Live updates: Follow the latest on Trump's Gulf trip
US President Donald Trump is to receive a royal welcome at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday as he embarks on the final leg of a milestone Gulf tour.
Mr Trump will be the guest of honour at a dinner hosted by President Sheikh Mohamed at the palace of the nation in another high-profile engagement during a busy itinerary that has taken in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and will conclude in the Emirates.
During Mr Trump's visit - his biggest overseas trip since returning to the White House - US ties with the region have been strengthened, with important steps made towards bolstering peace and stability, and big-money deals being struck.
Qasr Al Watan is only one part of the sprawling Presidential Palace compound in Ras Al Akhdar that was handed over by contractors in 2015 and finished in 2017.
The palace houses the formal offices of the President, the Vice President and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
Parts of the spectacular building were opened to the public in 2019, giving citizens and residents a glimpse into the famous halls in which many world leaders have set foot.
Architectural marvel
The lavish grounds feature a labyrinth of white domes, ornate buildings and gardens. The crown jewel is the Great Hall, the architectural heart of Qasr Al Watan. It measures 100 metres by 100 metres and its huge 37m diameter dome is even larger than the main dome of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
The hall’s broader architectural style has flickers of Mughal-era design but also incorporates classic local motifs such as the arch, dome and ornate tile-work. At each corner of the Great Hall stands a mirrored cubes.
The vast palace also features a room dedicated to displaying presidential gifts given to the UAE by countries across the globe. Carpets from Turkmenistan, an ornate sword and shield from Kazakhstan, armour from Japan and a beautiful khanjar from Oman all bring colour to the dry world of diplomacy.
Al Barza majlis is another glittering centrepiece of the palace. The Emirati majlis is a place of gathering and council that can hold up to 300 guests and is decorated with impressive chandeliers and golden finishes.
A fully prepared banquet hall serves as a celebration of Emirati hospitality. Plates are hand-painted, the food reflects the country where the host comes from, while tables at the front are half empty so guests do not turn their backs on the hosts.
A popular meal served at these functions is quzi – an entire lamb sitting on a bed of rice.
Visitors can also explore a huge public library with a collection spanning at least 40,000 books in both Arabic and English. People can access this free of charge when they join the emirate's library service.
Welcoming global leaders
Qasr Al Watan has hosted a number of global leaders during state visits to the Emirates.
World renowned guests include Chinese President Xi Jinping, the late Pope Francis during his milestone tour of the UAE in 2019, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
It also regularly stages meetings of the UAE Cabinet and other government gatherings and official ceremonies throughout the year.
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AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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.
THE SPECS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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