This is a big week for American politics, arguably just like every other week in the years since the 2016 election of President Donald Trump. On Thursday, Mr Trump debates his Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the last such exchange before election day on November 3. It may not be a game-changer.
By last weekend, 30 million ballots had already been cast in early voting across the US. It represents nearly 20 per cent of total votes cast in 2016. Accordingly, a presidential debate may prove less than decisive in changing voters’ minds or the outcome of the election. Instead, another political contest on Thursday – one for decisive ideological control of America’s highest court – may be more significant by far.
The Senate Judiciary Committee votes on Thursday on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court. By next week, the full Senate will have pronounced as well.
Mourners pay their respects as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose in front of the US Supreme Court building in Washington on September 24, 2020. AP Photo
Thousands of mourners queued to pay their respects to Justice Ginsburg, a champion of women's and civil rights, at the US Supreme Court building before her casket was taken to lie in state at the US Capitol on September 25, 2020. Bloomberg
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The issue is being closely watched around the world. Ms Barrett is championed by conservatives for her religious views while critics say her confirmation would shift America’s highest court firmly to the right and add to the country’s polarising cultural divide.
Ms Barrett's confirmation is all but certain – the Republican-dominated Senate is pushing for it – and she will take the Supreme Court seat held by the late liberal heroine Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The newest justice will be the youngest and only the fifth woman ever on the bench.
Interest in the somewhat arcane appointment of a Supreme Court judge is at fever pitch with Women’s March protesters taking to the streets of the US capital at the weekend to express their opposition to Ms Barrett’s nomination. One protester said it was “really scary what the future of women in this country looks like”. The marchers came up against a counterprotest in support of Ms Barrett, who was described by a conservative activist as “a role model for young women everywhere”.
Both sides are entrenched. Liberals and conservatives alike expect Ms Barrett to be a judicial activist, working to dismantle laws that govern health care, abortion rights and gun control. It’s fair to say that as a Catholic conservative woman, Ms Barrett faces demonisation on the left and lionisation on the right.
But perhaps the real issues are slightly different than framed by the noisy ongoing debate.
Supporters of Amy Coney Barrett rally outside the Supreme Court building during the Women's March in Washington on Saturday. AP Photo
First, is it fair to focus so heavily on Ms Barrett’s individual beliefs? She is a practising Catholic with a demonstrably strong personal opposition to abortion. When pregnant with the last of her seven children, Ms Barrett reportedly learned of her son’s Down syndrome through prenatal testing but chose to have the baby. She has written academic articles about her views. She also has connections to a tightly knit religious community called the People of Praise, which frequently takes conservative positions on social issues as well as women’s place within the family unit.
That said, religious bigotry and stereotypes are to be deplored when considering anyone for any job, regardless of the faith or tradition the candidate belongs to. Harrying Ms Barrett for her faith is as unfair as the attempt by conservative bloggers back in 2011 to smear Sohail Mohammed, a Muslim originally from India, when he was appointed to a New Jersey state court. At the time, Mr Mohammed was routinely described as a “mouthpiece for radical Islamists", prompting then New Jersey governor Chris Christie to protest about how “unnecessary” it was “to be accusing this guy of things just because of his religious background".
Superior Court Judge Sohail Mohammed tapped into his electrical engineering and technology background from @NJIT to help attorneys adapt to the virtual courtrooms the NJ Judiciary is now using during the #COVID19 pandemic. courtesy: New Jersey Courts twitter account
As American lawyer Wajahat Ali recently pointed out, passing judgement on a person solely because of their faith can smack of religious bias. Mr Mohammed, a former electrical engineer who specialised in immigration law before his appointment as a judge, may have been victim to this even more than Ms Barrett. The kerfuffle over his elevation appears to have centred around the religion of his birth rather than any particular opinions he held.
Perhaps the larger issue thrown up by Ms Barrett’s near-certain ascent to America’s apex court is older and more complex than the culture wars between conservatives and liberals. There is an age-old perceived conflict between faith and reason, something that philosophers have long struggled to reconcile. Demonstrable knowledge is infallible and universal; belief, they argue, is not. Writing in 10th century Baghdad, Al Farabi, one of the Muslim world’s key philosophers, highlighted the need to use reasoning to justify actions and opinions in a belief system. He took his cue from Greek philosopher Plato, who championed “the beauty of reason”, which produces the capacity for justice.
By next week, the US Supreme Court could have a supermajority of judges with conservative views. AFP
Clearly, the main question that will hang over Ms Barrett in her new role is the ability to navigate between faith and reason. This is a valid issue and it would be appropriate to scrutinise her actions as a Supreme Court justice for logic and the idea of the greater common good.
Last month, American law professors Lee Epstein and Eric Posner diagnosed the country's polarisation over the Supreme Court as the outcome of an attempt by the conservative bloc to promote religious rights and push back on more than half a century of socially liberal judicial rulings.
But the issue of religious rights is contentious. Whose rights deserve primacy? The dispensing of justice should not be subservient to religious rights in a secular democracy.
Perhaps the answer lies in the words of the founders of the American experiment nearly 300 years ago. They declared that the state should favour no religion.
Rashmee Roshan Lall is a columnist for The National
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Aahid Al Khalediah II, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Whistle, Harry Bentley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup - Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Alsaied, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Mumayaza, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
8pm: President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Medahim, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
How to apply for a drone permit
Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
Submit their request
What are the regulations?
Fly it within visual line of sight
Never over populated areas
Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
Should have a live feed of the drone flight
Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
STAGE 4 RESULTS
1 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 4:51:51
2 David Dekker (NED) Team Jumbo-Visma
3 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal
4 Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis
5 Matteo Moschetti (ITA) Trek-Segafredo
General Classification
1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 12:50:21
2 Adam Yates (GBR) Teamn Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:43
Who: Marseille v Atletico Madrid Where: Parc OL, Lyon, France When: Wednesday, 10.45pm kick off (UAE) TV: BeIN Sports
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.”
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally • Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered • Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity • Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
L - Juventus, 2-0 D - C Palace, 2-2 W - N Forest, 3-0 L - Liverpool, 2-0 D - Feyenoord, 3-3 L - Tottenham, 4-0 L - Brighton, 2-1 L - Sporting, 4-1 L - Bournemouth, 2-1 L - Tottenham, 2-1
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait this month is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
UAE’s fixtures: Fri Apr 20, UAE v Qatar; Sat Apr 21, UAE v Saudi Arabia; Mon Apr 23, UAE v Bahrain; Tue Apr 24, UAE v Maldives; Thu Apr 26, UAE v Kuwait
World T20 2020 Qualifying process:
Sixteen teams will play at the World T20 in two years’ time.
Australia have already qualified as hosts
Nine places are available to the top nine ranked sides in the ICC’s T20i standings, not including Australia, on Dec 31, 2018.
The final six teams will be decided by a 14-team World T20 Qualifier.
World T20 standings: 1 Pakistan; 2 Australia; 3 India; 4 New Zealand; 5 England; 6 South Africa; 7 West Indies; 8 Sri Lanka; 9 Afghanistan; 10 Bangladesh; 11 Scotland; 12 Zimbabwe; 13 UAE; 14 Netherlands; 15 Hong Kong; 16 Papua New Guinea; 17 Oman; 18 Ireland
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
Results
2.15pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Hello, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihi (trainer).
2.45pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Right Flank, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,000m
Winner: Leading Spirit, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 Dh575,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner: Ode To Autumn, Patrick Cosgrave, Satish Seemar.
4.45pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh125,000 1,200m
Winner: Last Surprise, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.
5.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,200m
Winner: Daltrey, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihi.
