emma

Obama, Buhari, and African policy dilemmas

President Barack Obama advocated democratic governance as the key to African progress in his historic address to the Ghanaian parliament on July 11, 2009. Six years later, other policy priorities—especially growth and security—compete with the promotion of democracy. This is a good time for the U.S. to reframe its priorities in Africa: On July 20…

      
 
 




emma

Dilemmas of democracy and state power in Africa

Editor's note: This piece was originally published in Spanish in a series of essays for the January/March 2016 issue of La Vanguardia. A quarter-century after sub-Saharan Africa experienced an upsurge of democracy, a different and more complicated political era has dawned. The expansion of liberal democracy has slowed in the continent just as it has…

      
 
 




emma

Saudi Arabia’s execution of al-Nimr throws U.S. policy dilemmas into sharp relief


What a way to start the new year. Decades of Saudi-Iranian tensions reached a new high this past week. The cycle of reactions to Riyadh’s execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on January 2 is a reminder of how the Saudis, and their Iranian rivals, have viewed and used sectarianism throughout the tumultuous period since 2011.

Al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 and subsequently sentenced to death for allegedly "seeking ‘foreign meddling’ in Saudi Arabia, ‘disobeying’ its rulers and taking up arms against the security forces." The arrest was meant not merely as a signal to Tehran, but at least as much to Saudi Arabia’s own Shiite minority. Shiites comprise as much as 20 percent of the Saudi population, and are concentrated in the oil-rich Eastern Province—and the community has regularly erupted in protests against its economic and political marginalization. In 2011, amid the Arab Spring uprisings in majority-Shiite Bahrain, Saudi Shiites also demonstrated for the release of long-held prisoners, and Saudi forces shot and killed several Shia in the streets.

Riyadh’s decision to carry out the death sentence was greeted with demonstrations in Iran and attacks on Saudi diplomatic facilities. This Iranian reaction must have been calculated, as al-Nimr has been on “death row” for a very long time. In response, Saudi Arabia quickly cut ties with its longtime geopolitical foe and urged fellow Sunni governments to follow suit. So far, Bahrain and Sudan have also cut off relations, and both Qatar and the UAE have downgraded them. 

Governments on both sides of the Sunni-Shiite divide found a sectarian narrative useful in rallying their populations and in justifying their actions in response to the 2011 Arab uprisings. The sectarian narrative has helped the parties in this larger regional power struggle mobilize support by playing up the sectarian dimension of protests in Bahrain, the Assad regime’s crackdown in Syria, and the breakdown of inclusive politics in Iraq. Likewise, many Sunni-led countries have found sectarian rhetoric an effective way to rally Sunni citizens, intimidate their own Shiite populations, and to justify crackdowns on dissent. 

Governments on both sides of the Sunni-Shiite divide found a sectarian narrative useful in rallying their populations and in justifying their actions in response to the 2011 Arab uprisings.

Last April, I wrote that Iran was likely to escalate its asymmetric efforts to destabilize Arab politics by exploiting the cracks within Arab societies. They have done so, and it is a form of escalation the Saudis are ill-equipped to match. Last summer, I suggested that the Sunni Arab states could defend best against this Iranian subversion by tamping down sectarian tensions and working to heal the rifts within their own societies through inclusive political and economic policies. So far, I have not seen much effort from the Arab Gulf states in that direction—instead, they have doubled down on divisive sectarianism in Yemen and elsewhere. As this escalatory spiral advances, civilians will pay the price. 

Some are portraying the decision to execute al-Nimr as a negative Saudi response to Iranian efforts at rapprochement over the last few weeks. I do not necessarily see it that way, because the Iranians have done as much as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to provoke and exploit tensions between the two in recent times. That notwithstanding, there is no question this execution will inflame sectarian tensions in the Gulf and Iraq, as well as present the Islamic State with new opportunities. 

It has been clear for some time that the U.S. focus on the threat from the so-called Islamic State is simply not matched by the Saudis, who are far more concerned about Iran and Shiite expansionism than by this violent extremist Sunni group in their neighborhood. As such, the execution and ensuing crisis brings the clash of U.S. and Saudi interests into sharp relief and has the potential to become an inflection point in regional affairs – not necessarily because of the way the Saudi and Iranian governments choose to play, but because of how others might react.

For example, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi quickly and publicly condemned the execution. The execution—and the inevitable crackdown on Shiite protests in Qatif—might increase pressure on Abadi from Shiites in Iraq (and from Iran) to demonstrate sectarian preferences in his rhetoric and policy. That could prevent him from moving forward on steps Washington has been pushing to bring Iraqi Sunnis back into the political fold. This easily could threaten the anti-Islamic State campaign in Iraq, since it relies on Sunnis in Ramadi, Mosul, and elsewhere turning away from Islamic State and back toward the Iraqi state. Iraqi counterterrorism forces have taken much of Ramadi, but they cannot hold it without local Sunni support.

Increased Islamic State influence in the Arabian Peninsula would certainly challenge the Saudi government and prompt a renewed securitization of domestic policy.

The Islamic State worked hard to stoke sectarian tensions within the Gulf states over the past year, carrying out attacks on Shiite mosques in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The GCC leaders were not drawn in at that stage, instead expressing solidarity with their Shiite compatriots. But this time, a Sunni Gulf government is taking steps that exacerbate sectarian tensions—and that could very easily push the Islamic State to take up the issue again by attempting more such attacks. Increased Islamic State influence in the Arabian Peninsula would certainly challenge the Saudi government and prompt a renewed securitization of domestic policy. It would be an ironic outcome of a Saudi move—47 executions, mostly of Sunni extremists—that was intended to deter ISIS sympathizers. At a moment when low oil prices and a tightened financial future constrain their capacity to coopt a large, underemployed, youthful populace, this is not a recipe for stability.

The possibility that ISIS will gain from this crisis illustrates the problem with governments self-interestedly wielding that sectarian narrative is that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and it actually increases the incentive on both sides of the sectarian divide to escalate their real power competition, both directly and through proxies. Today, that narrative of sectarian conflict is far more than rhetoric in Iraq and Syria, where a true intercommunal conflict is underway. 

More immediately, the ripple effects of al-Nimr’s execution spotlight American policy dilemmas in the region. The escalation in sectarian conflict threatens the nascent Syrian peace process. It increases the Islamic State’s scope for action there, threatens the political dimension of the anti-Islamic State strategy in Iraq, and incentivizes Sunni extremism in the Arabian Peninsula. It pushes the Yemen war further from resolution as well, leaving al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) with room to grow and plan attacks against the American homeland. And it puts the United States into a very tight spot as it continues diplomatic dialogue with Iran in the wake of the nuclear agreement. Given this beginning, 2016 looks to be an even tougher year for the United States in the Middle East than 2015.

     
 
 




emma

Emma Watson promotes ethical, sustainable fashion in new Instagram account

While advertising her new film "Beauty & the Beast", Watson wants people to think about how and where clothes are made.




emma

Emma Thompson calls for a ban on oil drilling and industrial fishing in the Arctic

Actors Emma Thompson and Michelle Thrush are traveling with their daughters to the North Pole, as part of an Greenpeace campaign to create an international sanctuary in the Arctic.




emma

Emma Watson Plays it Again with Alberta Ferretti's Organic Line

She gets around, little Miss Hermione Granger from Harry Potter. First she was the face of super trendy and super expensive Burberry. Then she launched her own line for People Tree.




emma

New Edelman Study Reveals Americans Face a Dilemma in their Pursuit of Well-Being - Edelman’s “The American Well-Being Study” - Video

Edelman’s “The American Well-Being Study” found companies and brands have an opportunity to support individual well-being. Those that do are rewarded through increased brand trial and advocacy.





emma

After Mira Rajput and Sonam Kapoor, Kriti Kharbanda's biggest dilemma is how to shape her brows

It is not just Bollywood celebrities, but many people who are extremely concerned and panicking for the grooming woes. It was Mira Rajput, Shahid Kapoor's wife who was worried about her eyebrows. In fact, she also posted a funny picture of her face, which highlighted the on-fleek brows.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

So far the eyebrows are behaving 🤨

A post shared by Mira Rajput Kapoor (@mira.kapoor) onApr 4, 2020 at 10:44am PDT

With going to the salon for a quick fix no longer an option, now Kriti Kharbanda's biggest dilemma is how to shape her brows. "Baaki sab toh theek hai, par in eyebrows ka kya karein?" she wrote on Insta and referred to the bushy look as 'COVID brows'. Earlier, Sonam K Ahuja, too, had expressed concerns about her brows being a 'complete mess'. If you don't want to DIY, let big, thick brows be the latest must-have.

Well, it seems like grooming is a grave issue than anything else right now.

On the professional front, Kriti Kharbanda was last seen in Pagalpanti, and now, the actress is all set to woo the audience with her next film releases Vaan and Taish. Speaking about her personal life, Kriti is currently dating Pulkit Samrat, her Pagalpanti co-star.

On the other hand, Sonam Kapoor was last seen in The Zoya Factor, opposite Dulquer Salmaan. Before that, the actress was a part of LGBTQIA film, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, also starring Anil Kapoor, Regina Cassandra and Rajkummar Rao.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

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emma

Emma Stone talks mental health in times of coronavirus: Write, write and write

In a rare video appearance, actor Emma Stone is raising mental health awareness while practising social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the Oscar winner announced the Child Mind Institute's #WeThriveInside campaign, a digital initiative that will help those struggling right now and beyond with tele-health and online resources.

"Many of us are dealing with isolation, anxiety and uncertainty during this COVID-19 crisis, and this includes the 17 million kids and teens in America that's one in five who have a mental health disorder. We're inviting you to be part of our team," she said in the clip. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the institute will release self-recorded videos daily featuring notable names sharing stories of how they stay mentally fit while encouraging families and kids to check out its COVID 19-related resources. Videos will be distributed across all social media platforms of Child Mind Institute. Stone, who is a board member of the organisation, opened up what she likes to do when she is struggling with anxiety.

"What I do is just write down anything that I'm worried about. I just write and write and write and I don't think about it and I don't read it back. "I find it's really, really helpful for me to get it all out on paper. I hope you're staying safe, you're staying strong and healthy and I'm sending you lots of love," she said. Other Hollywood names such as Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Andrew Garfield, Octavia Spencer, Zoey Deutch, Nicole Scherzinger, Sarah Michelle Gellar, are also part of the drive. Donations are also being accepted, and courtesy one anonymous donor, matched up to USD 150,000.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




emma

Bruce Willis reunites with wife Emma amid lockdown

Hollywood star Bruce Willis' family is finally all together, after his wife Emma Heming Willis and their daughters moved in with his former wife Demi Moore. The 65-year-old actor has been spending the last four weeks separated from Emma and their two girls, Mabel and Evelyn, due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Bruce has been staying with first wife Demi, their daughters Scout, Rumer and Tallulah Willis, as well as Tallulah's boyfriend Dillon Buss. Bruce and Emma were in touch over Instagram till now, reports mirror.co.uk. The family reunion happened just ahead of Evelyn's sixth birthday on Tuesday.

Emma has shared several pictures of the ranch in Sun Valley, Idaho, where Bruce and Demi raised their now-adult daughters while they were still married. Emma even filmed Bruce pushing Evelyn on a swing.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




emma

Lebanese banks shed bonds in ‘prisoner’s dilemma’

$1.2bn eurobond maturing in March falls sharply as local lenders cash out




emma

Europe's Balkan dilemma

EU foreign ministers this week postponed a decision on whether to open membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia until October, prompting a warning from the two countries' leaders that the delay could strengthen the hand of nationalist forces. Gideon Rachmans discusses the EU's dilemma on the Balkans with Ben Hall and Valerie Hopkins.

 

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emma

Look, don’t sketch: Peter Aspden on the V&A’s blockbuster dilemma

Citing pressure of visitor numbers, the museum banned sketching at its recent “David Bowie Is” exhibition – a move that shows how hard it is for curators to reconcile accessibility and academic values, the FT’s arts writer says  


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emma

Argentina’s creditors face debt restructuring dilemma

Bondholders weigh deal with Macri against negotiating with likely successor Fernández




emma

China faces dilemma over Hong Kong protests

Hong Kong protests against a proposed extradition law that would allow criminal suspects to be handed over to China are continuing, despite a concession by the Hong Kong chief executive to suspend the proposed law. Naomi Rovnick discusses discusses what’s at stake for China and what the protesters are seeking to achieve, with Tom Mitchell in Beijing and Sue-Lin Wong in Hong Kong.


Contributors: Suzanne Blumsom, executive editor, Naomi Rovnick FT Live reporter, Sue-Lin Wong, South China correspondent and Tom Mitchell, Beijing bureau chief. Producer: Fiona Symon

 

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emma

The thorny dilemma of when to reopen schools

Schools can spread infection, but long absences mean gaps in learning




emma

Space or bust: Richard Branson’s Virgin dilemma

How Virgin Galactic might help the rest of the group escape the gravitational pull of coronavirus




emma

Predatory investors exploit leaseholders’ cladding dilemma

Properties changing hands for tens of thousands less than market value




emma

Navigating the energy 'trilemma' crucial for Australian power and utilities sector - 20 May

The pace and scale of disruption in the power and utilities sector is happening faster than expected.




emma

Danny Dyer, wife Joanne Mas and Emma Willis lead the stars getting ready for the NTAs

Danny Dyer, wife Joanne Mas and Emma Willis led the famous faces getting ready for the National Television Awards on Tuesday.




emma

'This guy s**** on the club... he plays only for him': Emmanuel Petit slams Neymar 

Former Barcelona midfielder Emmanuel Petit has launched an extraordinary attack on Neymar, accusing him of not having any respect for Paris Saint-Germain.




emma

Actress who played baby Emma in Friends 'wakes from nap'

Getting in on the action, one of the actresses who played baby Emma, Noelle Sheldon, 17, was poking fun at the situation as she photoshopped a snap into Central Perk




emma

Coronavirus UK: TOWIE's Gemma Collins prepares for lockdown

Gemma Collins took to Instagram Stories on Friday to reveal she was stockpiling groceries amid the coronavirus outbreak.




emma

Jemma Reekie sets two new British indoor records to emerge as shock Olympic medal contender

Jemma Reekie's astonishing early-season form has continued with a third national record in the space of two races. The 21-year-old set new bests in the 1500m and mile in New York.




emma

Jemma Reekie must address doubts over Nike footwear despite her team's denials

The elephant in the room remains, running laps at improbable speed. It has been two weeks since Jemma Reekie came to wider attention with an astonishing performance - now she must talk.




emma

Jemma Reekie's coach backs middle distance star to be a contender at Olympics

Jemma Reekie's coach Andy Young believes the breakthrough star of British athletics packs enough of a kick to be an Olympic contender this summer after her victory in Glasgow on Saturday.




emma

Orange Is The New Black: Gemma Collins makes a surprise appearance

The unlikely skit, carried out in anticipation of the popular prison drama's return, sees Gemma,  37, trade her signature plus-size dresses for a pair of orange prison scrubs.




emma

EastEnders star Emma Barton jokes June Brown, 93, should parachute back into the soap

The Strictly Come Dancing star, 42, told Lorraine Kelly on Wednesday that she doesn't know the reason behind June's surprise exit, but said she and the cast still view her an 'inspiration.'




emma

Strictly's Emma Weymouth supported by co-stars after father-in-law's death from coronavirus

The socialite, 34, has broken her silence over her father-in-law Alexander Thynn's death from coronavirus on her Instagram account on Sunday.




emma

When will Mr Right bewitch Emma Watson? '

Single at 29, the Harry Potter star Emma Watson now says she's 'self-partnered'- despite a string of eligible boyfriends. So why can't she find the magic?




emma

Emma Stone and Hunger Games win big at Kids' Choice Awards

The 26-year-old was presented with the blimp gong by none other than Disney star Zendaya and Hollywood heavyweight Jamie Foxx.




emma

MIC's Oliver Proudlock and fiancée Emma Louise Connolly mark their wedding weekend with a picnic

Their wedding day was pushed back amid the coronavirus pandemic.  Yet Proudlock and Emma ensured they marked the occasion as they held a romantic picnic in their garden.




emma

When will Mr Right bewitch Emma Watson? '

Single at 29, the Harry Potter star Emma Watson now says she's 'self-partnered'- despite a string of eligible boyfriends. So why can't she find the magic?




emma

Emma Watson: Harry Potter star slips into a white bikini in Mexico

The actress, 29, slipped into a white bikini as she enjoyed some sun-soaked downtime on a getaway to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico on Tuesday.




emma

Chord Overstreet wraps loving arm around model Amanda Pizziconi a year after split from Emma Watson

He's a Glee alum who dated superstar Emma Watson last year. But last Thursday, Chord Overstreet seemed to have moved on when he was spotted out for dinner with a model.




emma

Emma Watson nails casual chic in black sweater and palazzo pants as she steps out with her pal in LA

Emma Watson cut a low-key figure as she stepped out with a male pal in Venice, California on Wednesday.




emma

TALK OF THE TOWN: Emma spreads the words

TALK OF THE TOWN: Emma Watson, 27, was appointed a visiting fellow at Lady Margaret Hall by Oxford University in 2016. Now Emma is sending copies of her favourite paperbacks to the uni.




emma

Little Women FIRST LOOK: Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet seen in first snaps

In a first look for the drama Little Women, Emma Watson, 29, is seen dressed in her period garb as she stands alongside her co-stars Florence Pugh, Saoirse Ronan, Eliza Scanlen.




emma

Alexandra Daddario and Emma Watson's ex Brendan Wallace pack on the PDA in Rome

The actress, 33, and the businessman, 35, couldn't take their hands off each other as they strolled through Rome before taking a selfie at the iconic Trevi Fountain on Sunday.




emma

Little Women: Emma Watson prays with on-screen sisters in official snaps

The screen star, 29, joins Saoirse, 25, and Florence, 23, in a group prayer in an official image from upcoming period drama Little Women, set for release in December 25 2019.




emma

Emma Watson sends Harry Potter fans wild as she poses with JK Rowling

It's been twenty years since they first met at Emma Watson's screen test for the role of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film franchise.




emma

Pirelli Calendar 2020: Emma Watson joins Kristen Stewart for Romeo and Juliet inspired photoshoot

Emma Watson, Kirsten Stewart, Yara Shahidi, Mia Goth, Stella Roversi, Rosalia, Indya Moore and Chris Lee have been unveiled as the new faces for Pirelli's 2020 calendar.




emma

Emma Watson sparks romance rumours with former Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe

The screen star, 29, sparked romance rumours with game programmer and former Oculus CEO Brendan, 39, as they enjoyed a dinner date in Los Angeles on Sunday evening.




emma

Alexandra Daddario wears silver band on ring finger as she steps out with Emma Watson's ex-boyfriend

And on Wednesday, Alexandra Daddario and Emma Watson's ex-boyfriend Brendan Wallace were seen enjoying an afternoon date on a scooter in Venice Beach, California.




emma

Emma Watson looks stylish in a floral minidress as she parties in LA

Emma Watson looked effortlessly stylish in a floral ruffle minidress as she partied at The Bungalow in West Hollywood on Wednesday night.




emma

Little Women trailer: Emma Watson's American accent is SLAMMED

Emma Watson's American accent has raised eyebrows following the release of Little Women's first official trailer.




emma

Little Women trailer: Emma Watson and Saoirse Ronan are the March sisters

The first official trailer for Greta Gerwig's adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott novel, Little Women, has been released.




emma

Emma Watson steps out for lunch with a friend in LA

Watson's next role is that of Meg March in the upcoming film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's 1868 novel Little Women. She stars alongside Saoirse Ronan in the Greta Gerwig-directed film.




emma

Emma Watson borrows oversized sweater and sweatpants from mystery man for breakfast in Venice Beach

The 29-year-old Parisian-born Brit looked like she had just rolled out of bed at Superba Food + Bread on Saturday