Indian-American politician and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley announced on Tuesday that she would run for the US presidency, becoming the first major challenger to former president Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican ticket.
Ms Haley made the announcement in a video a day before she was expected to address supporters during an event in South Carolina. A daughter of Indian immigrants, Ms Haley served as South Carolina's governor from 2011 to 2017.
If elected, she would be the first female president and the first president of Indian descent.
She cited the country’s economic troubles and the need for “generational change”, a nod to the ages of Mr Trump and incumbent President Joe Biden.
In her short tenure as UN ambassador, Ms Haley is perhaps best known for pushing for stronger sanctions against North Korea and for being part of the US withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council.
“Nikki Haley is an ambitious politician so it is not surprising that she used the UN as a stage to pump herself up as a strong voice for American values. She had no intention of staying in the job longer than was politically expedient,” a former UN diplomat told The National.
Mr Trump did not publicly comment on Ms Haley's announcement, but a Political Action Committee run by his allies derided her as a former "Never Trumper" who left the White House for financial gain.
"Now, she’s telling us she represents a 'new generation.' Sure just looks like more of the same, a career politician whose only fulfilled commitment is to herself," said Taylor Budowich, head of Make America Great Again Inc.
She is the first in a long line of Republicans who are expected to launch 2024 campaigns in the coming months. Former vice president Mike Pence and Senator Tim Scott are both reportedly considering running for the presidency, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is considered to be Mr Trump's biggest rival for the nomination.
“I’ve never lost an election and I’m not going to start now,” she said in the campaign video.
The announcement also signifies a change of heart for the former UN ambassador, who previously said she would not challenge Mr Trump for the Republican ticket if he were to run for the White House again. Mr Trump told a South Carolina television station earlier this month that Ms Haley had contacted him over the decision.
Meanwhile, Mr Biden has said he intends to seek re-election in 2024.
South Carolina's first female and minority governor
Ms Haley grew up enduring racist taunts in a small South Carolina town and has long referenced that impact on her personal and political life.
“You should know this about me: I don’t put up with bullies,” she said in the her campaign video.
“And when you kick back, it hurts them more if you’re wearing heels.”
At 38, Ms Haley was elected as the state's first female and minority governor in 2010.
She rose to prominence in 2015, when she ordered Confederate flags to be removed from state grounds after a white supremacist murdered nine black people in a Charleston church. A year later, she delivered the Republican Party's rebuttal to then-president Barack Obama's State of the Union address.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
The Kites
Romain Gary
Penguin Modern Classics
Company%20Profile
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Leaderboard
64 - Gavin Green (MAL), Graeme McDowell (NIR)
65 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Sebastian Soderberg (SWE), Adri Arnaus (ESP), Victor Perez (FRA), Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
66 - Phil Mickelson (USA), Tom Lewis (ENG), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Ross Fisher (ENG), Aaron Rai (ENG), Ryan Fox (NZL)
67 - Dustin Johnson (USA), Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez (ESP), Lucas Herbert (AUS), Francesco Laporta (ITA), Joost Luiten (NED), Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
68 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Matthieu Pavon (FRA), Adrian Meronk (POL), David Howell (ENG), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Sean Crocker (USA), Scott Hend (AUS), Justin Harding (RSA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Shubhankar Sharma (IND), Renato Paratore (ITA)
Who is Tim-Berners Lee?
Sir Tim Berners-Lee was born in London in a household of mathematicians and computer scientists. Both his mother, Mary Lee, and father, Conway, were early computer scientists who worked on the Ferranti 1 - the world's first commercially-available, general purpose digital computer. Sir Tim studied Physics at the University of Oxford and held a series of roles developing code and building software before moving to Switzerland to work for Cern, the European Particle Physics laboratory. He developed the worldwide web code as a side project in 1989 as a global information-sharing system. After releasing the first web code in 1991, Cern made it open and free for all to use. Sir Tim now campaigns for initiatives to make sure the web remains open and accessible to all.
INFO
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Company%20Profile
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Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
