Rishi Sunak made history as the UK's first British Asian Prime Minister but his future will be in the hands of British voters when they deliver their verdict at a July election.
Polls suggest Mr Sunak, 44, faces a huge uphill battle to keep his Conservative Party in power after years of political and economic turmoil in Britain.
With an image as a slick operator and safe pair of hands, Mr Sunak promised stability and a focus on bread-and-butter voter priorities after taking power in 2022.
In his 19 months in office he has staked his reputation on a pledges to lift Britain's economic mood, cut hospital waiting times and curb illegal immigration.
He called the election after making the greatest progress to date on any of those pledges when inflation fell to 2.3 per cent, its lowest level in three years.
In choosing July 4 – the earliest possible date for the election in the "second half of this year" he promised – he is gambling that better economic news will persuade voters to "stick to the plan".
He is also promising security at a time of rising extremism but his other pledges have yet to come off and he is weighed down by deep dissatisfaction with the Tories after 14 turbulent years in power.
Rishi Sunak through the years - in pictures
Family background
Born in England to a family of Indian descent, Mr Sunak is the UK's first Hindu and first British Asian leader – a landmark that won him cross-party congratulations.
At only 42, he also became Britain's youngest prime minister since Lord Liverpool in 1812.
Assuming power during Diwali in October 2022, he wore a garland of flowers to celebrate the Hindu festival of lights on his first full day in No 10 Downing Street.
While inspiring pride among some of Britain's ethnic minorities, Mr Sunak has also failed to shake off an image of wealth and privilege.
Educated in the prestigious classrooms of Winchester College and the University of Oxford, he and his wife Akshata Murty have an estimated $673 million (£528 million) fortune.
Ms Murty owns a stake in Infosys, a $64 billion Indian IT company co-founded by her billionaire father. The couple have two daughters.
A former investment banker with a fascination for tech and AI, Mr Sunak entered politics in 2015 when he was elected Conservative MP for Richmond, Yorkshire.
A supporter of Brexit, his rise in party ranks was rapid and he was a cabinet minister by 2019, when Boris Johnson made him a minister in the Treasury.
He became chancellor of the exchequer in February 2020 in a role that would massively raise his profile during the Covid-19 pandemic.
His £410 billion spending spree kept millions of people afloat during the dark days of lockdown and job furloughs.
While known for a media-savvy social media presence, he did not emerged unscathed from Covid-era scandal as he was fined over an illegal Downing Street birthday party.
The drumbeat of scandal would ultimately bring down the Johnson government, which collapsed after Mr Sunak resigned in July 2022.
Defeat and comeback
Mr Sunak lost the subsequent Conservative leadership election to right-wing rival Liz Truss, but he was given a second chance when her gung-ho economic agenda collapsed within 49 days.
Tory MPs desperate for stability rallied around Mr Sunak and he was crowned leader without a vote being cast – even though some never forgave him for his role in Mr Johnson's downfall.
After being appointed by King Charles III he stood on the steps of No 10 Downing Street promising to restore "stability and confidence".
There were early signs of the stability he promised as financial markets calmed and post-Brexit differences were patched up with France and the EU.
In January 2023 he made his five pledges to halve inflation, grow the economy, cut national debt, reduce hospital waiting lists and stop illegal immigration over the English Channel.
His campaign to "stop the boats" has been beset by delays although he finally claimed a win last month when a first illegal migrant voluntarily left for Rwanda under a controversial scheme.
Rishi Sunak's childhood landmarks - in pictures
The waiting lists drive was hit by a pay dispute with doctors while the economy has slipped back into recession, foiling another pledge.
Last year he angered climate campaigners by watering down some of Britain's net-zero pledges, saying he was putting the UK on a more realistic path.
Amid wars in the Middle East and Ukraine he has recently put a focus on security and promised to raise the UK's defence spending.
The sometimes ugly fallout from the Israel-Gaza war has also prompted an anti-extremism drive to tackle what Mr Sunak called a "poison" in British society.
While he has presided over an uneasy calm in relentless Tory warfare, an undercurrent of scandal has continued to plague the party under Mr Sunak's leadership.
An election win on July 4 would be one of Britain's biggest political upsets and require political skill that many feel Mr Sunak has lacked to date.
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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PROFILE BOX:
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Rami Salman, Rishav Jalan, Ayush Chordia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Technology, Sales, Voice, Artificial Intelligence
Size: (employees/revenue) 10/ 100,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($800,000)
Investors: Eight first-round investors including, Beco Capital, 500 Startups, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Hala Fadel, Odin Financial Services, Dubai Angel Investors, Womena, Arzan VC
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
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.
Company%C2%A0profile
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
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