In a classroom on Saadiyat Island, students from the UAE, China, America, Vietnam, India and elsewhere are talking, debating and learning. But this is no ordinary class and Frank Luntz is no ordinary teacher.
The renowned American pollster was in the capital this week to teach a class on the language of business over a whirlwind few days in Abu Dhabi.
On Thursday, The National joined Mr Luntz as he gave a masterclass in communications to a group of 12 enthusiastic NYUAD students from across the globe.
He shows video clips of American TV news coverage about Donald Trump, illustrating how polarised things have become.
Lines on the screen track the reaction of Conservative voters and when news anchors continually bash Mr Trump, the red lines dive and they switch off.
It shows they dislike the questions and therefore will reject the answers. It’s about how you ask the questions, he says.
“About 40 per cent of Americans no longer trust the media,” Mr Luntz told the students.
Frank Luntz is regarded as an American guru of political science, a master of the message and a firm proponent of the power of words, known in the US for his political focus groups.
And while he is a Republican, he hasn’t been immune to the Twitter rages of Trump. When one of his early focus groups reacted negatively to Trump’s candidacy, the tycoon publicly called him out on the social media site as a "total loser". Mr Luntz simply responded by thanking Mr Trump for the extra followers he'd gained from the episode.
Earlier, The National spoke to Mr Luntz one-on-one. And while he accepts even he didn't think Mr Trump would win at the start, that changed swiftly when he saw what was happening in his focus groups.
“Americans felt ignored, mistreated - even betrayed. And a very large segment, about half – wanted to be heard again. That’s what he offered.
“He insulted his opponents in a very graphic way and instead of audiences being offended – they cheered. And they rewarded behaviour that would have been unacceptable in any election up to then.”
Mr Luntz attributes Mr Trump’s victory in 2016 to everything from the economy to poor politics to the media. But the failure of reporters to notice Mr Trump’s rising appeal was significant, he said.
“The only reporters who caught on were the reporters who got off the planes, went to the car and drove an hour or further from the nearest international airport. Once you got an hour away from an international airport, you entered Trump country no matter where you were.
“Nobody went to those places. Nobody interviewed those voters apart from my focus groups. So no one knew.”
Another crucial factor was Mr Trump’s communication tool of choice: Twitter.
"More people learned what he had to say from his Twitter account than the New York Times. That's never happened. If Twitter did not exist, I'd question whether Trump would have won."
Turning to the broader political climate in America, Mr Luntz brands the atmosphere as that of bitterness and said one of the reasons he’s in Abu Dhabi is to get away from it all. He refers to NYUAD as a type of “United Nations that works”.
“The hate, the ugliness of American politics is like a third-degree sunburn and NYUAD is the balm.
“Here’s the coolest thing – which is the opposite of American politics – the [students] drop their assumptions within the first 48 hours of arriving.”
Last October NYUAD welcomed 361 into its class of 2021 – representing 88 nationalities and speaking about 71 languages. Looking around the classroom on the NYUAD campus on Saadiyat, it’s hard not to agree with Mr Luntz.
The students are engaged, intellectually curious and eager to learn. All praise the multiculturalism and enormous opportunities offered by studying in Abu Dhabi.
One of those at Mr Luntz’s class is Brian Greco, 21, from New York and studying globalisation.
“Having come from the States to a part of the world a lot of people ignore or don’t understand, what’s so remarkable to me about this university and country is that it’s literally the most respectful society I’ve ever spent time in. I think the school is an embodiment of that.”
Duc Le was another student attending Mr Luntz’s class and he comes from Vietnam.
“Frank has created a very helpful environment where we are encouraged to say what we think and to listen to the other side even if we don’t agree with it,” said the economics and finance student.
“The first thing I do is to have the student from Vietnam answer a question about China,” Mr Luntz interjects with a chuckle. “And then our Chinese student has an interesting response. That’s what I’ve tried to do through the whole class.”
Mohamed Amer is from Abu Dhabi and NYUAD offers him a chance to understand people of other backgrounds.
“Growing up in the UAE, I was always surrounded by people of different backgrounds and up until this point at NYUAD I did not have the chance to really engage or understand how the other side also feels,” said the social research and public policy student.
Earlier in the week, Mr Luntz had dinner with seven of the students at a restaurant in the city, organised by Tanya Bansal who is from India and studying economics.
“What people shared with me about the dinner was that it sort of made the students step outside their comfort zone because we talked about politics and whether the good times were behind or ahead of us,” she said.
“Everybody had a different take. But we thought good times are ahead but it depends on what we do and how we make them.”
Mr Luntz's last day at NYUAD was Thursday. When asked for his prediction about whether another Trump is on the cards, he replies he doesn’t know anymore.
“Contentious politics are here to stay. It’s very depressing. We no longer listen to each other. We no longer know how to talk to each other. We are dismissive and rude.
“Who knows what life will be like even a year from now. Not to mention three years.”
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
THE%20SPECS
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Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2-litre%204-cylinder%20petrol%20(V%20Class)%3B%20electric%20motor%20with%2060kW%20or%2090kW%20powerpack%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20233hp%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20204hp%20(EQV%2C%20best%20option)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20350Nm%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20TBA%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMid-2024%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETBA%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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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
Where to Find Me by Alba Arikha
Alma Books
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
Brief scores:
Toss: Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi, chose to field
Environment Agency: 193-3 (20 ov)
Ikhlaq 76 not out, Khaliya 58, Ahsan 55
Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi: 194-2 (18.3 ov)
Afridi 95 not out, Sajid 55, Rizwan 36 not out
Result: Pakhtunkhwa won by 8 wickets
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The specs: Audi e-tron
Price, base: From Dh325,000 (estimate)
Engine: Twin electric motors and 95kWh battery pack
Transmission: Single-speed auto
Power: 408hp
Torque: 664Nm
Range: 400 kilometres
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
