Even though it will be held online, President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration promises to be a giant presidential party.
Performing the national anthem for the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday is Lady Gaga, while the headliners for the Celebrate America event, to be broadcast on US television and streamed on social media channels, reads like a festival promoters' dream, with every age group catered for.
For the millennials, you have the likes of Demi Lovato and Jennifer Lopez. The Noughties crowd should appreciate the pop sounds of Justin Timberlake and John Legend. Gig-goers from the 1980s, meanwhile, will be happy to hear flannel rock acts Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen wheel out the hits once again.
And if you fancy a bit of country twang, well, Stetson-hatted hero Garth Brooks will be on hand, too.
With the shindig hosted by Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, the epic affair serves as a nexus of pop culture. This is the Grammys meets the Oscars, streaming meets vinyl, and Born in the USA meets Born this Way.
When the line-up dropped last week, it didn't take long for Biden supporters to gloat about how their winner's event will eclipse President Donald Trump's celebrations in 2017.
On the surface, they do have a point.
The outgoing leader’s affair was renowned more for artists refusing to perform than the ones who signed on.
Eventually settling on a line-up with as much firepower as a Tiki torch, the concert featured the likes of rockers Three Doors Down, the US Marine Band and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
While it was staid and relatively dour, was Trump’s big day out an aberration and Biden’s star-studded extravaganza a return to normal celebrations?
The answer is a bit of both.
The early years
Historically speaking, US inaugural events range from the opulent to the solemn. Some were bombastic, while others more low-key to reflect the times and persona of the candidate.
Trump’s event, whether by design or last-minute manoeuvring, was more of a re-tread to previous generations of inaugurations where artists were never the main event.
While music and a dash of celebrity often underscored these affairs, it normally served as a respectful coda to proceedings.
Fresh from being crowned the first President of the United States in 1789, historians noted founding father George Washington dancing a minuet to an orchestra.
Inauguration performances, unlike campaign songs, also went on to celebrate the majesty of the state as opposed to the candidate.
This meant US military ensembles playing a large role in proceedings.
Take, for instance, the United States Marine Band. Created in 1798, they have played at nearly every ceremony since Thomas Jefferson's in 1801. They were also on stage to perform for Trump's inauguration.
It was President Franklin D Roosevelt (1933 - 1945) who was really the first to bring some glitz to the inauguration.
The night before swearing in for his second term in 1937, a swanky gala concert was held in Washington, DC's Constitution Hall, featuring pop stars of the day Ethel Barrymore, Irving Berlin and Raymond Massey.
Meanwhile, President Eisenhower’s celebration for his 1953 victory was a thorough reflection of the military man. The former general was content leading a parade of 62 bands and 26,000 participants, while shunning a series of related social events in the proceeding days.
JFK setting the bar
President John F Kennedy was the first to harness the power of the media.
While television was showing snippets of inaugurations from as far back as President Truman's in 1949, Kennedy’s 1961 iteration was the first to receive full coverage.
And he provided a soulful spectacle that mixed glamour and idealism. Poet Robert Frost recited The Gift Outright for the swearing-in ceremony, while the ensuing gala event featured performances by actors and singers Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Sidney Poitier.
For a while, future presidents found it hard to top that.
The proceeding three decades were largely made up of nondescript ceremonies and galas, some featuring many of the same names.
By the time Sinatra came on stage to perform at George H W Bush's big bash in 1989, he was viewed as the go-to guy for such affairs, now with three inauguration performances to his name.
Picking up the pace again, however, was President Clinton, with a 1993 ceremony and ball mixing art and entertainment.
In a stirring ceremony featuring a poetry reading from Maya Angelou and singer Bob Dylan performing at the Lincoln Memorial, the gala event was a more euphoric affair. It also featured a performance by Fleetwood Mac, who got back together for the occasion.
That quality was lacking again when it was George W Bush's turn in 2001, as his inauguration starred a largely forgettable line-up of Ricky Martin, Jessica Simpson and boy band 98 Degrees.
Barack Obama takes it to the next level
The fact no one really remembers that event any more is because President Obama ushered in a game-changing campaign fit for the historic occasion.
His first 2009 arrival was celebrated with the Super Bowl of inaugurations.
Aretha Franklin sang My Country during the ceremony, while nearby, an epic outdoor concert was held featuring Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx, Bruce Springsteen and appearances by actors Tom Hanks, Steve Carell and Samuel L Jackson.
Obama continued in that pop music direction for his second inauguration in 2013, with Beyonce returning to sing the national anthem, Katy Perry and Usher performing a show for military families, and an evening ball featuring an eclectic line-up including soul singers Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys, hip-hop crew The Far East Movement and grunge rockers Soundgarden.
With expectations raised, coupled with Trump’s divisive election campaign, it was no wonder his 2017 celebration fell flat.
It is now up to Biden to pick up the baton and make inaugurations great again.
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Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
RESULTS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
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Dunki
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Read more about the coronavirus
More on animal trafficking
Virtual banks explained
What is a virtual bank?
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority defines it as a bank that delivers services through the internet or other electronic channels instead of physical branches. That means not only facilitating payments but accepting deposits and making loans, just like traditional ones. Other terms used interchangeably include digital or digital-only banks or neobanks. By contrast, so-called digital wallets or e-wallets such as Apple Pay, PayPal or Google Pay usually serve as intermediaries between a consumer’s traditional account or credit card and a merchant, usually via a smartphone or computer.
What’s the draw in Asia?
Hundreds of millions of people under-served by traditional institutions, for one thing. In China, India and elsewhere, digital wallets such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and Paytm have already become ubiquitous, offering millions of people an easy way to store and spend their money via mobile phone. Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are also among the world’s biggest under-banked countries; together they have almost half a billion people.
Is Hong Kong short of banks?
No, but the city is among the most cash-reliant major economies, leaving room for newcomers to disrupt the entrenched industry. Ant Financial, an Alibaba Group Holding affiliate that runs Alipay and MYBank, and Tencent Holdings, the company behind WeBank and WeChat Pay, are among the owners of the eight ventures licensed to create virtual banks in Hong Kong, with operations expected to start as early as the end of the year.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
