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Gulf Business
7 days ago
- Business
- Gulf Business
Venue revealed for Gulf Business Awards 2025
Guests networking at last year's Gulf Business Awards 2024 in Dubai. Gulf Business has officially announced Now in its 13th year, the Gulf Business Awards is one of the region's premier platforms recognising outstanding leadership, innovation, and business performance across a wide range of sectors—from banking and real estate to healthcare, technology, energy and tourism. Located on Dubai's Jumeirah Beach, The Westin offers a striking blend of luxury and functionality. With views overlooking The Palm Jumeirah and impressive neoclassical architecture, the five-star beachfront resort provides an ideal setting for high-profile events. The venue features a private beach, multiple award-winning restaurants and bars, and extensive banquet facilities tailored for conferences, gala dinners, and corporate celebrations. Location details can be found Read: The Gulf Business Awards 2025 will once again spotlight the region's most impactful organisations and business leaders, with entries open across company and leadership categories in key industries. While nominations are currently being accepted online, organisers encourage interested parties to focus on categories most aligned with their core strengths and achievements. For more details on the event and how to participate, visit the official
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
At 'Vampire Weekend,' 'Diaries' stars Wesley and Somerhalder reminisce and banter
BOSTON — Fandom for 'The Vampire Diaries' is alive and well. And, if anything this past weekend's 'Vampire Fan Weekend' proved July 19 and 20, it's bigger than ever. Despite the blood-sucking, nighttime soap opera being canceled eight years ago, fans packed into Westin Boston Seaport District Hotel to celebrate the defunct but never defanged series and its stars. Then again, with streaming and binging, a series about the trial and tribulations and romantic pitfalls of the good-looking undead never stay truly dead for too long. And, the reason why 'The Vampire Diaries' has risen from grave of rerun hell, is because of the star power of Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder, who played the devilishly handsome bloodsucking brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore, as the crowd of predominately young women — many of which weren't even preschoolers or out of rubber pants when the show debuted in 2009 on the CW — would attest. Brother act Wesley and Somerhalder were the main attraction of 'Vampire Fan Weekend' and the toothsome twosome didn't disappoint fans during their unabashed, free-wheeling, F-bomb-laced panels where nothing was sacred or off-limits. Sadly, the only minor disappointment at 'Vampire Fan Weekend' was no one took the opportunity to partake in some cosplay. I stand corrected, there were two fans dressed in Starfleet uniforms in honor of Wesley landing the role of a young James T. Kirk on 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.' Thankfully, an appreciative Wesely made myself and my brother not feel awkward being more appropriately suited up for a 'Star Trek' convention, with toy phaser and communicator in hand. In addition, Candice King, who plays Caroline Forbes on 'The Vampire Diaries,' and Matthew Davis, who plays history teacher and vampire hunter Alaric Saltzman on 'The Vampire Diaries,' turned out to be very popular drawers. While Nina Dobrev, who played vampiric love triangle interest Elena Gilbert and her doomed doppelganger Katherine Pierce, was not on the bill, the actress was there in spirit and conversation. During their batty, fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants panel, Wesley and Somerhalder, who also played Boone on 'Lost' prior to 'The Vampire Diaries' gig, cheekily joked about their relationship off the set. The truth of the matter is, the two men who played brothers act like brothers in real life, finishing sentences and slapping each other down with their self-lacerating wit. Behind the scenes When asked if they could have picked another series to do a 'crossover episode' with, Wesley immediately riffed 'A cross-dressing episode?' before saying, that he was surprised that the Salvatore brothers never joined forces (or were at odds) with Dean and Sam Winchester (aka Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki) from 'Supernatural,' which was also on the same network as 'The Vampire Diaries.' When the two men were on topic, they chatted about how the show taught them patience and Somerhalder had the biggest makeup bag. 'We were supposed to be on the set at 10 a.m.,' Wesley said of Somerhalder. 'He was there four a.m. doing his hair.' 'My make-up bag was bigger than Candice's (Candice King), or Nina's (Nina Dobrev), or Bonnie's (Bonnie Bennett)' Somerhalder boasted. 'At least, he admits it. It was like Anthony Hopkins in 'Silence of the Lambs,' nine face masks,' Wesley insisted. 'Dude it was like an ER surgery. Nine people. It's like what 's the (expletive) is going on here?' 'You learn a lot because unlike Paul I had a method,' Somerhalder snapped. 'What was your method?' Wesley countered. 'Moisturizing your face for nine hours?' Forced to examine their characters by a fan, the two actors said they saw striking similarities with their small screen counterparts.' 'These characters were resilient, like we are, fiercely loyal, love their family,' Somerhalder said. 'And (they commit) murder(s),' A question from closet shrink, who admitted that she works in HK, started Wesley and Somerhalder to allude to the infamous jumbotron scandal four days before at Gillete stadium. 'Don't go to any Coldplay concerts,' Wesley interjected, before Somerhalder took it to a another level, talking about a guy he saw online beaning his kid off the head with a baseball and the caption, 'I might not be the best dad in the world but I don't go to Coldplay concerts' Ouch. When asked if they were in horror movie who would sacrifice the other to survive, Wesley snapped, 'If we were on an island, I'd want to eat his (expletive), I wouldn't be hungry. I would just do it. Even if there were plenty of fruits and (expletive), I would just eat it.' When asked what has been your biggest lesson that has helped you stay focus and on track, Wesley chimed, 'Adderall, without missing a beat. When a fan asked which one of them should have ended up with Elena Gilbert — the brothers' shared love interest played by Nina Dobrev — Wesley and Somerhalder agreed that neither deserved her, because she was too good for either of them. 'We deserved each other," said Wesley. 'Crazy as craziness gets' Before the end of the afternoon, the two actors drove a stake into 'The Vampire Diaries' fans over the romantic notion of two brothers swooning over and competing for a teenager. 'These guys were 150-160-something years old dating a 17-year-old high school student who turned 18, thankfully, and you approved of it,' Somerhalder said. 'And then I killed her brother twice. Still approved of it. I just want you to know you are crazy as craziness gets.' When Somerhalder joked that he loved seeing Wesley's character get killed, Paul said he felt like he could have moved out of the way of the fireball from hell and also been able to save Matt Donavan and Elena at the same time from the sinking car. 'She was like, 'No save him.' Ok. I was a vampire. I had vampire powers. So I could have taken both of them,' Wesley said. 'The truth is I am so glad Stephan didn't end up with Elena. If he did, I would have to hear about it for the rest of my life.' And the TV brothers weren't too keen with the show's ending, they said. 'The brothers should have just died and let the town go back human. Let everyone go to back to being alive and happy,' Somerhalder said. 'And, by the way, this is all endorsed by you lunatics.' When the audience started lobbying for Somerhalder return to television, the actor snapped, 'I need a television show like I need an (expletive) on my elbow … You know messy that be? Every time you shake someone's hand (making a fluctuance sound). That would be horrible.' Antisocial media Before leaving, Wesley and Somerhalder got nostalgic for the simpler, carefree days before lashing out at social media. 'You can really go down a rabbit hole, people criticizing, being mean and all things being anonymous,' Wesley said. Wesley says he does two things about posts about him on social media — consciously, he doesn't look at it. And, for chances he does, he said doesn't give a '(expletive).' Somerhalder added when social media first came out in the forefront his initial thought was, 'If this catches fire, this is going to be hell.' 'It gives someone mean to say something anonymously that they would never say to your face,' Somerhalder said. 'They are now saying it online because they can do it without repercussions.' Somerhalder went as far to say teenagers were better off without social media. 'When we were in school, if you said something mean to someone, they would punch you in the face and then you knew it was cause and effect,' Somerhalder said. 'Oh, when I hurt someone with my words, they might either say your words back to me or they are wrack you in the jaw. Now, that went out the window.' 'In our case, we say something mean, we make up and make out,' Wesley added This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Wesley and Somerhalder hold court at 'Vampire Diaries' convention Solve the daily Crossword
Washington Post
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
A day with the high school basketball team that was made for the internet
CINCINNATI — A dozen high school basketball players gather in the lobby of a downtown Westin on a Saturday morning in June, greeting one another at the half-muted volume teenagers employ before noon. Most of them wear the uniform of an off-duty athlete: a hoodie and slides. As they laze on leather couches, their casual youth is a contrast to the stuffy decor of the upscale hotel.
Tom's Guide
11-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Sleep like you're on vacation with this hotel pillow — now 20% off for Prime Day
The real magic behind an uninterrupted night's sleep at a luxury hotel is their plush pillow and now you have the chance to bring the same experience home with none other than the Westin Feather and Down Pillow now up to 20% off on Amazon. Like the best pillows of 2025, the feather and down pillow from Westin is crafted to suit all sleeping styles and body types which why it's a fan favorite among guests. It's not every day you'll find a 5-star hotel pillow on sale on Amazon so we'd recommend to not snooze on the deal for long. Looking for more products to build your ideal setup? Head to our Prime Day bedding deals, to snag the latest discounts and top-rated products. But first let's look into the Westin pillow specs in detail… Westin Feather & Down Pillow: queen from $115 from $92 at AmazonYou'll find this luxuriously crafted feather and down pillow in Westin hotels and resorts globally. It has a medium firm to firm support which is great for those who like a supportive yet plush pillow. It comes encased in a 100% cotton cover which safely secures the feather and down fill in place preventing any shifting or leakages during the night. What's more? It's entirely machine washable, so maintaining sleep hygiene is a breeze. It is available in queen and king sizes and is now 20% off in Prime Day sale. A queen is priced at $92 (was $115) and a king will cost you $100 (was $125). Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillows: queen from $59.99 from $47.98 at AmazonThese 100% polyester down-alternative pillows are a perfect pick for you if you're prone to down or feather allergies. The medium-firm Beckham Hotel Collection pillow is suitable for all sleeping styles and body types thanks to its 'no-shift' down-alternative fill coming in a moisture wicking soft cotton cover (read the full Beckham Hotel Collection review for more info). This is also the best affordable option in our guide and has now further dipped in price to $47.98 for a pack of queen pillows while a king set will cost you $63.97 (was $79.97).
Mid East Info
09-07-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Deloitte Middle East wins gold at Employee Happiness Awards 2025 - Middle East Business News and Information
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, July 9th, 2025 – Deloitte Middle East received two golden accolades at the Employee Happiness Awards (EHA) UAE 2025: HR Team of the Year and Best Recruitment Strategy. The awards ceremony, held at the Westin Mina Seyahi Hotel in Dubai, celebrated organizations that excel in fostering positive work environments and prioritizing employee well-being. Commenting on the wins, Rana Ghandour Salhab, Deloitte Middle East People & Purpose Managing Partner, said: 'We are honoured to receive these awards, which reflect our dedication to enhancing the employee experience at Deloitte as well as our unwavering commitment to our inclusive policies. At Deloitte we are committed to attracting the best graduates, nationals and experienced talent by creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed.' The EHA is the only program of its kind in the UAE recognizing excellence with a diligent screening process that includes a live presentation before a jury of CHROs. The accolades Deloitte received highlight the organization's best-in-class talent approach, focused on hiring the finest talent, developing them and building a future-proof workforce. Deloitte's People and Purpose initiatives are designed to provide a healthy work-life balance, fostering flexibility, and a sense of belonging. This is achieved through innovative approaches to talent management, leadership development and recruitment, which aims to build an environment where employees can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the organization, to our clients and also the wider community. – END –
