The chaos within the Democratic Party after US President Joe Biden’s frailties came to light during his debate with former president Donald Trump has been alarming. The absence of a Plan B, given Mr Biden’s age and declining physical and cognitive abilities, is baffling and worrisome – especially with the US being the only truly global superpower.
However, even as Mr Biden doubles down on his candidacy, there are a number of alternatives in the field, such as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The figure who tops the list of contenders, however, is Vice President Kamala Harris.
But Ms Harris has certain limitations. Traditionally, except for a few exceptions, the US vice president does not engage in direct governance. Ms Harris, in particular, has been on the outside looking in. Indeed, she has few friends in Mr Biden’s inner circle and has been sidelined.
She has been publicly mocked for having little administrative experience; for being ignorant of global politics; and for not having enough leadership skills. But those who are more sympathetic towards her have accused the Biden team of not adequately preparing her for the top job.
Popular support for Ms Harris has increased in recent days. But if the disarray among Democrats continues, it will no doubt benefit the Republican Party. And while the American public will focus on domestic bread-and-butter issues, foreign policy has already inserted itself into the dynamics of the presidential election, particularly the war in Ukraine, Israel’s war on Gaza and a looming war in Lebanon.
It’s frightening that discussions about nuclear weapons no longer invoke the same sense of dread and terror.
If Russia, for example, were to use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine, there will no doubt be outcry and anger, but it won’t instil fear in millions worldwide. However, if Moscow were to resort to tactical nuclear weapons against targets within Nato member countries, it could escalate into a terrifying thermonuclear war, possibly transitioning from tactical to strategic nuclear warfare.
If Mr Biden’s initiative to end the Gaza conflict and prevent war between Israel and Hezbollah fails, the Middle East should brace itself
This week, there has been increased talk about a change in Iran’s nuclear doctrine by officials testing the seriousness of the threat if a major war between Israel and Hezbollah breaks out in Lebanon. But Iranian leaders appear not to be concerned about Israel destroying Lebanese infrastructure. Their priority is Hezbollah and its weapons stockpile. Even this is secondary to their priority concern, that Israel’s war with Hezbollah doesn’t affect Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The Biden administration effectively saved Iran’s nuclear weapons programme two months ago, when the so-far only direct confrontation between Iran and Israel occurred. At the time, Washington warned Israel that it would be alone, without US support, if it ventured to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.
As to why the Biden administration did so, some theories suggest strategic collusion. Others claim that Mr Biden – like former president Barack Obama, under whom he served as vice president – believes that striking Iran’s nuclear reactors will only strengthen Tehran’s resolve to acquire nuclear weapons.
But the regime that came to power in Tehran in 1979 is a theocratic system, which combines clerical figures and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that is willing to endure crippling sanctions for the sake of making their country a nuclear state and for the sake of developing regional militias to dominate and control Arab countries such as Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
All the rhetoric from Democratic Party leaders about not allowing Iran to become a nuclear state appears to be just hollow talk and equivocation. There appears to be a deal in place between Tehran and Washington that prevents the Americans from allowing Israel to strike Iran’s nuclear weapons programme and prevents serious opposition from Democrats against Iran’s regional militias, from Hezbollah to Hamas to the Popular Mobilisation Forces to the Houthis.
Yet a notable shift has occurred in the past two years, since China helped to mediate a reconciliation accord between Saudi Arabia and Iran, in part prompting the Biden administration to mend ties with Riyadh. Traditionally, there have been suspicions among Democrats towards key Arab powers. This has significantly changed over the past year.
And yet any surprises on this count from the Democratic Party during the presidential campaigns cannot be discounted.
More from Raghida Dergham
If Mr Biden’s initiative to end the Gaza conflict and prevent an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah succeeds, he or his successor will benefit from such an achievement. But if it fails, the Middle East should brace for a new kind of war and rules of engagement.
It is conceivable for Tehran’s leaders to want the Democratic Party to retain power, especially given their bitter experience dealing with the erstwhile Trump administration. So keen they might be on Mr Biden’s re-election, or the election of another Democratic leader, that they may even temporarily restrain their militias until after the US election.
Additionally, the Iranian regime will be preoccupied with internal political battles after the election of a moderate figure like Dr Masoud Pezeshkian as president over the weekend, as well as with the future of their nuclear weapons programme. These concerns are also likely to force the regime to de-escalate until further notice.
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
RACE CARD
4pm Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
4.35pm Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m
5.10pm Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m
5.45pm Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
6.20pm Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m
6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m
7.30pm Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
MATCH INFO
Borussia Dortmund 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Kimmich 43')
Man of the match: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
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)
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
1st Test July 26-30 in Galle
2nd Test August 3-7 in Colombo
3rd Test August 12-16 in Pallekele
Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbocharged
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 445bhp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh474,600
On Sale: Now
The bio
Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist
Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi
Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup
Hobbies: Reading and drawing
Read more from Mina Al-Oraibi
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
