For months, and not just after his disastrous presidential debate appearance, Americans have been saying that Joe Biden is too old to serve another term in the White House. In a February poll for ABC News, 86 per cent of those surveyed said so. That was up from 74 per cent last September.
It is a sure bet that no one changed their mind for the better about Mr Biden after watching his excruciating performance last week. But Mr Biden’s age – he’s 81 – is not the real issue. That is his evident mental and physical decline.
I make the distinction because I feel we are collectively in danger of drawing the wrong lesson here. And I say so with confidence because of the examples we’ve had in South-East and East Asia, where some of the most towering figures in national, regional and global politics have continued well into old age, and their peoples have had cause to thank them for their continued service.
Malaysia’s current Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, is 76, only five years younger than Mr Biden, but he’s as sprightly and acute as ever. His age simply isn’t an issue. In Singapore, the country’s founding leader, Lee Kuan Yew, continued in office as Senior Minister and then Minister Mentor during his 80s, finally stepping down at the age of 87.
If anyone doubted that the formidable Mr Lee wasn’t still a force to be reckoned with in his later years, they should have remembered what he’d said before: “Even from my sickbed, even if you are going to lower me into the grave and I feel that something is going wrong, I will get up. Those who believe that after I have left the government as prime minister, I will go into a permanent retirement, really should have their heads examined.”
The former Thai leader Prem Tinsulanonda was president of the country’s influential Privy Council from 1998 until his death aged 98 in 2019, and played a hugely important role – often semi-behind the scenes – in trying to steer a country prone to coups and protests towards a stable path, enabled by his position as a representative of the revered royal institution.
China’s former paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping, was in power well into his 80s, and was 87 when he undertook his “southern tour”, which many credit with saving the country’s economic reform programme that laid the foundations for its great successes today.
And of course in Malaysia, where I live, in 2018 the then 93-year-old Mahathir Mohamad returned as prime minister for a second time. He may have “often looked and felt extremely tired and frequently visited the hospital for various health checks”, as Romen Bose notes in his fast-paced and insightful new book on the Mahathir administration, Shattered Hopes, but when he turned his mind to something his focus remained laser-like, as his political foes found to their cost.
It may have been partly due to local or regional culture, but it was noticeable at the time that almost nobody in the country seemed to think that electing a nonagenarian as prime minister would be ridiculous. Maybe that wasn’t just “Asian values” in action. For revering experience in many fields is, after all, quite normal. To call someone an “elder statesman” is a compliment, implying valuable depths of knowledge and judgment.
There was a reason why Nelson Mandela called his new group “the Elders” when he founded it in 2007. The six retired leaders were widely recognised as having the moral authority and experience to “support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict and inspire hope where there is despair”, as Mr Mandela put it.
Former US president Jimmy Carter was among them. Mr Carter is 99 and in a hospice, and perhaps I am speaking for myself here, but is there anyone alive today who is as much admired for his ethical clarity?
Malaysia’s current Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, is 76, only five years younger than Mr Biden, but he’s as sprightly and acute as ever
Youth, on the other hand, may often be overrated.
Emmanuel Macron was only 39 when he was first elected President of France. He proclaimed that he was bringing a fresh approach to politics, under his “alternative centrism”, which, to many, looked right wing and out of touch with ordinary voters. In the years since, the far-right National Rally has steadily gained ground to the point that it appears poised to win the second round of France’s parliamentary election this weekend.
Those who regard that prospect as a catastrophe point the finger of blame firmly at Mr Macron. An older conservative in the mould of former president Jacques Chirac may have been able to keep the populists to the margins, as he did.
But Mr Macron is a mature oak compared to what could come next. If the National Rally does win an overall majority, its candidate to be prime minister is Jordan Bardella. Friends who have met him describe him as impressive, but at 28 could he possibly have what it takes to lead a government of the world’s seventh-largest economy?
Coming to power at an early or earlyish age presents another problem: what to do during the decades once you are out.
For UK prime ministers, to take one example, the experience has been mixed. Tony Blair left office at the relatively youthful age of 54 and, whatever his critics say, has maintained his commitment to public service with international, academic and charity roles and his own institute.
Another predecessor, Ted Heath, remained an MP for 27 years after losing the premiership, but the ill grace he never ceased to display at losing the Tory leadership in 1975 earned him the nickname “the incredible sulk”. Before returning as foreign secretary, David Cameron was reported to have told friends just how “bored” he was two years after leaving Downing Street aged 49.
So, in all the discussions about Mr Biden, let us not forget the value of age and experience. The problem is not how old he is, but that he no longer has what China’s Mr Deng and Singapore’s Mr Lee manifestly had well into their 80s – a mind (and in Mr Lee’s case a tongue) as sharp as a razor. And not just on “good” days.
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
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed
England World Cup squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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