Survey points to Muslim support for a stronger UN

WASHINGTON // A survey of seven majority-Muslim countries shows widespread support for a more powerful United Nations, even amid dissatisfaction with the world body's performance on several fronts and a belief that it is in effect dominated by the United States. An average of 63 per cent of those surveyed indicated a desire for the United Nations to "do more" to "promote human rights principles", the same percentage that favoured giving the UN the authority to go into countries to investigate violations of human rights. Moreover, nearly two-thirds said the UN Security Council had the responsibility - including through the authorisation of the use of military force - to protect people from severe human rights abuses "even against the will of their own government". Overall, respondents also indicated general support for giving the UN the power to regulate the international arms trade and maintaining a standing UN peacekeeping force trained and commanded by that body. The survey was conducted in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, the Palestinian territories and Turkey by WorldPublicOpinion.org, a project of the University of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes. It was carried out in two phases earlier this year; not all of the questions were asked in all of the countries. Overall, 6,175 people were interviewed in the first phase and 5,363 in the second; a total of 11,538 respondents participated in the study. The first phase was conducted from Jan 12 to Feb 18, though in two nations it was completed in late 2006. The second phase for all nations was completed July 21 to Aug 31. While supporting broader powers for the 192-member UN, many respondents simultaneously expressed discontent with the international body on a number of issues. An average of 53 per cent said its efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were "not helpful", while another 12 per cent said they had no impact either way. Forty-five per cent said the same of UN attempts to resolve the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. Majorities in Egypt (68 per cent), the Palestinian Territories (63 per cent), Jordan (59 per cent) and Turkey (53 per cent) said they believed the UN is dominated by the US, agreeing with the statement the US "basically controls the UN and can almost always make the UN do what the US wants". Steven Kull, the director of WorldPublicOpinion.org and the Program on International Policy Attitudes, said while many in the Muslim world expressed disappointment with the UN, that is not to say they do not support its founding principles and ideals. "Some people assume Muslims are against the UN per se," Mr Kull said, but that is not the case. "They want a UN that's strong enough to stand up to the US, that's robust enough that it can't be dominated by the US and it can go in and deal with issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." Mr Kull said the survey highlighted "how much Muslims are supportive of - and even inspired by - the ideals associated with the UN". eniedowski@thenational.ae

Guns N’ Roses’s last gig before Abu Dhabi was in Hong Kong on November 21. We were there – and here’s what they played, and in what order. You were warned.

It’s So Easy
Mr Brownstone
Chinese Democracy
Welcome to the Jungle
Double Talkin’ Jive
Better
Estranged
Live and Let Die (Wings cover)
Slither (Velvet Revolver cover)
Rocket Queen
You Could Be Mine
Shadow of Your Love
Attitude (Misfits cover)
Civil War
Coma
Love Theme from The Godfather (movie cover)
Sweet Child O’ Mine
Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb cover)
Wish You Were Here (instrumental Pink Floyd cover)
November Rain
Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
Nightrain

Encore:

Patience
Don’t Cry
The Seeker (The Who cover)
Paradise City

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

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NO OTHER LAND

Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

Rating: 3.5/5

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
not be younger than 25 years old
not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially

UAE%20Warriors%2033%20Results

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Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.

Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013

MATCH INFO

What: Brazil v South Korea
When: Tonight, 5.30pm
Where: Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae

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.