Following Donald Trump’s surprise victory over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, Arabic language commentators have begun debating the president-elect’s promises against his deeds.
Writing in the pan-Arab London-based daily Al Arab, the columnist Saif Al Shehhi said Donald Trump’s victory was not improbable in light of America’s need for a leader who would bring hope, improve standards of living and revamp the legislation – namely taxation and immigration laws – that no longer meets national ambitions.
“Add to this Mr Trump’s successful business empire that responds to his country’s dire need to boost its economy that has been sluggish like other economies,” he noted.
Al Shehhi wondered how Donald Trump intends to deal with Saudi Arabia and Iran, which he considers as the cause of the disasters around the Arab world, and how he will handle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“The needs of the world are no less important than the needs of American citizens for a policy different from the decades-long policy evident in the United States. President-elect Trump has to steer away from his business style in dealing with peace and development as there is no room for speculation with such issues. Rather, they require credibility with the countries that have already lost, or are on the verge of losing, their trust in the American government. He also has to let go of the bigotry he used to sway white voters if he wishes to be the guardian of world democracy,” he noted.
Al Shehhi saw a similarity between Donald Trump and former president Franklin Roosevelt, and wondered if the former will develop programmes, laws and departments that will boost his country’s economy just as the latter had done.
“Franklin Roosevelt led the United States and its allies to victory, will history repeat itself with Trump?” he concluded.
The Lebanese columnist Nadim Koteich talked about the triumph of “Trumpism” in the pan-Arab London-based daily Asharq Al Awsat.
“In brief, it is the fruit of a discourse based on three excesses: an excess of protectionism at the level of the economy, and particularly trade; an excess of isolationism that shows great sensitivity towards linking America’s direct interests to those of other countries; and an excess of nationalism that wants the United States to be at the heart of the administration’s decision-making.”
According to Koteich, Donald Trump has succeeded in managing all three excesses by adopting a three-pronged advertising strategy. It relies on simple facts in a complicated world. It uses aggressive rhetoric fuelled by voters’ anger at the present situation more than by clear vision and a desire for specific alternatives, and revives the nostalgia for a near-utopian America born out of global, economic and demographic circumstances in lieu of the present situation.
Nonetheless, the writer continued, Mr Trump has posed serious questions about liberal democracy in the world and has shaken, in his own way, many postulates related to foreign relations that have been firmly established since the end of the cold war.
“He has also posed serious questions on extremism and its relation to us, our Islam, our books, our methods, our policies and our governments,” he added.
“Even though he may not have the answers to all the problems he has exposed, just as he may not have a deep understanding of these problems that allows him to frame them, the president-elect possesses such vitality and surprise that will urge everyone to reconsider their constants, beliefs and questions. And as a businessman, he will be ready to conclude deals with whoever offers him interesting deals.”
The writer concluded that “Donald Trump will not resolve our problems and he will not aggravate them either, but he will have room for us if we place at his table what attracts his attention.”
translation@thenational.ae
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
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The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce
Four out of five stars
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.