Joe Biden pauses while speaking about his rival's reported remarks about fallen US military personnel, at a campaign event in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters
Joe Biden pauses while speaking about his rival's reported remarks about fallen US military personnel, at a campaign event in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters
Joe Biden pauses while speaking about his rival's reported remarks about fallen US military personnel, at a campaign event in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters
Joe Biden pauses while speaking about his rival's reported remarks about fallen US military personnel, at a campaign event in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters

Biden demands Trump apologise for reported insult to US troops


Joyce Karam
  • English
  • Arabic

With less than two months until election day, Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Friday demanded an apology from Donald Trump following reports that the US President insulted American troops killed in battle.

"If these statements are true, the president should humbly apologise," Mr Biden said, referring to a report in The Atlantic on Thursday that cites four sources saying Mr Trump called US troops and service members killed in World War II and Vietnam "suckers" and "losers".

An emotional Mr Biden brought up his late son Beau who served in Iraq and died of cancer in 2015. “When my son volunteered and joined the United States military, and went to Iraq for a year, won the Bronze Star and other commendations, he was not a sucker!” he said.

Mr Biden then asked: “Who the heck does he [Trump] think he is?”

"If what is written in The Atlantic is true, it is disgusting. It affirms…that Donald Trump is not fit to be the commander in chief," he added.

Mr Trump denied the report and members of his cabinet and aides came to his defence.

The president called the report a "fake story" and said his former chief of staff John Kelly "could have been" a source on The Atlantic.

The US president had already come under fire this week after appearing to call on his supporters to vote twice in the November election. EPA
The US president had already come under fire this week after appearing to call on his supporters to vote twice in the November election. EPA

He criticised the retired Marine Corps general, saying he “got eaten up in this world, he was unable to function”.

“He was unable to handle the pressure of this job,” Mr Trump said.

Mr Kelly resigned his position in January 2019.

White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said: “This report is false. President Trump holds the military in the highest regard. This has no basis in fact.”

The Associated Press, Fox News, the Washington Post and The New York Times confirmed some of the revelations in The Atlantic including that Mr Trump had called dead marines "losers" and disparaged former Senator and Vietnam war veteran John McCain.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came to Mr Trump’s defence on Friday.

"I've never heard the president use the language that assertively is said in that article about him calling the military 'suckers' and ‘losers’”, Mr Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News.

Defence Secretary Mark Esper praised Mr Trump’s record with the military but stopped short of issuing a denial.

“President Trump has the highest respect and admiration for our nation’s military members, veterans and families. That is why he has fought for greater pay and more funding for our armed forces,” Mr Esper said in a statement.

The allegations compound Mr Trump’s problems with military voters, who historically favor Republican nominees but are according to a latest poll favoring Mr Biden. A poll published by the Military Times on Monday showed Mr Biden with a 4 per cent lead over the US President among military voters.

Earlier on Friday the Biden campaign released the names of more than 190 former and current law enforcement officials who are backing the candidate.

The latest accusations capped an unsteady week for the Trump campaign having to explain the US President's comment urging supporters to vote twice which is illegal and erasing a small bounce in the polls from the convention last week.

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

COMPANY PROFILE

Company name: Blah

Started: 2018

Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri

Based: Dubai

Industry: Technology and talent management

Initial investment: Dh20,000

Investors: Self-funded

Total customers: 40

The Farewell

Director: Lulu Wang

Stars: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Diana Lin, Tzi Ma

Four stars

Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars

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Porsche Macan T: The Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo 

Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm 

Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm 

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto 

Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec 

Top speed: 232kph 

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km 

On sale: May or June 

Price: From Dh259,900  

Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'

Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.

Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.

"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.

"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.

"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."

APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

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Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

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Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4

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In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

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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

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8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint

Greenheart Organic Farms 

This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.

www.greenheartuae.com

Modibodi  

Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.

www.modibodi.ae

The Good Karma Co

From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes. 

www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco

Re:told

One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.

www.shopretold.com

Lush

Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store. 

www.mena.lush.com

Bubble Bro 

Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.

www.bubble-bro.com

Coethical 

This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.

www.instagram.com/coethical

Eggs & Soldiers

This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.

www.eggsnsoldiers.com

Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi

“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
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
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

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Types of bank fraud

1) Phishing

Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.

2) Smishing

The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.

3) Vishing

The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.

4) SIM swap

Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.

5) Identity theft

Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.

6) Prize scams

Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million