It was inevitable that someone in US President Donald Trump’s administration would pay the price for the scandal surrounding leaked information about American military strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
On Thursday, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz became the first high-profile official in the Trump administration to resign almost two months after he added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, to a Signal chat group of senior officials discussing national security matters.
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth appears to be on borrowed time, too, having committed one blunder after another, beginning with discussing military affairs through an unsecured app, even with his wife and brother. Others in the administration are also bracing for surprise dismissals.
The US President has struggled to secure a “victory”, whether on the economic front or in the foreign policy domain, during the first 100 days of his second term. He might, therefore, feel compelled to launch the next 100 days with a dramatic announcement, once again plunging the world into suspense.
Many expected a cabinet reshuffle to eventually take place. Mr Trump, after all, had no qualms about cutting loose even close confidants during his first term. But this is no passing episode, and it will come hand-in-hand with shifts in the domestic and foreign policy trends seen during the first 100 days.
The Trump team isn’t cohesive. It includes officials, with often-conflicting agendas, engaging in internal battles. This is largely due to the President’s belief in personalising policy, convinced as he is that he has been chosen to “fix” America and the rest of the world. A televised meeting of Mr Trump’s senior officials from a few days ago was astonishing. It’s unclear if it is the norm for cabinet members to heap deifying praise on their president in closed-door meetings, nonetheless the spectacle was surreal.
Trump and the establishment agree that China is America’s primary strategic rival and that its rise must be contained. But the disagreement lies in the details
The challenge for Mr Trump in his second term is that he has armed himself with an agenda that has been shaped by ideological think tanks – and the manner in which he is implementing it has created discomfort within the governing apparatus.
There are concerns within the bureaucracy about Mr Trump’s “shock and awe” strategy, which has involved rebuking allies and jolting other governments out of their complacency, while creating new crises for his own country. Political and military elites are wary of Mr Trump’s reliance on outsiders, like Mr Hegseth and special envoy Steve Witkoff, and the expansive powers he has granted them. The spotlight is on Elon Musk, too, for the manner in which he and the controversial Department of Government Efficiency he helped create has gone about downsizing the administrative state.
Mr Trump and the establishment agree that China is America’s primary strategic rival and that its rise must be contained. But the disagreement lies in the details. Cutting off the nose to spite the face – which some view the President to have done by imposing high tariffs against China and other countries – is not a strategy. Who “blinks first” isn’t a suitable doctrine for great powers in times of great rivalry. The ensuing trade war is hurting the US economy.
Moreover, the establishment isn’t happy with the presidency encroaching on the powers of the legislative and judicial branches.
And yet, a large segment of the public supports Mr Trump because they believe in his promise to restore American greatness and stop other countries from exploiting the US. Indeed, many Americans agree that Europe should shoulder greater responsibility and costs for its defence, rather than passively benefiting from the transatlantic alliance. Many support his crackdown on illegal immigration, which they see as exploiting tax loopholes. Many back stronger border controls, even if they oppose the idea of annexing Canada. Many also dislike the leftward drift of American universities.
When it comes to foreign affairs, most Americans only care about what directly affects them. Israel, for instance, is viewed as a domestic issue, hence the majority of them continue to support it – even if many are uneasy about its brutal war in Gaza. Most Americans may not care that Iran imposes its expansionist ideology on the sovereignty of its neighbours through armed proxies. What matters to them is that it does not acquire a nuclear bomb and that the US doesn’t get dragged into a war with it. Mr Trump understands this, which explains why he has entered talks with Tehran.
The President now realises that his bid for a ceasefire in Ukraine has hit the wall. He understands that he cannot broker a deal between Kyiv and Moscow that excludes Europe. He has adjusted and revised his policies on Ukraine because he realises that his initial ideas are not viable. Now, he wants to shift focus to Iran and the Middle East, especially as he prepares for a consequential visit to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar this month.
Mr Trump’s message to Iran’s leadership contains both carrots and sticks. But the changes in key positions within the administration will affect their approach to the talks, particularly as there is already a split over the nature and foundation of those negotiations.
The postponement of the fourth round of talks suggests negotiations are faltering, even if they haven’t collapsed. Mr Hegseth’s message to Tehran this week – that Iran should stop supporting the Houthis – is a serious warning. This is a war the US is waging against the Houthis, and the Trump administration won’t accept sitting at the table with Iran while simultaneously being confronted by it in the battlefield, whether through the Houthis or other Iranian proxies.
There is a faction within the administration that opposes giving in to Iran’s agenda, namely, allowing the talks to serve as a shield protecting Tehran from accountability over its nuclear weapons programme, while dragging out the timeline, making the process elastic, and refusing to address ballistic missiles or armed proxies. Tehran wants only a broad “framework”, while the Trump administration insists on detailed agreements in writing. The talks are ongoing, nonetheless stumbling.
For Mr Trump, the priority is not only to promote the importance of “Made in America” and the restoration of American greatness. Another headline objective, perhaps just as important as promoting investment in the US, is this: trust in Mr Trump. That is the challenge.
This is no ordinary man, and never before has someone like him occupied the White House. No matter how unserious his approach to various issues might sometimes seem, he has fulfilled his dream of being taken seriously. Now, it is left to be seen as to what he does with his global status as the next 100 days get under way.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FLIP5
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Read more about the coronavirus
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
On sale: now
Fringe@Four Line-up
October 1 - Phil Nichol (stand-up comedy)
October 29 - Mandy Knight (stand-up comedy)
November 5 - Sinatra Raw (Fringe theatre)
November 8 - Imah Dumagay & Sundeep Fernandes (stand-up comedy)
November 13 - Gordon Southern (stand-up comedy)
November 22 - In Loyal Company (Fringe theatre)
November 29 - Peter Searles (comedy / theatre)
December 5 - Sinatra’s Christmas Under The Stars (music / dinner show)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
More on animal trafficking
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
The%20Emperor%20and%20the%20Elephant
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Ottewill-Soulsby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrinceton%20University%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E392%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJuly%2011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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 specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
THE%20SPECS
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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
RACE SCHEDULE
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm
Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm
Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETHE%20SPECS%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EEngine%3A%203.5-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3ETransmission%3A%209-speed%20automatc%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20279hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20350Nm%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh250%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More on Quran memorisation:
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
The specs: Audi e-tron
Price, base: From Dh325,000 (estimate)
Engine: Twin electric motors and 95kWh battery pack
Transmission: Single-speed auto
Power: 408hp
Torque: 664Nm
Range: 400 kilometres
Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
MATCH INFO
Karnataka Tuskers 110-5 (10 ovs)
Tharanga 48, Shafiq 34, Rampaul 2-16
Delhi Bulls 91-8 (10 ovs)
Mathews 31, Rimmington 3-28
Karnataka Tuskers win by 19 runs
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champioons League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
