatic efforts in the past.
Mr Biden’s strongest line had little to do with geopolitics, as he spoke of the state of the world and food security, saying: “If parents cannot feed their children, nothing else matters.”
As economic woes continue to trouble much of the world, it is that issue that will be of biggest concern to people around the globe.
Company Profile
Company name: Big Farm Brothers
Started: September 2020
Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur
Based: Dubai Investment Park 1
Industry: food and agriculture
Initial investment: $205,000
Current staff: eight to 10
Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs: 2019 Jeep Wrangler
Price, base: Dh132,000
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 285hp @ 6,400rpm
Torque: 347Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.6L to 10.3L / 100km
New schools in Dubai
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group C
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
