After some delay, outgoing US President Donald Trump has agreed to allow his successor, Joe Biden, to begin his transition to the White House.
Mr Biden’s incoming administration is widely expected to represent a return of Washington’s traditional policymaking elite to the Cabinet Room. It was a group that Mr Trump had shunned. Many of his supporters fear their reappearance will be a reversion to the proverbial “swamp” of political establishment and special interests in politics. Other Americans, and much of the global political elite, will be relieved.
Foreign policy appointments, pending confirmations by the Senate, include Antony Blinken as Secretary of State, who has worked with Mr Biden for 20 years. The UN ambassador is set to be Linda Thomas-Greenfield, an Africa specialist with a 35-year record at the State Department. Jake Sullivan is national security adviser; he carried out the same role for Joe Biden when the latter was vice president.
The team is diverse. A woman of colour, Ms Thomas-Greenfield graduated from a segregated Louisiana high school. Two Americans with Palestinian heritage are in prominent positions: Reema Dodin as deputy director of the Office of Legislative Affairs and Hady Amr on the transition team.
Critics will scrutinise controversy in appointees’ careers, including Mr Sullivan's involvement negotiating the divisive Iran nuclear deal and claims that Mr Blinken influenced Mr Biden's 2003 vote in favour of the invasion of Iraq.
For a nation struggling with large protest movements, an economic downturn and one of the worst outbreaks of coronavirus in the rich world, however, domestic policy will be scrutinised even more heavily.
America’s post-Covid-19 recovery plans will be paramount. Janet Yellen is in line to become the first female treasury secretary. At home, Ms Yellen faces the challenge of mass job losses and slowing economic growth. She reportedly favours an increase in public spending to tackle these issues.
Janet Yellen will be the first female treasury secretary in US history. AP
Trade wars with China, ubiquitous Trump-era sanctions, a return to multilateralism and rebuilding ties with old allies are some of the items on the agenda
Mr Biden's economic strategy is expected to revolve around a green recovery. His advisers will reconsider the Trump administration’s policies to relax environmental regulations in areas such as domestic coal mining. Abroad, Mr Biden will kick off his green policy by re-joining the Paris Climate Accords, which were initially signed by John Kerry, who returns to government as presidential envoy for climate.
The economic impact of US policy abroad will be far-reaching. Trade wars with China, ubiquitous Trump-era sanctions, a return to multilateralism and rebuilding ties with old allies are some of the items on the agenda.
In the Middle East, Mr Biden is considering a return to some form of the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal. With the old deal’s 10-year sunset clauses and its inefficacy in constraining Iranian influence in the region, a new, better deal should be sought.
This year, Mr Trump’s administration and US allies in the Middle East made ground-breaking progress with the Abraham Accords. Mr Biden should continue the spirit of this historic moment. The benefit of his more idealistic approach to foreign policy is a greater potential for detente between Palestinians and Israelis. After all, the conflict is not only about what have become the facts on the ground. It is also about decades of injustice. Mr Biden has a chance to build on the momentum created for long lasting peace.
Idealism could also re-centre the rule of international law in US foreign policy. Many in his new team, particularly Mr Sullivan, are specialists on the subject. This is an important moment to remind the world of its worth.
The benefit of reintroducing old hands to America’s reins of power is that their intentions will be predictable. But Mr Trump has fundamentally changed the political environment for the US, both at home and overseas. It will be for Mr Biden’s team to prove that its veteran expertise can still steer the world’s strongest superpower through an unfamiliar landscape.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
