One of the most compelling dramas I watched this year was Thomas Vinterberg’s Families Like Ours. The film follows several privileged Danish families forced to become refugees when their country shuts down due to climate catastrophe. Vinterberg described the premise as “a situation where we, as citizens of a civilised and wealthy part of the world, are forced to leave our country, our friends, relatives and everything we hold dear”.

In the story, families are herded onto unsafe boats bound for countries they never imagined living in — places like Romania or Russia. They cannot sell their homes; their savings are frozen. Watching their panic and despair, we begin to understand the agony of fleeing a land you love with no choice and no power.

The film embraces empathy and compassion. Set in a beautiful Copenhagen slowly sinking beneath the sea, Families Like Ours imagines a wealthy European country suddenly vanishing, its citizens scattered to whichever states will accept them.

The irony is hard to ignore. Denmark has some of Europe’s most restrictive asylum and immigration policies. Over the past decade, it has tightened family reunification rules, imposed strict age, income and residency requirements, and openly pursued a political goal of reducing asylum arrivals to near zero. These measures have drawn sustained criticism from human rights organisations for disproportionately affecting refugees from outside Europe.

Across the North Sea, the UK is moving in a similar direction. Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces mounting political pressure on immigration, particularly from voters drawn to Nigel Farage, the right-wing populist leader of Reform UK. Mr Farage has repeatedly attacked courts, human rights institutions and multiculturalism, and has proposed large-scale deportations of people without legal status. The Reform party has spoken publicly of removing hundreds of thousands of migrants over a five-year period if they are elected – which increasingly looks possible.

In European political terms, Mr Farage aligns most closely with populist figures such as Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella in France, as well as Geert Wilders in the Netherlands. During a recent visit to London, I was struck by how many colleagues — journalists, professionals and people who once would have dismissed such politics — told me they now intend to vote for him. “Our country cannot sustain this,” one said. “We are an island. Our culture is under threat.”

During a recent visit to London, I was struck by how many colleagues told me they now intend to vote for Farage

Yet the migration “crisis” is marked by stark contradictions. Data from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, show that irregular arrivals along key Mediterranean routes fell by roughly 20 per cent in the first three quarters of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, with significant declines on the western and Eastern Balkan routes. This means that, statistically, fewer people are reaching Europe.

But these figures conceal a darker reality. Terrible deaths at sea remain tragically high. Hundreds of desperate migrants continue to die each year attempting crossings, driven by deterrence policies that push people towards ever more dangerous routes rather than addressing the causes of displacement: climate change, poverty and political instability. I have worked with refugees my entire career and one thing I know is that people don’t flee their homes and their roots unless they are forced to.

In 2024, the EU agreed on a new framework to manage migration and asylum: the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. It is due to be implemented next year. Its stated aim is supposedly to “harmonise” asylum procedures, accelerate decision-making and enforce a system of shared responsibility among member states.

In theory, this sounds constructive. But in practice, parts of the pact raise serious concerns.

One is the designation of certain states as “safe countries of origin”, meaning applicants from those countries face accelerated procedures and very high rejection rates. Countries such as Colombia, India, Kosovo and Tunisia are included on this list. The assumption is that people from these states can safely remain at home.

But this doesn’t take into account political dissidents, journalists, women fleeing domestic violence, LGBTQ individuals and others, whose persecution is often highly specific. For instance, religious minorities fleeing discriminatory practices or vulnerable women fleeing gender-based violence in India.

This month, former Iraqi president Barham Salih was elected as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. A former Kurdish activist who once lived as a refugee, Mr Salih brings personal experience of displacement to the role. At a moment when global displacement has reached record levels, his leadership will be tested by a world increasingly committed to deterrence – not protection.

Europe’s migration debate is no longer simply about managing borders or crunching numbers. It is about morality: whether societies that once demanded protection for their own citizens can still recognise that need in others. As climate change, war and political repression drive displacement far beyond Europe’s borders — from the Sahel to Gaza, from Sudan to Afghanistan — the question is no longer who can be kept out. It is whether Europe chooses humanity over exclusion.

War

Director: Siddharth Anand

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor

Rating: Two out of five stars 

World record transfers

1. Kylian Mbappe – to Real Madrid in 2017/18 – €180 million (Dh770.4m – if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba – to Manchester United in 2016/17 – €105m
3. Gareth Bale – to Real Madrid in 2013/14 – €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo – to Real Madrid in 2009/10 – €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain – to Juventus in 2016/17 – €90m
6. Neymar – to Barcelona in 2013/14 – €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku – to Manchester United in 2017/18 – €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez – to Barcelona in 2014/15 – €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria – to Manchester United in 2014/15 – €75m
10. James Rodriguez – to Real Madrid in 2014/15 – €75m

Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

Score

Third Test, Day 2

New Zealand 274
Pakistan 139-3 (61 ov)

Pakistan trail by 135 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the innings

APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

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Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID

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In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

Price: From Dh2,099

The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index – which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity – included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.

The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.

“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.

“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”

Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country’s index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.

Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.

“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

The biog

Age: 46

Number of Children: Four

Hobby: Reading history books

Loves: Sports

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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If you goThe flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes. Portland is a 260 km drive from Seattle and Emirates offers codeshare flights to Portland with its partner Alaska Airlines.

The car

Hertz (www.hertz.ae) offers compact car rental from about $300 per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.

Parks and accommodation

For information on Crater Lake National Park, visit www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm . Because of the altitude, large parts of the park are closed in winter due to snow. While the park’s summer season is May 22-October 31, typically, the full loop of the Rim Drive is only possible from late July until the end of October. Entry costs $25 per car for a day. For accommodation, see www.travelcraterlake.com. For information on Umpqua Hot Springs, see www.fs.usda.gov and https://soakoregon.com/umpqua-hot-springs/. For Bend, see https://www.visitbend.com/.

More from Neighbourhood Watch:MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

Avatar%20(2009)

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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4