Joe Manchin, a US Senator and one of the Democratic Party's most conservative members, declined on Sunday to endorse US President Joe Biden if he were to seek re-election in 2024.
The contrarian Democrat also refused to say whether he wants his party to retain control of Congress after the midterm elections later this year.
“I’m not getting into 2022 or 2024,” he said, adding that “whoever is my president, that’s my president.”
The senator said control of US Congress would be determined by voters in individual states, rather than his own preferences.
“I think people are sick and tired of politics, I really do. I think they’re sick and tired of Democrats and Republicans fighting and feuding and holding pieces of legislation hostage because they didn’t get what they wanted,” he said, adding, “I’m not going to predict what’s going to happen.”
The West Virginia senator, who faces re-election in 2024, also threw his support behind a bill that would provide health care to to 3.5 million US veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits. Some veterans exposed to burn pits reported illnesses including respiratory difficulties and cancer, Bloomberg reported.
Forty-one Republican senators, who previously supported a near-identical version of the bill, shifted tactics to force a debate on amendments that would reduce future mandatory spending. Pat Toomey, a Republican senator, says the bill would create an additional $400 million in spending unrelated to veterans.
The switch was condemned by Democrats and comedian Jon Stewart.
“I'm used to the lies, I'm used to the hypocrisy, I'm used to the cowardice, I'm used to all of it, but I am not used to the cruelty,” Stewart told reporters on Friday.
Mr Manchin said Mr Toomey's concerns will be addressed.
“Pat’s going to get his amendment and then we will see where it goes,” he said on CBS’s Face the Nation.
Manchin pitches tax-climate bill to Democratic colleague
Mr Manchin, who helped craft the Democrats' latest bill to tackle climate change and inflation, publicly pitched the legislation to silent Senate colleague Kyrsten Sinema.
The Arizona senator, who blocked Democratic efforts from passing Mr Biden's Build Back Better legislation last year, has remained silent on her position of the Inflation Reduction Act.
“She has so much in this legislation,” Mr Manchin said on CNN’s State of the Union. The West Virginia senator said tax changes in the bill don’t amount to tax rate increases, something Sinema has opposed, citing the economy.
Included in the bill are provisions to address climate change, inflation and to lower medical prices.
Ms Sinema's office has said she will not make her position known until later this week at the earliest.
Agencies contributed to this report
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
