“If you build it, he will come” — those are the words whispered to Kevin Costner’s conflicted character in Field of Dreams, the popular 1989 film about an unfulfilled Iowa man who never became a professional baseball player — or more deeply, played catch with his dad.
The film's bittersweet crescendo is reminiscent of the way that US presidential candidates flock to the corn state every year, looking for validation to kickstart their bid for the White House.
Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Tim Scott and Mike Pompeo have all made pilgrimages to Iowa in recent weeks, hoping to build early momentum ahead of the 2024 presidential election, which is still more than a year and half away.
Of those six, only former president Mr Trump and Ms Haley have officially announced their candidacies, but it is clear they are all clamouring for Iowans' support.
On a national level, Mr Trump appears to hold a commanding lead over any potential challengers. A recent straw poll taken at the Conservative Political Action Conference showed he was more than 40 points ahead of his nearest competitor Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida.
But in Iowa, the former president’s popularity appears to be waning slightly. A recent poll in The Des Moines Register found that while a majority of Iowans view him favourably, the number of Republicans who said they would “definitely vote” for him had dropped by 22 percentage points since 2021.
That could be problematic for Mr Trump.
The Iowa caucus kicks off the Republican primary process, as it has since 1972.
“As soon as you declare your presidency, your first stops are Iowa and New Hampshire,” said Rachel Paine Caufield, a political scientist at Drake University in Des Moines.
Up until this election cycle, Iowa was the first stop for both parties, but with the state drifting more and more in favour of Republicans, Democrats have decided to shift to South Carolina instead.
“The legend of Iowa was born in 1976,” Ms Paine Caufield told The National, from inside her cosy office on the campus of Drake University, where black and white photos of Barack Obama, Mr Trump, Hillary Clinton and a who's who of American politics adorn the walls.
Ms Paine Caufield arrived at Drake more than 20 years ago expecting to spend only a few years there as she established herself, but after one election cycle she fell in love with the process and has helped organise candidates' campus appearances for the past several elections.
Despite building a career far away from the confines of Washington, she has enjoyed a front-row seat to the race for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
It’s a thrilling ride, she said.
“Every candidate since Jimmy Carter has really seen the benefits of early momentum in Iowa. So they spend time and money and get to know the Iowa voters, and then they go from there."
The caucus differs from a primary, in that it is a series of local gatherings, in which voters decide on their preferred candidates as opposed to a statewide process. It requires candidates to roll up their sleeves and really try to get to know voters.
Campaigning in Iowa is a journey through farmsteads, fairs and diners.
“I think traditional campaigning in Iowa really does matter, that retail effort, going door to door shaking hands, going to church basements, and potlucks and VFW halls, that has always been a staple of Iowa campaigning,” explained Ms Paine Caufield.
That is not necessarily Mr Trump’s strong suit. He prefers rallies with large adoring crowds, but even he knows that to win Iowa, he needs to put in the ground work —something he didn’t do in 2016, when he lost the caucus to Senator Ted Cruz.
He still won the state comfortably in the 2016 and 2020 general elections.
This week, he took aim at Mr DeSantis in his speech in Davenport, a city in eastern Iowa. Mr Trump accused the Florida Governor of being an acolyte of Paul Ryan, the former speaker of the house whom he called a “Rino", which stands for Republican in name only.
“To be honest with you, I don’t think he’s going to be doing so well here,” Mr Trump said of his expected biggest rival.
Iowa is also a deeply religious place. Its economy runs on corn and other agricultural products.
Iowans pride themselves on their collective work ethic and gracious attitude.
An unofficial state motto is “Iowa nice”, which refers to the way Iowans treat people. Mr Trump’s brazen and sometimes abrasive behaviour has caused some long-time Republicans to sour on him.
“I think that we need to put more emphasis on what brings us together and to not get into a lot of divisive social issues,” said Robert Downer, a life-long Iowan and Republican.
Dylan Engelbrecht, 19, said it was time the party moved on from the former president.
“It's definitely time, as the Republican Party, that we keep going forward and look for that next candidate,” Mr Englebrecht told The National.
But there are still many in Iowa who support Mr Trump.
Outside a gun show in Clive, a suburb of state capital Des Moines, the embattled politician’s popularity remained strong.
“He would not have got us in the mess we're in right now,” said a gun show attendee, who wished to only be identified by George.
“I mean, he still is all about America and what he believes in is American values and taking care of the people. That’s why I like him as a leader.”
Iowans will set the tone for the Republican primaries and helps decide who will be able to "go the distance".
Anything but a win for Mr Trump at this point would be a serious blow to his second-term aspirations. Mr Trump is banking on people similar to George coming out in droves, who remain faithful to whatever it is that he is building, much like the closing scene in Field of Dreams.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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
25%20Days%20to%20Aden
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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
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Five hymns the crowds can join in
Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday
Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir
Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium
‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song
‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar
‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion
‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope
The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’
There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia
The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ
They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
Company%20profile
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