Former US president Donald Trump promised to “finish what we started” in another term, even if he is indicted and despite polls showing many Republican voters want an alternative, at a high-profile gathering of party members and supporters on Saturday.
Mr Trump's speech to close the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbour, Maryland, was his biggest public appearance since announcing his third White House bid in November.
“We are going to finish what we started,” he said to an enthusiastic crowd in a ballroom that was about two-thirds full.
“We’re going to complete the mission, we’re to going see this battle through to ultimate victory. We’re going to make America great again.”
The former president is facing multiple investigations, including for his handling of classified documents and his role in the January 6 Capitol riot, but he told reporters before the speech “absolutely I wouldn’t even think about leaving” the race if he is indicted.
Before Mr Trump took to the stage, it was revealed that he had won the convention's straw poll of potential Republican leaders with 62 per cent of the vote — with Ron DeSantis, the Republic Governor of Florida, a distant second at 20 per cent.
Mr Trump did not draw direct contrasts with Mr DeSantis and other rivals in his speech, instead emphasising the achievements of his first term and promising to fight for his aggrieved supporters if voters put him back in the White House.
"In 2016, I declared: I am your voice. Today, I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed: I am your retribution," he told the gathering.
"I will totally obliterate the deep state. I will fire the unelected bureaucrats and shadow forces who have weaponised our justice system. And I will put the people back in charge of this country again."
Mr Trump was the biggest draw at the conference. Mr DeSantis and former vice president Mike Pence skipped it, while the only other declared or potential candidates who spoke at the four-day event were former ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, and businessmen Perry Johnson and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Ms Haley got a warm welcome from the CPAC crowd but mostly polite applause throughout her speech, and she was heckled by chants of “we love Trump” after exiting. She made no direct contrasts with Mr Trump, focusing instead on President Joe Biden, “socialist Democrats” and the threat from China.
Mr Pompeo also avoided mentioning his former boss, besides criticising the $8 trillion added to US debt during the Trump administration. He took some veiled jabs at the former president, including saying, “We can’t become the left, following celebrity leaders with their own brand of identity politics, those with fragile egos who refuse to acknowledge reality".
In his speech, Mr Trump recited the “witch hunt” investigations he faces and his familiar grievances and false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. He said the first reconciliation bill he would sign if elected would be “a massive increase” in the border patrol and number of immigration agents.
He also touched on many of the policy proposals he has outlined in campaign videos in recent weeks, including plans to “protect children from left-wing insanity”, to “stop the America last warmongers and globalists” and “a new trade plan to protect American workers” that calls for ending imports of essential goods from China over four years and stopping US companies from investing there.
He also highlighted a plan released on Friday touting “a quantum leap in the American standard of living” that calls for using federal land to build up to 10 new “freedom cities” and to ensure that the US leads in the development of flying vehicles.
CPAC was until recently the premier gathering of conservative thought leaders in America, but it has become dominated by Mr Trump's far-right "Make America Great Again" movement, with pundits referring to the event lately as "MAGApalooza".
With reporting from agencies
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
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
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Scoreline
UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia
UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’
Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’
Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
