Follow the latest news on the US midterm elections 2022
With the Republican Party set to snag a narrow majority in the US House of Representatives following Tuesday's midterm elections, the White House will be bracing for oversight and a series of investigations into foreign policy matters including Ukraine, Afghanistan and Iran.
While the new Congress will mostly be preoccupied with domestic issues such as inflation and petrol prices, Republicans who will now lead major committees in the House have signalled their readiness to pressure President Joe Biden's administration on national security issues.
Future of Ukraine aid
Last month, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said that if his party takes the majority in the chamber, it will not approve bottomless aid for Ukraine.
“People are going to be sitting in a recession and they’re not going to write a blank cheque to Ukraine,” Mr McCarthy, who is the leading candidate to become speaker of the House, said in mid-October.
The US has sent Ukraine an estimated $60 billion in security aid since the Russian invasion began in February.
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Although there is bipartisan support for Ukraine, the isolationist wing of the Republican Party — in addition to a few progressive Democrats — have openly criticised the unconditional backing of Kyiv.
But Clayton Allen, a policy expert at the Eurasia Group, said Mr McCarthy’s comments are not the same as vowing to stop support.
“No blank cheque is not the same thing as saying no cheque,” Mr Allen said on Wednesday in a briefing with reporters.
“What he [Mr McCarthy] was forecasting was us going to be in a recession next year, and voters are not going to have the patience to give $50 billion with no conditions.”
Within the Senate, there is also division over Ukraine. While members close to Mr Trump such as JD Vance, a newly elected senator from Ohio, have called for a cut in aid, the majority of Republicans in the Senate oppose that policy.
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Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell broke with Mr McCarthy on the issue last month and called for increased support to the Eastern European country.
Mr Allen expected more oversight and questions to both the White House and Kyiv over the security aid but not a cut.
Iran deal and protests
Republicans in the House are also likely to increase pressure on the White House when it comes to Iran, whether by objecting to a return to the nuclear deal of 2015 or pushing for more action on the current protests.
Richard Goldberg, a former Iran analyst on the US National Security Council and a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, said a Republican House will complicate Mr Biden’s Iran policy.
“The new majority will be able to hold hearings, conduct investigations, pass legislation and — perhaps most importantly — schedule an up-or-down vote to reject any future nuclear deal,” Mr Goldberg told The National.
He said the US Special Envoy to Iran Robert Malley could personally find himself a target of those hearings.
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“If you're Rob Malley, facing the likelihood of congressional investigations into things like his communications with Russia or his [alleged] offers to pay billions of dollars for hostages … you have to think long and hard about staying on as Iran envoy,” the expert said.
And as protests continue in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, Mr Goldberg argued that a new Congress will increase the support and the pressure on the White House to act decisively.
Elsewhere in the Middle East, with the likelihood of Democrats retaining the Senate, a continuity in policy is expected when it comes to confirming ambassadors, supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces, working with the Palestinian Authority and supporting US partners in the region.
Afghanistan hearings
The new House of Representatives is likely to turn up the heat over Afghanistan, where Mr Biden’s rushed withdrawal in 2021 was heavily criticised by Republicans.
Michael McCaul, who is likely become the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month “requesting the preservation of all documents related to the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan”.
“Access to this information is critical to the constitutional legislative and oversight responsibilities of Congress, and it is unacceptable for such requests to be ignored or given the attention they deserve,” he wrote.
Such a request could initiate congressional inquiries, investigations and subpoenas.
A Republican House will also look into US policy in the Western Hemisphere, where more leftist leaders have taken control in Brazil, Chile and Honduras.
On China, Republicans have signalled more willingness to arm Taiwan and embrace tougher trade policies.
The new Congress is expected to start its session on January 3.
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The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
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Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
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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.
As it stands in Pool A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
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The specs
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Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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