Donald Trump on Wednesday pardoned his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who had admitted to lying to the FBI in an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Flynn lasted only 24 days as Mr Trump's first national security adviser before he was fired by the president in early 2017, as controversy broke out over his interactions with the Russian ambassador at that time, Sergey Kislyak.
"It is my great honour to announce that Gen Michael Flynn has been granted a full pardon," Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.
"Congratulations to Gen Flynn and his wonderful family. I know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving."
Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about contacts he had with Mr Kislyak leading up to the president's inauguration in January of that year.
He since sought to withdraw the plea, saying that prosecutors breached his rights and duped him into a plea agreement. His sentencing has been deferred several times.
This is among the highest-profile pardons granted by Mr Trump since he came to power.
This month he lost the presidential election to former vice president Joe Biden and made unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud.
Flynn was one of several former Trump aides to plead guilty or be convicted in former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia's interference, which Moscow still denies.
Mr Trump in March said he was strongly considering a full pardon for Flynn.
He claimed the FBI and Justice Department had "destroyed" Flynn's life and that of his family.
Mr Trump said an unspecified, unsubstantiated report claimed records related to Flynn had been lost.
Flynn was supposed to co-operate with the government as part of his plea deal, but he later switched lawyers and tactics.
He said prosecutors in the case tricked him into lying about his December 2016 conversations with Mr Kislyak.
Federal prosecutors had asked the judge in January to sentence Flynn to up to six months in prison, saying in a court filing that "the defendant has not learnt his lesson".
"He has behaved as though the law does not apply to him and as if there are no consequences for his actions," they said.
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US Industrial Market figures, Q1 2017
Vacancy Rate 5.4%
Markets With Positive Absorption 85.7 per cent
New Supply 55 million sq ft
New Supply to Inventory 0.4 per cent
Under Construction 198.2 million sq ft
(Source: Colliers)
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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7.
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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9.
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Saudi Arabia
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10.
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South Korea
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Handicap (rated 95-108) US$125,000 2000m (Dirt).
Winner: Don’t Give Up, Gerald Mosse (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap (95 ) $160,000 2810m (Turf).
Winner: Los Barbados, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
7.40pm: Handicap (80-89) $60,000 1600m (D).
Winner: Claim The Roses, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (Div-1) Conditions $100,000 1,400m (D)
Winner: Gold Town, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Cape Verdi Group 2 $200,000 1600m (T).
Winner: Promising Run, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.25pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Conditions $100,000 1,400m (D).
Winner: El Chapo, Luke Morris, Fawzi Nass.
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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
