US President Joe Biden has reversed several of former president Donald Trump’s major foreign policy initiatives since taking office, such as pursuing talks to re-enter the Iran nuclear deal, rejoining the Paris climate accord and ending US support for offensive Saudi coalition operations in Yemen.
But the unprecedented protests in Cuba this week have highlighted the stringent US sanctions that Mr Trump reimposed on Havana — sanctions that Mr Biden has left in place despite former president Barack Obama’s efforts to normalise ties with Washington’s long-time communist adversary.
And it’s not only Cuba. Mr Biden has opted to stay the course on several key elements of Mr Trump’s foreign policy legacy, including in Afghanistan, Venezuela and China, while maintaining aspects of his predecessor’s approach to relations with Middle Eastern security partners.
Here are seven of Mr Trump’s policies that have remained intact so far under the new president.
1. Afghanistan
A long-time critic of the two-decade war in Afghanistan, Mr Biden pushed back against US troop surges while he served as vice president.
Mr Trump’s Qatar-brokered deal with the Taliban last year that paved the way for the US withdrawal provided Mr Biden with the opportunity to enable a full removal and claim credit for pulling the country out of its longest-running war.
The imminent US withdrawal, which is more than 95 per cent complete, has faced pushback from officials within the Defence Department as well as members of Congress. While Mr Biden has slightly overshot the May deadline agreed to in Doha last year, the withdrawal is nonetheless expected to be complete by the end of next month.
2. Palestine and Israel
Mr Biden has dialled back some of Mr Trump’s most punishing actions against the Palestinians, attempting to restore economic and humanitarian aid and reopen the Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem.
However, he continues to favour the annual $3.8 billion in unconditional American military support for Israel and has shown little appetite to reverse several major policy victories that the Trump administration handed to the close US ally.
The White House confirmed in February that the Biden administration would keep the US embassy to Israel in Jerusalem. Mr Trump relocated the embassy from Tel Aviv to the city in 2017.
The Biden administration also went out of its way last month to clarify that it is maintaining the Trump administration's policy of recognising Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights after erroneous reports to the contrary surfaced in right-wing American and Israeli publications.
Additionally, the State Department so far has not restored a legal opinion upholding the designation of Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal under international law, a decades-old bipartisan US policy stance that the Trump administration reversed in 2019.
3. Commitments to Abraham Accord signatories
The Abraham Accords represented one of Mr Trump’s most significant foreign policy achievements, with the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco normalising relations with Israel.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during his Senate confirmation hearing in January that while the new president supports the accords, the Biden administration would “take a hard look” at some of the commitments that Mr Trump separately made to the accords' signatories.
Despite Mr Blinken’s early comments, the Biden administration has kept all those commitments intact. After a quick policy review, the Biden administration opted to proceed with a $23bn sale in F-35 stealth fighter jets to the UAE.
The Trump administration also recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara last year shortly before Rabat signed on to the Abraham Accords. Axios reported in April that Mr Blinken had told Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourtia that the Biden administration would not reverse Mr Trump’s position on the territory.
4. US-Saudi security cooperation
Mr Biden ended US support for Saudi Arabia’s offensive military operations in Yemen but has preserved Washington’s defence ties with the kingdom amid continuing Houthi missile attacks on its territory.
While the Biden administration indefinitely suspended two major arms sales to Saudi Arabia, Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met key US officials during his visit to Washington last week, including Mr Blinken, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
5. Cuba
This week’s anti-government demonstrations in Cuba protesting deteriorating economic conditions and frequent power shortages have revived scrutiny of US sanctions on the island.
Mr Biden intends to resume the Obama administration’s policies of allowing remittances and lifting some travel restrictions, but he has not provided any indication that he will move to lift the stringent sanctions that Mr Trump reinstated following Mr Obama’s short-lived detente with Havana. The Biden administration’s Cuba policy remains under review.
6. Venezuela
Mr Biden has also left Mr Trump’s broad sanctions on Venezuela in place and has continued the former president’s policy of recognising Juan Guaido as the country’s leader.
Biden administration officials said that they would not review US sanctions on Venezuela unless President Nicolas Maduro makes “substantive, credible advancements” to restore the democratic process.
Under Mr Trump, the US recognised Mr Guaido, the head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, as the interim Venezuelan president.
7. China tariffs
Mr Trump sparked a global trade war with sweeping tariffs, hitting China the hardest with heavy tariffs on approximately three fourths of goods exported to the US.
The US has started to remove some tariffs on its European allies and is working to mutually lift the trade penalties with the EU by December.
But contrary to recent advice from the International Monetary Fund, the Biden administration has not taken action to remove the Trump tariffs on $360bn in Chinese goods. The China tariffs remain under review.
Mobile phone packages comparison
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on Quran memorisation:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
LIKELY TEAMS
South Africa
Faf du Plessis (captain), Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Lungi Ngidi.
India (from)
Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wkt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
Ferrari
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
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The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
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Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Racecard
7pm: Abu Dhabi - Conditions (PA) Dh 80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.30pm: Dubai - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m
8pm: Sharjah - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m
8.30pm: Ajman - Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,200m
9pm: Umm Al Quwain - The Entisar - Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 2,000m
9.30pm: Ras Al Khaimah - Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
10pm: Fujairah - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m
