US President Joe Biden, whose approval ratings have been steadily sliding into the abyss for the past year, got some good news this week: he could beat former president Donald Trump in a hypothetical rematch.
A New York Times/Siena College poll gives the incumbent a three-point lead over Mr Trump if the 2024 election were to be held today.
This represents a remarkable accomplishment for Mr Trump, who has managed to match and then surpass Mr Biden's deep unpopularity, even as 90 per cent of Americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction, prices are soaring at rates not seen in 40 years and it now costs more than $100 to fill up the family car.
Instead of capitalising on a palpable sense of anger and frustration felt by most American families, Mr Trump has somehow been able to defy the national mood and alienate his own Republican Party.
The same poll found the former president, who is mulling a run in 2024, now only has the backing of 49 per cent of Republicans. It's a sea change for Mr Trump, long assumed to be a shoo-in for the Republican nomination in two years.
And the historic hearings playing out on Capitol Hill are weighing heavily on his reputation.
Here was a president who — according to the congressional committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection — incited armed right-wing extremists to march on the Capitol in a bid to overturn Mr Biden's election win and, presumably, try to end democracy in America.
The panel and its witnesses have described time and again how Mr Trump knew his claims of election fraud were lies, yet he pushed them anyway.
Even Elon Musk, the self-declared Republican who is himself adept at alienating his followers, has had enough, telling Mr Trump to “hang up his hat and sail into the sunset”.
A vainglorious Mr Trump appears unable to move beyond the fact that he lost to Mr Biden by seven million votes. Now a critical mass of his supporters — whom he once bragged would still love him if he were to “stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody” — seem to have had enough.
Mr Biden, however, can draw little comfort from this.
Aside from the Trump metric, nothing on the polling front is going right for the 79-year-old president, who insists he will run again even as the world's most demanding job exacts a tough toll.
His gaffes are growing worse by the week, he has been unable to secure significant legislative wins this year and the Democrats seem determined to bungle their messaging on vital issues whenever possible.
Only this week, first lady Jill Biden caused an uproar when she likened San Antonio, Texas's Latino community to breakfast tacos.
A Yahoo News/YouGov poll released on Wednesday found that only 18 per cent of Americans think Mr Biden should run again in 2024. He will be almost 82 by election day, by far the oldest of any president to seek a second term.
In the key under-30 demographic, 94 per cent of Democrats say they want to see a different presidential nominee, the New York Times/Siena College poll showed.
With the Democrats on a cruise-controlled crash into a midterm electoral bonfire, the news will only get worse for Mr Biden.
As the Republicans win control of Congress, they will open sprawling probes into his bungling of the end of the Afghanistan war, his son Hunter's laptop and other inconvenient issues like out-of-control inflation that the Democrats would rather just go away.
It is clear Mr Biden is no longer fit for the job. And Mr Trump's seemingly seditious actions on January 6 should disqualify him from ever running for office again.
Neither party has a deep bench of palatable alternatives — but it's time for the old guard to step aside and see who rises.
Whatever happens on November 5, 2024, it won't be a rematch between two of the most unpopular men in America — and that is a good thing. This country deserves better.
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
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.
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
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South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
UFC Fight Night 2
1am – Early prelims
2am – Prelims
4am-7am – Main card
7:30am-9am – press cons
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
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.
RESULTS
6.30pm: Longines Conquest Classic Dh150,000 Maiden 1,200m.
Winner: Halima Hatun, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ismail Mohammed (trainer).
7.05pm: Longines Gents La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,200m.
Winner: Moosir, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Longines Equestrian Collection Dh150,000 Maiden 1,600m.
Winner: Mazeed, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Longines Gents Master Collection Dh175,000 Handicap.
Winner: Thegreatcollection, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Longines Ladies Master Collection Dh225,000 Conditions 1,600m.
Winner: Cosmo Charlie, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Longines Ladies La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,600m.
Winner: Secret Trade, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
10pm: Longines Moon Phase Master Collection Dh170,000 Handicap 2,000m.
Winner:
THREE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
!['I told him [Donald Trump] that the stuff his people were shovelling out to the public was bull***t.' Former attorney general William Barr. AP](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/RLINK2AWKRFONAWRZ7TNQF6VI4.jpg?smart=true&auth=898bee20e87c352f4801c4275eab58720719d25c3b0343a94bb0b4d88c1d38f4&width=800&height=450)
