Here on the US East Coast, it’s the traditional time for American football games, prepping for Halloween or Thanksgiving, or watching great maple trees turn red and orange.
But there is no tradition this year. Instead, most Americans find themselves caught in an increasingly dystopian world as elections grow nearer. Last week was the pinnacle, featuring the most startling presidential debate – or debacle as most see it – in history and then, a few days later, President Donald Trump and his wife Melania testing positive for Covid-19.
With Mr Trump, who is 74 and overweight, now hospitalised at Walter Reed Hospital, and more members of his circle testing positive, the 2020 election campaign has been turned upside down. There is also some confusion in the timeline of Mr Trump's illness. He didn't inform the public until 1am on Friday, but his doctors have made references to symptoms or treatments beginning while he was still attending large fundraisers and rallies.
President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up as he leaves the White House to go to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. AP Photo
President Donald Trump salutes as he boards Marine One as he leaves the White House. AP Photo
Members of the US Secret Service wear protective masks as Marine One, with U.S. President Donald Trump on board, departs the South Lawn of the White House. Bloomberg
President Donald Trump arrives at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. AP Photo
US President Donald Trump waves from the presidential motorcade while arriving at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Bloomberg
President Donald Trump boards Marine One. AP Photo
The memorandum from White House physician Sean Conley to White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany with information about President Donald Trump being moved to Walter reed National Military Medical Center and the decision to initiate Remdesivir therapy. AP Photo
US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One. Bloomberg
US President Donald Trump makes an announcement after he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus. Reuters
Marine One helicopter, with President Donald Trump aboard, lifts off from the South Lawn of the White House. AP Photo
President Donald Trump arrives at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. AP Photo
Members of the media and general public watch as President Donald Trump arrives at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. AP Photo
The Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Bloomberg
It would have been less bizarre had Mr Trump recognised that stopping the spread of the virus, by wearing masks and practising social distancing, is imperative. Instead, he encouraged his fan base to eschew masks. He called for large cities to be re-opened. He suggested that people drink bleach to combat the virus. Despite warnings, he has fixated on the release of a vaccine before the election – presumably to gain votes.
There might have been more sympathy for the Trumps had his wife not been caught on the “Melania tapes” earlier in the week. In a conversation with a former aide, the First Lady peppered her halting English with profanities to describe her White House Christmas duties, and her apparent disdain for the plight of immigrant children separated from their parents.
But it was the horror of the debate that left most Americans, even some of his supporters, reeling. Mr Biden stressed how the President had failed his country during the pandemic, leaving 200,000 dead. His "empty chair" image – symbolising how many families lost a loved one to the virus – went viral.
To counter, Trump went full-throttle bully. If it left anyone undecided about their vote after witnessing the spectacle, it is – in the words of the comedian David Sedaris – like being on an airplane and being offered chicken or a platter containing bits of broken glass, and then asking how the chicken is cooked.
Looking back historically at other debates, it is possible Mr Trump could climb out of this mess, if only because his Maga (Make American Great Again) voter base saw his performance as a victory.
There have been other unorthodox debates that changed American history.
John F Kennedy, right, and Richard Nixon appear in the fourth and final debate in New York. The 1960 presidential election offered the country's first televised debates. AP Photo
In 1960, a young senator, John Kennedy, and vice president Richard Nixon, a tireless campaigner and a skilled politician, took to the stage. Nixon had been ill and refused to wear make-up because Kennedy goaded him into rejecting it. But the duplicitous Kennedy – who used television the way Mr Trump uses Twitter – had already applied his layer of foundation over tanned skin.
Nixon had still been leading the polls. Kennedy – the scion of a corrupt Irish-Catholic mafia – was an unknown. But while the former looked gaunt and pale from his illness, the latter appeared handsome – and played dirty. He prepped for weeks and broke a gentleman’s rule not to discuss foreign policy. Nixon was unprepared for Cold War conversation. Kennedy went on to win in one of the closest presidential elections, at that time, in history.
In 1980, a former Hollywood actor whose most famous co-star was a chimp debated against President Jimmy Carter. Mr Carter's presidency had not been successful. There were American hostages in Iran, and economic growth was stagnant. He used the debate to talk about a conversation with his 13-year-old daughter about nuclear weapons. Mr Carter had the lead in the polls. But Reagan used his refrain of "are you better off now then you were four years ago?" to help usher in a right-wing conservative shift in politics, Reaganomics and the Moral Majority movement.
In this 1992 file photo, George H W Bush looks at his watch during the 1992 presidential campaign debate. AP Photo
In 1992, a relatively unknown governor from Arkansas, Bill Clinton, went up against the formidable, popular Gulf War president, George HW Bush. Bush’s detractors said he was an out-of-touch millionaire. Ross Perot, another Texas millionaire, entered the race and began taking Bush’s Republican votes. During the debate, Bush was asked how the national debt had affected the candidates personally. Bush – a privileged senator’s son – stumbled through the question. Mr Clinton knew how to connect with the audience; he had a natural warmth. Bush got caught staring at his watch while Mr Clinton spoke. A few weeks later, Mr Clinton won the election.
By November 3, we might not remember the debate if things get increasingly worse. There is talk already of Mr Trump's line of succession. There is increasing muttering about post-election violence and civil strife. There is speculation of a second wave of Covid-19.
His own diagnosis also imperils the Supreme Court installation of Amy Coney Barrett before Election Day. It would have been daunting for the confirmation to happen in steady times – but with the President in hospital, pulling off a complex operation that would need three branches of government involved in the next four weeks seems unlikely. Senior Republicans are adamant that they will move ahead with the hearings on her nomination.
We are only in October, and 2020 will go down as one of the most challenging and strange times in American history. I have no doubt we will recover, as a nation. Americans are historically resilient and Covid-19 will eventually lose its power. But whether or not Mr Trump will admit to losing his is another matter.
Janine di Giovanni is a Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs
Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Overview
What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
When: From Sunday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 12.
Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood. Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues. Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity. Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg. The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company. When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
