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The Democratic National Convention is in full swing in Chicago as the party prepares to mark the formal nomination of US Vice President Kamala Harris as presidential candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as vice presidential candidate for the 2024 election.
The political gathering caps off a whirlwind month for Democrats who quickly coalesced around the new ticket after President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid in July.
While there is likely to be a festive atmosphere inside the convention hall, protests are expected outside, as months of frustration over support for Israel amid the Gaza war threatens to boil over.
The National takes a look at what to expect at the DNC this week:
What is a convention?
The two major US political parties hold a convention each presidential election cycle to officially nominate their candidates and adopt a party platform.
Democrats officially nominated Ms Harris last month in a virtual vote of delegates due to concerns about ballot access in states with early deadlines, Reuters reported.
At the Republican National Convention last month in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Donald Trump was officially nominated and introduced his choice for vice president, JD Vance, a US senator from Ohio.
When and where is the Democratic Convention?
The convention will run from August 19-22 in Chicago's United Centre arena.
Official programming generally takes place during the day, while main stage events including speeches will run from about 5pm to 10pm local time.
How can you watch the DNC?
The prime time events will be broadcast on all major networks and cable news channels, as well as streaming services including Hulu, Paramount Plus, Peacock and Max.
Bloomberg reported that the convention will also be streamed on the DNC’s website, as well as on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, a first in the gathering's history, according to the organisation.
Who are the speakers? What is the schedule?
Mr Biden will kick off the convention on Monday night with a keynote speech that will serve as a goodbye of sorts for a politician who weeks ago was expected to once again accept the nomination as his party's presidential candidate.
He is expected to “hand off” his leadership in the party and the White House bid to Ms Harris, who will be present.
Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is also expected to speak on Monday.
On Tuesday, former president Barack Obama and Doug Emhoff, husband of Ms Harris, are scheduled to address the DNC. Former first lady Michelle Obama, a popular public figure in the Democratic Party, may also speak.
Vice presidential nominee Mr Walz will give his acceptance speech on Wednesday after former president Bill Clinton and former speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi speak.
On Thursday, Ms Harris will accept the convention's nomination for president in a speech to cap the DNC.
What are the themes for each day?
Monday will focus on the Biden administration's policy accomplishments; Tuesday will contrast Mr Trump's and Ms Harris's visions for America and Wednesday will address the importance of protecting individual freedoms.
Thursday's programme, with the highlight being Ms Harris's acceptance speech, is titled For Our Future.
Will there be protests?
Thousands of anti-war protesters plan to demonstrate during the convention in the streets of Chicago, demanding that the US end aid to Israel amid the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The March on the DNC, a coalition of more than 200 organisations from all over the country, plans to hold two demonstrations during the event. Those protests are expected to take place on Monday and Thursday.
What about Trump?
Mr Trump and Mr Vance will spend the week touring battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona and Georgia, Reuters reported.
The Republicans have announced their own themes, similar to the ones they laid out during their convention last month. Monday's events will focus on the economy; Tuesday's on crime and public safety; Wednesday's on national security, and Thursday's on immigration.
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The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
SPECS
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20750hp%20at%207%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20800Nm%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%207%20Speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20332kph%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012.2L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYear%20end%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1%2C430%2C000%20(coupe)%3B%20From%20Dh1%2C566%2C000%20(Spider)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Rashid & Rajab
Director: Mohammed Saeed Harib
Stars: Shadi Alfons, Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab
Two stars out of five
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
