Live updates: Follow the latest on Donald Trump’s inauguration
Donald Trump is about to return to the White House and Washington is preparing for the inauguration of the new administration.
Here, The National explains everything you need to know about Mr Trump's inauguration.
When is the 2025 inauguration?
The inauguration takes place on Monday, January 20. All presidents are inaugurated on this date.
January 20 is also when the US this year marks Martin Luther King Jr Day, a commemorative event that does not have a fixed date but is marked on the third Monday of each January. It will be the second time Inauguration Day has fallen on the same date, the first being Bill Clinton's second inauguration in 1997.
Mr Trump is expected to take the oath of office at noon, as is stipulated in the 20th Amendment of the US Constitution. Security screening gates open at 6am, followed by possible performances at about 9.30am and opening remarks at 11.30am, Washington's official tourism site says.
Where is it being held?
Typically, the inauguration takes place at the “west front” of the Capitol building in Washington. But due to forecasts of freezing temperatures in the Washington area, the ceremony has been moved indoors to the Capitol rotunda.
Many places have been the site of previous inaugurations, including George Washington's at Federal Hall in New York City in 1789. Ronald Reagan's inauguration in 1981 was the first to take place at the current site, which has been customary since.
Thousands of ticket-holding spectators had been expected to attend, but it is unclear how many, if any, will be able to attend now that it has been moved to the rotunda. Thousands are expected to brave the cold on the National Mall and watch the ceremony on large screens.
What happens during the day?
The event is planned by the joint congressional committee on inaugural ceremonies. According to tradition, the president-elect first arrives at the White House and then proceeds to the Capitol building alongside the sitting President.
The day a new president is inaugurated is a time for major celebration with events held over four days, which began on Saturday, January 18. These included a fireworks display, several dinners honouring the new president and vice president and a "Maga [Make America Great Again] Victory Rally", according to Mr Trump's transition team.
Inauguration Day begins with a service at St John’s Church, followed by tea at the White House. Mr Trump and vice president-designate JD Vance will then head to the US Capitol, where they are expected to be sworn in at noon.
During the ceremonies, country singer Carrie Underwood and disco group The Village People are expected to perform, according to the Associated Press.
After the swearing-in ceremony comes the official farewell for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and a departure ceremony, after which Mr Trump will head to the President's Room near the Senate chambers, where he is expected to sign a series of nominations.
Then Mr Trump will attend a luncheon at the Capitol, after which he will review troops in the presidential parade on Pennsylvania Avenue. He will then participate in a signing ceremony at the White House. Three inaugural balls are on the schedule: the Commander in Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball and the Starlight Ball.
Who is going and who is not?
As is tradition, the sitting president, in this case Joe Biden, will attend the inauguration to ensure a smooth transfer of power. Other living presidents will also be in attendance. Mr Trump declined to attend Mr Biden's inauguration in 2021.
The Trump team has extended invitations to leaders and officials from around the world. In a rare move, China's President Xi Jinping has been invited, as has France's Emmanuel Macron and Argentina's Javier Milei.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni – both supporters of Mr Trump – have also been invited.
Supporters including billionaire Elon Musk and former wrestler Hulk Hogan are expected to attend, in addition to other celebrities. Also likely to be there are Mr Trump's Republican allies in Congress.
A number of Democratic politicians have said they will boycott the inauguration, as many Republicans did during Mr Biden's. But according to Politico, at least a handful of Democratic members who boycotted Mr Trump's 2017 ceremony plan to attend this year and several more are still undecided.
Trump inauguration 2025
What happens at the swearing-in ceremony?
Who is going to Trump's inauguration?
Inauguration parade route and map
Typically, the parade proceeds down Pennsylvania Avenue, with the President's motorcade heading to the White House accompanied by a procession of military regiments and school marching bands, floats and citizens' groups. This year, the parade will take place in the Capitol One Arena.
How to watch in person and online
The joint congressional committee on inaugural ceremonies makes a limited number of inauguration tickets available to the public through members of Congress. Tickets are free of charge, but those wishing to attend in person must apply through a local representative or senator's office.
Security will be tight, and ticket-holders should expect their persons and their belongings to be thoroughly searched. For those unable to procure tickets, giant video screens and audio systems will stream the proceedings to the thousands of spectators on the National Mall.
Major TV networks will broadcast the inauguration live and the event can also be watched on the White House's live-stream.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
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