The second Summit for Democracy wrapped up on Thursday, focusing mainly on internet freedom and media protection.
US President Joe Biden signed an executive order this week restricting his government's use of commercial spyware tools that have been employed to watch human rights activists, journalists and dissidents around the world.
"We are focused on using technology to try to make our democracies a little bit healthier, more prosperous, a little bit more inclusive," US Secretary Antony Blinken said at the Advancing Technology for Democracy event.
The White House also announced plans for the US Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency to link up with nine countries to work on protecting human rights and other groups at risk of transnational cyber attacks.
The summit, which opened on Wednesday, was held virtually and was followed by gatherings in each of the co-host countries on Thursday.
The Netherlands tackled discussions on media freedom, using Russia's detention of an American journalist as the most recent example.
"Around the world, democracy, human rights and rule of law are under severe threat," Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said.
"But so is media freedom. And the troubling reports on detainment of Wall Street Journal reporter, Evan Gershkovich, in Russia today is just one on a very, very long list of many."
Shocked by events after Russia's attacks on Ukraine, USAid administrator Samantha Power discussed the importance of global internet access.
Ms Power described how Internews in Ukraine, an NGO, produced a documentary that showed what happened to an eastern Ukrainian community after Russia invaded and cut off access to the internet and TV.
"This was like a throwback because the community had almost no access to any media for weeks — and they were at the centre of the biggest story in the world," she said.
Ms Power said later that the Ukrainian community found "news you can use" using radio.
The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, represented the American delegation in Costa Rica, which focused on the role of youth in democratic systems.
South Korea hosted an event on corruption, law and justice, while Zambia took a look at ensuring free and fair elections.
The annual summits, which Mr Joe Biden promised as a candidate in 2020, have become an important piece of his administration's efforts to try to bolster democratic principles.
America saw its own democracy teeter in 2020 when former president Donald Trump refused to admit he lost the election and fuelled populist anger that erupted in the January 6, 2021 mob attack on the US Capitol.
Rights advocates say there is little evidence that the countries joining the summit have made progress on improving their democracies, and that there is no formal way to hold participants to their commitments.
Agencies contributed to this report
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
Brescia 1 (Skrinia og, 76)
Inter Milan 2 (Martinez 33, Lukaku 63)
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The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Favourite film: The Notebook
Favourite book: What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey
Favourite quote: “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness” Nelson Madela. Hometown: Emmen, The Netherlands
Favourite activities: Walking on the beach, eating at restaurants and spending time with friends
Job: Founder and Managing Director of Mawaheb from Beautiful Peopl
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
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.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
