With Rishi Sunak becoming the newest resident of 10 Downing Street, the UK has had five prime ministers and seven chancellors of the exchequer over the past six years. Of late, the turnover has been even faster: three prime ministers in less than two months and four chancellors in just over three. No wonder the country has become a global laughing stock.
On social media, one Fatima Said tweeted: “As an Arab, I have to ask: is Britain ready for democracy? Does the UK need a strongman to help them overcome their political instability?” After that, the jokes came thick and fast. “Maybe after they resolve their ‘ancient hatreds’ they can learn to share the island,” was one reply. “Here in Africa, we can only watch as tensions rise and political unrest grows. As winter approaches in the UK, what lies ahead for this troubled island nation?” was another. “Britain needs to be put under some internationally approved mandate status until it is ready to govern itself,” was a third.
But it’s not just Britain that’s in trouble. Tens of thousands have been protesting about the cost-of-living crisis in France, while there have been strikes at the country’s refineries. The far right has been gaining ground all over Europe; the current Swedish government stands only with its support and it is in office in Italy. The eurozone posted its biggest ever trade deficit in August. In the US, a poll last month found that more than 60 per cent of Republicans and nearly one third of all Americans still believe Joe Biden did not win the 2020 presidential election legitimately. And in many of the richest countries in the world, millions are having to resort not only to food banks, but potentially, this coming winter, to “warm banks” as well.
Without the imperative to act responsibly and ensure the primacy of stability, there is no real freedom at all
The fabled liberal democratic model long vaunted by a West that has pressed the rest of the world to adopt it, sometimes by force of arms, is faltering badly. It really is time to suggest that Europe and America might try to learn a few lessons from other countries, rather than giving them lectures on how to behave.
Let’s start with South-East and East Asia in particular. For it’s there that, on the whole, stability and moderation (the latter sometimes more in name than in action, but all the same) that have been the key words for decades. That emphasis has pretty much kept the peace in an area of the continent that was often called the Balkans of Asia – riven by religious and ethnic faults both in the region and within countries. That is what has driven the spectacular growth, and it’s at the core of the nearly 700 million strong Association of South-East Asian Nations – one of the few parts of the world that economists predict could escape the global trend towards stagflation.
Stability is so prized because they know very well it cannot be taken for granted. Communism was a genuine threat in the region from the 1950s to the 1970s, leading to an insurgency in what was then Malaya and the full takeover of Laos and Vietnam. Communal tensions could boil over if order was not determinedly kept. In the case of Singapore, the very long-term existence of the state was not assured – as one of the country’s great thinkers, Kishore Mahbubani, has pointed out, city-states tend to get swallowed up by neighbours.
Moderation has been necessary as inclusive nation-building is still ongoing, especially in countries whose borders were set, often arbitrarily, by their former colonisers’ empires. Ideology unhinged from reality has been seen as the catastrophe that it is, especially in the case of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. Even Vietnam has ditched communist strictures in its successful path to development. Not for this region the “disruptor in chief” style of outgoing UK prime minister Liz Truss, who destroyed the Conservative party’s reputation for economic competence in her mere 45 days in office. Instead, pragmatism has generally ruled. As the Guardian’s Larry Elliott wrote recently, “The tiger economies of East Asia used the full range of measures available to them, including tax, procurement, public ownership, state aid, infant industry support and capital controls.”
There is no space here to go into the merits or demerits of the “Asian values” argument, but it is certainly the case that there is very little enthusiasm for the hyper-individualism that animates so many in the West – an attitude that has undermined the very concept of objective reality, since numerous people now insist that “their truth” must be respected, however little evidence backs it up. The community and the country come first, an approach that Europeans frequently lambast as being oppressive, but which is vital to any society that wishes to resist the loneliness and anomie of atomisation and remain cohesive.
“Freedom”, that great watchword of everyone from American gun rights lobbyists, to Atlanticist libertarians, to the warmongers who have bombed developing countries for decades to bring them its blessings: this means little if you can no longer pay your mortgage due to skyrocketing interest rates; if you have to choose between having enough to eat and heating your home; and if, as the peoples of the Middle East know so well, the price of it being "gifted" to you causes your state institutions to disintegrate, and crime, terrorism and even slavery to thrive.
A distinguished Malaysian diplomat once told me that the French national motto, “liberty, equality, fraternity”, lacked a further indispensable noun – “responsibility”. He was right. The states of South-East and East Asia are by no means perfect, but many have come very far in a short time. They have done so, by and large, by bearing in mind a lesson that the western nations currently facing both internal and external crises appear to have forgotten. For without the imperative to act responsibly and ensure the primacy of stability, there is no real freedom at all.
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Company%20profile
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Cheeseburger%20ingredients
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
The years Ramadan fell in May
Zayed Sustainability Prize
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Frida%20
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winners: Sharkh, Pat Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep - Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
MATCH INFO
Southampton 0
Manchester City 1 (Sterling 16')
Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
Mountain%20Boy
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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Mobile phone packages comparison
