Thomas Watkins is Washington bureau chief at The National
June 28, 2024
If ever there was a moment President Joe Biden needed to come out swinging against his rival Donald Trump, it was at last night’s debate.
Here was a chance for the 81-year-old commander-in-chief to put to rest the widespread view that he is too frail for the world’s toughest job and isn’t fit for a second term in the White House.
But instead of delivering any knockout blows, Mr Biden seemed punch drunk and against the ropes as he gave a dismal performance that will be remembered as a turning point in this year’s presidential election.
Only three years separate Mr Biden and Trump, 78, but the President looked and sounded much older than his heavily made-up opponent, presenting awkward optics and viral memes for Democrats who have spent months claiming Mr Biden is sharp as a tack behind closed doors.
The stiff gait Mr Biden has developed in recent months was obvious as he shuffled on to CNN’s debate stage in Atlanta, looking pale, tired and a bit bewildered. When he delivered his opening remarks, his voice was hoarse and at times barely audible, presumably because of his days of preparation ahead of the debate.
Trump meanwhile appeared energised as he swaggered on to the stage before opening the debate with his signature lines on how Mr Biden is “killing our country”.
A debate watch party Thursday, in Scottsdale, Arizona. AP
After a faltering start, Mr Biden soon began making gaffe after gaffe, appearing to lose his train of thought and frequently struggling with his lifelong stutter.
“The truth is, I'm the only president this … decade that doesn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world, like he did,” Mr Biden said early on, glossing over the fact that 13 Marines were killed during the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021.
He then asserted that America is home to “one thousand trillionaires” (there aren't any) before correcting himself to say billionaires.
At one point, Mr Biden answered a question on tax policy by saying something about “Covid” and that “we finally beat Medicare.”
“I really don't know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don't think he knows what he said either,” Trump said after another statement.
And on abortion rights, one of the most crucial issues for voters in this election, Mr Biden should have been able to hammer Trump, who has boasted of being responsible for ending the federal right to terminate a pregnancy.
But instead of delivering a succinct talking point, Mr Biden went into a confusing explanation about the three trimesters.
Snap polls on US networks found that the vast majority of viewers thought Mr Biden fared worse than Trump. Even Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged that her boss got off to a “slow start” before he ended with a “strong finish”.
While it's true Mr Biden did pick up steam at points during the debate, it will be his slack-jawed look of befuddlement as he listened to Trump's statements that will be remembered by the tens of millions of Americans who tuned in to watch.
Most frustrating for Democrats was that Trump repeatedly handed Mr Biden clearly nonsensical and fallacious statements that anyone seeking the White House should have been able to swat down as absurd.
The former president repeated debunked claims of “fraud” during the 2020 election, said the US was “almost 100 per cent” paying for Nato, said Mr Biden had directed the criminal prosecutions against Trump and falsely claimed the President had spent 10 years calling black people “superpredators”.
Mr Biden personally attacked his rival but, unlike in 2020 when he told a rambling Trump to “shut up”, nothing seemed to stick, even when he accused the “convicted felon” of “having sex with a porn star … while your wife was pregnant”.
As soon as the debate ended, a stream of hand-wringing Democratic pundits said it was time for Mr Biden to step aside to allow for another candidate to come forward, though such talk is unlikely to come to much.
Hillary Clinton, who has previously debated with both Mr Biden and Trump, this week wrote in an op-ed that Trump had set the bar so low for himself that he can claim to have won the debate as long as he doesn’t “literally light himself on fire.”
In the end, it was the Democratic candidate who managed to self-combust.
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
Tamkeen's offering
Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
Option 2: 50% across three years
Option 3: 30% across five years
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 1:39:46.713
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 00:00.908
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 00:12.462
4. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 00:12.885
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 00:13.276
6. Fernando Alonso, McLaren 01:11.223
7. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 1 lap
8. Sergio Perez, Force India 1 lap
9. Esteban Ocon, Force India 1 lap
10. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren 1 lap
11. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso 1 lap
12. Jolyon Palmer, Renault 1 lap
13. Kevin Magnussen, Haas 1 lap
14. Lance Stroll, Williams 1 lap
15. Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber 2 laps
16. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber 2 laps
17r. Nico Huelkenberg, Renault 3 laps
r. Paul Di Resta, Williams 10 laps
r. Romain Grosjean, Haas 50 laps
r. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 70 laps
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions Publisher: LucasArts Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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
