Though there were small milestones in high-profile cases, the US overall remains a country turning a blind eye to institutionalised racism.
Justice was delivered for George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery after they were murdered in 2020, statues of Confederate leaders were permanently removed and a new president willing to tackle the inequities in the US justice and voting systems was inaugurated.
Reassuring as these victories might be, the US still remains a considerable distance from the harbinger of equality it is purported to be.
Black and brown Americans are still incarcerated at an alarmingly disproportionate rate, are subject to excessive police force and their access to voting is being impeded by new state-level legislation.
Federal laws aimed at tackling any one of these problems seem like a futile effort in a deeply divided Congress.
The Georgia conviction of the three white men who pursued and fatally shot Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 shows that the US has made some progress despite its flawed judicial system — though the case was patently strengthened by the existence of video footage of the attack.
The three men claimed they had acted in self-defence though the graphic video evidence left the jury with no doubt that they were the ones who had instigated the deadly encounter, going as far as to chase Arbery in their trucks for over five minutes and then "trap him like rat".
“Let the words go forth all over the world that a jury of 11 whites and one black in the Deep South stood up in the courtroom and said that black lives do matter,” civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton said at a news conference after the trial concluded in late November.
Video footage also played an important role in the trial of Derek Chauvin in April, when the ex-police officer who killed George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was convicted on two counts of murder.
The widely circulated video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes sparked global protests against police brutality and racism.
Chauvin is currently serving a 22.5-year jail sentence.
But these isolated civil rights victories are few and far between.
So-called integrity
Republican states began instituting new “voting integrity” laws following the 2020 election. This year, 19 states have enacted laws restricting voting access in retaliation against the record turnout during the presidential election, the Brennan Centre for Justice said.
Some of these measures, including voting ID laws, disproportionately affect low-income racial and ethnic minorities. The ACLU reported that more than 21 million Americans do not have a government-issued photo ID, which can be costly.
Congress has so far failed to pass legislation that would bring forth systematic changes to these issues.
After entering office in 2020, President Joe Biden promised to deliver for black Americans on criminal justice, voting rights and more.
And even as Congress has not yet passed meaningful voting rights legislation, recent movements by Mr Biden suggest that could change in 2022. He recently pressed his Democratic colleagues on two voting rights bills that remain stalled because of Republican opposition.
One such bill — named in honour of the late Georgia congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis — is designed to strengthen the federal government's ability to respond to voting discrimination. That bill, paired with the Freedom to Vote Act, would expand voting access across the US.
Voting rights activist and candidate for Georgia governor Stacey Abrams wants to see action before next year's midterm elections, when the Democrats are likely to lose their razor-thin majority in Congress.
“Starting in January, when legislators come back into session in 2022, we’re going to see a maelstrom of voter suppression laws,” Ms Abrams said in an interview with The Associated Press.
“I understand the resistance to completely dismantling the filibuster. But I do believe there’s a way to restore the Senate to a working body so that things like defending democracy can actually take place.”
The new Jim Crow
Jim Crow laws were enacted between 1877 and the mid-1960s and were designed specifically to disenfranchise black Americans and keep them from voting.
US states created laws that made certain interactions with or actions by black people illegal. Blacks and whites boating together was illegal in Oklahoma in 1935 as was an integrated chess game in 1930s Alabama. And numerous blacks were arrested for eating at a whites-only lunch counter.
Today's disproportionate number of black men in the prison system has led many to call mass incarceration the new Jim Crow.
Black Americans are incarcerated at nearly five times the rate as that of white Americans, reported the Sentencing Project, a research and advocacy centre, with one in 81 black adults currently behind bars.
Data compiled by the NAACP show a black person is five times likelier to be stopped by police without cause compared to a white person.
The ACLU found that black Americans were nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white Americans, even though the two groups use the drug at similar rates.
“As a society, our decision to heap shame and contempt upon those who struggle and fail in a system designed to keep them locked up and locked out says far more about ourselves than it does about them,” writes professor and activist Michelle Alexander in her bestseller The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colourblindness.
Policing the police
In his first joint session of Congress, Mr Biden pressed legislators to deliver him the George Floyd Act by the anniversary of his death. The bill would have reformed policing in the US by restricting chokeholds, setting up new training procedures and holding officers accountable for committing misconduct by limiting qualified immunity.
The bill remains stalled in the Senate after bipartisan talks collapsed in September and currently has no clear path to becoming law.
And while the state of Kentucky limited the use of no-knock warrants following the death of Breonna Taylor, who was killed when police barged into the wrong house and opened fire, a similar piece of federal legislation went nowhere.
The judicial system will have its chance next year to deliver justice: former police officer Kim Potter is on trial for the death of black man Daunte Wright; the three officers who stood by while Chauvin murdered Floyd will face trial in March; and the three white men who murdered Arbery face federal civil rights charges.
Mr Biden hailed the verdicts in the Arbery trial and said the US must recommit itself to a future “where no one fears violence because of the colour of their skin” and he and his Democratic colleagues appear to be earnest in their fight to expand voting rights.
With Republicans poised to win back control of either or both chambers of Congress next year, that window is closing. If Mr Biden and congressional Democrats are to deliver on the promises they made to black Americans, they must act quickly.
Results
STAGE
1 . Filippo Ganna (Ineos) - 0:13:56
2. Stefan Bissegger (Education-Nippo) - 0:00:14
3. Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:21
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:24
5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) - 0:00:30
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 4:00:05
2. Joao Almeida (QuickStep) - 0:00:05
3. Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) - 0:00:18
4. Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma) - 0:00:33
5. Adam Yates (Ineos) - 0:00:39
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Naga
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ENGLAND%20SQUAD
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T20 World Cup Qualifier A, Muscat
Friday, February 18: 10am - Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm - Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am - Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm - UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am - Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm - Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm – semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm – final
UAE squad: Ahmed Raza (captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv
Ukraine%20exports
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
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.
The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass
Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km
Under-21 European Championship Final
Germany 1 Spain 0
Weiser (40')
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20specs
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
THE RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Alnawar, Connor Beasley (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Raniah, Noel Garbutt, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 2,200m
Winner: Saarookh, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez
6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Rated Conditions Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: RB Torch, Tadhg O’Shea, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: MH Wari, Antonio Fresu, Elise Jeane
7.30pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,600m
Winner: Mailshot, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Book%20Details
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlanRadar%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2013%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EIbrahim%20Imam%2C%20Sander%20van%20de%20Rijdt%2C%20Constantin%20K%C3%B6ck%2C%20Clemens%20Hammerl%2C%20Domagoj%20Dolinsek%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVienna%2C%20Austria%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EConstruction%20and%20real%20estate%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E400%2B%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20B%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Headline%2C%20Berliner%20Volksbank%20Ventures%2C%20aws%20Gr%C3%BCnderfonds%2C%20Cavalry%20Ventures%2C%20Proptech1%2C%20Russmedia%2C%20GR%20Capital%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')
Fulham 0
Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)
Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed