• Prince Hashem and Princess Salma on their summer holiday. All photos: @queenrania / Instagram
    Prince Hashem and Princess Salma on their summer holiday. All photos: @queenrania / Instagram
  • King Abdullah II, Queen Rania and Prince Hashem
    King Abdullah II, Queen Rania and Prince Hashem
  • Princess Salma is all smiles
    Princess Salma is all smiles
  • Prince Hashem prepares for some motorsports fun
    Prince Hashem prepares for some motorsports fun
  • Prince Hashem gears up
    Prince Hashem gears up
  • Princess Rajwa, Queen Rania and Crown Prince Hussein ride a golf cart at the Sun Valley Resort in Idaho, US
    Princess Rajwa, Queen Rania and Crown Prince Hussein ride a golf cart at the Sun Valley Resort in Idaho, US
  • Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Rajwa, Queen Rania and King Abdullah II at the Sun Valley Conference
    Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Rajwa, Queen Rania and King Abdullah II at the Sun Valley Conference

Queen Rania and family enjoy much-needed summer break


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It's been a busy year for the Jordanian royal family with two big weddings. But Queen Rania and her family are finally getting a much-needed timeout for the summer.

The Jordanian queen posted pictures from a recent holiday, which included her husband King Abdullah II and her two younger children Princess Salma and Prince Hashem.

“Summers are sweeter with you … So thankful,” Queen Rania posted.

Last month, she also shared pictures of her youngest son Prince Hashem, 18, suiting up in motorsports gear. “Stay safe always,” she captioned the photos.

A week before that, she attended the annual Sun Valley Conference for what looked like a working holiday, along with King Abdullah, Crown Prince Hussein and his new bride Princess Rajwa.

Named after the Idaho resort the event is held at, the conference is known for drawing A-list executives from around the world, including Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Apple’s Tim Cook and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella.

Queen Rania's eldest daughter, Princess Iman, 26, married Jameel Thermiotis at a glitzy ceremony in March on the outskirts of Amman.

This was followed by Crown Prince Hussein's wedding to Princes Rajwa in June, attended by about 1,700 VIP guests from around the world, including the UK's Prince William and his wife Kate as well as US first lady Jill Biden.

  • Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah and Princess Rajwa got married on June 1. AP
    Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah and Princess Rajwa got married on June 1. AP
  • Prince Hussein and his wife Princess Rajwa at their wedding ceremony in Jordan. EPA
    Prince Hussein and his wife Princess Rajwa at their wedding ceremony in Jordan. EPA
  • The newlyweds pose for a family picture in Amman. Reuters
    The newlyweds pose for a family picture in Amman. Reuters
  • The bride waves from a car on her wedding day. Reuters
    The bride waves from a car on her wedding day. Reuters
  • Jordan's Prince Hashem bin Abdullah, the younger brother of Crown Prince Hussein, escorts the bride to her wedding ceremony. Photo: Royal Hashemite Court
    Jordan's Prince Hashem bin Abdullah, the younger brother of Crown Prince Hussein, escorts the bride to her wedding ceremony. Photo: Royal Hashemite Court
  • The bride wore a white gown by Lebanese designer Elie Saab. EPA
    The bride wore a white gown by Lebanese designer Elie Saab. EPA
  • The wrap-effect gown featured a flower print on its full skirt. Reuters
    The wrap-effect gown featured a flower print on its full skirt. Reuters
  • Princess Rajwa completed her look with a pair of flat shoes and a tiara. Reuters
    Princess Rajwa completed her look with a pair of flat shoes and a tiara. Reuters
  • Prince Hashem and Princess Rajwa enter Zahran Palace for the wedding ceremony. EPA
    Prince Hashem and Princess Rajwa enter Zahran Palace for the wedding ceremony. EPA
  • Prince Hussein arrives for the ceremony. EPA
    Prince Hussein arrives for the ceremony. EPA
  • Proud parents King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan before their son's marriage. Reuters
    Proud parents King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan before their son's marriage. Reuters
  • Queen Rania speaks with her son before his wedding to Rajwa Al Saif. Reuters
    Queen Rania speaks with her son before his wedding to Rajwa Al Saif. Reuters
  • Prince Hussein, Princess Rajwa and King Abdullah at the royal wedding ceremony. Reuters
    Prince Hussein, Princess Rajwa and King Abdullah at the royal wedding ceremony. Reuters
  • Prince Hussein and his father await the bride's arrival. Reuters
    Prince Hussein and his father await the bride's arrival. Reuters
  • Prince Hussein places the ring on his bride's finger before an audience of kings, queens, national leaders and family. Photo: Royal Hashemite Court
    Prince Hussein places the ring on his bride's finger before an audience of kings, queens, national leaders and family. Photo: Royal Hashemite Court
  • Princess Rajwa signs her marriage certificate as her husband, Prince Hussein, watches. Reuters
    Princess Rajwa signs her marriage certificate as her husband, Prince Hussein, watches. Reuters
  • Former Jordanian crown prince Hassan bin Talal, uncle of King Abdullah, signs the marriage certificate at Zahran Palace in Amman. EPA
    Former Jordanian crown prince Hassan bin Talal, uncle of King Abdullah, signs the marriage certificate at Zahran Palace in Amman. EPA
  • Family and guests at the royal wedding. EPA
    Family and guests at the royal wedding. EPA
  • All eyes are on the couple during their wedding. PA
    All eyes are on the couple during their wedding. PA
  • Princess Rajwa's mother, Azza Al Sudairi, and Queen Rania applaud the newlyweds. Reuters
    Princess Rajwa's mother, Azza Al Sudairi, and Queen Rania applaud the newlyweds. Reuters
  • Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa end their day by cutting their seven-tier wedding cake. Reuters
    Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa end their day by cutting their seven-tier wedding cake. Reuters
  • Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa use a ceremonial sword to cut their cake. Reuters
    Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa use a ceremonial sword to cut their cake. Reuters
  • Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa after the ceremony. Reuters
    Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa after the ceremony. Reuters
  • Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa leave after the wedding ceremony. Reuters
    Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa leave after the wedding ceremony. Reuters
  • Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa wave from their motorcade. Reuters
    Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa wave from their motorcade. Reuters
  • Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa wave to Jordanians on the streets of Amman after their wedding. Reuters
    Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa wave to Jordanians on the streets of Amman after their wedding. Reuters
  • The convoy takes the newlyweds from their wedding to the grand reception at Al Husseiniya Palace. Reuters
    The convoy takes the newlyweds from their wedding to the grand reception at Al Husseiniya Palace. Reuters
  • The royal couple wave on their way to their wedding reception. Reuters
    The royal couple wave on their way to their wedding reception. Reuters
  • Guards on white horses take over from the red convoy of Land Rovers and BMW motorcycles escorting the royal couple. Reuters
    Guards on white horses take over from the red convoy of Land Rovers and BMW motorcycles escorting the royal couple. Reuters
  • Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa travel between Zahran and Al Husseiniya palaces. Reuters
    Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa travel between Zahran and Al Husseiniya palaces. Reuters
  • An honour guard surrounds the royal couple as they arrive at Al Husseiniya Palace. Reuters
    An honour guard surrounds the royal couple as they arrive at Al Husseiniya Palace. Reuters
  • Applause for Prince Hussein and his wife at Al Husseiniya Palace. Reuters
    Applause for Prince Hussein and his wife at Al Husseiniya Palace. Reuters
  • King Abdullah, Queen Rania, Prince Hashem, Princess Salma and Princess Iman arrive at Al Husseiniya Palace after the royal wedding. Reuters
    King Abdullah, Queen Rania, Prince Hashem, Princess Salma and Princess Iman arrive at Al Husseiniya Palace after the royal wedding. Reuters
  • Shaikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, attends the royal wedding in Amman. Reuters
    Shaikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, attends the royal wedding in Amman. Reuters
  • Jill Biden, wife of US President Joe Biden, and their daughter Ashley arrive at the venue. AP
    Jill Biden, wife of US President Joe Biden, and their daughter Ashley arrive at the venue. AP
  • Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate. AP
    Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate. AP
  • Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad and his brother, National Security Adviser Prince Nasser bin Hamad. EPA
    Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad and his brother, National Security Adviser Prince Nasser bin Hamad. EPA
  • Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. PA
    Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. PA
  • Former Armenian president Armen Sarkissian and his wife Nouneh. Reuters
    Former Armenian president Armen Sarkissian and his wife Nouneh. Reuters
  • Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and her husband Prince Daniel. AP
    Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and her husband Prince Daniel. AP
  • Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Crown Princess Mary. Reuters
    Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Crown Princess Mary. Reuters
  • Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his wife May. Reuters
    Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his wife May. Reuters
  • Japanese Princess Takamado, right, and her daughter Princess Tsuguko, representing Emperor Naruhito, arrive at the venue of the wedding. Reuters
    Japanese Princess Takamado, right, and her daughter Princess Tsuguko, representing Emperor Naruhito, arrive at the venue of the wedding. Reuters
  • Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah and Queen Tunku Azizah. Reuters
    Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah and Queen Tunku Azizah. Reuters
  • Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. Reuters
    Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. Reuters
  • Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his son Prince Abdul Mateen. EPA
    Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his son Prince Abdul Mateen. EPA
  • Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and his wife Shanaz Ahmed. Royal Hashemite Court / Reuters
    Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and his wife Shanaz Ahmed. Royal Hashemite Court / Reuters
  • Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his wife Jeannette. Reuters
    Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his wife Jeannette. Reuters
  • Philippa Karsera, first lady of Cyprus. Reuters
    Philippa Karsera, first lady of Cyprus. Reuters
  • Bhutan's Queen Jetsun Pema and Princess Euphelma. EPA
    Bhutan's Queen Jetsun Pema and Princess Euphelma. EPA
  • Former king of Spain Juan Carlos and his wife Sofia. AP
    Former king of Spain Juan Carlos and his wife Sofia. AP
  • King Philippe of Belgium and his daughter, Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant. Reuters
    King Philippe of Belgium and his daughter, Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant. Reuters
  • Jordanians wave national flags in the streets. AP
    Jordanians wave national flags in the streets. AP
  • The royal wedding is a national celebration for Jordan's 11 million people and for many across the Middle East. AP
    The royal wedding is a national celebration for Jordan's 11 million people and for many across the Middle East. AP

The grand wedding was preceded a week before by a glamorous henna party in Amman. Sharing photos from the event, Queen Rania was joined by other members of the royal family, including Princess Iman and Princess Salma, as well as women from across Jordan.

“No celebration would be complete without our Jordanian family. Celebrating our beautiful Rajwa,” Queen Rania wrote on Instagram.

Queen Rania alluded to her busy schedule in an Instagram post a few days later.

Sharing pictures from Prince Hashem's high school graduation, she captioned the photo: “Guys, can we slow down a bit? This mum needs to catch her breath! Another proud family moment at Hashem's high school graduation today.”

Prince Hashem was presented with his diploma by his father, who proudly kissed him on the cheek as he walked on stage to collect it, with his family clapping from the front row.

It looks like Prince Hashem is now being groomed for more royal duties – he accompanied his parents in their last official trip to Spain in June, to attend the Aqaba Process meeting in Cordoba, a city in Andalusia.

Profile

Company: Justmop.com

Date started: December 2015

Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan

Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

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)

Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company Profile

Company name: Fine Diner

Started: March, 2020

Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka

Based: Dubai

Industry: Technology and food delivery

Initial investment: Dh75,000

Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp

Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000

Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%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

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
UK%20record%20temperature
%3Cp%3E38.7C%20(101.7F)%20set%20in%20Cambridge%20in%202019%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ESSENTIALS

The flights 
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes. 
Where to stay 
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.

THE SIXTH SENSE

Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Rating: 5/5

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Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:

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Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Match info

Wolves 0

Arsenal 2 (Saka 43', Lacazette 85')

Man of the match: Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal)

Racecard
%3Cp%3E5pm%3A%20Al%20Bateen%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(Turf)%202%2C200m%3Cbr%3E5.30pm%3A%20Al%20Khaleej%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%3Cbr%3E6pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%3Cbr%3E6.30pm%3A%20Al%20Nahyan%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3Cbr%3E7pm%3A%20Al%20Karamah%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3Cbr%3E7.30pm%3A%20Al%20Salam%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Fireball

Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.

A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.

"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.

Updated: August 22, 2023, 7:57 AM