All American elections matter. But November's run-off is a poll like no other.
Election season comes in a year of protest, tension and instability wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.
America is one of the worst hit by Covid-19, protests such as the Black Lives Matter - a movement against police brutality - have filled city streets, and President Donald Trump's style of governing has proved divisive for some Americans.
While the usually raucous arenas are quiet, the contest between Republican incumbents Mr Trump and Vice President Mike Pence and the Democrat Party's candidate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is heating up.
American elections have global consequences so the idea of being an American overseas and not voting is just not acceptable
"It is very clear there are deep social divides in the US, just look at the Black Lives Matter movement," said Cary Smith, an English teacher and Dubai resident from Denver, Colorado. "Health is another major issue because there’s no universal healthcare system," she said.
"Students are also being saddled with huge debts and it’s not uncommon for them to owe up to $300,000 in loans when they leave college."
Ms Smith, 43, has misgivings about Mr Biden but will vote for him.
"It looks like his selection is the last gasp of the dying white man," she said. "It’s essential that ethnic minorities and women get out to vote if there’s going to be change."
There are about 70,000 US citizens in the UAE determined to have their say on who triumphs on November 3. Mr Biden is ahead is most polls but there is a long way to go.
Californian Christine Lippincott, who has lived in the Middle East for 10 years, said the factors favouring Mr Trump in 2016 no longer applied.
"A lot of people saw Hillary Clinton as unlikeable and couldn’t bring themselves to vote for her,” said Ms Lippincott, 34, a catering trainer, regarding Mr Trump's 2016 rival.
“Now I see Trump sharing those similarities with her. I have so many friends and family back home who would normally vote Republican and are opting for Joe Biden.”
Controlling the coronavirus pandemic and race relations are two of pressing concerns for voters, said Ms Lippincott.
“Trump’s biggest platform is usually the economy but he’s not going to be able to use that time.”
American citizens in the UAE have until October 15 to register their ballot. They can bring it to the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi before this date, where staff then send it to America in time for the election.
One voter who has switched parties is Beverly Newell, a UAE resident of nine years.
Newell voted for Ronald Reagan in 1984 when she was just 18 and for George Bush, senior and junior. But in 2016, the registered Republican voted Democrat for the first time. She will again in 2020.
Ms Newell, 54, came of age in New Jersey during the heyday of Mr Trump in the 1980s when Wall Street was eulogised and the motto "greed is good" reigned supreme. But she also saw the collapse of his Atlantic City businesses cause major job losses in her state.
"I became an adult in the Reagan era and trickle-down economics has been proven not to work," she said. "All the tax breaks have been to the rich."
The kindergarten teacher planned to return home next year to be with her family. But she has Lupus, an autoimmune disease, and cannot return with Covid-19 unchecked. For her, Mr Biden is a placeholder. "I’m somebody who didn’t vote for Obama but for the last four years I’m like, ‘we need him back’."
Ebraheem Al Samadi, 32, said the "hatred and negativity" in his home country meant it was time for a change in the Oval Office.
"I don’t really care what Donald Trump says online because that’s just him being him," said the founder of Al Samadi Group, a retail conglomerate.
"But I was shocked when I saw he was trying to change the healthcare system that Barack Obama put in place. I am a big supporter of Obamacare because it’s something the country really needs."
A simplified online registration and voting system made it easy for citizens abroad to vote, said Tony Graham, an American banker.
"American elections have global consequences so the idea of being an American overseas and not voting is just not acceptable," said the Dubai resident.
"Absentee ballots also can, and in several instances do, swing elections. If you don't vote, you have no right to complain."
The 2000 presidential election between George W Bush and Al Gore, for example, was finally settled in Bush’s favour by a margin of just 537 ballots, while Democrat Al Franken won a protracted race for the US Senate race in 2008 with absentee ballots proving crucial.
"Elections matter," said Mr Graham. "All Americans need to take them seriously and cast their ballots, regardless of where they are in the world."
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
RESULTS
2.30pm Jaguar I-Pace – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt)
1,600m
Winner Namrood, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi
(trainer)
3.05pm Land Rover Defender – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D)
1,400m
Winner Shadzadi, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
3.40pm Jaguar F-Type – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner Tahdeed, Fernando Jara, Nicholas Bachalard
4.15pm New Range Rover – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
Winner Shanty Star, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
4.50pm Land Rover – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner Autumn Pride, Bernardo Pinheiro, Helal Al Alawi
5.25pm Al Tayer Motor – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 T) 1,000m
Winner Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm Jaguar F-Pace SVR – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner Scabbard, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP
Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan
Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA
Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600
Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
Results
2pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: AF Sahwa, Nathan Crosse, Mohamed Ramadan.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: AF Thobor, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mezmar, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
4pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup presented by Longines (TB) Dh 200,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Galvanize, Nathan Cross, Doug Watson.
4.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Ajaj, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mohamed Daggash.
