Supporters of Donald Trump celebrate his victory near his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on November 6. AFP
Supporters of Donald Trump celebrate his victory near his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on November 6. AFP


Donald Trump's win and the prospect of peace



November 08, 2024

With regard to Sara Ruthven, Patrick deHahn and Tim Stickings's report Donald Trump claims magnificent victory in 2024 election (November 6): Undoubtedly the world was more peaceful under Donald Trump. Trump promised to end wars. I hope his election victory marks an end to the atrocities in Gaza. We'll have to wait and see.

Sevilay D, Antalya, Turkey

The much-talked-about US presidential race and the recent results have brought a dramatic shift in American politics. Several analysts and debates had favoured the Democrats, but the actual outcome turned out to be quite different. In any democracy, one must accept the people's verdict, and this serves as a valuable lesson in humility and the risk of overconfidence. Hopefully, the US will continue to uphold its bilateral relationships with allies and maintain strong ties with other nations. Kudos to President-elect Donald Trump on a spectacular win.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India

UAE alleviating Palestinian suffering

With reference to The National's report UAE evacuates 210 patients and relatives from Gaza (November 7): It makes me happy to read this. It's a great step and I hope all of them receive the treatment and healing they require at this time to recover from more than a year of such extreme trauma.

Genine Batusta, Abu Dhabi

Is the Indian cricket team's performance fair to fans?

With regard to Ajit Vijaykumar's report Writing on the wall for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as India brace for Test transition (November 4): The performance of the Indian team that lost all three test matches against New Zealand has been miserable and indifferent.

Spectators buy expensive tickets to see their players score 50s and 100s or pick up wickets. However, the team crumbles, to the utter disgust of avid fans. Test matches scheduled for five days get abbreviated to three to four days. Is this fair to the fans?

One issue is that most top cricketers have become celebrities. They make a huge amount of money through endorsements of products and via posts on Twitter, now X. Many cricketers own restaurants or fashion labels, etc. Not all depend on playing good cricket to earn a living, as was the case a few decades ago. It would appear that some cricketers are becoming indifferent to their performances on the field.

India has groomed around 50 talented cricketers. While this gives the selectors several options, there is often a lack of adequate continuity. Players do not know whether they will be selected again, even if they perform well in a series. Whenever there is lots of money or fame involved, sport can become politicised. Indian cricket is no exception to this rule. Hence, many ignored Indian players will seek opportunities abroad, as cricket becomes more popular overseas, in Gulf countries and even the US.

Rajendra Aneja, Dubai

Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Rating: 2/5
 
How to register as a donor

1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention

2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants

3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register. 

4) The campaign uses the hashtag  #donate_hope

Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
​​​​​​​Penguin Press

Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

Updated: November 08, 2024, 3:00 AM