Tongues are wagging in Paris over the threats that French President Emmanuel Macron is making to get Lebanon to agree to political reforms a month after the devastating Beirut Port blasts. One line of thought is that he could sign up to a joint line of sanctions with US President Donald Trump that would directly target the power brokers in the country's Parliament.
Repeatedly over the past three-and-a-half years, the centrist Mr Macron has gone out of his way to have a good understanding with the US leader. Logic dictates that this would be a good time for him to go one step further. Mr Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson are missing a gaping opportunity to exert massive influence over the course of the next four years.
The two European leaders – and others – should throw aside caution and negotiate their terms for an endorsement of the US leader as he bids to get re-elected in November.
Our cartoonist Shadi Ghanim's take on Donald Trump's 2020 re-election campaign after he survived the impeachment challenge.
There are good reasons why foreign leaders try to stay out of other countries' election campaigns. Interference of the type that is consistently alleged in the 2016 presidential election is one of the most controversial aspects of modern-day international relations.
Moreover there is a domestic aspect to issues of this nature.
Mr Macron is technically a liberal from the part of the political spectrum that tends left, while Mr Trump functions from the political right. There are many Conservative members of the British Parliament who cherish ties to the US Democrats and see the bipartisan divide as a regrettable schism to avoid getting sucked into.
However, as with so much else in these revolutionary times, it make less sense than it appears to stick with the tradition of staying out of other people’s elections.
Both Mr Macron and Mr Johnson have built their success on a "sovereigntist" approach to power. That is to say, they prefer the political sovereignty of a nation over the primacy of supranational unions.
Mr Macron did not wait for collective European decision-making before heading to Beirut to direct political change in the wake of last month’s deadly blast. Mr Johnson’s ambitions were made real by his backing of the 2016 Brexit referendum to bring back control of national affairs to Westminster.
Boris Johnson built his run to the highest elected office in the UK on the back of his support for Brexit. Reuters
As such, Mr Trump’s approach to wielding power from the White House is not such an outlier. Like his counterparts, he is confronting the established political make-up of his country and the world. Consequential change is the most important goal of his time in power, and transformative polices are his priority.
There is the matter of the outcome of the US presidential election. There is a roughly double-digit lead for former vice president Joe Biden, Mr Trump's opponent, in the polls. That is a disincentive for Mr Johnson and Mr Macron.
It should not be the killer consideration. If he does win, Mr Biden will have to work with the Europeans in a fresh start for the world. A Biden administration is also likely to be just as firm about how China is positioned in global trade and Asian affairs as Mr Trump has been – even if his diplomatic style is different.
That said, anyone who has ever followed Mr Biden's pronouncements on the Middle East can see there will be less follow through than rhetoric. So the attitude in Paris and London should be nothing ventured, nothing gained.
At this stage, it is unlikely that the election is a done deal. A friend who journeyed just now between the states of Georgia and Pennsylvania reports not seeing a single "Biden 2020" sign along the way.
Where the three leaders could be in sync – if Mr Trump wins a second term – was fairly clear from the comments by Jared Kushner, Mr Trump's senior adviser, to this newspaper last week.
The US President was characterised as someone who does not rest on his laurels. With the world in the state it is in, that quality is an imperative to action shared by Mr Macron, and perhaps by Mr Johnson. Making a gesture of support to Mr Trump should not be done cheaply by either man. That is why I suggest that they should quickly negotiate terms.
The key is working out a joint understanding now – a time of maximum leverage – that would allow both countries to have an openly co-operative programme with the US to reshape world over the years through 2024. As Mr Kushner said: “When you partner with America, there is no greater partner in the world.”
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive onstage during an Independence Day event at Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota, USA. AFP
Fireworks explode above the Mount Rushmore National Monument during an Independence Day event attended by the US president in Keystone, South Dakota. AFP
US President Donald Trump attends South Dakota's US Independence Day Mount Rushmore fireworks celebrations at Mt. Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota. Reuters
US President Donald Trump gives a speech as he attends South Dakota's US Independence Day Mount Rushmore fireworks celebrations at Mt. Rushmore. Reuters
First Lady Melania Trump applauds as she attends Independence Day events at Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota. AFP
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump pay their respects as they listen to the National Anthem during the Independence Day events at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. AFP
US President Donald Trump arrives for the Independence Day events at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, South Dakota. AFP
US President Donald Trump looks at US Navy Blue Angels aerial flypast. Reuters
Attendees wait for US President Donald Trump to speak at South Dakota's US Independence Day Mount Rushmore fireworks celebrations. Reuters
Supporters of the US president attend Independence Day events at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. AFP
An attendee carries a banner reading "Trump Make America Great Again" during an event at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Bloomberg
Trump supporters, some who were blocked from reaching Mount Rushmore by a blockade set up by Native American protesters, gather near where protesters clashed with law enforcement officers in Keystone, South Dakota. AP Photo
The big issues of the second term are clear.
Because of technological changes, Europe is being anyway forced to choose sides of the China divide. A deal with North Korea would only be greeted with relief in all parts of the globe.
When it comes to Iran, the pre-positioned Europeans were not able to shift their course. As Washington rolled out the Trump administration's gameplan, the Europeans lost influence and are still struggling to adjust.
Mr Macron's visit to Iraq was just as significant as his trip to Lebanon. The French leader spoke about ways to nourish and build Iraq's sovereign independence. It is a sovereigntist agenda, to coin a phrase.
Damien McElroy is the London bureau chief of The National
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The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side 8 There are eight players per team 9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one. 5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls 4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE) Where: Allianz Arena, Munich Live: BeIN Sports HD Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
