Media freedom is a concern that is shared across all countries as even the Western democracies need to do more to expand the space for journalism to flourish, a conference in London has heard.
The host of what is designed to be an annual event, Jeremy Hunt, the British Foreign Secretary, used the stage to openly share his disagreements with US President Donald Trump who has dubbed the press as “enemies of the people”.
Speaking at a press conference at the Global Conference for Media Freedom in London on Wednesday, Mr Hunt said: “I wouldn’t use the language president Trump used and I wouldn’t agree with it. I think we have to remember whatever the political battles we face in countries where we are used to press freedom, it’s part of our daily lives and we’ve never known anything else, we have to remember that what we say can have impact in other countries where we can’t take press freedom for granted.”
Mr Hunt announced a five point plan to give a global boost to the media, a new global fund for journalism, an establishment of international task force to address problems, a legal panel including the celebrity lawyer Amal Clooney, a shared pledge of values and a commitment by states to lobby.
He added that is part of the reason why he launched the conference with the Canadian government.
"For the first time we flying the flag for that awkward tension between politicians and journalists because we have that symbiotic relationship where we each make the other’s life difficult and actually what we end up with is freer and stronger societies," he said.
The Global Conference for Media Freedom, taking place on Wednesday and Thursday, welcomed delegations from more than 100 countries, including 60 ministers, and at least 1,500 journalists, academics and campaigners.
Mr Trump has previously used terms like “fake news” and “lying press” when describing the media.
After being asked at the press conference about Sir Kim Darroch, the British former ambassador to the US who resigned earlier on Wednesday after secret diplomatic memos were leaked giving a scathing view of the Trump administration, the foreign secretary reaffirmed his support for the ambassador.
Boris Johnson, Mr Hunt’s rival in his bid to become Britain’s Prime Minister, refused to defend Mr Darroch in a televised debate on Tuesday evening.
“Boris can speak for himself and I will speak for myself,” said Mr Hunt.
“I think it’s absolutely essential when our diplomats do their job all over the world and in this case Sir Kim Darroch was a very experienced diplomat. We defend them because we have the largest diplomatic network [in the world] after the United States and China and it is incredibly important both for the United Kingdom and for the defence of the values of the United Kingdom supports like press freedom.
“In this situation we had a fine diplomat just doing what he should have been doing. He was giving a frank personal assessment of the political situation of the country he was posted and that’s why I defended him and I think we all should.”
Mrs Clooney, the British Foreign Office’s Special Envoy on Media Freedom agreed with Mr Hunt’s assessment that media freedom is an issue that affects every country, even stable democracies.
She said that the recent indictment against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange alarmed newspapers around the world, alleging that the efforts to prosecute him was in danger of criminalising practices in journalism that had long served the public interest.
Mrs Clooney said: “You may think that these problems only affect people in far-off lands; but that is not true. These problems are global. They exist even in democracies that otherwise have a strong tradition of free speech; and no region is untouched. Many people don’t know that journalists have been murdered because they are journalists even here in Europe, in places like Malta and Slovakia.”
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Four reasons global stock markets are falling right now
There are many factors worrying investors right now and triggering a rush out of stock markets. Here are four of the biggest:
1. Rising US interest rates
The US Federal Reserve has increased interest rates three times this year in a bid to prevent its buoyant economy from overheating. They now stand at between 2 and 2.25 per cent and markets are pencilling in three more rises next year.
Kim Catechis, manager of the Legg Mason Martin Currie Global Emerging Markets Fund, says US inflation is rising and the Fed will continue to raise rates in 2019. “With inflationary pressures growing, an increasing number of corporates are guiding profitability expectations downwards for 2018 and 2019, citing the negative impact of rising costs.”
At the same time as rates are rising, central bankers in the US and Europe have been ending quantitative easing, bringing the era of cheap money to an end.
2. Stronger dollar
High US rates have driven up the value of the dollar and bond yields, and this is putting pressure on emerging market countries that took advantage of low interest rates to run up trillions in dollar-denominated debt. They have also suffered capital outflows as international investors have switched to the US, driving markets lower. Omar Negyal, portfolio manager of the JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Income Trust, says this looks like a buying opportunity. “Despite short-term volatility we remain positive about long-term prospects and profitability for emerging markets.”
3. Global trade war
Ritu Vohora, investment director at fund manager M&G, says markets fear that US President Donald Trump’s spat with China will escalate into a full-blown global trade war, with both sides suffering. “The US economy is robust enough to absorb higher input costs now, but this may not be the case as tariffs escalate. However, with a host of factors hitting investor sentiment, this is becoming a stock picker’s market.”
4. Eurozone uncertainty
Europe faces two challenges right now in the shape of Brexit and the new populist government in eurozone member Italy.
Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, which has offices in Dubai, says the stand-off between between Rome and Brussels threatens to become much more serious. "As with Brexit, neither side appears willing to step back from the edge, threatening more trouble down the line.”
The European economy may also be slowing, Mr Beauchamp warns. “A four-year low in eurozone manufacturing confidence highlights the fact that producers see a bumpy road ahead, with US-EU trade talks remaining a major question-mark for exporters.”
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