Joe Biden was declared the next US president on Saturday after a marathon election was finally sealed by a tidal wave of mail-in ballots from Pennsylvania that favoured the Democrat.
In an election unlike any other, Americans and international observers spent five days keenly watching as four battleground states released voter returns, often a few thousand ballots at a time.
After days of anticipation, Mr Biden swung head in Pennsylvania by nearly 35,000 ballots on Saturday and the Associated Press along with several US media outlets declared the lead was too wide for Donald Trump to make up. Joe Biden was declared the 46th president of the United States.
Shortly after, the state of Nevada was also called for Mr Biden, giving him 290 electoral votes and further securing his grasp on a hotly contested presidency.
Mr Biden’s heavy focus on his home state of Pennsylvania during the final days of campaigning paid off for him. He won the large majority of mail-in ballots that came from the state.
Pennsylvania, like the other swing states of Nevada, Georgia and Arizona, was not allowed to pre-process their mail-in ballots, which caused a large backlog of early votes that elections officials worked tirelessly to count over five days.
As nail-biting returns were released by the states, a few trends emerged that helped to push Mr Biden towards the presidency. The Democrat was largely the favourite among voters who mailed in their ballots, while Mr Trump faired best with Americans who voted in person on November 3. This explains how Mr Trump pulled ahead in the early hours of the election, but lost his advantage as more mail-in ballots were tabulated.
The Republican candidate repeatedly called into question the legitimacy of postal ballots and told his supporters not to vote by mail, despite the voting method being entirely secure and fair. Mr Trump’s insistence that the US Postal Service was not reliable is partly why his lead in the race dwindled in the days following the election.
Mr Trump made several unfounded claims as his lead in the election slipped away, and Republicans in swing states have issued a number of lawsuits to contest the counting of mail-in and provisional ballots. Many of the lawsuits have already been thrown out for a lack of evidence.
By Friday, it was all but official that Mr Biden had won the presidency. The shift many Biden supporters were waiting for came when the states of Georgia and Pennsylvania flipped blue as Mr Biden pulled ahead of Mr Trump.
Georgia has not voted for a Democratic president since 1992. Mr Biden also leads in the traditionally Republican state of Arizona.
Mr Biden will inherit a White House in crisis as the US hit record-high daily Covid-19 infections on the day of his win, and the US economy is shaking under the impact of the pandemic. The election occurred during a period of distress in America, which may explain some of the significant shifts in voting patterns that were seen during this election.
From a record 147 million ballots that were cast, the popular vote went to Mr Biden by a notable margin, with the president-elect securing 4.5 million more votes than Mr Trump nationally. Due to the US electoral college model, the popular vote is not a determining factor in election outcomes.
Mr Biden won the presidency exactly 48 years to the day after he was first elected to the Senate.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Other key dates
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Finals draw: December 2
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Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
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Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
