This year is shaping up to be a repeat of 2020 when it comes to the US presidential election, with Joe Biden expected to again face off against Donald Trump.
But both candidates have a much different set of challenges to deal with than the previous election, with Mr Biden facing growing criticism over his approach to the Israel-Gaza war.
The most vocal critics of his Gaza policy have been Arab and Muslim Americans, with many in the communities angry over his staunch support of Israel and slow response to the growing humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
Mr Biden has sent billions in military aid to Israel while directing the US ambassador to the UN to veto a series of Security Council resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire.
But Mr Trump is also a strong supporter of Israel. While in office, he moved the US embassy to Jerusalem and in 2017, he enacted the so-called Muslim ban, which blocked citizens from Muslim-majority countries from coming to the US.
He has sworn to reinstate the ban if elected.
Can Arab Americans affect the election?
James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, told The National that historically, the bloc has leaned Democrat by four to five points.
After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, those numbers changed, with two Democratic voters to every Republican.
“The most recent poll we did, however, showed a complete reversal, with Arab-American Democrats falling below Arab-American Republicans for the first time,” Mr Zogby said.
There are about 2.5 million Arab-American voters in the US, mostly in the mid-Atlantic region, as well as Michigan, Florida and California.
Michigan is a crucial swing state and has the highest density of Arab-American voters.
In 2016, Mr Trump took the state with a little more than 13,000 votes, while Mr Biden won it in 2020 with about 100,000 votes.
Muslim and Arab Americans in Michigan protest against Biden – in pictures
During the state primaries this year, activists in Michigan launched a campaign encouraging Democrats to vote uncommitted to protest against Mr Biden's Gaza policy.
Arab-American voters led the campaign, but they were far from the only ones taking part.
“[There is] nothing that Biden can come here and say to us as an empty platitude to try to win our votes back,” voter Mariam Tout told The National at an event held in support of the "uncommitted" movement.
“It is all going to be just really disrespectful.”
The campaign in Michigan had aimed to get 10,000 people to vote uncommitted, but more than 100,000 Democratic voters marked the uncommitted box.
Not all states offer the uncommitted option during their respective primaries, but since Michigan, campaigns are gearing up in states that do have the option.
Washington state's largest union endorsed voting uncommitted, saying there were concerns about Mr Biden's political strength in addition to his stance on Gaza.
This is despite Mr Biden, who joined car workers on the picket line in Michigan last year in a presidential first, describing himself as the most pro-union US leader in history.
The uncommitted campaign has spread to Minnesota, which has a significant Somali and Muslim-American population.
While it is not a battleground state, 20 per cent of Democrats there voted uncommitted at the March 5 primary, instead of backing Mr Biden.
Since the Michigan vote, US Vice President Kamala Harris has called for a ceasefire and the US has started to parachute aid into the Gaza Strip, but it is not clear that those actions will sway alienated Democrats to vote in November.
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
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Family reunited
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
She was held in her native country a year later.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.7L/100km
On sale: now
Price: Dh149,000
The%20specs
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos
Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Henderson, Pickford, Pope.
Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Dier, Gomez, Keane, Maguire, Maitland-Niles, Mings, Saka, Trippier, Walker.
Midfielders Henderson, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse, Winks.
Forwards Abraham, Barnes, Calvert-Lewin, Grealish, Ings, Kane, Rashford, Sancho, Sterling.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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
