US President Joe Biden said a meeting between him and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in California next month remains a possibility, as his administration continues its rapprochement efforts with Beijing.
"There is no such meeting set up, but it is a possibility," he told reporters in remarks inside the White House.
The Washington Post had earlier reported that the White House is making plans for the two leaders to meet in-person on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum, of which both the US and China are members.
Washington and Beijing have sought to thaw tension in recent months, with high-level officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen making visits to China.
Relations between the two powers have become frayed over Taiwan, trade restrictions and spying allegations, among other issues.
One administration official told the Post that the plan for Mr Biden and Mr Xi to meet was “pretty firm”.
Others have said there would be more clarification on a potential meeting after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Washington in the coming weeks.
Should those plans come to fruition, it would be the first time Mr Biden and Mr Xi meet since the G20 summit in Indonesia last year.
Mr Biden and cabinet officials have said that the US is not seeking to decouple from China, which has been a worry for Beijing.
San Francisco will host the Apec summit in November, which Mr Xi may attend. The Chinese leader skipped the G20 summit in New Delhi last month, while Mr Biden attended.
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
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National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
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The specs
Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
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• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture
• The National announces Future of News journalism competition
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
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Transmission: 9-speed auto
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Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
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