As tensions simmer in the Gulf, international shipping is bearing the brunt. Weeks after four tankers were sabotaged off the coast of Fujairah in May, two more were attacked in the Gulf of Oman. The US blamed both incursions on the Iranians, who have repeatedly threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes.
In response to rising tensions, British frigates began escorting commercial vessels through the strait – and on Wednesday, Britain's prudence paid off. When three Iranian ships attempted to "impede the passage" of a British oil tanker in Gulf waters, a warship pointed its guns at the boats and issued verbal warnings to disperse them. Coming after Gibraltar seized an Iranian vessel taking oil to Syria in violation of EU sanctions, which triggered threats from Tehran, it is fortunate that this incident ended peacefully.
Nevertheless, we must not underestimate the risk Iran poses to international shipping. If war is to arise, the spark will likely come on the high seas. As a result, the world must come together to de-escalate tensions and protect freedom of navigation in international waters.
Fortunately, while US President Donald Trump escalates his rhetoric to match Tehran's, his military establishment is doing just that. On Wednesday, Gen Joseph Dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, asked allies to send ships to the region to safeguard international shipping.
The UAE, for its part, supports a collective, co-ordinated response to protect vessels and counter Iranian threats in the Gulf, as a senior UAE official said this week.
Only a strong coalition can ensure that oil and other commodities flow unhindered. Given the intransigence of Iran and its proxies, it is not a simple task. The Bab Al Mandeb waterway, off the coast of Yemen, is also under threat, having been attacked in the past by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The coalition must ensure that the Bab Al Mandeb – through which around 4 million barrels of oil pass daily – is also guarded.
It must also support smaller producers in the region, whose economies depend on the flow of oil. This week, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said hostilities had forced his government to draw up alternative export routes.
Just like its proxies, Tehran says one thing and does another. The harassment of the British vessel coincided with talks between Iran and France in Tehran aimed at saving the flawed 2015 nuclear deal. Similarly, the Gulf of Oman attack last month, in which a Japanese vessel was struck, occurred as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Tehran.
The only way to deal with Iran is a co-ordinated strategy of de-escalation, containment and deterrence. While no one wants war, the flow of international shipping – central to the global economy – cannot be disrupted. As events this week have shown, friendly nations must come forward to join America’s maritime coalition.
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Jawan
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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SPECS
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If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
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