Recent Editorials

Here are some editorials I wrote for The Gulf Today. (Posted for my records)

A symbol of despair

that shook the world

Distressing images of migrants in agonising situations, like travelling on perilous boats or fending off prickly fences, have been appearing in the media for quite some time.

However, the chilling image of a Syrian toddler whose body washed up on a Turkish beach has stirred the collective conscience of humanity like never before.

The hashtag "#KiyiyaVuranInsanlik" (Humanity washed ashore) made it to Twitter's top world trending topics after the image was widely shared.

The last few weeks have witnessed a dramatic spike in the number of migrants seeking to leave Turkey by sea for Greece in the hope of finding new lives in the European Union (EU).

The influx has stunned EU leaders who are visibly divided on how to handle the humanitarian crisis.

Germany has become the top EU destination for refugees and migrants fleeing war and misery. Fortunately, the country has taken a compassionate stance and taken in more migrants than any other EU country. It expects 800,000 new arrivals this year.

Chancellor Angela Merkel insists that her country is doing what is morally necessary.

The French presidency has also taken a supportive stand, issuing a statement: “The European Union must act in a decisive manner in line with its values.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron, who says he is "deeply moved" by the images of the toddler, has surprisingly not announced any new concrete measures for tackling the situation despite increasing pressure at home for his government to let more refugees into Britain.

Greece's caretaker government says its coast guard has been rescuing hundreds of migrants from the sea every day — sometimes over 1,000 in one day — despite a severe scarcity of resources.

The financially strapped country says it needs more than 1 billion euros to deal with the current migrant crisis.

Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orban, has taken a consistently hard line on the issue, which he has dubbed “a German problem.”

Hungary has refused to accept a EU plan for compulsory quotas for asylum seekers and built a razor wire fence along the border with Serbia in a bid to halt the influx.

Europe needs to act quickly to address the crisis. Merkel is right when she says there's an obligation to give protection to those who deserve protection.

If the image of the little angel lying lifeless on Turkish shores does not change hearts and minds and prompt global action to help the hapless migrants, surely nothing else will.

Israel playing

with fire

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ warning about the risk of an Intifada is based on sound reasoning in the light of non-stop Israeli aggression, particularly the attacks against Al Aqsa mosque and worshippers and the Israeli scheme to divide the mosque temporally and spatially.

With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refusing to put an end to the chaos at the flashpoint holy site, what is happening at present is indeed very dangerous, as Abbas points out.

The fears of Muslims that rules governing the compound would be changed are not unfounded as there has been an alarming increase in visits by Jews to the site.

Adding to the chaos is the Israel’s adamant refusal to end settlement activity in the occupied West Bank and return to the negotiating table.

France had previously hoped to promote a Security Council resolution that would set negotiating parameters and establish a time frame, possibly 18 months, to complete the talks.

However, the idea had to be put on the back burner due to lack of support from the United States, Israel's closest ally.

The latest provocation was ignited on Aug.26 by Israel when it placed sweeping restrictions on entry into the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.

The aggression continues on a daily basis. Several Palestinians have been injured, and many more detained over the past week, as Israeli forces clashed with Palestinians protesting across the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem over entry restrictions at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.

The Palestinians have waged two previous Intifadas against Israel - in the late 1980s and in 2000-2005. Interim peace deals were signed two decades ago, but follow-up negotiations have repeatedly failed due to Israeli intransigence.

The seriousness of the present developments can also be gauged by the fact that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to hold an emergency meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the OIC member states to discuss the Israeli violations in the occupied city of Al Quds and ways to stop the Israeli aggression on Al Aqsa Mosque.

Israel’s actions not only violate the sanctity of the third holiest site in Islam, but are also in contravention of the principles of international law.

The bottom-line is if the international community continues to turn a blind eye to the continuing Israeli crimes, especially in Al Aqsa Mosque, it will only fuel violence and tension in the region and the entire world.

Extremists should not be

allowed to ruin history

The destruction of the famed Temple of Bel in Syria's Palmyra by Daesh terrorists is indeed an "intolerable crime against civilisation,” as Unesco chief Irina Bokova put it.

The international community needs to take firm steps against such continuing acts of terrorism and violation of international laws by Daesh, which is trying to erase thousands of years of history.

Palmyra was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world, which Unesco describes as the crossroads of several civilisations.

The “City of Palms,” is known in Syria as Tadmor, or City of Dates. Its main colonnaded street is 1 kilometre long and forms the monumental axis of the city.

Its name first appeared on a tablet in the 19th Century BC as a stopping point for caravans travelling on the Silk Road and between the Gulf and the Mediterranean.

What is worrying is that dozens of more relics remain at risk in Palmyra, which Daesh militants seized from regime forces in May.

The 2,000-year-old temple was the centrepiece of Palmyra’s famed ruins and one of the most important relics at the Unesco-listed heritage site.

Syrian antiquities director Maamoun Abdulkarim had stated that the Temple of Bel was the most beautiful symbol of all of Syria and the most beautiful place to visit.

It is highly unfortunate that the world has now lost the treasure forever.

Gruesome violence and the destruction of priceless artefacts have become Daesh hallmarks. The terrorists recently killed Professor Khaled Al Asaad, the renowned archaeologist who had looked after Palmyra's ruins for four decades, and also destroyed the ancient temple of Baalshamin, a World Heritage site.

The Baalshamin temple dates back to the Roman era. It was erected in the first century AD and further enlarged by Roman emperor Hadrian.

The Daesh group has been destroying heritage also with a view to loot items for the black market. This can be countered if the art market and experts join forces to curb the illicit traffic of cultural property.

In Iraq too, Daesh had carried out a campaign of cultural cleansing, razing part of ancient Mesopotamia's relics and looting others to sell valued artefacts on the black market.

Thousands of books and rare manuscripts were also burned in February in Mosul's library.

The wanton destruction of valuable ancient relics signifying cultural diversity is surely a war crime. The perpetrators should be held accountable for the barbaric action.

After poll gain, austerity

pain awaits Tsipras

Securing the second mandate to form a Greek government marks a personal triumph for left-wing Syriza party’s Alexis Tsipras, but there are huge challenges lined up for the charismatic leader.

A major rift within the Syriza party over a U-turn on tough tax hikes and pensions reforms had earlier forced Tsipras to call Sunday's election.

He will now have to drive through detested reforms under a rescue package worth up to 86 billion euros, the third European Union–International Monetary Fund deal in five years to bail out Greece.

The debt-wracked country also faces another major challenge in the form of migrants. Greece has registered 260,000 refugees and economic migrants this year alone.

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker has already stressed on the urgent need to operationalise the management of the refugee crisis, in which Greece is on the frontlines.

It may be easy to say “no pain, no gain,” but the economic path has been laid with thorns for Greeks that may be hard to endure.

Just consider this: The new government will have to raise taxes and rework the economic policies in line with tough reforms demanded by the country's international creditors.

The new parliament will have to revise the 2015 budget, taking into account pension and income tax reforms, including taxes on farmers' income that are set to double from 13 per cent to 26 per cent by 2017.

Tax on income of less than 12,000 euros a year earned by Greeks is to rise progressively from 11 to 15 per cent, and from 33 to 35 per cent for annual income of more than 12,000 euros.

There will be new cuts on pensions, aimed at reaching savings of around 0.25 per cent of GDP in 2015 and around 1 per cent of GDP by 2016.

On the privatisation aspect, Greece has promised to sell off 6.4 billion euros of state assets by 2017 -- 1.4 billion this year, 3.7 billion in 2016 and 1.3 billion in 2017.

The reform process is not going to be painless. The question to be considered is: “Will it be easy to implement the bailout programme considering its unpopularity among Greek public?”

The high level of tax evasion in the country is also a matter of concern.

The new government in Athens has little time to lose. Tsipras has pledged to soften the edges of the bailout to help his country's poorest citizens weather the austerity storm. How well he does that will have to be seen.

Sharjah Waterfront

City makes a splash

With real estate developer Sharjah Oasis Real Estate Development declaring the official launch of Sharjah Waterfront City at the Cityscape Global 2015, the emirate enters a new dazzling phase as one of the top tourist destinations of the world, with plans to attract 10 million visitors by 2021.

There can be no doubt that the Dhs20-billion project, spread across 36 kilometres of coastline, will turn out to be the heartbeat of the city’s tourism 2021 vision.

The grandeur plans reflect the size and scope of the project. The Sharjah Waterfront City will consist of a series of ten islands interconnected by canals made by nature featuring villas, apartments, offices, hotels, water theme park, marine clubs, parks and much more.

The development will offer all comprehensive facilities required for luxurious, private and elite lifestyle.

In fact, the Sharjah Waterfront City is projected to be the largest commercial, residential and tourism development in the fast-developing Emirate.

The Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021 is focused on four main pillars – promoting Sharjah as an ideal family tourism destination, following an innovative tourism approach, developing world class tourism facilities and capabilities, and strengthening Sharjah’s position as an International Cultural Hub.

The Emirate has been scoring high marks on varied fronts at the international level and had the honour of being selected as the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2015 during the 15th session of The Arab Council of Tourism ministers in Cairo on Oct.18, 2012.

It should be noted that this title is only awarded to a destination after it demonstrates that it meets specific criteria set by the Arab Council of Tourism Ministers.

Going by the indications, the Sharjah Waterfront City project will increase demand for residential and commercial units as well as hotels, especially in prime locations that offer all modern facilities.

Sharjah also marvels in innovation and environmental protection. For example, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) employs the latest technologies in energy saving and utilises recycled materials.

Three years ago, Shurooq, in cooperation with Bee’ah company, unveiled its eco-friendly running track at Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah. The 3,000 square metre project was completed using 6,000 recycled tyres.

The secret of success lies in the fact that Sharjah uses its strong cultural heritage as a platform through which to weave its modern tourism industry.

It’s no wonder that Sharjah’s unique tourism product has been growing highly in reputation at the local, regional and international level.

Journo rewrites lives of strays with compassion

(My article in The Gulf Today, Sept.18, 2015)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/e83a9d38-5817-435a-a6d8-539977fa0298.aspx
SHARJAH: It was the sight of a blind dog desperately searching for food in a Cairo suburb that opened the eyes of Ayman Higazy to the plight of shelterless and handicapped animals.
A school-going child at that time, Ayman decided to help the animal and started feeding food, such as bones or chicken skin, every day.
“The blind dog could smell and feel me around even at a range of 200 metres. He used to sit in front of me and wag his tail...He never ate before ever doing that,” Ayman says.
The friendship extended for more than a year after which the dog suddenly disappeared.
“I was told that the municipal authorities had taken the dog away. The news choked me and I cried for a long time. My family advised me to accept the inevitable and move on.”
Now working as a journalist in the UAE, Ayman continues his mission to help cats and dogs that do not have shelter.
On his office campus, his colleagues often see him feeding a multitude of cats and fondly call him the “Cat Man.”
Interestingly, he gets unstinted support from his wife, who keeps aside fresh food for the animals daily, despite her preoccupation with work as a doctor. “Every day when I return home, she invariably asks whether the food was enough for the pets.”
Ayman sees the shelterless animals as more intelligent than home pets. Perhaps suffering has a lot to do with intellect. “They have more experiences, often painful, than those pampered by their masters at home. Also, they have health immunity because of the food variety and environment changes,” he says.
In Cairo, not all his neighbours took kindly to his animal welfare deeds. Many had expressed disdain at his being surrounded by cats and dogs. However, what Ayman finds amusing is the fact that they all agreed with him that animals “were loyal.”
On a recent visit home, Ayman had an interesting incident when he went to buy clothes from a crowded area. “A huge dog rushed towards me from under a parked car. She came running through crowds of people, jumped over me by almost putting her front legs on my chest. Some bystanders got worried that it was trying to attack me, but I realised that she was one of the dogs that I had offered food earlier. It wagged its tail and the affection was visible.”
Living in the UAE for nearly 18 years, Ayman has helped several hapless animals by sending them to shelters, which offer them for adoption.
Sometimes, he hosts a dog if there is not enough space in the shelters. Interestingly, he gets the support of many local veterinary doctors who are touched by his enthusiasm to help the animals and even offer free treatment.
“I recently met a veterinary doctor whom I had requested to adopt a wonderful dog, Jimmy, three years ago. When I asked about the pet, she started crying, saying Jimmy had passed away,” says Ayman.
The doctor refused to adopt any more animals saying ‘she missed Jimmy too deeply’.”
Ayman suggests that animals should be treated more kindly. “I recently saw a man whacking a cat near his shop for no reason. I went up to him and requested not to repeat such action. But he just did not care.”
The journalist says he will continue with his mission to help hapless animals. “Just a look at a cat’s eye is enough to feel great satisfaction. The animals rejoice and grieve the same way as we humans and, in fact, they are more faithful than some people,” he smiles.

Roach chase

On a recent visit to my hometown, Chennai, I entered my kitchen only to dash out at rapid speed when I came under what looked like a drone attack.

Well, it wasn’t a drone spewing bullets, but apparently a huge flying cockroach.

Most cockroaches in Chennai are huge in size and many also have the dreaded wings.

My immediate instinct was to go for my shoes, but the pest had landed on my shoulder.

Hearing the commotion, my startled daughter called out from the other room, “What’s up?”

“Cockroa....”

Before I could complete my sentence, she had already escaped to our neighbour’s room.

With my brave wife away, I had to take on the flying monster all by myself.

I put on the light, opened the windows and door. Nothing worked. I tried trapping the pest with a towel, but only things fell all around.

It was then that the watchman arrived, passed a sarcastic smile at me, caught the pest with bare hands and walked out like a lion clutching a baby deer.

I remembered reading a quote on social media, “We are all brave until we realise that the cockroach has wings.”

Recent Editorials

Here are some editorials I wrote for The Gulf Today. (Posted for my records) 

Desperate migrants

deserve helping hand

Day after day, the international media highlights stories about the plight of thousands of migrants trying to reach Europe in highly desperate conditions, but efforts to tackle the crisis do not seem to match the urgency it calls for.

It is increasingly obvious that wider Europe needs to bolster humanitarian coordination.

Greece, especially, has seen an unprecedented wave of migrants this year, the vast majority fleeing war and conflict in Syria and Afghanistan.

More than 160,000 have arrived so far, mostly crossing in inflatable dinghies from the nearby Turkish coast — an influx that has overwhelmed Greek authorities and the country's small Aegean islands.

Yet, few of the arriving migrants want to remain in Greece, which itself is in the grip of a financial crisis.

The vast majority head straight to the northern border with Macedonia, where they cram onto trains and head north through Serbia and Hungary on their way to the more prosperous European Union countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and those in Scandinavia.

Sadly, on Friday, Macedonian special police forces fired stun grenades to disperse thousands of migrants stuck on a no-man's land with Greece, a day after declaring a state of emergency on its border to deal with a massive influx of migrants heading north to the European Union (EU).

The scene was visibly heartbreaking. Migrants, many with babies and young children, spent the chilly and windy night in a dust field without food and with little water. Some ate corn they picked from nearby fields.

To add to their agony, police spread coils of razor wire over rail tracks used by migrants to cross on foot from Greece to Macedonia.

Germany's interior minister Thomas de Maiziere has already stated that it is  "unacceptable that European institutions continue to work at their current slow pace" in finding a joint solution to the crisis. The European Commission, on its part, has denied it is failing to act quickly.

Migrants are also human beings whose dignity must be respected. As top UN officials point out, the registration process of new arrivals needs to be expedited. Reception conditions are appalling and call for improvement. Ruthless smugglers who are responsible for packing large numbers of people on dangerous vessels should be punished. Greater funding is also needed to address the crisis.

Too much time has already been wasted. Every hour of delay could lead to further loss of lives and more desperation. 

 

Hostage rescue proves

UAE’s anti-terror resolve

The courageous rescue by the UAE Armed Forces of British citizen Douglas Robert Semple, who had been kidnapped by the terrorist Al Qaeda organisation in Yemen, again underscores the highly-commendable role played by the UAE against terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations.

The 64-year-old Semple was working as a petroleum engineer in the Hadramaut area when he was kidnapped in February, 2014.

The daring rescue is a clear indication that nothing can stop the UAE in its relentless fight against the merciless enemies of humanity.

The operation also offers a shining example of the effect of strong coordination and cooperation among nations while tackling the bane of terrorism.

At a time when critical circumstances have engulfed Yemen, the UAE's leadership and people have been lending unwavering support to that country, proving that a friend in need is a friend indeed.

The unambiguous aim has been to promote regional peace, security, stability and development.

Despite provocations like the storming and seizure of its embassy in Sana’a by the Houthis, the UAE has shown tremendous restraint.

The provocative action even prompted members of the UN Security Council to demand an immediate withdrawal of all Houthi elements from the premises, while condemning all the acts of violence against diplomatic premises.

Highlighting the UAE’s generosity is the fact that it has provided humanitarian aid totaling Dhs744 million and has become the world's largest aid donor to Yemen in 2015, offering almost half of the aid pledged by other countries of the world.

The aid provided by the UAE to Yemen includes food material to 181,000 Yemeni families or approximately 1.1 million people.

The total food relief is estimated at 29,000 tonnes, including 1.4 million food baskets and Dhs181 million worth of emergency relief, consisting of grains, edible oils, canned food and other foodstuff.

The UAE assistance also covers power supply, healthcare, water, and sewage services, in addition to fuel and other relief materials.

The Emirates Red Crescent is also carrying out urgent relief efforts in Aden and has announced plans to expand its reach to help more people in other provinces around the country.

The action by the UAE forces in Aden is indeed renewed evidence of the country’s unchanging firm policy against terrorists. The message is loud and clear: There is no place for terrorists to hide.

At a time when Yemen looks forward to a new phase of security, peace and reconstruction, it is increasingly clear that the people of Yemen will treasure the support extended by the UAE.

Time to take stock

of share tsunami

In a globalised world, a strong financial whack anywhere can hurt across the board.

That’s precisely what happened when fears of a damaging slowdown in the world's second-largest economy, China, turned the day into a “Black Monday,” plunging the global stock markets in distress, leaving commodity prices bleeding and prompting a sharp drop in the dollar.

A near-9 per cent dive in China shares was enough to send investors rushing to the exit doors through the day.

Chinese stocks have tumbled since peaking in mid-June.

It is true that the authorities have launched broad interventions to try to restrain the drops, but Beijing's latest market intervention by allowing its main state pension fund to invest in the stock market, has unfortunately failed to restore traders’ confidence, both in China and abroad.

It may be recalled that China's central bank devalued the currency, yuan, recently, triggering worry that a slowdown in the country's economy was worse than originally anticipated.

The bruises were visible all around.

After dropping more than 1,000 points, or almost 7 per cent, at Wall Street's open, the Dow Jones industrial average eased losses but was still off more than 1 per cent at midday.

European stocks plunged wiping billions of euros off their value and sending one benchmark index to a seven-month low.

The worst hit among major European bourses was Greece, which closed down around 10.5 per cent.

Russia's ruble also hit a new 2015 low and stocks sank with the visible impact of sanctions over Ukraine.

The Australian dollar fell to more than six-year lows and many emerging market currencies also plunged.

The world’s largest democracy could not duck either. The Indian rupee hit its weakest since early September 2013, prompting Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan to say he stood ready to deploy foreign exchange reserves to curb volatility in the currency.

Global equities have already lost more than $5 trillion since China's shock currency devaluation on Aug.11.

What is worrying is that the global market meltdown is leaving a trail with its serious collateral impact on varied sectors.

The Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s has not yet been wiped out from memory of most investors. While the market volatility is expected to continue in the short term, a fool-proof international intervention to restore confidence is what is called for.

A failed earlier attempt should not be a deterrent for Beijing to try out more economic stimulus.

UAE, India chart new

course in partnership

Over 2.5 million Indians consider the UAE their second home. India is UAE's second largest trading partner and the UAE is India's third. The glittering bond between the two multicultural societies serves as an amazing model for the rest of the world on how two countries can sustain an enduring relationship based on mutual trust and respect.

With this background, the grand reception accorded to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day visit to the UAE by the UAE leadership and the discernible enthusiasm of the Indian diaspora are not surprising.

It is also significant that such a high-profile visit of an Indian Prime Minister to the UAE has happened after 34 years.

So much so that “Marhaba Namo,” a grand public event held for Modi in Dubai, is seen as unprecedented as it is rare for a visiting head of state to be allowed a reception on such a scale.

While Modi’s attempts to woo investors indicating that India has an investment opportunity of $1 trillion sounds tempting, there is a definite need on his part to address concerns like cumbersome and complex processes for doing business. Indeed, initiatives like a single window clearance will go a long way.

Also, as Modi came to power on a platform of reforming endemic corruption, there is a need for him to act firmly on this front.

The UAE and India share centuries-old ties of commerce, culture and kinship and the India-UAE Joint Statement has remarkably highlighted that Modi’s visit will mark the beginning of a new and comprehensive strategic partnership in a world of multiple transitions and changing opportunities and challenges.

An extensive framework of agreements, including economic, defence, security, law enforcement, culture, consular and people-to-people contacts constitute solid bedrock for elevating bilateral cooperation across the full spectrum of the relationship.

Modi’s description of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi as an architectural treasure and a beacon of tolerance and peaceful co-existence and the UAE leadership’s gesture of allotting land for a temple in Abu Dhabi set a noble example on ways to promote openness and social harmony.

Modi has stated that UAE's power and India's potential can make the dream of an Asian Century a reality.

The leaders of both the countries have resolved to maintain regular summits, high-level ministerial dialogue and meetings of bilateral mechanisms to realise the vision of a strong comprehensive strategic partnership.

And, that’s the indeed the best way to move forward.

Bangkok bombing

a heinous act

The massive explosion close to a shrine in the centre of Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, which claimed the lives of several innocent civilians, is highly condemnable and also should be seen as a wake-up call for the world to unite and act more firmly against terrorism in all its forms.

While Bangkok has endured a decade of deadly political violence amid a power struggle between the military, backed by the middle class and elite, and the poor led by populist politician Thaksin Shinawatra, a blast of this magnitude implies more than domestic politics.

Tensions have risen in recent months, with the junta making clear that it may not hold elections until 2017 and wants a constitution that will allow some type of emergency rule to take the place of an elected government.

Over 90 people were killed in 2010 during clashes between security forces and Thaksin supporters. But the anti-junta groups have never conducted such a large attack, nor one that was apparently aimed at a tourist zone.

The Erawan shrine is a popular tourism hub, surrounded by five-star hotels and upscale shopping malls, where tourists from various countries mingle. Many of the victims were foreigners, including those from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The idea of the terrorists behind the heinous act was clearly to cause maximum impact.

However, as the initial indications of which group is behind the attack are murky, it is better not to jump into conclusions or engage in a blame game.

The attack had its own economic impact with baht currency slumping to a more than six-year low on Tuesday and shares falling on the Bangkok bourse.

Adding to the tensions, a minor explosion struck near a busy Bangkok train station on Tuesday afternoon, but fortunately nobody was injured.

Tourism is one of the few bright spots in an economy that is still struggling, more than a year after the military seized power.

It accounts for about 10 per cent of the economy and the government had been banking on record arrivals this year following a sharp fall in 2014 because of protests and the coup.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has called the attack "the worst incident that has ever happened in Thailand” and has promised to track down those responsible.

The Thai security officials should act fast and see to it that whoever or whichever group is behind the reprehensible act is brought to justice at the earliest.

 

Nip negativity, ignite creativity

(My article in Business@qatar. posted for my records)

Recent Editorials

Here are some editorials I wrote for The Gulf Today. (Posted for my records) 

Protect planet

or pay the price

The enthusiasm shown by the global community in marking the World Environment Day on Friday is impressive, but with humanity consuming far more natural resources than the planet can sustainably provide, there is surely a dire need for more stringent action to protect Mother Earth.

The goal of sustainable development is to increase the quality of life without increasing environmental degradation. This can be done by shifting the consumption patterns towards goods that use less energy, water and other resources and by reducing food wastage.

This year's Environment Day theme, “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care,” aptly emphasises the personal responsibility each person bears when it comes to reducing the rate of resource use.

Unsustainable consumption poses many environmental challenges like pollution, depletion of natural resources, loss of biodiversity and climate change.

In this regard, the UAE deserves kudos for its relentless efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals in various fields, through which it looks to position itself among the world’s best countries by 2021.

As Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, has outlined, the UAE has adopted a group of policies concerning clean energy, green architecture and sustainable transport.

The positive results of various such initiatives taken by the country over the years have already begun to surface.

The best example is the reduction of ecological footprint per capita in the UAE from 11.8 global hectares in 2006 to 7.75 global hectares in 2014, as well as the slide in greenhouse gas emissions per capita from 39.5 tonnes in 1994 to 20.6 tonnes in 2012.

The positive trend is expected to continue over the next few years with the completion of many essential projects in the field of renewable energy, nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and waste management.

In addition, the programmes of the UAE National Agenda and Strategy for Green Development along with other strategic plans of different sectors are currently being developed and implemented.

Latest studies predict that the world’s population will reach nine billion by 2050, which means that current consumption patterns will require three earths to meet demands.

Mere cosmetic initiatives will not help and everyone needs to realise the responsibility to care for earth and become agents of change.

Every step - small and big - counts, be it saying no to plastic bags, riding a bike to work, planting a seed or choosing eco-friendly energy supplies.

UAE a magnet

for tourists

Talk of international travel destinations and it is immensely pleasing to note that the UAE continues to score high marks.

The annual MasterCard Global Destinations Cities Index has revealed that Dubai ranks as the fourth most popular destination in the world and Abu Dhabi ranks among the top 10 fastest-growing destinations.

Incidentally, Dubai has consistently advanced its position since the launch of the Index, ranking eighth in 2012, seventh in 2013, fifth last year and fourth this year. London topped the list in 2015, followed by Bangkok and Paris.

Available statistics reflect the glowing prospects. Dubai is expected to receive almost 14.3 million international visitors in 2015, an increase of 8 per cent since 2014.

When looking at the number of international overnight visitors that destination cities attract per city resident, Dubai is the world champion with 5.7 visitors per resident (an increase by 0.8 from 2014).

With that background, it is no surprise that the city generates more international overnight visitor expenditure per resident than any other city (estimated at $4,668).

Incidentally, Dubai was also ranked as the third air hub in the world by international connectivity and is the only city from the Middle East and Africa (MEA) on the top ten air hubs list.

Adding another feather to UAE’s cap is the recent declaration by the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2015 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index report that the UAE is the most tourism-friendly destination in the Middle East and North Africa region.

According to WEF, the UAE’s travel and tourism industry in 2014 employed around 291,000 people – or 5.3 per cent of the total employment base.

It is not just that. The WEF study has forecast that the sector will be generating approximately 1.8 per cent or 5,250 new jobs.

Just recently, Abu Dhabi’s standing as an emerging leisure and business tourism destination was given a boost at the Middle East World Travel Awards when five of the sector’s stakeholders scooped a total of seven awards at the 22nd annual awards ceremony.

A plethora of Abu Dhabi’s hotels, attractions, destinations and transportation companies were recognised for the expanding range of quality experiences following an online poll, which gathered votes from both industry professionals and general public.

Mega event Dubai Expo 2020 is likely to boost the region’s economy with 17 billion euro in addition to over 275,000 job opportunities.

When it comes to attracting international tourists, the country of wonders surely dazzles.

Deadly shades

of hatred

At 21, to fill one’s heart with such hatred as to kill several innocent worshippers, indicates a toxic attitude.

That’s what Dylann Roof, the white man accused of gunning down nine people at a black church in South Carolina, possessed - besides his gun.

The bullet shots have shaken the conscience of the nation and triggered more worry about the persistent problems of racism and gun violence in the United States.

Hate seems to have been implanted in the youngster’s mind as, according to one of Roof’s acquaintances, he complained that "blacks were taking over the world.”

On his Facebook page, Roof displayed the flags of defeated white-ruled regimes, posing with a Confederate flags plate on his car and wearing a jacket with stitched-on flag patches from apartheid-era South Africa and Rhodesia, which is now black-led Zimbabwe.

Roof has been charged with the killings as well as possession of a firearm. Capital punishment is legal in the southern state and there are already calls for death penalty for the accused.

While the law will take its own course, the immediate question is what effective steps the State can initiate to tackle the continuing damage caused by guns in America.

President Barack Obama’s anguish is understandable. Among the victims was the church's pastor, Clementa Pinckney, who also was a Democratic state senator known to Obama.

Obama visibly spoke from his heart when he mentioned, “We as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries. It is in our power to do something about it.”

According to homicide data collected by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and compiled by                         The Guardian newspaper, the US's annual gun homicide rate of 2.97 fatalities per 100,000 people is triple the rate seen in most of the world's other wealthy nations, defined as countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

That figure makes it obvious that many Americans love to wield guns. But when hate-filled murderers turn their guns on innocent people, there is a dire need for the country to introspect.

Yes, the Second Amendment of US Constitution protects the right to keep arms. But as Obama himself put it, the latest attack has stirred up a dark part of US history. Concrete action on gun control is the only way out.

Turn up the heat

on tobacco use

As the world marked the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) on Sunday, the one noble message from several organisations and governments across the globe was: “Say no to tobacco.”

The idea behind marking the WNTD is to draw attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to its dangerous health effects.

However, during the past several years, the day has been met with both enthusiasm and resistance from governments, smokers, growers as well as the tobacco industry.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), tobacco kills nearly six million people a year globally and more than 600,000 of them are non-smokers who die from indirect smoke inhalation.

It warns that the smoking habit could lead to the death of over 8 million people a year by 2030.

Nearly 80 per cent of the world's one billion smokers live in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest.

This year, WHO has themed the day as, "Stop Illicit Trade of Tobacco Products," indicating that the illicit trade in tobacco products is a global concern from several aspects, including health, legal, economic and governance and the fight against corruption.

It is believed that eliminating the illicit trade in tobacco would generate an annual tax windfall of $31 billion for governments, improve public health and help cut crime.

What is consoling is that the world is waking up to the seriousness of the issue.

For example, China's capital Beijing began imposing the toughest ban on smoking in public places from Monday in hopes of stemming a looming health crisis.

For a country where 300 million smoke, this surely is a landmark initiative. Smoking in Beijing is now prohibited in all indoor public places, including offices, shopping malls and airports, as well as at outdoor stadiums, school grounds and public parks. Beijing's main airport terminal will also shut its three smoking rooms.

The health risks associated with tobacco use are well known. As experts point out, much greater action is needed to curb the tobacco epidemic if the global target to cut tobacco consumption by 30 per cent by 2025 to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases is to be met.

There is a dire need on the part of the global community to initiate more effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. Also, efforts should be intensified to end the illicit trade of tobacco products.

Tunisian spirit cannot

be gunned down

The cowardly terrorist attack at a seaside resort in Tunisia that resulted in the loss of several innocent lives of foreign tourists highlights the need for intensified international co-operation to combat all forms of terrorism.

Since the 2011 uprising to oust Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, has made a peaceful transition to democracy with a new constitution and free elections.

The aim of the killers evidently is to bleed the tourism industry, which made up nearly 15 per cent of the country's gross domestic product in 2014.

Six million tourists, mostly Europeans, are said to have visited Tunisia's beaches, desert treks and medina souks last year, providing seven per cent of its gross domestic product.

The Sousse resort attack is the second major one this year, following a militant assault on the Bardo Museum in Tunis in March when gunmen killed a group of foreign visitors as they arrived by bus.

What the extremist elements with hateful ideologies fail to understand is that such violence can never reverse the path of the country towards democracy and its efforts directed towards economic recovery and development.

More than 3,000 tourists left the country a day after the attack, but it surely is a temporary phenomenon.

One should take note of the fact that shops were open early on Sunday in Port El Kantaoui and quite a few tourists could be seen on the beach near the site of the attack.

Prime Minister Habib Essid has declared that his government plans to close down 80 mosques that remain outside state control, for inciting violence, and crack down on financing for certain associations, in order to counter extremism.

Essid has called on everyone to work against terrorism and promised financial rewards for information leading to arrests.

The country is intensifying efforts to tackle extremism. Around 1,000 extra police personnel are being deployed at tourist sites and beaches in the North African nation.

As Interior Minister Mohamed Najem Gharsalli explained, the idea is not to make tourist establishments into barracks, but to guarantee the security of the tourist sector.

Tunisia deserves total international support as it resets on its progress path. If at all anything, the abhorrent militant attack in Sousse should only increase the determination of the international community to root out the terrorist phenomenon.

Which normal being can think of killing innocents and children playing on a beach? Such heinous acts are totally unjustifiable and inhuman.

Cut to pieces

I have a perennial problem with vegetable choppers.

Every time I watch a salesman push an onion or a carrot under an “easy to chop” appliance and hit on the head of the gadget, I get a “wow, so easy” feeling.

The vegetable pieces are ready to be relished as awesome salad, with just a little addition of salt and chilies. And, they come in stunning shapes too. 

All that, when the salesman does it.

When I buy and try the same at home, all that happens is breaking of the kit into multiple pieces with the first knock on the head. Not that I am Bruce Lee, but most of such equipment are so flimsy that even a child could break it.

Incidentally, yesterday’s was the fourth such vegetable chopper I broke.

No, knife is not the best bet either.

Often, I end up cutting my fingers.

The best part was when a former colleague visited our home and boasted about her ability to cut vegetables very fast.

“I do not believe you,” I replied, dropping half a kilo of onions before her.

I should confess that she did a great job in a few minutes, ignoring all the tears in her eyes.

“Ya, now I agree,” I patted her after she finished.

And I got a pat from my wife for getting the job done.

It is another matter that the former colleague never ever visited me again.

Strategic incompetence

(My article in Business@qatar. posted for my records)