Republican convention warns of grim future under Joe Biden


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Republicans made the case for President Donald Trump to be re-elected in November in the Republican National Convention on Monday night.

The party made pointed attacks against Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, warning of a grim future under his leadership.

Unlike the Democratic Party's convention, which was held entirely online because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Republicans opted for a mix of video remarks and actual events.

On Monday, 336 Republican delegates met in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they officially nominated Mr Trump to serve on the ballot in November. The delegates attending the event, many unmasked, were tested for coronavirus before arriving at the convention centre.

“The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election,” Mr Trump told the hundreds of delegates, repeating an unsupported claim that the Democrats are involved in a "post office scam". Mr Trump has admitted to withholding funding for the US Postal Service during a time when many Americans are hoping to vote by mail in order to avoid crowded polling stations.

At the weekend, the Democratic-led House of Representatives approved legislation that would reverse recent changes in postal operations and send $25 billion (Dh91 billion) to shore up the agency before the November election, but the White House has said Mr Trump would veto it.

The Republican Party kicked off their convention with a video praising Mr Trump for his handling of the pandemic, after Democrats spent much of their convention attacking his administration for an inadequate response. Medical professionals and small-business owners credited Mr Trump with saving lives and livelihoods.

During a prerecorded appearance at the White House, where Mr Trump spoke with several essential workers including some frontline health workers, none of the participants wore masks, which has become a partisan flashpoint despite clear recommendations from epidemiologists that masks can slow the disease's spread.

Mr Trump later appeared with six former American hostages that had been freed during his administration, as he touted his negotiation skills.

US Navy veteran Michael White, who was sentenced to ten years in an Iranian prison, used the segment to take aim at Iran's "injustice system," calling it an "oppressive, extortionist, terrorist regime."

Critics of the president pointed out that negotiations to bring home American Mustafa Kassem failed.

Before he was elected president, Mr Trump had attacked deceased senator John McCain's well-recognised record as a "war hero."

“He’s not a war hero,” said Mr Trump in 2015. “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”

Former US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, began her address by attacking the international organisation as a "place where dictators, murderers and thieves denounce America and then put their hands out and demand that we pay their bills."

She used her speech to blast Mr Biden while applauding Mr Trump's sanctions on Iran, and his decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

Mr Biden said he would leave the US embassy in Jerusalem if re-elected.

Ms Haley flatly blamed China for the coronavirus pandemic that has devastated the US economy.

Addressing the national protests against racism that were sparked by the death of George Floyd, she said "America is not a racist country."

Donald Trump Jr speaks during the first day of the Republican convention. AFP
Donald Trump Jr speaks during the first day of the Republican convention. AFP

The president's eldest son Donald Trump Jr ridiculed the Democratic presidential nominee with name-calling in a fiery speech.

“In the past, both parties believed in the goodness of America,” the younger Trump said. “This time, the other party is attacking the very principles on which our nation was founded,” citing freedom of thought, speech, religion and the rule of law.

Mocking Mr Biden’s past meetings with Chinese leaders as vice president, he called the Democrat “Beijing Biden” and poked at his decades in the Senate and previously unsuccessful presidential bids by calling him “The Loch Ness Monster of the swamp.”

The younger Trump echoed Ms Haley's remarks on racism, calling the protests for racial justice lawless, violent mobs intent on toppling long-honuored past leaders.

Pushing an emerging theme of the Republican campaign, he said, “It’s almost like this election is shaping up to be church, work and school versus rioting, looting and vandalism.”

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Buckingham Murders

Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu

Director: Hansal Mehta

Rating: 4 / 5

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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RESULTS

2.15pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m

Winner Shawall, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer)

2.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner Anna Bella Aa, Fabrice Veron, Abdelkhir Adam

3.15pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

3.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m

Winner Taajer, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel

4.15pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 (D) 1,700m

Winner Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri

4.45pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m

Winner Maqaadeer, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson

Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
​​​​​​​Bloomsbury Academic

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
Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro
Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books 

The specs

Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel

Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry

Power: 1877bhp

Torque: 2300Nm

Price: Dh7,500,00

On sale: Now

 

APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits

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

Storage: 128/256/512GB

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

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps

Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID

Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight

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

Price: From Dh2,099

2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dubai World Cup factbox

Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)

Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)

Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)

Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
A general guide to how active you are:

Less than 5,000 steps - sedentary

5,000 - 9,999 steps - lightly active

10,000  - 12,500 steps - active

12,500 - highly active

The Bio

Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”

Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”

Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”

Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”

Race card:

6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; 2,000m

7.05pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; 2,200m

7.40pm: Conditions; Dh240,000; 1,600m

8.15pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 2,000m

8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed; Dh265,000; 1,200m

9.25pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; 1,600m

10pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 1,400m

The specs: Fenyr SuperSport

Price, base: Dh5.1 million

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm

Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km

SHADOWS%20AND%20LIGHT%3A%20THE%20EXTRAORDINARY%20LIFE%20OF%20JAMES%20MCBEY
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Company%20Profile
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FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
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MATCH INFO

England 2
Cahill (3'), Kane (39')

Nigeria 1
Iwobi (47')

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

Price: from Dh94,900

On sale: now

Allardyce's management career

Clubs (10) - Limerick (1991-1992), Perston North End (1992), Blackpool (1994-1996), Notts County (1997-1999), Bolton Wanderers (1999-2007), Newcastle United (2007-2008), Blackburn Rovers (2008-2010), West Ham United (2011-2015), Sunderland (2016), Crystal Palace (2016-2017)

Countries (1) - England (2016)

Usain Bolt's World Championships record

2007 Osaka

200m Silver

4x100m relay Silver

 

2009 Berlin

100m Gold

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

2011 Daegu

100m Disqualified in final for false start

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

2013 Moscow

100m Gold

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

2015 Beijing

100m Gold

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm

Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km

Price: From Dh796,600

On sale: now

Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?

West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles

UAE Premiership: Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners-up  Jebel Ali Dragons

Dubai Rugby Sevens: Winners – Dubai Hurricanes; Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Conference: Winners  Dubai Tigers; Runners-up  Al Ain Amblers

if you go

The flights 

Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning. 

The trains

Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.

The hotels

Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.

SPECS
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