WASHINGTON // It's almost over. Tomorrow, Americans, or the vast majority who did not vote early, will decide who will lead them for the next four years.
Their choice?
In the blue corner: Barack Hussein Obama, the incumbent president, who has failed to live up to the high - unreasonably high, in some cases - expectations that greeted his election four years ago as the nation's first African-American president.
He undoubtedly inherited a mess. One, as he has argued on the campaign trail, that he has had to spend most of his time fixing. There has been progress, he says: Osama bin Laden is dead, the US-led occupation of Iraq has ended, its occupation of Afghanistan will end soon, the recession has been bucked and unemployment, while still high, is coming down.
Fundamentally, his argument is that the US needs active government to support private-sector growth, protect the vulnerable and ensure that "everyone plays by the same rules". And while the country's massive debt means government spending needs to be reduced, he is more inclined to seek those cuts from the country's defence budget than from social programs. He also intends to raise taxes on the wealthiest citizens.
His most important domestic achievement was the passing of healthcare reforms that help to extend health insurance to all. A victory for Mr Obama would see those reforms take hold.
In the red corner: Willard Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, who made a fortune in the private sector and who oversaw the 2002 Winter Olympics, one of the most profitable in history.
Mr Romney poses a dilemma for voters: is he the anti-welfare, anti-universal health care, socially conservative, foreign policy hawk that ran for the nomination of an ever more right-leaning party?
Or is he the far more moderate politician who, as governor, created a statewide healthcare system that became the model for Mr Obama's?
Mr Romney has been consistent in arguing that government has to play a smaller role and "get out of the way" of the private sector. He opposes all tax increases but says he wants to do away with exemptions and tax loopholes. Promising more defence spending, he has struggled to explain how this will address the county's budget deficit.
He has pledged to overturn Mr Obama's healthcare reform on his first day in office.
Tuesday's vote could also be hugely consequential on an issue that has hardly been touched upon in the campaign: the environment and global warming.
Mr Obama has tried to encourage alternative sources of energy and reductions of carbon emissions. Mr Romney is a climate-change sceptic. He opposes carbon-emission regulation and supports the traditional energy sector.
Both sides have claimed this to be one of the most important elections in recent memory. Ultimately, though, voters are being asked to believe Mr Obama's argument that, while flawed, his record suggests that the US is on the right track. Or, take a leap of faith that a vote for Mr Romney's private-sector prowess - his most consistent appeal to US voters - will be the road best explored.
Barack Obama profile
Name Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.
Birthdate August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Age: 51) His mother, Ann Dunham, grew up in Wichita, Kansas. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was born in Kenya's Nyanza Province and grew up herding goats, eventually earning a scholarship to go to college in Hawaii. Parents divorced when Barack was 2.
Education Punahou Academy (Hawaii), Occidental College, Columbia University, Harvard Law School
Job experience Professor, University of Chicago Law School (1992-2004). Wins seat in the Illinois State Senate (1996). Loses Democratic primary for seat in the US House of Representatives (2000). Wins seat in the US Senate (2004). Elected first African-American president, defeating John McCain (2008).
Personal Married Michelle Robinson (1992). They have two daughters: Malia (14) and Sasha (11)
Playlist "I've got old school - Stevie Wonder, James Brown. I've got Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan . . . . And then I've got everything from Jay-Z to Eminem, to the Fugees . . . . I've got some jazz - John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Gil Scott-Heron. You've got to mix it up. I just depends on what mood I'm in."
okarmi@thenational.ae
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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
The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos
Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
