Washington’s new ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, made her first appearance at the world body on Thursday, promising “diplomacy is back” after the four-year Trump administration.
Ms Thomas-Greenfield called the UN an “indispensable institution” and said the administration of President Joe Biden would help to advance the “collective well-being” through compassion and by “bringing people together”.
Her arrival comes amid hopes that the Biden administration can rally efforts against climate change and other UN priorities, but also doubts that the US can regain the global leadership role that was largely abandoned under former president Donald Trump.
“Multilateralism is back and diplomacy is back and America is back and we're ready to get to work,” Ms Thomas-Greenfield said outside the UN Security Council chamber in New York.
The US will on Monday assume the rotating presidency of the 15-nation Security Council for March and its agenda includes conflicts in Libya and Yemen, the errant nuclear programmes of Iran and North Korea and other threats.
“The United Nations is the world's most important forum for bringing people and countries together, and I take that seriously,” Ms Thomas-Greenfield said.
“We're clear-eyed about the difficult work that needs to be done, from elevating human rights to reforming the UN itself, and to addressing conflicts old and new around the world.”
Her talk of multilateralism goes down well at the UN after four years of Mr Trump's “America first” policies, under which the US withdrew from a climate change deal, a global health body and the UN Human Rights Council.
A UN spokesman praised the new US envoy, saying UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had worked with her in his previous job leading the UN’s refugee agency and “witnessed her effectiveness and dedication in action”.
Ms Thomas-Greenfield, a career diplomat with experience across four continents and a former assistant secretary of state for African affairs, was confirmed as US ambassador by the Senate on Tuesday.
With her confirmation, Mr Biden’s national security team is now largely in place to face challenges such as resuming nuclear negotiations with Iran, restoring trust with allies and confronting an emboldened China and Russia.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
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EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
War and the virus
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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."
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Pakhtoons 137-6 (10 ov)
Fletcher 68 not out; Cutting 2-14
Sindhis 129-8 (10 ov)
Perera 47; Sohail 2-18
All%20The%20Light%20We%20Cannot%20See%20
MATCH INFO
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Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Thor: Ragnarok
Dir: Taika Waititi
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson
Four stars
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2. North America
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4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
The%20Iron%20Claw
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Director: Neeraj Pandey
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National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
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Kibsons%20Cares
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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- 400m Olympic running track
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- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
