Shades of blue, white and gold shine through the patterned dome in the Spirit of Collaboration room at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi.
The space, which hosts bodies such as the Federal Supreme Council, the Arab League and the Gulf Co-operation Council, has now reopened for tours to the public.
The room is one of eight zones that can be visited at Qasr Al Watan, or Palace of the Nation, which offers tours seven days a week, from 11am to 6.30pm.
The design of the room is inspired by the philosophy of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, to reflect collaboration and unity for a successful UAE.
Golden doors and handrails and a navy blue walkway lead to a table in the middle of the conference room, with seating for participants equidistant from one another.
This is to show that no specific leader is more important than others, which explains the circular design as well.
Projections on the vast walls show the UAE's leaders over the years.
During meetings, the space can seat up to 800 people depending on how the room is configured.
Another architectural marvel is the striking chandelier, which is one of the world's biggest. It was built with 350,000 crystals and weighs 12 tonnes. It is illuminated only on special occasions.
Qasr Al Watan opened to the public in 2019. The decision to create the cultural landmark came from former president Sheikh Khalifa to boost cultural understanding of the UAE.
The emblem of the country, a golden falcon with a UAE flag disc and seven stars representing the seven emirates, is also on the walls of the room.
Visitors can roam around Qasr Al Watan on their own or take part in a group or private tour.
Group tours are offered in English, Arabic, Russian and Chinese and cost Dh20 a person and last 30 minutes, while private tours are offered in English or Arabic, priced at Dh600, and last one hour.
The tours typically run between 11.30am to 4.30pm.
There are also self-guided tours that are available in English, Arabic, German, Russian and Chinese and come with a multimedia guide and headset at the palace's ticketing booth.
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
The five pillars of Islam
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
