It could have been President Donald Trump’s irony or a rare admission of his flagging election campaign when he asked supporters on Friday night: what if I lose to the worst candidate in history?
His comments received a cheer from the crowds, whipped up by what are now staples of Mr Trump’s rallies – the size of Democratic rival Joe Biden’s face mask, or accusing him of being "Sleepy" Joe.
Then there are the new attack lines – “Lock the Bidens up”, adding to his infamous 2016 slogan, “lock her up”, referring to then-rival Hillary Clinton.
But Mr Trump seemed to acknowledge that things might not go his way even as Democrats played down polls showing double-digit national leads.
"Running against the worst candidate in the history of presidential politics puts pressure on me. Could you imagine if I lose?" Mr Trump mused with a straight face.
"What am I gonna do? I'm not gonna feel so good. Maybe I'll have to leave the country. I don't know."
The president fought on Friday to recover from sinking polls by campaigning with a hardline pitch to America's right-wing, claiming at rallies in Florida and Georgia that Mr Biden would deliver communism and a "flood" of criminal immigrants.
While Mr Trump put on a brave face, the fact that he was fighting for the two southern states he won four years ago illustrated how much ground he has to make up against the Democrats in the 18 days left before the election.
With his polls sliding and US Covid-19 infections surging, Mr Trump is focusing entirely on his core Republican base, in hopes that highly energised supporters will turn out in huge numbers.
In Ocala, Florida, the coronavirus was an afterthought.
Mr Trump tossed the large, loudly cheering crowd red meat on immigration, race and his conspiracy theory that Mr Biden is steeped in corruption.
Spicing his speech with lurid exaggerations, Mr Trump claimed that the "Biden family is a criminal enterprise".
He said Democrats "have nothing but disdain for your values" and "want to turn America into a communist country" – a reprise of his successful 2016 message tapping into white, working-class resentment.
"It's time we sent a message to these wealthy liberal hypocrites," he told the cheering crowd in Macon, Georgia, on Friday night.
Mr Trump also delivered racially charged comments on Latin American migrants, saying Democrats will "flood your communities with illegal aliens, drugs, crime".
And he lashed out at one of his most outspoken critics, Somalian-American Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar, saying "she hates our country" and "comes from a place that doesn't even have a government".
Mr Trump had still more venom for journalists, who he called "the enemy of the people".
Mr Biden, meanwhile, was campaigning in Michigan where he ripped into Trump's handling of the coronavirus, the strongest issue of his campaign.
"He keeps telling us that this virus is going to disappear like a miracle," he said in Southfield.
"My lord. It's not disappearing, in fact it's on the rise again, it's getting worse, as predicted."
Mr Biden also homed in on another area where Mr Trump has run into regular controversy: his often lacklustre responses when asked to condemn extreme right-wing groups and white supremacists.
He said Mr Trump's comments were a "dog whistle" to such groups.
"Look. Everybody knows who Donald Trump is. Let's show them who we are," Mr Biden said at a car rally in Detroit.
"We choose hope over fear, unity over division, science over fiction and, yes, truth over lies."
But Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon sounded a note of caution for Democrats, saying national polls were misleading.
"We are not ahead by double digits," Ms O'Malley Dillon said. "Those are inflated national public polling numbers."
Mr Biden will be getting help from former president Barack Obama on Wednesday next week when the man who had Mr Biden as his vice president campaigns in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
But even if Democrats are not banking on the polls, key members of Mr Trump’s Republican party are sounding the alarm.
Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, in a call with constituents this week, said a defeat for Mr Trump looks "likely" and Republicans may also lose the Senate, The Washington Examiner reported.
Mr Sasse also had harsh words for Mr Trump, saying he is "TV-obsessed," "narcissistic" and allowed his family to treat "the presidency like a business opportunity".
But Senator Lindsey Graham, a key Republican ally for Mr Trump, told AFP that voters were starting to weigh the pros and cons of the two parties, rather than focusing on Mr Trump's bruising personality.
"I think it's getting better for us by the day," he said.
Mr Trump and Biden are to hold a final debate next Thursday.
They had been scheduled to hold one last Thursday but Mr Trump backed out after it was changed to a virtual debate following his Covid-19 diagnosis.
They held rival town-hall forums instead.
Mr Trump, a former reality television star, will not be happy about their ratings: 14.1 million tuned in to Mr Biden's event, while 13.5 million watched Mr Trump, Nielsen ratings data shows.
Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
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Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m; Winner: Gurm, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Al Nafece, Al Muatasm Al Balushi, Mohammed Ramadan
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Adrie de Vries, Ibrahim Aseel
6.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Ottoman, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Liwa Oasis – Group 2 (PA) 300,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Hakeemat Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ganbaru, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Gulf rugby
Who’s won what so far in 2018/19
Western Clubs Champions League: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Dubai Hurricanes
West Asia Premiership: Bahrain
What’s left
UAE Conference
March 22, play-offs:
Dubai Hurricanes II v Al Ain Amblers, Jebel Ali Dragons II v Dubai Tigers
March 29, final
UAE Premiership
March 22, play-offs:
Dubai Exiles v Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Hurricanes
March 29, final
Mobile phone packages comparison
Scorebox
Sharjah Wanderers 20-25 Dubai Tigers (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries Gormley, Penalty
Cons Flaherty
Pens Flaherty 2
Tigers
Tries O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons Caldwell 2
Pens Caldwell, Cross
Story of 2017-18 so far and schedule to come
Roll of Honour
Who has won what so far in the West Asia rugby season?
Western Clubs Champions League
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Dubai Exiles
Fixtures
Friday
West Asia Cup final
5pm, Bahrain (6pm UAE time), Bahrain v Dubai Exiles
West Asia Trophy final
3pm, The Sevens, Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Sports City Eagles
Friday, April 13
UAE Premiership final
5pm, Al Ain, Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20front-axle%20electric%20motor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E218hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E330Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20touring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E402km%20(claimed)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh215%2C000%20(estimate)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeptember%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
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Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
Brief scores
Toss India, chose to bat
India 281-7 in 50 ov (Pandya 83, Dhoni 79; Coulter-Nile 3-44)
Australia 137-9 in 21 ov (Maxwell 39, Warner 25; Chahal 3-30)
India won by 26 runs on Duckworth-Lewis Method
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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.”
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.
