US vice president-elect Kamala Harris and president-elect Joe Biden arrive for victory address after being declared the winner in the 2020 presidential election, in Wilmington, Delaware. EPA
US president-elect Joe Biden and Jill Biden with vice president-elect Kamala Harris are joined by family members after Mr Biden delivered his victory address following the announcement of the winner in the 2020 presidential election, in Wilmington, Delaware. EPA
People watch fireworks after media announced that Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden has won the 2020 election, in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters
US president-elect Joe Biden gestures in celebration after delivering remarks in Wilmington, Delaware. AFP
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife Jill, and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her husband Doug, react to the confetti at their rally in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters
Vice president-elect Kamala Harris arrives to deliver remarks before introducing the US president-elect Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware. AFP
People gather to watch the speeches in Times Square in New York City. Reuters
Gabriella Ziccarelli, 32, from Arizona, holds a US flag as she watches a speech by vice president-elect Kamala Harris, in Times Square in New York City. Reuters
Vice president-elect Kamala Harris speaks in Wilmington, Delaware, November 7, 2020. Reuters
US president-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris gesture during their post-election rally in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters
A person wearing a protective mask holds a 'Biden Harris' campaign sign outside Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. Bloomberg
The presidential motorcade, with US President Donald Trump, travels through Reston, Virginia, after President Trump played golf at his International golf club. AFP
President Donald Trump returns to the White House from playing golf in Washington, after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election. AFP
President Donald Trump plays golf at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. AFP
A woman reacts as she watches speeches by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, in Times Square in New York City. Reuters
People watch the speeches by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, at Times Square in New York City. Reuters
Confetti falls after US president-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris delivered speeches in Wilmington, Delaware. AFP
US president-elect Joe Biden with his wife Jill Biden, salute the crowd on stage after delivering a speech in Wilmington, Delaware. AFP
US president-elect Joe Biden, wife Jill Biden, vice president-elect Kamala Harris and husband Douglas Emhoff hold hands while wearing protective masks during a post-election event in Wilmington, Delaware. Bloomberg
Vice president-elect Kamala Harris and president-elect Joe Biden stand on stage with family members in Wilmington, Delaware. AP Photo
A boy carries a sign with vice president-elect Kamala Harris at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington. Reuters
People watch a speech by Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, at Times Square in New York City. Reuters
A woman takes selfie photo posing with an extra edition of a newspaper reporting that Democrat Joe Biden is projected to win the 2020 US presidential election, in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters
Saturday in Washington was like nothing I have experienced in 22 years living in this city. Horns honked, cheers resounded, fireworks crackled and people danced in the streets. It felt like a long, painful war was ending with an almost visceral wave of relief.
Four days after the US election, major news organisations finally and unanimously announced that Democrat Joe Biden had won. President Donald Trump and his allies angrily insist that he somehow is the real winner but they have no coherent narrative to explain why.
Against a backdrop of unprecedented anxiety, the 2020 election mainly produced good news. For many, there’s profound satisfaction that Mr Trump was defeated. Many distinguished figures had warned that a second Trump term could pose an existential threat to democratic institutions, accountability and the rule of law. A major counter-argument was that he lacked the ability, but not the instinct, to push for autocracy.
Any such danger has been avoided.
The presidential win is cathartic for Democrats. It is rare and increasingly difficult to unseat a sitting president.
And the numbers are impressive. In 2016, Mr Trump beat Hillary Clinton in the electoral college by securing 306 votes, though she won the popular tally by almost 3 million. Mr Biden is also heading for 306, but is beating Mr Trump by over 4m popular votes, a double mandate.
Democrats reconstructed the mid-western "blue wall" that Mr Trump grabbed in 2016, including Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. They scored major breakthroughs in traditionally Republican Arizona and Georgia. Democrats would have salivated over this map 12 months ago, though their hopes became exaggerated more recently.
But there's much to please Republicans, too. They made surprising gains in the House of Representatives and crucial state legislatures. Control of the Senate will be decided by two January run-off elections in Georgia. If Republicans win both, they can effectively wield a veto over most of Mr Biden's domestic agenda.
Mr Trump helped inspire the biggest voter turnout in over a century, which was also due to expanded postal and early voting because of the pandemic.
In what was effectively a Trump referendum, no votes prevailed by 4-5m. But there were over 70m yeses, including most of his 2016 voters and significantly expanded blocs of Latinos and African-Americans, particularly younger men who appear to admire his swagger.
So, while many Republicans may be despondent, their party actually did fairly well.
Republican leaders might quietly welcome the potential end of Mr Trump's party leadership. But their refusal to publicly acknowledge Mr Biden's victory suggests they are still terrified of Mr Trump's base, and unwilling to defy him.
American democratic norms and processes prevailed. None of the well-publicised nightmare scenarios played out.
Though an anti-democratic hazard was soundly rejected, the best news of all was non-partisan, structural and institutional. Political systems functioned admirably despite profound social and partisan polarisation and the raging coronavirus pandemic.
Foreign meddling was contained. There was no violence or intimidation at polling places and no effort to disrupt the election process. Irregularities appear minor at worst.
State and local administrators who oversee American elections generally behaved impeccably. Democratic and Republican officials, and countless volunteers and election officers, worked together across the country without incident or rancour.
Americans in their conduct overwhelmingly upheld cherished democratic norms and traditions. The country may be polarised, but citizens on both the left and right appear sincerely committed to these values and mores. This is profoundly reassuring.
Mr Trump may be hoping that the Supreme Court, now bolstered with his latest conservative appointee, Amy Coney Barrett, will intervene and save him, as he repeatedly predicted it would during the campaign. He is going to be deeply disappointed.
This result is not within what is cynically but accurately called "cheating distance", and no pending case would overturn the outcome. If the court tried to overturn a free and fair election on a technicality, it would create an unprecedented constitutional crisis and do irreversible damage to the institution.
Mr Biden’s challenges will be enormous. He inherits a country still beset by a raging pandemic and struggling economy, and deeply divided along partisan, cultural and ethnic lines.
In his first speech as President-elect, he pledged to end the "grim era of demonisation” under Mr Trump and rebuild a spirit of compromise, co-operation and bipartisanship, but that won't be easy.
Much depends on what happens in the Senate, through both its composition as determined by the two Georgia run-off races, and the strategy adopted by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. He ground governance to a virtual halt during much of the Barack Obama presidency, and could choose to repeat that strategy.
Mr Trump ought to help matters by at least acknowledging his defeat, but he seems incapable of that. He appears determined to promulgate a classic right-wing "stabbed in the back" theory that insists he is still the legitimate President, and so exacerbate tensions and further divide Americans.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden addresses the nation at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware. AFP
Vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris looks on as US Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks about election results in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters
Dogs with bibs supporting Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden are seen across the street from where ballots are being counted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Reuters
Police stand guard during a demonstration held by supporters of democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden in New York. EPA
People cheer after Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden overtook President Donald Trump in the Pennsylvania general election vote count. Reuters
Activists celebrate after Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden overtook President Donald Trump in the Pennsylvania general election vote count, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Reuters
Journalists from all over the world wait for the result of the US Presidential elections on Black Lives Matter Plaza in front of the White House in Washington. AFP
Republican canvas observer Ed White, takes photos with his smart phone as Lehigh County workers count ballots as vote counting continues in Allentown Pennsylvania. AP Photo
Supporters of President Donald Trump demonstrate outside of the TCF Centre in Detroit, Michigan. AFP
Election officials proceed with the counting of ballots at the Allegheny County elections warehouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. AFP
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds a news conference during the presidential election in Washington. Reuters
Protesters urge vote counting outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center. AFP
Supporters of President Trump, who are questioning the legitimacy of the state's vote counting, gather outside of the Pennsylvania Convention Centre in Philadelphia. EPA
A police officer stands watch near a stage set up by the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters
Protesters, police, members of the media and others converge outside of the Convention Centre as the counting of ballots continues in the state in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. AFP
Protesters gather outside of the Philadelphia Convention Centre. AFP
Protesters outside of the Philadelphia Convention Centre. Joe Biden took the lead in the vote count on Friday morning from President Trump, bringing him one step closer to winning the election. AFP
A stage set up by the campaign of Joe Biden sits ready in Wilmington. Reuters
Once he's gone, however unwillingly, much of the country will try to move on. But the willingness and ability of the Republican Party to get past the Trump era remains an open question
Reports suggest he might nonetheless be willing to negotiate a normal transfer of power. His terms are unclear, but he faces significant potential criminal charges at both the federal and state levels, and has reportedly expressed concern he may face prosecution when he loses the protection of the presidency. He could be hoping for salvation through the art of the deal.
Mr Trump will probably be the first modern US President to refuse to concede defeat and participate in his successor’s inauguration. More likely is a new media-centred career of insisting that he’s still the real President and American democracy is a corrupt fraud.
He could inflict significant national damage while he is still formally in office until January 20, but he could also be restrained or even ignored, including by subordinates. His options might be more limited in practice than in theory.
Once he's gone, however unwillingly, much of the country will try to move on. But the willingness and ability of the Republican Party to get past the Trump era remains an open question. The immediate US political future may hang on the answer.
Hussein Ibish is a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute and a US affairs columnist for The National
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
Fixtures (6pm UAE unless stated)
Saturday Bournemouth v Leicester City, Chelsea v Manchester City (8.30pm), Huddersfield v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm), Manchester United v Crystal Palace, Stoke City v Southampton, West Bromwich Albion v Watford, West Ham United v Swansea City
Sunday Arsenal v Brighton (3pm), Everton v Burnley (5.15pm), Newcastle United v Liverpool (6.30pm)
German intelligence warnings
2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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 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.
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 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, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
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.
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.
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 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.
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).
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
Grade 9 = above an A*
Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
Grade 7 = grade A
Grade 6 = just above a grade B
Grade 5 = between grades B and C
Grade 4 = grade C
Grade 3 = between grades D and E
Grade 2 = between grades E and F
Grade 1 = between grades F and G
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
