US President Joe Biden made puns and jokes while handing out the 2021 National Medal of Arts and Humanities awards in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday.
"Bruce, some people are just born to run, man," Mr Biden quipped to Born in the USA rocker Bruce Springsteen.
The ceremony for the recipients of the 2021 medals was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Biden and his wife Jill hosted the event that included actors, bestselling authors, singers, activists and other artists, including Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
"She embraces life's absurdity with absolute wit, and handles real life turns with absolute grace," he said of Louis-Dreyfus.
"A mom, a cancer survivor, a pioneer for women in comedy, she is an American original."
Mr Biden said he would ask her later if she preferred being president or vice president.
To designer Vera Wang, who was seated next to Springsteen, the President, said, "I see you in my wife's closet all the time."
Actress Mindy Kaling, a star of the long-running television show, The Office, set in Mr Biden's hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, also received a medal.
When Mr Biden introduced author Colson Whitehead to the crowd, he said the writer had won back-to-back Pulitzers for his books.
"I'm trying to go back to back myself," said Mr Biden, who intends to run for re-election in 2024.
Singer Gladys Knight, the "empress of soul", was an honouree, along with historian Walter Isaacson, bestselling authors Amy Tan (The Red Tent), Ann Patchett (Bel Canto) and Tara Westover (Educated), and activist, lawyer and author Bryan Stevenson (Just Mercy), along with others.
They and their guests were hosted at a reception immediately after the ceremony.
Reuters contributed to this report
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Williams at Wimbledon
Venus Williams - 5 titles (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008)
Serena Williams - 7 titles (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Racecard
6pm: Mina Hamriya – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
6.35pm: Al Wasl Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.10pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,900m
7.45pm: Blue Point Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,000m
8.20pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (T) 2,810m
8.55pm: Mina Rashid – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (T) 1,600m
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
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
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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