Live updates: Follow the latest on Trump's Gulf trip
US President Donald Trump arrived in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, on day three of his Gulf visit, and was received by President Sheikh Mohamed as he stepped off Air Force One.
He was then escorted through a ceremonial walkway lined with flags and flanked by Emirati guards and dancers.
The dance was a traditional Emirati dance called Al Razfa – but what is it, and what does it mean? The National explains below.
Honouring years of heritage
Al Razfa is a ceremony most prevalent during important occasions or joyful gatherings. The practice involves two lines of dancers who face each other, using sticks to symbolise the reins of a horse while head movements are meant to imitate a rider on the horse.
It was added to Unesco's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2015. According to the Arabic Dictionary, Al Razfa means two things, making noise and moving forward. These are represented through the art forms of poetry and dance.
In a previous interview with The National, Emirati poet Ali Al Kaabi said its origins stem from nomadic Bedouin tribes. It would be performed by a poet and his entourage to let all tribal members know it is time to move to a different spot in the desert.
While the songs and poetry at first resonated with calls to war, Mr Al Kaabi explains it has evolved to include all occasions such as weddings, homecomings or rain.
Initially, the tradition was only composed of a poet in the middle who would recite poetry and the two facing lines accompanying him would melodically repeat it after. However, as time passed, different musical instruments were added like drums and oud that “enriched the tradition further”, he explained.
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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THE SPECS
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Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
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If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
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About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A
Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
