US Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump are set to battle in a high-stakes televised debate on Tuesday night, as the country prepares for this year's presidential election.
The contest, during which candidates are expected to field questions about the economy, immigration, the Israel-Gaza war and aid to Ukraine, will take place in Philadelphia, the biggest city in the must-win state of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania is home to a diverse Arab-American population dating back to the 19th century. Christian Lebanese families began settling there in the 1860s. Palestinian Americans began arriving in the 1950s, shortly after landing in New York City. Many hail from the occupied West Bank village of Mikhmas, on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
Today, Philadelphia is home to a Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, Egyptian, Tunisian and Moroccan population. More than 180,000 Arab Americans live in Pennsylvania, the Arab American Institute says.
We really went out and organised for Biden and got nothing … and then look what he did in Palestine
Marwan Kreidie,
Philadelphia activist
Like Arab Americans elsewhere in the country, voters rallied behind President Joe Biden in 2020, helping him unseat Mr Trump, who had passed the so-called Muslim travel ban.
But now they say they are devastated with the Biden administration's continued support for Israel in the war in Gaza, which began with the October 7 Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people.
More than 40,900 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict broke out, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
“We feel really betrayed by Biden,” Marwan Kreidie, a longtime community organiser and Philadelphia activist, told The National.
“We really went out and organised for Biden and got nothing … and then look what he did in Palestine,” he added.
Mr Trump won the state – worth 20 electoral votes – by less than 1 per cent in 2016. Mr Biden reclaimed it in 2020 by a similarly narrow margin.
Mr Biden announced that he was dropping out of the presidential race in July, after coming under intense pressure from his own Democratic Party over his mental acuity after a disastrous debate performance in which he struggled to finish thoughts and sentences.
He has also endured intense criticism over his steadfast support for Israel, and his administration's efforts to mediate an enduring ceasefire have so far come to nothing.
Mr Biden's withdrawal brought initial relief as well as optimism for Arab Americans, but they say Ms Harris has so far indicated that she would not change course on Gaza.
“She's been telling us since she became the nominee who she is, what her position is, and we believe her,” said Nagi Abulatefa, who grew up on the outskirts of Abasan, in Gaza's Khan Younis.
He added that the Biden administration's policy on Gaza has left him feeling “abandoned, forgotten and not worthy of anything.”
At least 20 of Mr Abulatefa's relatives have been killed since the start of the war, and about 20 are missing, either under the rubble or in Israeli detention.
His elderly mother, Zeinah, died early in the war after drinking contaminated water.
“They gave her an IV and she died a slow death in the corridor of a hospital in Khan Younis, there was nothing they could do for her,” Mr Abulatefa told The National.
He and others in his suburban community of Allentown are considering voting for a third-party candidate. Many have opposed voting for Mr Trump, who has vowed to give Israel even more support.
“The most important thing for us in this election is to ensure that the Democrats lose,” said Palestinian-American novelist and activist Susan Abulhawa.
“I would like to, in the process, empower a third party … we can't keep these two-party chains on our wrists, we have choices.”
During the debate on Tuesday, protesters are set to hold a demonstration outside City Hall.
“Shut down the presidential debate for Gaza,” one flyer on social media read.
Mr Kreidie said the Arab-American community, as well as their allies and supporters, have come out to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and university students across the state have demonstrated in great numbers.
“The community is really supportive, but the community is just devastated.”
He voiced hope Ms Harris would change her language on Gaza during the debate. He added that her team has reached out to him and other local leaders in an effort to build support among Arab Americans. A meeting is scheduled for later this month.
“They shouldn't discount us,” Mr Kreidie said. “They need our vote.”
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
The details
Heard It in a Past Life
Maggie Rogers
(Capital Records)
3/5
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
BMW%20M4%20Competition
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Jebel Ali Dragons 26 Bahrain 23
Dragons
Tries: Hayes, Richards, Cooper
Cons: Love
Pens: Love 3
Bahrain
Tries: Kenny, Crombie, Tantoh
Cons: Phillips
Pens: Phillips 2
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
