In Europe, the Americas and beyond, hundreds of thousands have been gathering to demonstrate about racism past and present. A greater awareness of structural racism is certainly necessary, and if many are unaware of the brutality and exploitation carried out by the European colonial empires that is indeed shameful. It is right that curricula be amended.
We should debate historical figures such as Cecil Rhodes – although given that South Africa’s Nelson Mandela was willing to form the Mandela Rhodes Foundation in association with a trust named after a rapacious Victorian imperialist, we might perhaps do so with a little more nuance than the statue-topplers employ.
“What’s past is prologue,” as Shakespeare wrote. It is correct that we connect the dots between past wrongs and present day injustices. What is worrying, however, is that in all this discussion there appears to be a near complete disconnect from a danger that is not just figuratively at the gates but in many cases already within the citadel – and that is the rise and normalisation of the far-right.
We are used to hearing about Trump “mini-mes” like Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro, although there is a tendency in that case to dismiss him as the product of volatile Brazilian politics. But consider the situation in Europe. Leave aside parties that might generously be described as conservative nationalist that are in government, such as Hungary’s Fidesz and Poland’s Law and Justice, and the unambiguously far-right can still be seen to be riding higher than at any time since the 1930s.
In France, the National Rally (the renamed National Front) topped the polls in last year’s European parliament elections. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is now the leading opposition party in the country’s Bundestag and beat Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats in a state election in Thuringia last October. Far-right parties are in the governing coalition in Estonia, almost won the last general election in Finland, and came third in Spain’s last year.
The debate about statues often pits two groups of the broadly liberal-minded against each other
The significance of these and other results is frequently underplayed. The BBC is far from alone in describing the then National Front leader Marine Le Pen as having been “comprehensively defeated by Emmanuel Macron” when she ran for the French presidency in 2017.
It’s a comforting but terribly complacent narrative. Far wiser, I believe, to be shocked that over one in three – a staggering proportion – who went to the polls voted for a far-right candidate in the final round of the election.
But I am in a minority putting forward that proposition. Perhaps it is the years of assured media performances by extremist politicians like the Netherlands’ Geert Wilders, but the instinctive recoil that used to be near-universally felt when the far right did well seems to have disappeared.
Contrast, for instance, the reaction when Austria’s Freedom Party first entered government as part of a coalition in 2000 to its later return to high office in 2017. In 2000 there was an international furore, and the European Union imposed sanctions on the country. In 2017, there were protests on the streets of Vienna, but the diplomatic response was widely described as being “muted”.
Why? It may be partly that populism, of both the left and the right, has become commonplace. The range of worry one could acceptably express about immigration has hugely expanded. After all, if a figure as respected as the then British prime minister Gordon Brown could talk about “British jobs for British workers” in 2009 – an atypical low for Mr Brown, who must have known the dogwhistle many heard in his words – was it really too far a leap for the Ukip leader Nigel Farage to say he’d be concerned if a group of Romanians moved in next door to him?
Conservative commentators and far-right activists may have distinguished themselves from each other, but many played on the same fears and smears of Islam. And far-right politicians have made an attempt to smarten up, are more careful in what they say, and have ditched a few dinosaurs, such as when the National Front expelled its founder, Ms Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie, in 2015. Far-right parties are sure to distance themselves from embarrassing pasts – Nazi or neo-Nazi connections and so on – but is this all an attempt to make themselves more palatable? Have they really changed at all?
I suspect not. The anti-immigrant and Islamophobic messaging is still clear, however it is couched. And occasionally, the curtain parts. In a 2018 documentary, The Patriot Game, the former UK MP George Galloway interviewed Martin Webster, once a leading figure in the far-right National Front. Webster talked of the British people not allowing themselves to "be mongrelised out of existence".
“Why have we got to submit to being exterminated by race mixing?” he asked. These may be sentiments that most far-right politicians would be cautious not to state too explicitly today. But does anyone doubt that most, if not all, would privately agree with them?
Would that Webster’s words be heard more widely, for the stark, unapologetic bigotry has a chilling clarity. The debate about statues often pits two groups of the broadly liberal-minded against each other. Neither side, for instance, is suggesting putting up new statues of imperialists or American Confederate generals.
But preoccupied as they are with the latest battle in the culture wars, they appear to be overlooking a much greater and more insidious enemy. The far-right was once beyond the pale. They have now dismantled that barrier and are posing as the true representatives of the common people, and even – grotesquely – as statesmen.
Leftists, liberals and decent conservatives of all stripes should ask themselves how they have allowed this to happen – and focus much harder on what they are going to do about it.
Sholto Byrnes is a commentator and consultant in Kuala Lumpur and a corresponding fellow of the Erasmus Forum
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Miguel Cotto world titles:
WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
