Anxiety and disappointment at Kamala Harris's Howard University homecoming amid tepid election returns


Cody Combs
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Latest updates: Follow our full coverage on the US election

It was standing room only at Howard University, one of the oldest historically black universities in the US, where thousands gathered with hopes of being able to chant “Madam President” or “President Harris”.

Yet that kind of chant has failed to materialise, with former US president and Republican nominee Donald Trump doing better than expected compared to his 2020 run, where he failed to defeat Democrat Joe Biden.

Mr Trump, now appears on the precipice of a victory, prompting Vice President Harris to not speak to the initially excited crowd at Howard University on Tuesday.

Earlier in the evening, a DJ at the event kept the crowd engaged as the less-than-stellar return showed Ms Harris failing to perform as well as Mr Biden did in several states during his 2020 run.

For Ms Harris, a 1986 Howard graduate, the homecoming was meant to be particularly sweet if she could reach the 270 electoral vote threshold needed to win the presidency, yet her path to do so was quickly narrowing.

Howard University president Ben Vinson spoke early in the evening as the first election returns were coming in, talking about the university's important role in US history, and what Ms Harris's candidacy meant for students.

“Tonight as our nation observes a ritual of democracy, tonight as we continue the hard and necessary work of democracy, we at Howard are proud and honoured to host our alumna and welcome her home,” he told the cheering crowd.

Student choirs also took the stage, singing the gospel hymn Oh Happy Day, among other songs, to keep the crowd loose during the seemingly endless cycles of election poll closures.

Perhaps expectedly, when a large video projection of network election returns showed Mr Trump winning a state, a loud chorus of boos would erupt, only to be contrasted with jubilant cheers for Ms Harris when she would carry states.

There were also loud cheers when Angel Alsobrooks, a Maryland Democratic senate candidate, defeated Republican Larry Hogan in a what became a surprisingly competitive race that former Maryland governor Hogan was expected to win.

Yet the crowd's attention and apprehension remained focus on Ms Harris.

For a victory to quickly emerge for Ms Harris, she needed to pick off a few states that previously went to Mr Trump. That has yet to happen.

There's still hope for Ms Harris with the “blue wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, yet any slip-up in those states could prove to be a fatal blow to her White House pursuit.

Virginia, a state she was expected to easily win, proved closer than expected as well.

Earlier in the day, Howard University prepared its students for the possibility of a torrent of political stress.

“It’s a moment that forever will be etched in Howard University’s history,” Jay Jones, the 64th Howard University executive president of the Student Association, said in an Instagram video offering tips for dealing with election anxiety.

“All eyes are on our beloved institution, and as we navigate these historic events together, I want to share six tips to help you stay grounded.”

Security on campus had been increased in recent days with the announcement that Ms Harris would deliver an election night speech at the university.

Roads were closed, barricades went up and excitement peaked on the campus among the student body that once included Ms Harris.

Unseasonably warm temperatures also made the long evening of standing and waiting more tolerable, with the Frederick Douglas Memorial Hall lit up behind the main podium.

Reporters from around the world gathered on the outskirts of the crowd, standing on risers and in various rooms near the campus, watching on closed circuit television.

During her time at Howard, Ms Harris was a member of the Kappa Alpha sorority, the first intercollegiate African-American Greek-letter sorority in the country. She also participated in the university’s debate team.

Even without a victory declared, the crowd seemed to appreciate the potential historic nature of the moment, with Ms Harris being the first woman and first black and South Asian woman to serve as US Vice President.

Many thought back in 2016 that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton would break the glass ceiling of US politics, becoming the first female president of the US.

Those hopes were dashed by Mr Trump, who has now run for president three times, and is hoping to return to the White House.

He watched election returns at his own private gathering at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

For Ms Harris, back at Howard University, a stone's throw away from the White House, the waiting game continues as more votes get counted, and her path to a victory narrows to an increasing unlikelihood.

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

The specs

Common to all models unless otherwise stated

Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi

0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)

Power: 276hp

Torque: 392Nm

Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD

Price: TBC

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ILT20%20UAE%20stars
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What is a robo-adviser?

Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.

These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.

Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.

Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.

Silent Hill f

Publisher: Konami

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Rating: 4.5/5

10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

SECRET%20INVASION
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Company%20Profile
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New UK refugee system

 

  • A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
  • Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
  • A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
  • To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
  • Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
  • Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo

Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic

Power: 242bhp

Torque: 370Nm

Price: Dh136,814

Allardyce's management career

Clubs (10) - Limerick (1991-1992), Perston North End (1992), Blackpool (1994-1996), Notts County (1997-1999), Bolton Wanderers (1999-2007), Newcastle United (2007-2008), Blackburn Rovers (2008-2010), West Ham United (2011-2015), Sunderland (2016), Crystal Palace (2016-2017)

Countries (1) - England (2016)

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETuhoon%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYear%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFares%20Ghandour%2C%20Dr%20Naif%20Almutawa%2C%20Aymane%20Sennoussi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Ehealth%20care%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E15%20employees%2C%20%24250%2C000%20in%20revenue%0D%3Cbr%3EI%3Cstrong%3Envestment%20stage%3A%20s%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWamda%20Capital%2C%20Nuwa%20Capital%2C%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

Updated: November 06, 2024, 2:33 PM