US election: armed protesters burn US flags in Portland


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Demonstrators burnt US flags and marched through Portland, Oregon, singing protest songs and carrying assault rifles as a confusing election night unfolded, through the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The liberal enclave braced for possible clashes after months of divisive rallies involving left-wing activists, right-wing militias and federal officers sent by President Donald Trump's administration.

No violence was reported in the north-western city.

As Mr Trump claimed he won the election early on Wednesday, despite key states still counting ballots, activists gathered outside the federal courthouse in Portland, the centre of the summer's fraught antiracism protests.

"We don't like either candidate. I shamefully voted for Biden, but if Trump gets another four years people will be mad," said a 20-year-old protester, as two American flags were ignited in front of the building.

Many at the courthouse shouted slogans against Mr Trump, while others danced and twerked to loud hip-hop music.

Portland mayor Ted Wheeler was also singled out for abuse, a target of strong dislike for anti-police protesters. Mr Wheeler won re-election on Tuesday.

The FBI gave a warning about the potential for armed clashes in Portland linked to the polls, but there were no signs of election night activity from right-wing groups such as the Proud Boys.

By the early hours of Wednesday police had not engaged with the protesters, 400 of whom participated in a peaceful Black Lives Matter march in east Portland.

The three-hour march was led by a convoy that included at least half a dozen protesters armed with assault rifles, knives and a shotgun. Rumours and reports about the rapidly changing national and state races, in which votes are still being counted, spread among marchers.

"I heard Trump has the momentum now," said protest leader Ty Ford, 20. "It's going to be a riot. Whenever it comes out, it's going to be crazy."

"It is like picking between two evils but honestly, we'll settle with Biden," said fellow leader D D, 22.

Demands included the abolition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and justice for black victims of police violence, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, before the march ended with a rendition of Hallelujah.

There were also moments of levity as protest leaders cajoled those watching the march from their apartment windows to join the rally.

"Hey, stick your head out the window, tell us how the election is going – and then maybe slip on your shoes and come help us start a revolution," shouted one activist.

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.

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Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Red Joan

Director: Trevor Nunn

Starring: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, Tereza Srbova

Rating: 3/5 stars

Water waste

In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.

Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.

A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.

The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

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Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)

Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg

Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Director: Ismael Ferroukhi

Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani

3 stars

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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

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7am: Marathon Masses

9am: 10Km Road Race

11am: 4Km Fun Run

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Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

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What is Reform?

Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.

It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.

Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.

After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.

Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.

The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.

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Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammed Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin

Turkish Ladies

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
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Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm

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