Thomas Watkins is Washington bureau chief at The National
May 01, 2023
At the ripe age of 59, legendary baseball pitcher Satchel Paige played in his last major league game, setting an ongoing record for the oldest player.
He is credited with this pearl of ageing wisdom: "Age is a case of mind over matter — if you don’t mind, it don’t matter."
That appears to be President Joe Biden's mantra as he seeks a second term in the White House. At 80, Mr Biden is already the oldest American leader and would be 86 at the end of another four-year stint if he were to win next year.
He has been the subject of intense scrutiny about his age. Criticising the octogenarian's perceived mental acuity is now a favourite line of attack for the Republican Party, and many Democrats, even though Donald Trump is hardly a spring chicken at 76.
Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who is running for president, last week suggested that Mr Biden would not survive a second term.
On Saturday night, he embraced the issue head on, laughing off the fact that polls show most Americans do not want him to run again, with concerns over his age a top reason.
Speaking at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, an annual jamboree that brings 2,600 of Washington's political and media pooh-bahs together, Mr Biden paid tribute to the First Amendment, written in 1789 by founding father James Madison to guarantee the freedom of speech.
"I believe in the First Amendment – not just because my good friend Jimmy Madison wrote it," Mr Biden said.
He had plenty more to say on his advanced years.
Among the barbs he threw at right-wing cable network Fox News, for whom the president is its bete noire, Mr Biden went after the channel's owner Rupert Murdoch, who is 92.
"Look, I get that age is a completely reasonable issue. It’s on everybody’s mind," Mr Biden said. "You might think I don’t like Rupert Murdoch. That’s simply not true. How could I dislike the guy who makes me look like Harry Styles?"
Several Fox employees laughed at that one, but they were less amused when Mr Biden joked about their network having to pay Dominion $787.5 million in damages after it knowingly spread misinformation about the voting machine maker.
"Last year, your favourite Fox News reporters were able to attend because they were fully vaccinated and boosted. This year, with that $787 million settlement, they’re here because they couldn’t say no to a free meal," Mr Biden said.
He also had a laugh at the expense of CNN and its former host Don Lemon, who was fired after he called Ms Haley, 51, not “in her prime”.
"You call me old? I call it being seasoned," Mr Biden said. "You say I’m ancient? I say I’m wise. You say I’m over the hill? Don Lemon would say that’s a man in his prime."
Headlining comedian Roy Wood Jr also poked fun at Mr Biden's age, saying that the biggest scandal of his presidency was: "Is Joe Biden awake?"
The star-studded dinner is a highlight of the Washington social calendar and traditionally features a speech from the president.
At about $350 a head, the banquet consists of three courses and raises money for journalism scholarships and gives awards to White House reporters.
Mr Trump broke with tradition in declining to attend, and the event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
Aside from addressing his age, Mr Biden used his speech to highlight several journalistic issues including the arrest on what the US says are bogus espionage charges of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
The crowd was a who's who of Washington's political elite but also featured celebrities and newsmakers, such as US basketball player Brittney Griner, who was released from Russian prison last year. She received a standing ovation as Mr Biden touted her release.
Basketball player Brittney Griner during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Bloomberg
But in an awkward moment for some media outlets in the ballroom, Mr Biden drew disapproval from several guests when he took aim at right-wing media outlets for spreading what he said were lies and misinformation.
"A poison is running through our democracy and parts of the extreme press. The truth buried by lies, and lies living on as truth," he said.
"Lies told for profit and power. Lies and conspiracy and malice repeated over and over again, designed to generate a cycle of anger, hate and even violence."
Mr Biden may not be a popular choice among Democrats and is wildly unpopular among Republicans.
But judging by his pugnacious performance on Saturday, he appears to be ready for a long fight. Don't count the old man out yet.
The annual dinner raises money for WHCA scholarships and honours the recipients of the organisation's journalism awards. Bloomberg
Leaderboard
64 - Gavin Green (MAL), Graeme McDowell (NIR)
65 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Sebastian Soderberg (SWE), Adri Arnaus (ESP), Victor Perez (FRA), Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
66 - Phil Mickelson (USA), Tom Lewis (ENG), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Ross Fisher (ENG), Aaron Rai (ENG), Ryan Fox (NZL)
67 - Dustin Johnson (USA), Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez (ESP), Lucas Herbert (AUS), Francesco Laporta (ITA), Joost Luiten (NED), Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
68 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Matthieu Pavon (FRA), Adrian Meronk (POL), David Howell (ENG), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Sean Crocker (USA), Scott Hend (AUS), Justin Harding (RSA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Shubhankar Sharma (IND), Renato Paratore (ITA)
Key 2013/14 UAE Motorsport dates
October 4: Round One of Rotax Max Challenge, Al Ain (karting)
October 1: 1 Round One of the inaugural UAE Desert Championship (rally)
November 1-3: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula One)
November 28-30: Dubai International Rally
January 9-11: 24Hrs of Dubai (Touring Cars / Endurance)
March 21: Round 11 of Rotax Max Challenge, Muscat, Oman (karting)
April 4-10: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (Endurance)
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
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
