Five days after the US midterm elections there remains a very narrow path for the Democrats to retain control of the US House of Representatives.
It's going to be “perilously close”, President Joe Biden said on Sunday.
Such an outcome would defy almost all polls and predictions going into the November 8 elections, and would deal a stunning rebuke to the Republican Party, which supposedly had massive advantages in recent weeks including an uncertain economy, high inflation and low approval ratings for Mr Biden.
As of Sunday at noon in the US, the Republicans remained favourites to win control of the 435-seat House, having won 211 congressional seats, just seven shy of the 218 needed.
The Democrats had 206 seats, with the remaining 18 seats still up for grabs.
The maths still favour the Republicans, though the uncalled races are mainly from states in the western US, which generally skews heavily Democrat.
“It’s a stretch, where everything has to fall our way,” Mr Biden said on Sunday.
“I’ve said all along, it’ll be perilously close. We can win it. Whether we’re going to win it remains to be seen.”
It could take several days before the outcome of enough House races is known to determine which party won.
Returns were still flowing in for several races, thanks to voting rules in some places that allow mail-in ballots to be counted even after election day, provided they were postmarked by November 8.
The Democrats on Saturday retained control of the US Senate after incumbent Arizona Senator Mark Kelly and Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto defeated their Republican challengers.
The balance of power is now 50-49 for the Democrats in the Senate and even if Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock loses in a run-off election next month, the Democrats would retain power thanks to Vice President Kamala Harris's tie-breaking vote.
None of this was supposed to happen, as far as the Republicans were concerned. They had predicted a “bloodbath” of victories against the Democrats, saying a “red wave” would sweep the US as key seats flipped from Democrat to Republican.
Though they are still favourites to win the House of Representatives, the Republicans fell short of their own expectations.
Younger voters turned out in near-historic numbers to rebuke the party for overturning abortion rights and for undermining US democracy by fielding hundreds of election-denying candidates who pushed Trump's false claims that he had only lost to Mr Biden in 2020 thanks to a far-reaching shadowing conspiracy.
Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, who for now at least is the Speaker of the House, told CNN on Sunday that the Republican "red wave" had dried into a "little tiny trickle".
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Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results:
5pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,200 metres
Winner: Jabalini, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Younis Kalbani (trainer)
5.30pm: UAE Arabian Derby (PA) | Prestige | Dh150,000 | 2,200m
Winner: Octave, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round 3 (PA) | Group 3 Dh300,000 | 2,200m
Winner: Harrab, Richard Mullen, Mohamed Ali
6.30pm: Emirates Championship (PA) | Group 1 | Dh1million | 2,200m
Winner: BF Mughader, Szczepan Mazur, Younis Al Kalbani
7pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (TB) | Group 3 | Dh380,000 | 2,200m
Winner: GM Hopkins, Patrick Cosgrave, Jaber Ramadhan
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) | Conditions | Dh70,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF La’Asae, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Read more from Mina Al-Oraibi
MWTC
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
if you go
The flights
Flydubai flies to Podgorica or nearby Tivat via Sarajevo from Dh2,155 return including taxes. Turkish Airlines flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Podgorica via Istanbul; alternatively, fly with Flydubai from Dubai to Belgrade and take a short flight with Montenegro Air to Podgorica. Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Podgorica via Belgrade. Flights cost from about Dh3,000 return including taxes. There are buses from Podgorica to Plav.
The tour
While you can apply for a permit for the route yourself, it’s best to travel with an agency that will arrange it for you. These include Zbulo in Albania (www.zbulo.org) or Zalaz in Montenegro (www.zalaz.me).
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
