US President Donald Trump's planned campaign rally in New Hampshire on Saturday has been postponed because of an approaching storm, the White House said on Friday.
A White House spokesperson said the event, which was to due to be held outdoors because of the coronavirus pandemic, was being delayed for "a week or two" by a "big storm".
Citing the storm, the Trump campaign’s communications director, Tim Murtaugh, said the rally was being “postponed for safety reasons”.
Tropical Storm Fay made landfall along the Jersey Shore on Friday, prompting flash flood watches throughout the New York metro area. Models from the National Hurricane Centre show the storm is expected to progress through the Northeastern states over the weekend.
The Trump campaign stepped up health and safety measures for the New Hampshire rally, planning the event outdoors and saying they would strongly encourage attendees to wear masks to avoid infection from the coronavirus.
Before the rally was cancelled, officials in New Hampshire had expressed concerns about Mr Trump hosting a large event while coronavirus infections across the US continued to rise at an alarming rate.
The state's Republican governor, Chris Sununu, said he would not attend the rally. "I'm not going to put myself in a crowd of thousands of people," he said. "I try to be extra cautious."
"Any rally coming into a state which has worked so hard to avoid a spike is not a great idea. I am very concerned that people coming to the rally will not take precautions. They will not wear masks, use hand sanitiser or socially distance,” said Valerie Rochon, president of the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce.
President Trump's last campaign rally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, drew lower-than-expected attendance and was criticised for ignoring coronavirus health guidelines, with attendees not required to wear face masks or social distance.
Those who attended the Tulsa rally last month were told to sign legal waivers indemnifying the President's re-election campaign of responsibility should they contract Covid-19.
Saturday's rally was due to take place at an airport in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Mr Trump is facing a re-election battle in November and has been lagging for weeks in the polls behind his Democratic rival, Joe Biden.
if you go
The flights
Flydubai offers three daily direct flights to Sarajevo and, from June, a daily flight from Thessaloniki from Dubai. A return flight costs from Dhs1,905 including taxes.
The trip
The Travel Scientists are the organisers of the Balkan Ride and several other rallies around the world. The 2018 running of this particular adventure will take place from August 3-11, once again starting in Sarajevo and ending a week later in Thessaloniki. If you’re driving your own vehicle, then entry start from €880 (Dhs 3,900) per person including all accommodation along the route. Contact the Travel Scientists if you wish to hire one of their vehicles.
WEST ASIA RUGBY 2017/18 SEASON ROLL OF HONOUR
Western Clubs Champions League
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
