Whether they support him or not, political observers have to concede that US President Donald Trump has changed the way his nation does politics. While he is seen as a divisive figure at home, his legacy in the Middle East has been praised by a number of Arab nations and even by Syrian opposition groups and Iraqi activists - particularly after the killing of Iran’s Al Quds Force leader Qassem Suleimani, who oversaw militias that wreaked havoc across the region.
Mr Trump has a personal style that seldom follows political norms. Instead of making repeated grand speeches about peace in the Middle East, the US president resorted to taking action, bringing his allies closer together and demonstrating the US’s resolve to find practicable solutions to long-standing problems.
Mr Trump’s first official trip abroad was to Saudi Arabia, one of America’s closest allies. Since coming into office in January 2017, he has fostered closer relations with other Arab nations in line with American interests. He has also listened closely to their concerns. By pulling the US out of the flawed Iran nuclear deal, Mr Trump highlighted proximity in views with other Arab countries.
Arab leaders had expressed concerns that the deal failed to address Iranian funding to armed proxies that destabilised the entire region. Europe has joined the US and its Gulf allies in taking a tougher stance on Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah, which is now considered a terrorist group in the UK and Germany.
Mr Trump plans to forge a new, better deal, yet Iran has repeatedly refused to accept the need to tackle wider issues. Tehran must resort to diplomacy if it is to reintegrate the international community.
Sectarian warfare, fuelled by Iran-backed proxies and terrorist groups, has plagued the region. The US has led international efforts to destroy ISIS, and its so-called caliphate was quashed during Mr Trump’s tenure. However, the conditions needed to render ISIS a thing of the past have yet to be met. These include peace, economic opportunities, and access to basic rights and services. As a result, sleeper cells continue to terrorise innocents.
The region has been divided by conflict for too long, and its people yearn for peace. In the words of UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed: "Our region has suffered far too long. We want to show our people, the region and the world that there is good news."
Mr Trump has undoubtedly played a positive role in changing the dynamics on the ground. Normalisation between the UAE, Bahrain and Israel was made possible in part thanks to US mediation. Mr Trump's unorthodox approach to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has, however, angered Palestinian leadership and has not furthered their aspirations for statehood. The Palestinian Authority decided to cut ties with the Trump administration after the US moved its embassy to Jerusalem in 2018, recognising the divided city as the capital of Israel.
Mr Trump will be remembered in the Middle East for his direct yet unorthodox approach
The PA is also angered by the Abraham Accords. Dr Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, hopes that “once the dust settles” the Palestinians will appreciate that “having a functioning relationship [with Israel] will put us in a better place to support and help them.” He also said that it was up to the Palestinian to lead the way, and that the UAE would continue to support efforts to resolve the conflict with Israel.
Mr Trump will be remembered in the Middle East for his direct yet unorthodox approach, when it comes to achieving peace, and fighting terrorism and extremism. Whatever the outcome of the US presidential election in November, Mr Trump would have left his mark on a region whose affairs are often tied to that of Washington.
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Canvassed, Par Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
Winner Dubai Future, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mouheeb, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
8.15pm Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
9.50pm Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Man Of Promise, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
The five pillars of Islam
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Tuesday results:
- Singapore bt Malaysia by 29 runs
- UAE bt Oman by 13 runs
- Hong Kong bt Nepal by 3 wickets
Final:
Thursday, UAE v Hong Kong
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The 10 Questions
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- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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