Ron DeSantis, the man thought to pose the biggest threat to Donald Trump as he seeks the Republican nomination for president, officially entered the 2024 race on Wednesday.
The field is quickly growing more crowded, with Senator Tim Scott announcing his candidacy on Monday.
Other contenders include Mr Trump's former ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, and former vice president Mike Pence is widely expected to run.
Traditionally, US elections have centred on “kitchen table” domestic policy issues such as taxes, health care and education.
But some experts say Americans can expect foreign policy to play a more prominent role in 2024.
Victoria Coates, senior research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Centre for Freedom, said the prevalence of national security issues this primary season will make for an “unusual race”.
One key issue is energy, and Ms Coates believes is an area in which “there is real room for vision” from Republican candidates on Middle East foreign policy.
“Anyone who is serious about energy policy realises they have to be serious about the Middle East,” she told The National.
“The engagement we traditionally would have sought from the Gulf and from the region, generally, is increased energy supply. That's not our goal now, we're one of the big three along with Saudi [Arabia] and Russia.
“So it's not simply a question of asking for more barrels per day to keep prices under control, which appears to be the approach of [the President Joe] Biden administration, that seems to be their only interest. But there's a real potential for a more visionary candidate who understands the strengths in the Gulf.”
Brian Katulis, senior fellow and vice president of policy at Washington's Middle East Institute, said any energy debate would be determined largely by the price of petrol next year.
“If consumers see inflation as a big problem heading into next year's polls, and they see gas prices as being a challenge for them, then you might see some Republican candidates trying to blame Biden for not having stable, smooth relations with some of these [Middle East] countries,” Mr Katulis told The National.
But even that, he argues, would rank low on the election totem pole.
“If a Republicans came out and basically said we should embrace the region a bit more, and we would have lower oil prices, it may not be all that compelling to have an argument for people, because they don't understand the dynamics of global energy markets,” he added.
US outlet Politico, citing sources close to Mr DeSantis, said he “is still soaking in information” and reading up on national security issues, noting he does not yet have a circle of foreign policy advisers.
Mr Katulis argued that, like that of Mr Trump, Mr DeSantis's regional foreign policy appears “confusing”.
“It's hard to see any clear division, or even a clear plan coming from of the Republican Party, whether it's Trump or DeSantis, on the Middle East,” he said.
But there are some signals from Mr DeSantis, who recently made a trip to Israel.
Mr Katulis said a speech by the Florida Governor in Jerusalem showed he is “pro-Israel from a very right-wing perspective”, despite Gallup polling showing Americans are pivoting away from those views.
“He walks and talks the talk that is expected from the far right in Israel, and then the far right of the GOP, but it's nowhere close to where mainstream US voter views are,” Mr Katulis added.
Having served in Iraq during his time as a Navy lawyer, Mr DeSantis has been a sharp critic of Iran and has advocated supporting the US relationship with its Kurdish regional allies.
While serving as a congressman in 2017, Mr DeSantis held a press conference with veterans of the Iraq War demanding that the US government “stand by the Kurds” to build strength against Tehran.
Mr Trump made the decision in 2019 to redeploy US forces from the Syrian-Turkish border, a move his critics characterised as “a shameful betrayal” of America’s Kurdish partners in the fight against ISIS.
Mr Katulis said it was among a series of Trump decisions that gave “mixed signals” on regional engagement.
Ms Coates, on the other hand, said Mr Trump “demonstrated that it is possible to engage with the region, but not necessarily promote an additional military adventure”.
She predicts the foreign policy issue that will dominate the Republican primary will be China, where relative cohesion exists across the conservative party.
The Biden administration has continued a “long goodbye” from the Middle East and a “pivot to Asia” in its defence priorities, centred on countering China and US disengagement in the Middle East region.
The administration's defence budget proposal for fiscal year 2024 included $9.1 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, which is geared towards boosting Washington's regional competitiveness against Beijing, and $37.7 billion for modernising US nuclear capabilities.
Ms Coates said the Republicans running for president would take a tougher, “less conciliatory” stance towards Beijing, and would prioritise more engagement in the Middle East.
Pointing to the China-brokered rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran earlier this year, she said: “If the Saudis felt like they had a choice, and there was an American, strong presence and leadership on offer, they would have much preferred to have the Americans broker a deal like that.”
“But right now, that's just not on offer.”
Mr Katulis emphasised that this debate is unlikely to reach most American voters.
“The American public to a large extent, has moved on in the Middle East … you had a blip with the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq that drew us back in but by and large, ordinary American voters are pretty happy that we've sort of winnowed down our presence in the region,” he said.
'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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LAST-16 FIXTURES
Sunday, January 20
3pm: Jordan v Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
6pm: Thailand v China at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: Iran v Oman at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Monday, January 21
3pm: Japan v Saudi Arabia at Sharjah Stadium
6pm: Australia v Uzbekistan at Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: UAE v Kyrgyzstan at Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, January 22
5pm: South Korea v Bahrain at Rashid Stadium, Dubai
8pm: Qatar v Iraq at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
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
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
more from Janine di Giovanni
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Team Angel Wolf Beach Blast takes place every Wednesday between 4:30pm and 5:30pm
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The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
Tales of Yusuf Tadros
Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)
Hoopoe
