Follow the latest news on the US midterm elections 2022
Once a political write-off for the Democrats, the US state of Georgia is once again in play in the 2022 midterm elections, and everyone from former presidents to pop stars is heading south to back Democratic candidates.
A long-time blue state, it was not until 2002 that Georgia turned deep red, when it elected its first Republican governor since the 1870s. In 2005, Republicans took over both of the state's Senate seats, which they managed to hang on to for 16 years.
As the Democratic Party had all but dismissed the state, no heavy hitters were being sent down to campaign and less overall funding was flowing in from the Democratic National Committee’s coffers.
“It’s a disaster what’s going on down there,” John Kerry, who was US secretary of state at the time, told a staffer in 2014 as he reluctantly got on a plane from Washington to Atlanta to make a campaign appearance for Senate candidate Michelle Nunn.
That all changed in 2020, when two scrappy underdogs, Jon Ossoff and the Reverend Raphael Warnock, triumphed over two Republican incumbents to split the Senate in half.
Vice President Kamala Harris, with her tiebreaking vote, gave Democrats control of the chamber, which had not occurred since former president Bill Clinton was in office in 2001.
President Joe Biden won the state, but by a narrow margin, with less than 19,000 votes.
And so, in the gubernatorial rematch between Democrat Stacey Abrams, a voting rights advocate and former state representative, and incumbent Brian Kemp, politicians and celebrities are falling over themselves to hit the state's red clay.
Last week, former president Barack Obama headlined a rally in College Park, Georgia, alongside Ms Abrams and Mr Warnock, who is running neck and neck with Republican challenger and former football star Herschel Walker.
Mr Obama couldn’t resist taking a potshot at Mr Walker, who has lied about his education, work credentials, charities and even the number of children he has fathered.
“Let’s do a thought experiment,” Mr Obama told the crowd. “Let’s say you’re at the airport and see Mr Walker and you say, ‘Hey, there’s Herschel Walker, Heisman trophy winner, let’s have him fly the plane.’ You probably wouldn’t say that.”
Polls show that Mr Warnock and Mr Walker are in a dead heat, despite allegations of abuse from Mr Walker’s former wife and other family members.
“It is astonishing to me that a man who is well educated, has a degree in philosophy and is a pastor can even be challenged by someone like Walker,” said one Georgia voter.
“It’s one thing to vote for him quietly, but to actually put a sign in your yard, that’s another.”
And even though many of Hollywood’s A-listers have either hit the Atlanta pavement with Ms Abrams or taken to their social media, FiveThirtyEight shows her in an uphill fight.
This past week, John Legend, Natalie Portman, Jenifer Lewis and Sarah Michelle Gellar were spotted on the campaign trail. Selena Gomez, Kerry Washington, Lin Manual-Miranda, Oprah Winfrey, Jason Alexander, Will Ferrell, America Ferrera and Stevie Wonder have made appearances in the campaign either in person or in dedicated social media spots.
“I have worked with Stacey personally and her commitment to improving mental health access in Georgia is extremely important to me as the state currently ranks 48th in nation,” Gomez said in an Instagram post.
Last week, Trevor Noah taped The Daily Show with Trevor Noah from Atlanta’s Tabernacle Theatre — his guests: Ms Abrams, Ms Warnock and a handful of hip-hop stars. Mr Walker, of course, was the butt of many jokes.
And — thanks arguably in large part to Ms Abrams's efforts during the 2020 election — Georgians have shattered records for early voting.
“By close of business today, two million Georgians will have cast their ballot in person — a record for early voting in a midterm,” said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
“Georgia is the state where voters show up early, and our county election directors have created that infrastructure to make it a resounding success.”
The reason why all the glitterati have travelled across the country to campaign in Georgia is a simple one: Georgia's movie industry ranks number one globally in the production of the top-grossing feature films, followed by the UK, Canada, California, Louisiana and New York.
In a news release, Mr Kemp’s office said productions spent $4.4 billion in Georgia during the fiscal year for 2022 — something for which he is all too quick to take credit.
“I encourage you to vote for this lady [Stacey Abrams] … My community, the entertainment community, does a lot of time and energy here in this state so it is important to us who ends up running this state,” said Seinfeld star Jason Alexander at an event in Marietta, Georgia.
Mr Kemp's pro-gun laws and extreme limits on the reproductive rights of Georgia’s female citizens have led many in the entertainment industry to threaten to pull up stakes in he wins a second term, despite the state’s generous tax incentives.
“The health of a woman is more important. We’ll find somewhere else to film,” said a director who wished to remain anonymous.
In fiscal year 2021, Georgia doled out $1.2bn in film and TV tax credits. That was 40 per cent higher than the state’s previous record, $860 million, which was set in 2019.
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E646hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E830Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETwo-speed%20auto%20(rear%20axle)%3B%20single-speed%20auto%20(front)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh552%2C311%3B%20Dh660%2C408%20(as%20tested)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Other key dates
-
Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
List of alleged parties
May 15 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at
least 17 staff members
May 20 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'bring your own booze'
party
Nov 27 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary
Gavin Williamson
Dec 13 2020: PM and Carrie throw a flat party
Dec 14 2020: London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative
Party headquarters
Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
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
UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final, second leg (first-leg score)
Porto (0) v Liverpool (2), Wednesday, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
What is an ETF?
An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
There is no fund manager deciding which stocks and other assets to invest in, instead they passively track their chosen index, country, region or commodity, regardless of whether it goes up or down.
The first ETF was launched as recently as 1993, but the sector boasted $5.78 billion in assets under management at the end of September as inflows hit record highs, according to the latest figures from ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five largest providers BlackRock’s iShares, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisers, Deutsche Bank X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
While the best-known track major indices such as MSCI World, the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, you can also invest in specific countries or regions, large, medium or small companies, government bonds, gold, crude oil, cocoa, water, carbon, cattle, corn futures, currency shifts or even a stock market crash.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
Correspondents
By Tim Murphy
(Grove Press)
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
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
The currency conundrum
Russ Mould, investment director at online trading platform AJ Bell, says almost every major currency has challenges right now. “The US has a huge budget deficit, the euro faces political friction and poor growth, sterling is bogged down by Brexit, China’s renminbi is hit by debt fears while slowing Chinese growth is hurting commodity exporters like Australia and Canada.”
Most countries now actively want a weak currency to make their exports more competitive. “China seems happy to let the renminbi drift lower, the Swiss are still running quantitative easing at full tilt and central bankers everywhere are actively talking down their currencies or offering only limited support," says Mr Mould.
This is a race to the bottom, and everybody wants to be a winner.
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Results
1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Al Suhooj, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2pm Handicap (TB) 68,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner Miracle Maker, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly
4pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
