As incumbent US president Joe Biden formally kicked off his re-election campaign at a rally in front of 2,000 union members in Philadelphia, last week the 2024 election campaign came more sharply into view – and most Americans appear decidedly underwhelmed. A rematch of the last election, pitting Mr Biden against his predecessor, Donald Trump, seems to be shaping up, though most Republicans and Democrats say they would prefer a different choice.
Mr Biden is effectively running unopposed. His only noteworthy challenger is Robert F Kennedy, Jr, noted for anti-scientific opposition to most vaccines. Were Mr Kennedy running as a Republican, he might be polling ahead of several well-established candidates, although surely not Mr Trump. However, as a Democrat, he really doesn't stand a chance.
Many Democrats are frustrated by Mr Biden's slow start. A major fundraising quarter went by with virtually no activity from his nascent campaign. Instead, Mr Biden was happy to leave matters to the Democratic National Committee. From his perspective, especially since he’s effectively unopposed, it makes sense. But many Democrats would have preferred a more vigorous and earlier re-election effort, if nothing else for party morale.
Moreover, there are growing doubts that Mr Biden still has the energy and physical wherewithal for a long and gruelling campaign against the likes of Mr Trump, who adores campaigning but profoundly dislikes governing, or Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who has been focusing heavily on his youthful 44 years and three young children, all under age 6. That's now mainly aimed at Mr Trump, 77, but could be even more powerful against the 80-year-old Mr Biden should Mr DeSantis upend the current trajectory and secure the Republican nomination.
Mr Biden is clearly showing his age. He still speaks lucidly on policy matters, and journalists who have had extended lunch and other meetings with him privately report he’s alert, acute and on point. However, he has shown signs of confusion at times and, to take just one particularly odd recent example, he ended an otherwise unremarkable speech about the importance of greater gun control measures with the cryptic comment "God save the Queen, man".
The video of the moment suggests he knew perfectly well what he was saying and it was some kind of eccentric joke. Unfortunately, his aides were unable to explain just what it might have been about, and later suggested he was somehow referring to an audience member. But they were unable to successfully assuage doubts that, perhaps, Mr Biden had a spectacular and public "senior moment".
There are growing doubts that Biden still has the energy and physical wherewithal for a long campaign against Trump
But even if it's true, as it would appear, that he remains mentally formidable, there are significant reasons to question whether he has the stamina for months of exhausting campaigning. In 2020, campaigning was remarkably light because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that will not be the case for the next 17 months before Americans return to the polls. And there is virtually no enthusiasm for his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, suddenly emerging as the Democratic presidential nominee.
There are numerous potentially impressive Democratic candidates who could credibly replace Mr Biden – mainly, governors including Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gavin Newsom of California, JB Pritzker of Illinois, Roy Cooper of North Carolina and Jared Polis of Colorado, none of whom are elderly. But if Mr Biden cruises to an unopposed nomination only to find himself physically overwhelmed by the demands of an exhausting campaign, Ms Harris could end up inheriting the nomination by default.
Yet Mr Biden has been a figure of endless surprises since he roared back to the head of the pack after the South Carolina Democratic primary in February 2020. As President, he has secured a remarkable string of legislative achievements with very little leverage in Congress. And his administration's handling of the war in Ukraine is surely the best US foreign policy performance since the liberation of Kuwait in 1990-91. So, the millions of Democratic doubters may find themselves, yet again, pleasantly surprised by Uncle Joe.
The polls consistently suggest that Mr Trump, if not going from strength to strength in the Republican primaries, is at least maintaining a very healthy lead over Mr DeSantis and all other challengers. Yet he, too, is showing his 77 years, and more importantly, is facing severe legal and reputational peril that, although it may not threaten his ability to secure the Republican nomination, could very well render him effectively non-competitive in a general election.
The indictment brought against him in the federal Espionage Act case filed two weeks ago by special prosecutor Jack Smith cannot seriously be dismissed as a partisan vendetta or an exaggerated triviality. The indictment tells the story of a former president who, with apparent disregard for national security and the well-being of US troops around the world, treated the most sensitive military and intelligence documents as, at best, trophies or keepsakes, leaving them completely unsecured in open public places at his Florida hotel and displaying them to random individuals with no security clearances.
There is every reason to fear that the trial will drag on well past the general election, and possibly for many years. However, even some of Mr Trump's diehard supporters will be given pause if they ever actually read the damning charging papers, complete with photographs and other documentary evidence.
These days, presidential elections are effectively decided by a few hundred thousand Americans in five or six swing states. These voters, including many suburban women, turned decisively against Mr Trump in 2020, delivering the White House to Mr Biden. They appear to have moved even further from Mr Trump, his candidates and his brand of politics in the 2022 midterms. And since then, Mr Trump, with his threats of “retribution" against his adversaries – not to mention the civil judgment that he sexually assaulted a well-known writer in the 1990s – has, if anything, alienated them further still.
It may still be that the general public will get their way, and that neither Mr Trump nor Mr Biden will be their party's nominee. However, it's far more likely that most Americans will again face a distasteful binary choice between A and B. If so, Mr. Biden is very likely to secure a second term – or as much of it as he can complete.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
UAE finals day
Friday, April 13
Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
3pm, UAE Conference: Dubai Tigers v Sharjah Wanderers
6.30pm, UAE Premiership: Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
My Cat Yugoslavia by Pajtim Statovci
Pushkin Press
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
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How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars
Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.
Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.
After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.
Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.
It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
On sale: now
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
RESULTS
6.30pm: Handicap (rated 100 ) US$175,000 1,200m
Winner: Baccarat, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (78-94) $60,000 1,800m
Winner: Baroot, Christophe Soumillon, Mike de Kock
7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes Group 3 $200,000 1,600m
Winner: Heavy Metal, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.15pm: Handicap (95-108) $125,000 1,200m
Winner: Yalta, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 $200,000 1,800m
Winner: Promising Run, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
9.25pm: Handicap (95-105) $125,000 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
10pm: Handicap (95-105) $125,000 1,400m
Winner: Oh This Is Us, Tom Marquand, Richard Hannon
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Fixtures
Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am
Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am
Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am
Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
Squads
Sri Lanka Tharanga (c), Mathews, Dickwella (wk), Gunathilaka, Mendis, Kapugedera, Siriwardana, Pushpakumara, Dananjaya, Sandakan, Perera, Hasaranga, Malinga, Chameera, Fernando.
India Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rohit, Rahul, Pandey, Rahane, Jadhav, Dhoni (wk), Pandya, Axar, Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar, Thakur.
Avatar%3A%20The%20Way%20of%20Water
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Aayan%E2%80%99s%20records
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Opening Rugby Championship fixtures: Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
