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Merdeka 118 super-tall tower: What you need to know

Skyscraper towers 678.9 metres above Kuala Lumpur almost ready for grand opening

• Officially, Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur is now the second-tallest building in the world, after Burj Khalifa (height: 828 metres) in Dubai.
• Expected to be launched later this year, it will have the highest observiation deck in Southeast Asia.
• A sprawling 7-storey mall is expected to open in 2024.

The Merdeka 118 soars over 2,220 feet high above Malaysia’s capital. The mega-tall tower is a record-breaking skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur, a growing hub of business in southeast Asia renowned for its signature high-rises.

The home of iconic Petronas Twin Towers ranks in the league of ambitious cities, with new engineering wonders that are bigger, taller and more advanced than anything ever built before.

In physical terms, Merdeka 118 is huge. It took more than $1 billion to build.

To build this colossus, thousands of workers were involved in the extraordinary project. They had to battle torrential rains, stifling heat and deadly lightning storms in the tropics.

Here’s all you need to know about Merdeka 118:

Construction and project cost

Ground-breaking was held in February 2016, in a ceremony led by Datuk Seri Najib Razak, then the Malaysian prime minister.

The project took an estimated RM5 billion ($1.14 billion).

Overall height

Merdeka 118 has an overall height to 678.9 meters. That includes the tower's 40-storey spire — equivalent to 160.4-metre/ 526 ft — which was completed on November 30, 2021.

This makes it the tallest man-made structure in South-east Asia and the second-tallest  in the world.

As for its spire, visitors will be able to ascend the spire's spiral staircase all the way to its 16th level. The height of 566 meters would be Level 16 inside the spire. The spire will also have perforations to allow air to pass through.

When will it officially open?

The tower's completion is a highly-anticipated event. Move in for some of occupants is expected sometime in mid-2023, according to the building's owner, PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd.

“Physically, it will be ready, that means the offices can move in (by then),” Datuk Tengku Ab Aziz Tengku Mahmud, CEO of PNB Merdeka Ventures told local media.

The 118 Mall, which occupies 7 storeys of the skyscraper, is expected to open in 2024.

Who designed and built it?

The triangular glass planes on the building's facade were inspired by patterns found in Malaysian arts and crafts —even as it also symbolically represents “the rich cultural mix that defines the people of the country”.

The building was designed by Fender Katsalidis, Melbourne-based architects who are behind two tallest buildings in Melbourne the 297-meter Eureka Tower (2006) and the 317-metre Australia 108 (2020). Fender Katsalidis works with RSP KL for the project.

The main contractors are Samsung C&T and UEM Group. Samsung C&T is also the same company that built Dubai’s Burj Khalifa jointly with Besix.

What are the facilities?

According to the developer, PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd, Merdeka 118 will have the following:

• 3.1 million square feet of floor space
• 1.7 million square feet of top-grade office spaces, distributed over 83 floors — from level 8 to level 96.
• 17 storeys earmarked for Park Hyatt hotel, the first in Malaysia.
• 252 hotel guest rooms — from levels 98 to 112.
• A 7-storey shopping center called the "118 Mall" (expected in 2024)
• 6 storeys of underground parking
• 8,100 parking spaces are located directly below the office floors.
• The View at 118 (115, 116, and a mezzanine floor within level 116)
• 87: lifts/elevators
• 40-storey spire, illuminated by 865 LED lights
• 100% rainwater harvesting system, to water the outdoor greenery within the precinct.
• Directly connected with its own Merdeka MRT station (also has access to 2 LRT stations at Plaza Rakyat & Hang Tuah)
• Access to 2 monorail stations at Maharajalela & Hang Tuah.

Local media reported that PNB would be the first to occupy the space when the tower is complete.

The Park Hyatt, the tallest hotel in Kuala Lumpur and the first Park Hyatt property to open in Malaysia, will contain 252 guest rooms and the tower's highest eating location.

The hotel is expected to be operational by the third quarter of 2023.

Merdeka 118 is also expected to be one of the capital’s poshest retail and residential experiences, even as the 7-storey mall will open a new retail experience for residents and visitors alike.

“This is a major investment to contribute to the urban development of Kuala Lumpur,” said Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Group Chairman of the Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), the tower’s developer and one of the largest fund management companies in Malaysia.

There’s no doubt Merdeka 118, an engineering feat and an iconic tower for the future, will be a place of celebration for the city and the world.

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The View at 118

A must-visit attraction, located on Levels 115 to 116 Mezzanine of the Merdeka 118 tower, lies Southeast Asia’s highest observation deck!

Merdeka PNB 118 (KL 118) Facts and Information

Merdeka PNB 118 or KL118 which is its formerly used name, is a 118 floors megatall skyscraper currently being built in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia. Below are some facts and information of the skyscraper.

Name: The official name of the tower is Merdeka PNB 118 or simply Merdeka 118. Merdeka means Independence Day in Malaysian, the name of the tower commemorates the independence of Malaysia, additionally the tower will be built on the site of the former Merdeka Park. PNB is abbreviation of Permodalan Nasional Berhad, which is Malaysia's biggest fund management company and the owner of the tower. The tower was formerly known as KL 118 for it is located in Kuala Lumpur and will have 118 floors, some other ever used names are Menara Warisan Merdeka, which means Heritage of Independence in English, and PNB Headquarters, as the tower will become the new headquarters of PNB Group.

Location and Transportation: Merdeka PNB 118 is being built on a site in the vicinity of the Merdeka Stadium in Jalan Hang Jebat, Kuala Lumpur, it's only about 100 meters north of the stadium.

The Merdeka Stadium is a historic landmark of Kuala Lumpur, it is where the independence of the Federation of Malaya formally declared, and was once the principal venue in Kuala Lumpur for celebrations and sport events, the stadium also hosted numerous major concerts, including two concerts of History World Tour held by Michael Jackson in October 1996, the two sold-out concerts attracted a total of 110,000 people to watch on site.

The best way to access to the Merdeka PNB 118 Tower is by metro, visitors can take Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line and stop at Merdeka MRT station, after get out the station just walk towards the site of the tower for just one or two minutes.

Height: The architectural height of Merdeka PNB 118 is 678.9 meters (2227 feet) , this is measured from the ground to the tip of spire, this height was only unveiled on November 30 2021 when the tower topped out at its full height.

The top of the crown is estimated at about 570 meters above mean sea level, the altitude of the site of the tower is 55 meters, so without the spire the tower is 515 meters high above the ground. The roof is 555 meters above mean sea level, or 500 meters above the ground. The highest occupied floor is at 485 meters high above the ground.

The diagram below shows the comparison of Merdeka PNB 118, Petronas Towers, and New York's Empire State Building in height.

If the tower is built in 2022 as expected, it will surpass the renowned Petronas Towers and The Exchange 106 to become the tallest building in Malaysia, and the 2nd tallest building in the world .

Below is a video showing the height difference between Merdeka 118 and other tallest buildings in the world.

Owner: The owner of Merdeka PNB 118 is as its name suggests, the Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) group, the group owns the tower via one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries known as PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd.

Uses: Office, Hotel, Residential, Retail, Observation KL 118 Tower will have 118 floors, the podium floors are occupied by retail stores or a shopping mall, above it the 80 floors of the building will be used as office space, 60 out of these 80 floors of office floors will be reserved to be served as the headquarters of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), which is the building's owner and developer, and also the company the tower named after. The upper floors will contain 12 stories of hotel rooms, 5 stories of hotel residences. The hotel will be operated by Park Hyatt.

The 113th floor will have a restaurant, the 114th to 117th floors will be occupied by a multi-story observation deck, which will become one of the world's highest observation decks . The top floor (118th floor) will be reserved for a VIP lounge. A parking lot at basement will space for up to 5,000 cars.

Design: KL 118 was designed by the local architectural firm RSP Architects Sdn Bhd joint with Fender Katsalidis, a Melbourne based architectural firm, one of its best known works is Eureka Tower, which is the tallest building in Melbourne .

The appearance of KL 118 shares the similarity with Uptown Dubai Tower in Dubai , another megatall skyscraper, which set to become the tallest commercial building in the world, Merdeka PNB 118 was designed earlier.

The Merdeka PNB 118 will be topped with a spire about 150 meters long. The tower's off-center spire is inspired by the raised right hand of Tunku Abdul Rahman (who is regarded as the founding father of Malaysia) seen during the Merdeka Proclamation, representing the nation's independence.

The featuring of off-center spire can also be found on the former design of Freedom Tower (Current One World Trade Center ) in New York City, and similarly it's inspired by the raised arm of the Statue of Liberty , which is also a symbol of independence. The total floor area of the Merdeka PNB 118 will be 292,000 square meters or 3,143,062 square feet.

Development: Merdeka PNB 118 was proposed in 2010, it went through several changes on design. Below is the former design of Merdeka PNB 118:

And here is the final design of the tower:

Construction on the tower started in 2014, Pintaras Geotechnics Sdn Bhd was chosen to do the piling and foundation work. By Dec 2014, more than a half of the foundation work had been completed.

Piling work was completed in September 2016, and the above-ground construction began shortly. The local company UEM Group and South Korea's Samsung C & T were chosen by Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) as the major contractors for the above-ground construction of the tower. UEM Group is one of the largest construction companies in Malaysia. Samsung C & T is a subsidiary of Samsung Group, which best known for its electronic products, the company has had experience participating in the construction of many of tallest skyscrapers, including the Petronas Twin Towers, which were the World's Tallest Buildings from 1998 to 2004, the buildings are located just miles away from the Merdeka PNB118, and the Taipei 101 which surpassed them as World's Tallest Building was also built by Samsung C & T, and most notably they built Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is currently the tallest building in the world at 828 m. In Sep 2016, the developer PNB Merdeka Ventures said the project is progressing within budget, on schedule and on track for completion by 2020.

As of mid-March in 2019, the core of the tower had reached 50th floor, while the complete floors had surpassed 40 floors.

According to the president of PNB, the core of the tower had reached 91st floor as of December 2019.

On January 21, 2020, the concrete core of the tower reached 100th floor, at a height of 473 meters above the sea level, or 418 meters from the street level.

The construction was temporarily on hold from mid March 2020 to mid May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2020, the tower surpassed the Vincom Landmark 81 in Vietnam as the tallest building in Southeast Asia.

The concrete core of the tower reached the top in early August 2020, making the tower structurally topped out.

On October 12 2021, the tower reached 644 meters above the ground, this height was widely believed to be the final height of the tower, and the aircraft warning light was installed on the spire, so it was reported that the tower had topped out. However, the spire kept growing taller.

On November 30 2021, the tower architecturally topped out, and the height was finally revealed to be 678.9 meters above the ground.

The construction of Merdeka PNB 118 Tower is estimated to cost RM5 billion, approximately equals to US $1.5 billion.

Tourism and sightseeing: Once built, a multi-story observatory will be included on Merdeka PNB 118, the observatory will occupy 114th, 115th, 116th, and 117th floors of the tower, the heights of these observation floors range from 468 meters to 481 meters, it will become the 6th highest observation deck in the world. In addition, a secondary observation deck will be added on the spire at 566 meters high, that will make it the world's highest observation deck. Currently no more details about the observatory is released. As of now, observation deck on Petronas Towers and KL Tower are still the only places for enjoying the city views from the sky.

And since KL Tower is located closer to Merdeka PNB 118, it will become the best place to enjoy the aerial view of Merdaka PNB 118, enthusiasts of construction progress can also go up to the observation deck on KL Tower to take pictures of the construction site from high above. The KL Tower has long been one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kuala Lumpur, as it provides one of the best views of Petronas Towers and the views of the whole city.

Information of Other Skyscrapers Around the World

The Skyscraper Museum

Constructing Merdeka 118: World’s Second-Tallest Building

Ahmad Abdelrazaq

Executive Vice President, Samsung C&T Corp

Based in Seoul, Abdelrazaq is Senior Executive Vice President at Samsung C & T Corporation where he heads the Highrise Building and Structural Engineering Divisions. He spent the first half of his career at SOM, where as an Associate Partner he worked on the structural design of Jin Mao Tower, Tower Palace III, and the Burj Khalifa, among other projects. Since joining Samsung, he has been involved in the design and construction planning of several Korean and international projects, including Samsung HQ office, the proposed 151-story Incheon Tower, 360 West, Mumbai, and Tanjong Pagar in Singapore. He has also held operational positions as Executive Project Director of the Lakhta Center in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Ahmad received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. He served as an adjunct professor at IIT from 1990-2004 and since 2005 at Seoul National University where he teaches Tall Building Design.

The video begins with Ahmad Abdelrazaq''s lecture, followed by a brief dialogue with Museum Director Carol Willis, whose introduction to the webinar is included after the discussion.

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merdeka 118, soon to be world's second tallest tower, tops out in malaysia

The world’s second tallest tower takes shape.

designed by australian architects fender katsalidis, merdeka 118 has officially topped out at 118 stories in malaysia , soon to become the world’s second tallest tower.

reaching a height of 678.9 meters (2,227 feet), the supertall skyscraper is a landmark which defines the stadium merdeka precinct in downtown kuala lumpur, the location where malaysian independence was declared in august 1957. the topping out of this breathtaking new addition to the city’s skyline was marked with the completion of the spire, five years after the building’s groundbreaking ceremony.  the construction of the merdeka 118 tower will be completed in late 2022.

australian design in malaysia

the world’s second tallest tower ‘merdeka 118’ in malaysia includes over 3.1 million square feet of floor area and 1.7 million square feet of office space. as a major new tourist destination, the mixed-use skyscraper will be home to the city’s most exciting hospitality, retail, and residential experiences including the park hyatt kuala lumpur and a double height observation deck which will be the highest in southeast asia.

with the newly topped-out tower, architects fender katsalidis (see more here ) bring australian design prowess to the global arena. founding partner of the firm karl fender comments : ‘ we feel incredibly proud to have contributed to the creation of this building and its host of community assets which enrich one of the most culturally significant sites in malaysia. first and foremost, our priority was to respect this site and harness every opportunity to create a tower that enriched the social energy and cultural fabric of the city.

‘ in addition, the achievement of creating the second-tallest building in the world celebrates the years of planning, problem-solving, collaboration and human endeavour required to realise a building of this complexity. achieving this height milestone is a welcome bonus .’

influence from traditional malaysian craft

the facade of merdeka 118 is defined by its sculptural folds of triangular glass facets — this condition takes inspiration from the patterns inherent in malaysian art and craft while symbolizing the rich cultural diversity that defines the people of the country.

the building sits within a four-acre linear water park with associated public open spaces designed by landscape architects sasaki from boston. it is a car-free recreational area designed to promote vibrant community interaction within the city for people of all ages and backgrounds. it will also create an important visual alliance with the revered petronas towers and the kuala lumpur tower.

project info:

project title:  merdeka 118

architecture:  fender katsalidis | @fenderkatsalidis

location:  stadium merdeka precinct, kuala lumpur

expected completion:  late 2022

visualizations:  © binyan studios  |  @binyanstudios

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Merdeka 118: world's second-tallest building rises to 678.9 metres in Malaysia

The skyscraper in kuala lumpur is scheduled to be opened in 2022.

The top spire of Merdeka 118, the second-tallest building in the world, has been completed. Getty Images

The world's second-tallest skyscraper has reached its final height, only 150 metres short of the current record holder for the tallest building, Dubai's Burj Khalifa .

The pointed spire atop the Merdeka 118 in Downtown Kuala Lumpur has been completed, making it the second-tallest building in the world at 678.9 metres, and stealing the title from China's Shanghai Tower , which stands 632 metres tall. Burj Khalifa, which opened in January 2010, still towers above all at 828 metres.

Designed by Australian firm Fender Katsalidis, Merdeka 118 is scheduled to be completed in late 2022. Built on the historically significant Merdeka site, where Malaysia's independence was declared in 1957, the building’s 118 storeys will house offices and a hotel, topped by a dual-level observation deck and a restaurant, which is expected to be the highest in South-East Asia.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Merdeka 118 (@merdeka118)

The building’s exterior design is modelled on triangular shapes found in traditional Malaysian arts and crafts, Fender Katsalidis says on its website, while elements of the theme are also used in the interiors.

"Seemingly cleft from solid stone, it comprises a lower lobby for hotel access at one end, and at the opposite end, an upper lobby for the offices and retail," the description reads.

Initially scheduled to be completed last year, the construction of Merdeka 118, which began in 2015, was delayed by more than six months in 2019 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The project has a budget of 5 billion Malaysian ringgits ($1.1 billion).

"We feel incredibly proud to have contributed to the creation of this building and its host of community assets which enrich one of the most culturally significant sites in Malaysia," Fender Katsalidis, co-founder Karl Fender, told architecture and design magazine Dezeen .

"This building and its surrounding precinct has added an aspirational sense of new place to the city's identity, and has at the same time enabled much-needed major improvement to the pedestrian and traffic infrastructure of the area."

The 128-storey Shanghai Tower houses the J Hotel Shanghai Tower, which opened in July and is now the world's highest hotel. While the Burj Khalifa also has the Armani Hotel Dubai, it occupies floors one to eight of the world’s tallest tower, as well as floors 38 and 39.

Scroll through the gallery below for pictures of the tallest buildings in the Middle East:

ALMAS TOWER, DUBAI, 360 metres: Part of Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Almas tower was briefly the tallest in Dubai when it was topped out in 2008. It is the headquarters of Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, with high security vaults and safe deposits to protect clients' assets. Gabriela Maj / Bloomberg

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Completion of spire for Merdeka 118, world's second-tallest building, a 'proud moment' for Malaysia PM

KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia's Merdeka 118 tower will become the second tallest building in the world and the tallest building in South-East Asia.

This is following the completion of its spire and the tower which will officially stand at a height of 678.9m. Only the Burj Khalifa (830m) in Dubai stands taller.

In his opening speech, Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he was proud to announce the completion of the tower spire amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I was made to understand that Merdeka 118 will also be the first tower in Malaysia to earn triple platinum ratings with international sustainability certifications, including the highly prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (Leed).

"This is not only a great achievement in the field of engineering, but also further strengthens Malaysia's position as a modern and developed country," he said at a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the tower's spire on Tuesday (Nov 30).

Malaysia's declaration of independence was made at the next-door Stadium Merdeka on Aug 31, 1957, by then-prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. That date is now celebrated the country's independence day.

The number 118 represents the number of floors in the new tower.

"This will make Merdeka 118 an industry benchmark in the country and serve as an iconic tower for the future," he said.

Besides spurring the national economy, the development of the project, added Mr Ismail, would provide economic opportunities for the local community in the areas surrounding Petaling Street, Kampung Attap and Pudu.

"In fact, Merdeka 118 is seen to bring the spirit of Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family), aside from opportunities for the local community to promote businesses; it will also become an attraction for the surrounding areas through the Merdeka 118 community grant programme.

"The application for the Merdeka 118 grants opened from June 28 until Aug 20 this year, whereby Keluarga Malaysia can apply for three types of grants involving sports, arts and business," said the Prime Minister.

The tower covers more than three million square feet of floor area, comprising 1.66 million square feet of net lettable area (NLA) of Grade-A office space and about one million square feet of retail space.

A number of outstanding features have been incorporated into the tower including "The View at 118" Observation Deck, which will be the highest in South-East Asia, as well as the glass-domed 118 mall within the podium of the tower.

Other components of the Merdeka 118 precinct include the Merdeka Textile Museum, showcasing Malay-world textile, Little M, a childcare centre for children below seven years old and Masjid Merdeka, a mosque that can accommodate up to 3,000 people.

PNB Merdeka Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), is the developer of the project.

Earlier, PNB group chairman Tun Arifin Zakaria said the completion of the spire was a significant step forward for the project.

The tower and infrastructure upgrades in its surrounding area are expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

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Set To Be The World’s Second Tallest Tower, Merdeka 118 Will Exceed 644m Upon Spire Completion

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Merdeka 118 Tower, world's second tallest building, to open mid-2023

PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Tengku Datuk Ab Aziz Tengku Mahmud said the rate of construction was currently on track, reaching 92 percent.

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he Merdeka 118 Tower, touted as the world’s second tallest building, is due for completion by mid-2023, according to the developer.

“The offices can move in first while the hotel will be (ready) by the third quarter of next year,” he told reporters after a tour of the Merdeka 118 development.

The Merdeka 118 tower will be the region’s tallest at 678.9 meters. The figure 118 represents the number of floors in the building.

Spanning over 3.1 million square feet of floor area, the Merdeka 118 tower includes 1.7 million square feet of net lettable area of premium Grade-A rentable office space. The top 17 floors will house the first and only Park Hyatt Hotel in Malaysia.

Ab Aziz said PNB Merdeka Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), was targeting a tenancy of 70 percent local companies and 30 percent multinational companies to occupy the offices.

“PNB and its subsidiaries will go in first. For the rest, we are working on it. The tenancy list will be announced later,” he added.

He said a must-visit attraction at the Merdeka 118 tower was at Level 116 (mezzanine), where South-East Asia’s highest observation deck is located.

Tickets will be sold online for those who are interested in a super view of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline.

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Merdeka 118 Tower set to open mid-2023

Friday, 05 Aug 2022

Related News

Merdeka 118 tower receives LEED Platinum certification

Merdeka 118 access by year end, the man behind merdeka 118.

Towering pride: Members of the media checking on the work progress of Merdeka 118 Tower in Kuala Lumpur. ­— FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The Merdeka 118 Tower, touted as the world’s second tallest building, is due for completion by mid-2023, according to the developer.

PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Tengku Datuk Ab Aziz Tengku Mahmud said the rate of construction was currently on track, reaching 92%.

“The offices can move in first while the hotel will be (ready) by the third quarter of next year,” he told reporters after a tour of the Merdeka 118 development.

The Merdeka 118 tower will be the region’s tallest at 678.9m. The figure 118 represents the number of floors in the building.

Spanning over 3.1 million sq ft of floor area, the Merdeka 118 tower includes 1.7 million sq ft of net lettable area of premium Grade-A rentable office space. The top 17 floors will house the first and only Park Hyatt Hotel in Malaysia.

Ab Aziz said PNB Merdeka Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), was targeting a tenancy of 70% local companies and 30% multinational companies to occupy the offices.

“PNB and its subsidiaries will go in first. For the rest, we are working on it. The tenancy list will be announced later,” he added.

He said a must-visit attraction at the Merdeka 118 tower was at Level 116 (mezzanine), where South-East Asia’s highest observation deck is located.

Tickets will be sold online for those who are interested in a super view of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline.

Tags / Keywords: Merdeka 118 Tower , building , PNB

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Merdeka 118 – World’s Second Tallest Building

• Around the World

Merdeka 118 – World’s Second Tallest Building Complete Reaching Height 2,227 ft

• The new Merdeka 118 skyscraper, located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is set to open by the end of next year
• The 118-storey tower replaced the 2,073ft- (632m) high Shanghai Tower as the world’s second-tallest tower
• When it opens, Merdeka 118 will feature an observation deck, a Park Hyatt hotel, and rentable office spaces 

The world’s second-tallest building has now reached its maximum height – and it’s a sight to behold, as pictures show.

Merdeka 118 topped out last month in Kuala Lumpur,  Malaysia , with the completion of the spire at its tip – making the skyscraper a staggering 2,227ft (678.9m) tall. This means it’s more than double the height of  London ‘s Shard, which is 1,017ft (310m) high.

The 118-storey behemoth, which is set to open by the end of next year, has knocked the 2,073ft- (632m) high Shanghai Tower in  China  off its perch as the world’s second-tallest tower. Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, however, is still No.1 at a whopping 2,717ft (828m) in height.

The world’s second-tallest building, Merdeka 118, has now reached its maximum height – and it’s a sight to behold

Merdeka 118, located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, topped out last month with the completion of the spire at its tip

The fourth-tallest building in the world is the Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower in Saudia Arabia (1,972ft/601m), followed by the Ping An International Finance Centre (1,966ft/599.1m) in Shenzhen, China.

Merdeka 118, which is officially classed as a ‘megatall’ skyscraper, was designed to overlook a significant historical landmark in Kuala Lumpur – Stadium Merdeka, the site of the declaration of independence of the country in 1957.

The sleek exterior of the tower, which was designed by the Australian firm Fender Katsalidis Architects, is made up of triangular glass panels, inspired by shapes ‘found in traditional Malaysian arts and crafts’.

The Malaysian skyscraper, pictured on the far right, is a staggering 2,227ft (678.9m) tall

Merdeka 118 was designed to overlook Stadium Merdeka, pictured, which is known as the site of the declaration of independence of the country in 1957

The exterior of the tower, which was designed by the Australian firm Fender Katsalidis Architects, is made up of triangular glass panels

Inside, the skyscraper covers over three million square feet (278,709 square metres) of floor area.

Its upper floors will feature an observation deck – set to be the tallest in Southeast Asia – called ‘The View at 118’. It’s billed as a ‘must-visit attraction’.

Seventeen storeys of the skyscraper, which was developed by the fund management company Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), will encompass a Park Hyatt Hotel.

Merdeka 118 knocked the 2,073ft- (632m) high Shanghai Tower (pictured centre-left) in China off its perch as the world’s second-tallest tower

Seventeen storeys of the skyscraper will encompass a Park Hyatt Hotel, and a ’118 Mall’ will be connected to the tower at its base

The tower in September 2021, weeks before the spire at its tip was completed

According to a statement, hotel guests will enjoy a ‘fine dining experience’ and can check in to rooms and suites that offer ‘panoramic views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline’.

There will also be residential facilities and rentable office spaces incorporated into the megatall tower.

A glass-dome-covered ’118 Mall’ with shops and retail facilities will be connected to the tower at its base, a statement reveals.

Beside the skyscraper, plans are in place to design a ‘Merdeka Boulevard at 118’ park, a textile museum with ‘a focus on Malay-world textiles’, a childcare centre, and a new mosque – named ‘Masjid Merdeka’ – with a capacity for up to 3,000 people.

Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob described the skyscraper as a ‘great achievement’ at a ceremony that celebrated the topping out of the tower last month, according to  The Star .

He said: ‘Merdeka 118 will also be the first tower in Malaysia that has earned a triple-platinum rating with international sustainability certifications including the highly prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (Leed).

‘This is not only a great achievement in the field of engineering, but also further strengthens Malaysia’s position as a modern and developed country.’

A rendering shows the completed tower illuminated at night. The developers behind the project described it as an ‘incredible engineering achievement’

A rendering shows ‘Merdeka Boulevard at 118’, a public park that is set to open beside the skyscraper

A rendered picture of a room at the Park Hyatt hotel. According to a statement, hotel guests will enjoy ‘panoramic views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline’

PNB’s President and Group Chief Executive, Encik Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn, added: ‘The Merdeka 118 tower shares the same location with some of our beloved historical sites, which makes for a remarkable blend of the historical and the contemporary.

‘Despite the challenges of the pandemic, I am happy to report that the tower and the surrounding infrastructure upgrades are on track for completion by late 2022.

‘Today, I am excited to announce the incredible engineering achievement attained. We thank everyone who contributed to this important milestone.’

For more information visit  merdeka118.com .

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Pictured: The world's second-tallest building is now complete - and is an astonishing 2,227ft tall (more than DOUBLE the height of London's Shard)

• The new Merdeka 118 skyscraper, located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is set to open by the end of next year
• The 118-storey tower replaced the 2,073ft- (632m) high Shanghai Tower as the world's second-tallest tower
• When it opens, Merdeka 118 will feature an observation deck, a Park Hyatt hotel, and rentable office spaces 

By Ailbhe Macmahon For Mailonline

Published: 06:06 EDT, 30 December 2021 | Updated: 07:00 EDT, 30 December 2021

View comments

The world's second-tallest building has now reached its maximum height - and it's a sight to behold, as pictures show.

Merdeka 118 topped out last month in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia , with the completion of the spire at its tip - making the skyscraper a staggering 2,227ft (678.9m) tall. This means it's more than double the height of London 's Shard, which is 1,017ft (310m) high. 

The 118-storey behemoth, which is set to open by the end of next year, has knocked the 2,073ft- (632m) high Shanghai Tower in China off its perch as the world's second-tallest tower. Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, however, is still No.1 at a whopping 2,717ft (828m) in height.

The world's second-tallest building, Merdeka 118, has now reached its maximum height - and it's a sight to behold

Merdeka 118, located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, topped out last month with the completion of the spire at its tip

The fourth-tallest building in the world is the Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower in Saudia Arabia (1,972ft/601m), followed by the Ping An International Finance Centre (1,966ft/599.1m) in Shenzhen, China.

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Merdeka 118, which is officially classed as a ‘megatall’ skyscraper, was designed to overlook a significant historical landmark in Kuala Lumpur – Stadium Merdeka, the site of the declaration of independence of the country in 1957. 

The sleek exterior of the tower, which was designed by the Australian firm Fender Katsalidis Architects, is made up of triangular glass panels, inspired by shapes 'found in traditional Malaysian arts and crafts'. 

The Malaysian skyscraper, pictured on the far right, is a staggering 2,227ft (678.9m) tall

Merdeka 118 was designed to overlook Stadium Merdeka, pictured, which is known as the site of the declaration of independence of the country in 1957

The exterior of the tower, which was designed by the Australian firm Fender Katsalidis Architects, is made up of triangular glass panels

Inside, the skyscraper covers over three million square feet (278,709 square metres) of floor area. 

Its upper floors will feature an observation deck - set to be the tallest in Southeast Asia - called ‘The View at 118’. It’s billed as a ‘must-visit attraction’.

Seventeen storeys of the skyscraper, which was developed by the fund management company Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), will encompass a Park Hyatt Hotel.  

Merdeka 118 knocked the 2,073ft- (632m) high Shanghai Tower (pictured centre-left) in China off its perch as the world's second-tallest tower

Seventeen storeys of the skyscraper will encompass a Park Hyatt Hotel, and a ’118 Mall’ will be connected to the tower at its base

The tower in September 2021, weeks before the spire at its tip was completed

According to a statement, hotel guests will enjoy a ‘fine dining experience’ and can check in to rooms and suites that offer ‘panoramic views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline’. 

There will also be residential facilities and rentable office spaces incorporated into the megatall tower. 

A glass-dome-covered ’118 Mall’ with shops and retail facilities will be connected to the tower at its base, a statement reveals. 

Beside the skyscraper, plans are in place to design a ‘Merdeka Boulevard at 118’ park, a textile museum with ‘a focus on Malay-world textiles’, a childcare centre, and a new mosque - named ‘Masjid Merdeka’ - with a capacity for up to 3,000 people. 

Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob described the skyscraper as a 'great achievement' at a ceremony that celebrated the topping out of the tower last month, according to  The Star .  

He said: 'Merdeka 118 will also be the first tower in Malaysia that has earned a triple-platinum rating with international sustainability certifications including the highly prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (Leed).

'This is not only a great achievement in the field of engineering, but also further strengthens Malaysia’s position as a modern and developed country.'  

A rendering shows the completed tower illuminated at night. The developers behind the project described it as an 'incredible engineering achievement'

Pictured is a rendering of the 'View at 118', which is set to become the highest observation deck in Southeast Asia

A rendering shows ‘Merdeka Boulevard at 118’, a public park that is set to open beside the skyscraper 

A rendered picture of a room at the Park Hyatt hotel. According to a statement, hotel guests will enjoy ‘panoramic views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline’

PNB’s President and Group Chief Executive, Encik Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn, added: 'The Merdeka 118 tower shares the same location with some of our beloved historical sites, which makes for a remarkable blend of the historical and the contemporary.  

'Despite the challenges of the pandemic, I am happy to report that the tower and the surrounding infrastructure upgrades are on track for completion by late 2022. 

'Today, I am excited to announce the incredible engineering achievement attained. We thank everyone who contributed to this important milestone.' 

For more information visit merdeka118.com . 

MERDEKA 118 JOINS AN ELITE RANK OF SKYSCRAPERS: HERE ARE THE 10 TALLEST TOWERS IN THE WORLD 

1 - The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE: This jaw-droppingly lofty tower measures 828m (2,717ft) in height. It was designed by architects Adrian Smith, George J Efstathiou, and Marshall Strabala, and completed in 2010.

The Burj Khalifa, pictured centre-right, is the tallest building in the world at 828m (2,717ft) in height

2 - Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:  Merdeka 118, created by Fender Katsalidis Architects, is set to open in 2022. It measures 678.9m (2,227ft) in height and is officially the tallest building in Southeast Asia.

3 - The Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, China:  The tower measures 632m (2,073ft) in height and boasts the unique title of the world’s tallest twisted building. It was completed in 2015 and was designed by architects Marshall Strabala, Andy Cohen, Jun Xia, and Arthur Gensler. 

4 - The Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia: This 2012 tower measures 601m (1,972ft) in height and is the world’s tallest building with a clock face. Dar Al-Handasah Architects were behind this design.

The Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower in Mecca, pictured, is the world’s tallest building with a clock face

5 - The Ping An International Finance Centre in Shenzhen, China: This skyscraper, completed in 2017, measures 599.1m (1,966ft) in height. Along with the Shanghai Tower, which ranks at number two, it shares the record for the world’s highest observation deck - the 'Free Sky 116' deck sits at 562m (1,843ft) high. The US firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates was behind the design.

6 - The Lotte World Tower in Dubai, UAE: This striking tower, completed in 2017, measures 554.5m (1,819ft) in height and was designed by New York-based architect James von Klemperer.

7 - One World Trade Center in New York: Famed as the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, One World Trade Center was completed in 2014. It measures 541.3m (1,776ft) in height. Architects Daniel Libeskind, David Childs, and TJ Gottesdiener are behind the design.

New York's One World Trade Center (pictured in the centre) is officially the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere

8 - Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre in Guangzhou, China: This giant building was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates - the firm that was also behind the Ping An International Finance Centre (number five). The Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre was completed in 2016. It measures 530m (1,739ft) in height.

9 - The Tianjin CTF Finance Centre in Tianjin, China: This building measures 530m (1,739ft) in height and was designed by the global architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP. It was completed in 2019. 

10 - China Zun, also known as the Citic Tower, in Beijing, China: Like the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre (number eight) and the Ping An International Finance Centre (number five), this structure was designed by the US firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. The skyscraper measures 527.7m (1,731ft) in height and was completed in 2018.

• merdeka118.com
• Merdeka 118 Tower tallest in the region | The Star

Share or comment on this article: Merdeka 118, the world's second-tallest building, is now complete, reaching a height of 2,227ft

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Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

We have created merdeka-tower.com to help tourists and locals get all the necessary information about the tallest skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur.

We try our best to provide the most up-to-date information for people who want to visit Merdeka 118.

Please note that this is not the official website of Merdeka 118 but a product of enthusiasts’ efforts to help people get the best experience from visiting this landmark.

If you have any questions, please contact us .

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Poland’s president becomes the latest leader to visit Donald Trump as allies eye a possible return

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump walks with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan in New York on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump meets with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan in New York on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump greets Poland’s President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan in New York on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump met Wednesday in New York with Polish President Andrzej Duda , the latest in a series of meetings with foreign leaders as Europe braces for the possibility of a second Trump term.

The presumptive Republican nominee hosted Duda at Trump Tower, where the two discussed the war in Ukraine and Duda’s push to boost NATO members’ defense spending, according to a readout from Trump’s campaign. Duda, who has long expressed admiration for Trump, is also a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has encouraged Washington to provide more aid to Kyiv amid Russian’s ongoing invasion . That funding has been held up by Trump allies in Congress.

As he arrived, Trump praised the Polish president, saying, “He’s done a fantastic job and he’s my friend.”

“We had four great years together,” Trump added. “We’re behind Poland all the way.”

Following the almost 2 1/2 hour meeting, Duda said only that it was a “friendly meeting in very nice atmosphere.”

His aide, Wojciech Kolarski, also in attendance, described it as an “excellent meeting” of “two friends who reminisced on the time when for four years they cooperated while holding presidential offices,” a time that was “very fruitful for Polish-U.S. relations.”

Duda is the latest foreign leader to meet with Trump in the weeks since he locked up the Republican nomination. U.S. allies across the world were caught off guard by Trump’s surprise 2016 win, forcing them to scramble to build relationships with a president who often attacked longstanding treaties and alliances they valued. Setting up meetings with him during the 2024 campaign suggests they don’t want to be behind again.

Even as he goes on trial for one of the four criminal indictments against him, Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden are locked in a rematch that most observers expect will be exceedingly close in November.

While some in Poland worried the visit might damage the country’s relationship with Biden, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. — a Biden ally and a major voice in his party on foreign affairs — said such meetings make sense.

“The polls are close,” he said. “If I were a foreign leader — and there’s a precedent attached to meeting with candidates who are nominated or on the path to being nominated — I’d probably do it too.”

Murphy noted that former President Barack Obama did a lengthy international tour and met with foreign leaders when he first ran for the White House. So did Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, who challenged Obama in 2012 and whose trip included a stop in Poland’s capital, Warsaw.

Duda’s visit comes a week after Trump met with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, another NATO member and key proponent of supporting Ukraine, at the former president’s Florida estate.

In March, Trump hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán , an autocrat who has maintained the closest relationship with Russia among European Union countries. Orbán shared a montage of footage of the visit on his Instagram feed, which included an image of him and his staff meeting with Trump and the former president’s aides in a scene that looked like an official bilateral meeting.

Trump also met briefly in February with Javier Milei, the fiery, right-wing populist president of Argentina who ran a campaign inspired by Trump , complete with red “Make Argentina Great Again” hats. Milei gave Trump an excited hug backstage at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, according to video posted by a Trump campaign aide.

Biden administration officials have been careful not to weigh in publicly on foreign leaders’ meetings with Trump, acknowledging he has a real chance of winning the race.

While some officials have privately expressed frustration with such meetings, they are mindful that any criticism would open the U.S. to charges of hypocrisy because senior American officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meet frequently with foreign opposition figures at various forums in the United States and abroad.

Security and policy officials monitor the travel plans of foreign officials visiting the U.S., but generally don’t have a say in where they go or with whom they meet, according to an administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss protocol.

Trump has been back in his hometown this week for the start of his criminal hush money trial , which has dramatically limited his ability to travel and campaign. While in town, aides have been planning a series of events that began Tuesday evening when Trump, after court adjourned, stopped by a Harlem bodega where a man was killed to rail against crime, and to blast the district attorney who made him the first former president in U.S. history to stand criminal trial.

Duda, a right-wing populist who once proposed naming a military base in his country “Fort Trump,” described the dinner earlier Wednesday as a private get-together between friends at Trump’s former residence while he is in town for meetings at the United Nations, where Duda is to deliver a speech.

“I have been invited by Mr. Donald Trump to his private apartment,” Duda told reporters, saying it was “a normal practice when one country has good relations with another country” to want those relations to be as strong as “possible with the representatives of various sides of the political stage.”

“We know each other as people. Like two, I can say in some way, friends,” said Duda, whose term ends in 2025.

Duda’s visit comes as House Republicans wrangle over a $95 billion foreign aid bill that would provide new funding to Ukraine, including money for the U.S. military to replace depleting weapon supplies. Polish leaders have been urging the House to approve the aid bill and ease domestic concerns.

Many Trump allies in the House are fiercely opposed to aiding Ukraine, even as the country warns that it is struggling amid a fresh Russian offensive . Trump has said he might be open to aid in the form of a loan.

One area where Trump and Duda agree when it comes to the conflict is a desire to push NATO members to increase their defense spending. Duda has called on fellow members of the alliance to raise their spending to 3% of gross domestic product as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. That would represent a significant increase from the current commitment of 2% by 2024.

Trump, in a stunning break from U.S. precedent, has long been critical of the Western alliance and has threatened not to defend member nations that do not hit that spending goal. That threat strikes at the heart of the alliance’s Article 5 , which states that any attack against one NATO member will be considered an attack against all.

In February, Trump went even further, recounting that he’d once told leaders that he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to members that are — in his words — “delinquent.”

Trump’s campaign said the two discussed the NATO proposal during the meeting. The two also discussed Israel and the Middle East, Trump’s 2017 trip to Warsaw, “and many other topics having to do with getting to world peace,” the campaign said in its readout, which described the men as “great friends.”

The visit was met with mixed reaction in Poland , where fears of Russia run high and Duda’s friendly relationship with Trump has been a source of controversy.

Poland’s centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political opponent of Duda, was critical of the dinner but expressed hope that Duda would use it as an opportunity “to raise the issue of clearly siding with the Western world, democracy and Europe in this Ukrainian-Russian conflict.”

Scislowska reported from Warsaw. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Zeke Miller and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.

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Hamas says it received Israel's response to its ceasefire proposal

Hamas said it had received on Saturday Israel's official response to its latest ceasefire proposal and will study it before submitting its reply, the group's deputy Gaza chief said in a statement.

Trump trial highlights: Former Trump assistant testifies about Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal

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Trump reiterates that he'll debate Biden 'anytime he wants, including tonight'

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He also responded to reports that Biden would be "happy" to debate Trump, saying, "I've invited Biden to debate. He can do it anytime he wants, including tonight."

Later, Trump added, "I'm ready, willing and able, and if he wants, I'll do it on Monday night, Tuesday night or Wednesday night." 

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Kyla Guilfoil

Farro, the banker, said Cohen was assigned to him in 2015 after a colleague left First Republic Bank.

Cohen had been a client of the bank for at least a couple of years, Farro said. He added that he was told that he was selected to work with Cohen because of his knowledge and his “ability to handle individuals who might be a little ... challenging.”

Farro went on to say that Cohen “did a lot of his own business” and that he didn't find him “difficult.”

Farro says there are other industries the bank won't do business with

Rebecca Shabad is in Washington, D.C.

Farro testified that there are lines of business that the bank decided it won't do business with, including gambling, adult entertainment and check cashing.

Prosecutors have called banker Gary Farro to testify

Farro explains that he works at Flagstar Bank but worked at First Republic Bank for 15 years, beginning in 2002.

He allegedly helped set up the home equity line of credit through which Cohen paid Daniels. He is the third witness to testify.

Necheles highlights casting as reason for Trump to have Daniels' phone number

Zoë Richards

Trump attorney Susan Necheles began to suggest that casting for the show "The Celebrity Apprentice" was why the former president had Stormy Daniels' phone number.

“He thought that she would be an interesting addition to 'The Apprentice,'" Necheles said during questioning this afternoon.

"That was the office chatter, yes," Rhona Graff said, noting that she vaguely recalled hearing at the office that Trump had referred to Stormy Daniels as a potentially appealing candidate for the show.

Graff once saw Daniels in the Trump Tower reception area

Hoffinger asked if Graff once saw Stormy Daniels in the Trump Tower reception area.

Graff, a former executive assistant for Trump, said she had a vague recollection of seeing Daniels there. Asked if she knew Daniels was an adult film actress, Graff said she did.

Court takes a 15-minute recess

The court has taken a brief recess.

Graff finishes testifying

After being on the stand for slightly more than 30 minutes, Graff is done testifying.

Graff says working for Trump was 'very stimulating'

Jillian Frankel

Trump's lawyer Susan Necheles asked Graff what it was like to work for Trump.

“I never had to do the same day twice in all that time," she said. “It was a very stimulating, exciting — just fascinating place to be."

Asked if Trump was a good boss, Graff said, "I think that he was fair."

Trump had McDougal and Daniels contact information saved

Hoffinger is still questioning Graff and has shown her several images of contact pages for McDougal and Daniels in the Trump Organization computer system.

Asked if she had created the contact pages for the two, Graff said, "I believe I did."

Analysis: Bove misjudged in the questions about McDougal's brand

Bove miscalculated in trying to get Pecker to agree that McDougal was a celebrity or a brand; this is a person with precise knowledge of who and what sold in the time frame at issue — and McDougal, Playmate of the Year or not, did not meet Enquirer celebrity criteria.

It was also a tactical error to reuse Steinglass’ best phrase of the day: "Enquirer gold."

Graff says Trump Organization is paying for her lawyers

Graff, a former executive assistant for Trump, said that the Trump Organization is paying for her two attorneys.

Prosecutors call Rhona Graff to the stand

Prosecutors just called Graff, Trump's longtime executive assistant, to the stand.

Graff is dressed in black and says she is no longer employed but was a 34-year employee of the Trump Organization, from 1987 to April 2021. She was an executive assistant, a senior executive assistant and eventually became an assistant to the president and an executive VP there.

Pecker testimony is over

Pecker has concluded his testimony and left the witness stand.

Pecker rejects idea that McDougal was a celebrity brand

Daniel Arkin

Bove, returning to McDougal's story, reminded Pecker that he earlier referred to it as "Enquirer gold." Bove then asked Pecker whether McDougal was a "legitimate celebrity" in her own right. Pecker said no.

"There was real value to her brand, correct?" Bove asked. Pecker replied: "I wouldn't say there was value to her brand to a media company."

Trump thanked Pecker for McDougal and Sajudin stories

Pecker is back on the stand and Steinglass is now showing him the FBI notes from an August 2018 interview.

The notes say that in January 2017, Pecker had a meeting with Trump at Trump Tower, during which Trump said, “in sum and substance,” that he wanted to thank Pecker for the McDougal and Sajudin stories.

“Was it the truth then?” Steinglass asks.

“Yes,” Pecker responds.

“Is it the truth now?” Steinglass continues.

“Yes,” Pecker notes.

Court is back in session

David Pecker is re-entering the courtroom.

Trump invites Biden to debate at courthouse

In a post to Truth Social, Trump said he would be willing to debate President Joe Biden as early as tonight.

The invitation from the former president came after Biden said he would debate Trump leading up to the 2024 election during a Friday morning interview with radio show host Howard Stern.

"Crooked Joe Biden just announced that he’s willing to debate! Everyone knows he doesn’t really mean it, but in case he does, I say, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE," Trump's post read .

The post went on to say that since Biden is in New York City today, like Trump who is "stuck in one of the many Court cases that he instigated as ELECTION INTERFERENCE AGAINST A POLITICAL OPPONENT — A CONTINUING WITCH HUNT," the pair should "debate at the Courthouse tonight — on National Television."

"I’ll wait around!" the post continued.

Court takes a lunch break

Pecker is expected to return to finish his testimony after the break.

Prosecutor sets up that arrangement during campaign wasn't routine

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass gets Pecker to admit that it was not standard for a presidential candidate’s fixer to suggest amendments to source agreements.

While it was standard for Pecker to suppress stories to help a friend or to use as leverage with a celebrity, he had never done it before primarily to help a campaign.

Pecker confirmed that while he coordinated hundreds of thousands of NDAs during his tenure at AMI, he indicated that "the only one" he did for a presidential candidate's campaign was for Trump.

Pecker confirms he bought McDougal story to influence 2016 election

Pecker, facing questions from one of the prosecutors, confirmed under oath that he bought McDougal's story when he was running the Enquirer as part of a scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Joshua Steinglass, one of the prosecutors, asked Pecker: “Is that true, Mr. Pecker, was that your purpose in locking up the Karen McDougal story, to influence the election?”

Pecker replied yes, then added that the "actual purpose was to acquire lifetime rights so [the story] was not published by any other news organization."

Cross-examination of Pecker is over

The defense has finished questioning Pecker and now prosecutors have begun redirect.

Trump lawyer tries to get Pecker to undermine Cohen

Bove moved on to Pecker’s testimony that Cohen had told him “Jeff Sessions is the attorney general, and he is in Donald Trump’s pocket.”

Bove asked whether that incident is among those that colored his view that Cohen is prone to exaggeration. Pecker said yes. 

Bove tries to poke holes in Pecker's account of Trump Tower meeting

In the cross-examination of Pecker, Bove is trying to argue that paying for stories wasn’t part of the tabloid publisher's agreement with Trump and Cohen when they met at Trump Tower in August 2015.

Bove presses Pecker on efforts to sell Enquirer amid talks with feds

Bove asked Pecker about the proposed deal to sell the National Enquirer and two other tabloids to the Hudson Group, a travel retailer. Pecker replied that he did not recall the "exact dates" of the proposed transaction.

He then asked whether Pecker told the Manhattan district attorney's office that sale negotiations were taking place when AMI cut a nonprosecution agreement with federal prosecutors in New York.

Bove asked Pecker: "You knew that, to consummate that deal, you had to clear up the investigations?" Pecker replied yes.

Bove then got Pecker to further admit that such an arrangement was baked into the deal papers with the Hudson Group. Bove asked whether the transaction put additional pressure on him, and Pecker replied that, "from a timing standpoint," it "put further stress on the transaction."

The upshot: Bove is suggesting that Pecker and AMI admitted to certain misconduct.

Trial has resumed

The judge is back on the bench and the jury is being brought in.

Court takes a brief break

The court is taking a brief break after Trump's lawyer Bove said he had a few more questions left for cross-examination.

That’s a smart move because if Bove is, indeed, nearing the end, taking a break allows him to have a quick confab with the other defense lawyers to see if he’s left anything out, failed to follow up on anything, etc.

Prosecutors object to questions about Comey

As Bove was questioning Pecker, he broached the subject of Trump's relationship with former FBI Director James Comey, asking, "You know following that [January 2017] meeting there were issues between President Trump and James Comey?"

Immediately, prosecutors objected and Merchan called a sidebar. Meanwhile, Trump whispered with Necheles at the defense table.

Merchan sustained the objection.

Bove and Pecker barely had a chance to resume before another objection and sidebar were called.

Pecker says he wanted nothing to do with Enquirer story about Stormy Daniels

Garrett Grumbach

Pecker, under cross-examination from Bove, testified that he wanted no part in the Enquirer's story about Daniels, the porn star who claims she had an affair with Trump.

Bove asked Pecker to confirm whether he told then-Enquirer editor-in-chief Dylan Howard that he wanted no involvement in the story about Daniels; Pecker replied, "That's correct."

Bove asked Pecker: "You did not consider Stormy Daniels' story to be a part of any agreement that you had in August of 2015, is that correct?" Pecker testified that it was correct.

Trump lawyer tries to establish that AMI got something of value from McDougal agreement

Bove is trying to show that AMI got something of value from the McDougal agreement pointing to a number of columns and magazine covers.

Pecker confirmed that he told McDougal that the promotional opportunities she had there were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and ran 65 stories.

"When AMI signed this agreement, the one that’s on this screen, you believed it had a legitimate business purpose, correct?” Bove asked.

"I did," Pecker said.

Bove zeroes in on the ties between Pecker and Cohen

The point Bove appears to be driving at is that Pecker and Cohen were especially close — but that Pecker was well aware that Cohen was not well regarded even among his own business associates.

Bove keeps referring to Trump as 'President Trump' but prosecutors repeatedly object

Bove keeps referring to Trump as “President Trump” when he is discussing periods when Trump was not in office.

The DA’s office keeps objecting, and Merchan is sustaining those objections, deflating the defense’s efforts to inflate Trump.

Jury appears intrigued by Pecker questioning

Katherine Doyle

The jurors appear rapt, their eyes moving from Pecker to Bove and back again. Some are taking notes. One chewed the end of a pen, eyes locked on Pecker as he speaks.

Bove tries — and fails — to establish that Pecker knew McDougal earlier

Bove just tried — and failed — to establish that Pecker knew about McDougal years prior because she had been one of the first female cover models on Men’s Fitness, shortly after his arrival at AMI in 1999. Pecker explained he didn’t know her and didn't know of her.

Bove seeks to establish that National Enquirer stood to profit off stories it bought

Pecker, under cross-examination from Bove, admitted that American Media Inc., the Enquirer's parent company, entered into hundreds of agreements with sources, including before he joined the firm. The tabloid stood to profit handsomely off the stories it purchased, Pecker effectively conceded under oath.

Pecker testified that AMI could have sold "10 million National Enquirers" if the claim that Trump had fathered a child with a Trump Tower maid was true. The publishing executive previously testified that he believed that the story being peddled by former Trump Tower doorman Dino Sajudin was false, though.

Trump lawyer questions Pecker about National Enquirer recycling other outlets' stories

Bove referred to negative stories raised by prosecutors that the National Enquirer published about Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Ben Carson in 2016.

“There wasn’t much new content in those stories, was there?” Bove asked.

Pecker responded, “I would have to reread the stories to answer that question."

Bove said that the Enquirer would reuse content published by other news outlets because it was cost-efficient and good for business. Pecker said yes.

Trump lawyer focuses Pecker cross-examination on Hope Hicks

Bove, Trump's lawyer, resumed his cross-examination of Pecker with a line of questions about former Trump aide Hope Hicks. Bove is attempting to draw out possible inconsistencies in Pecker's testimony about Hicks' presence at the 2015 meeting at Trump Tower.

Bove established that Hicks once worked for a public relations agency that did work for Star magazine, and that she had been known to Pecker, who was once the publisher of the magazine.

Bove asked Pecker: "You said she was in and out of the [August 2015] meeting, correct?" Pecker conceded that Hicks did not participate in or speaking during that meeting.

Trump leans back, closes eyes in courtroom

Trump is sitting in the courtroom with his eyes shut, leaning back comfortably. There are three Secret Service agents seated behind him in the front row of the gallery.

Pecker will return to the stand

Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, will return to the stand for another day of testimony.

He will testify under cross-examination from Trump's lawyer, Emil Bove.

Trump aide Boris Epshteyn is in court for the second day in a row

Trump aide Boris Epshteyn is in court for the second day in a row.

He's another legal adviser who is quarterbacking Trump’s various trials and was recently indicted by a state grand jury in Arizona for his alleged role in trying to overturn Joe Biden's win in the state during the 2020 presidential election.

Trump praises Supreme Court arguments, decries 'freezing' New York courthouse

Trump, addressing reporters before entering the courthouse for Day 8 of the trial, insisted that his team had "a very good day yesterday" but once again blasted the case against him as "rigged" and decried the "freezing" temperature inside the courtroom.

The former president also commented on yesterday's Supreme Court oral arguments over his immunity claim in the federal election subversion case. He hailed the arguments as "brilliant" and repeated talking points about the need for "all presidents" to have broad immunity protections.

Court has resumed

The judge is on the bench and trial has resumed.

Pecker returns this morning for fourth day of testimony

David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, will return to the stand for his fourth day of testimony under cross examination by Trump attorney Emil Bove.

Bove is focusing on inconsistencies in Pecker's testimony about whether former Trump aide Hope Hicks was at the 2015 meeting at Trump Tower where suppressing stories was discussed.

Prosecutors objected several times to the line of questioning, prompting bench meetings because prosecutor Joshua Steinglass says Hicks was not mentioned in Pecker's proffer meeting with federal prosecutors. Judge Merchan ended Thursday’s hearing saying: "It's misleading, and we’re going to correct it tomorrow."

Bove said he has a couple hours more on cross, and then we will have redirect.

Trump’s criminal charges, Biden’s age rank as voters’ top worries about the candidates

Ben Kamisar

Voters continue to rank President Joe Biden’s age and former President Donald Trump’s legal woes as the most compelling reasons to oppose them in November, according to new data from the latest national NBC News poll.

Respondents in the recent poll, conducted April 12-16, were asked about three potential vulnerabilities for each candidate ahead of the fall election. 

For Biden, the idea that he “may not have the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term” was the most compelling reason for 23% of registered voters. Another 17% of registered voters said their top gripe with Biden was that “millions of immigrants have crossed our border illegally” during his presidency, and 16% chose the message about inflation’s hitting a “40-year high, making it hard for take home pay to match rising prices.” Another 15% said “all of these” were most convincing.

For Trump, 20% of registered voters said the most convincing reason to oppose him was that he’s “facing four different criminal and civil trials for alleged wrongdoing, including multiple felony charges related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election.”

Another 14% said Trump “takes credit for his Supreme Court nominees taking away a woman’s right to an abortion,” and 8% chose that he “wants to pardon those convicted of storming the Capitol on January 6th.”

But there was a significant difference among the respondents who said none of those messages were the most convincing: For Trump, 40% of registered voters chose that option, while 28% chose it for Biden.

Read the full story here

Key prosecution witness in Trump trial to face grilling from former president’s lawyers

Dareh Gregorian

The prosecution’s first witness in its case against Donald Trump will be back on the stand Friday as defense attorneys try to combat the story he has laid out about how the former president was involved in efforts to quash “ embarrassing “ stories that could have hurt him during the 2016 campaign.

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker 's testimony marks the end of the second week of Trump’s hush money trial.

Since he took the stand Monday, Pecker has told jurors that Trump and his then-lawyer Michael Cohen had asked him to be their “eyes and ears” when it came to salacious stories that could undermine Trump’s candidacy.

When cross-examination began Thursday, Trump attorney Emil Bove immediately set out to poke holes in Pecker’s credibility, getting him to acknowledge times he had mixed up dates and that the passage of time could affect his memory.

“There are some gaps, correct? Because it was a long time ago?” Bove asked.

“Yes,” Pecker replied.

David Pecker testified about what he knew of the payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep her relationship with Trump quiet. He also discussed an agreement the National Enquirer made with former Playboy model Karen McDougal. NBC News’ Vaughn Hillyard reports.

Mitch McConnell says presidents shouldn’t be immune from prosecution

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in an interview Thursday with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he doesn’t think presidents should be immune from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office, as the Supreme Court heard arguments on the issue.

The Kentucky Republican also told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker that he stands by his acquittal vote and comments he made in 2021, when he voted against convicting former President Donald Trump in a Senate trial after he was impeached by the House on charges related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

“President Trump is still liable for everything he did while he was in office. ... He didn’t get away with anything, yet,” McConnell  said in 2021, adding , “we have a criminal justice system in this country. We have civil litigation. And former presidents are not immune from being [held] accountable by either one.”

“That’s [still] my view,” McConnell said Thursday, as the Supreme Court  heard arguments  from Trump’s attorneys and federal prosecutors about whether the former president can face charges for acts he committed while in office.

Trump lawyer backs away from absolute immunity argument at Supreme Court

Lawrence Hurley Supreme Court reporter

Ryan J. Reilly

WASHINGTON — Former President  Donald Trump  has long argued for absolute immunity in his federal election interference case, but his lawyer struck a different tone Thursday during  arguments at the Supreme Court .

With the justices appeared largely skeptical of the argument that the entire indictment against Trump should be dismissed, attorney D. John Sauer made some concessions.

Sauer appeared to agree with special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the prosecution, that there are some allegations in the indictment that do not involve “official acts” of the president.

Sauer’s main argument was that the entire indictment is premised on official acts, which should be protected by immunity in part to ensure that presidents’ hands are not tied over fear of prosecution after they leave office.

Sauer accepted that Trump can be prosecuted for private acts that were not tied to his official duties as president.

During oral arguments , the justices zeroed in on the public-private distinction, which may lead to a ruling that sends the case back to lower courts for further deliberations on that issue, potentially scuttling any chance that a trial could take place before the election in November.

Trump heads to court for Day 8 of trial

Brittany Kubicko

The former president has left Trump Tower and is en route to the courthouse.

Day 7 testimony included buried celebrity stories and disputes over paying Stormy Daniels

Taking the stand Thursday for now the third day this week, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker provided testimony to form a road map for New York prosecutors’ case against former President Donald Trump.

From detailing business invoice practices to establishing how deeply Trump was involved from beginning to end, lawyers for the Manhattan district attorney’s office had Pecker walk the jury through much of the events that occurred leading up to and after the payments to Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an affair she alleges she had with Trump.

Sprinkled in the testimony were juicy celebrity gossip tidbits and revelations about Trump’s repeated inquiries about a Playboy model who also claimed to have had an affair with him.

And after hours of dishing new details, the defense tried Thursday to paint Pecker as suffering from memory lapses and operating for his own motives.

Gag order hearing on tap for next week

A gag order hearing previously set for next Wednesday has been moved to Thursday, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

Judge Juan Merchan heard arguments Tuesday about whether Trump willfully violated a gag order in the case. During that hearing, prosecutors asked for the judge to impose a $1,000 fine for each post that they said violated the order.

Prosecutors are also seeking an order for Trump to take down those social media posts, along with a warning that any future violations could risk jail time. Trump's attorneys argue he has not violated the order.

Biden says he hasn't been following Trump's trial

During a campaign fundraising event last night, Biden told the crowd of supporters that he has not had a chance to follow Trump's court proceedings in the hush money case.

"I've been out campaigning," Biden said.

Biden has said little about Trump's trial since it got underway last week.

Trump says he will take the stand 'if it's necessary'

In an interview last night, Trump told Newsmax that he would take the stand in his hush money trial "if it's necessary."

The former president said on Ap r il 12 that he "would testify, absolutely," and last week he responded "yes" when asked if he would take the stand .

Trump is not required to testify during the trial.

What to expect in court today

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, the first witness for the prosecution, is expected to return to the stand for cross-examination.

Trump's defense team yesterday tried to cast doubt on Pecker's memory of the hush money payments he had described in earlier testimony.

“There are some gaps, correct? Because it was a long time ago?” Trump lawyer Emil Bove asked Pecker. "Yes," Pecker replied.

It's unclear if Pecker's testimony will conclude today or if there will be another witness.

Here's what happened yesterday in court

Former publisher of the National Enquirer David Pecker returned to the witness stand yesterday and talked about his role in hush money payments to an adult film star and a Playboy model.

Pecker also testified about communicating with then-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen about the arrangement for the payments, as well as his concern about the possible legal ramifications of making payments related to a major presidential candidate in the 2016 campaign.

Pecker, 72, was cross-examined by Trump's defense, who tried to cast doubt on his memory of events from that period.

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Trump Visits a Construction Site in Manhattan Before His Trial Resumes

The early morning campaign stop exemplifies the balancing act required for a candidate who is also a criminal defendant.

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By Michael Gold

• Published April 25, 2024 Updated April 26, 2024, 10:14 a.m. ET

Hours before he was set to return to the courthouse for his criminal trial in Manhattan , former President Donald J. Trump started Thursday morning by visiting a construction site in a campaign stop that exemplified the balancing act required for a candidate who is also a criminal defendant.

In the shadow of what will eventually be the 70-story headquarters of one of the nation’s biggest banks, Mr. Trump shook hands with union workers in a visit meant to highlight his support from working-class voters and draw attention to his criticism of President Biden’s economic policies.

His warm reception — a cheering crowd of roughly 100 people gathered behind him, chanting “we want Trump” — marked a stark contrast from the sober environment of the courthouse where Mr. Trump has spent most weekdays since his trial began last week, and where his comments have largely been limited to addressing reporters in the hallway during breaks.

Mr. Trump has not held a rally since just before the trial began, in part because a planned event in North Carolina last weekend was canceled because of weather. But his visit to the construction site typifies how his campaign is using retail stops in New York, a left-leaning state not expected to be in play in November, to help broadcast his national message.

“I have a lot of support here,” Mr. Trump said, as roughly two dozen workers clambered up scaffolding and equipment to catch a glimpse of him. Among those in the crowd were members of the Teamsters union, whose endorsement Mr. Trump has been courting.

The trip to the construction site kicks off what will be a significant day in Mr. Trump’s legal battles. In Manhattan, where Mr. Trump is accused of falsifying business records, David Pecker, the former publisher of The National Enquirer, is expected to return to the stand and detail the hush-money payment at the center of his case. Asked by reporters, Mr. Trump said that Mr. Pecker had been “very nice” and called him a “nice guy.”

In Washington, the Supreme Court will consider Mr. Trump’s argument that he is immune from prosecution on federal charges that he plotted to subvert the 2020 election. Mr. Trump, who will likely be in the Manhattan courtroom during the oral arguments before the Supreme Court, repeated an argument he has been making for months that “a president has to have immunity, otherwise you just have a ceremonial president.”

Mr. Trump’s appeal to working-class voters was key to his victory in 2016, and as he tries to return to the White House, he has been eager to win the support of rank-and-file union members and to drive a wedge between them and labor leaders who have long favored Democrats.

In January, Mr. Trump met with the Teamsters union’s executive board and said he believed he had a “good shot” at securing the influential union’s endorsement. The union endorsed Mr. Biden in 2020, and its leaders met with the president last month.

Mr. Biden has for years touted his allegiance to unions. On Wednesday he received the endorsement of the North America’s Building Trades Unions, an umbrella group whose leaders pointed to Mr. Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure package.

Jason Miller, a senior Trump campaign adviser, said that Thursday’s visit had been “on the books for some time” and was part of the campaign’s larger strategy to contend with the scheduling challenges posed by the Manhattan trial.

“Since the Biden Trials are an attempt to keep us off the campaign trail, we’ll bring the campaign trail to us,” he said. Mr. Trump has said without citing evidence that the charges are part of an “election interference” scheme orchestrated by Mr. Biden.

Michael Gold is a political correspondent for The Times covering the campaigns of Donald J. Trump and other candidates in the 2024 presidential elections. More about Michael Gold

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

The criminal trial of Trump featured vivid testimony about a plot to protect his first presidential campaign  and the beginnings  of a tough cross-examination  of the prosecution’s initial witness, David Pecker , former publisher of The National Enquirer. Here are the takeaways .

Dozens of protesters calling for the justice system to punish Trump  briefly blocked traffic on several streets near the Lower Manhattan courthouse where he is facing his first criminal trial.

Prosecutors accused Trump of violating a gag order four additional times , saying that he continues to defy the judge’s directions  not to attack witnesses , prosecutors and jurors in his hush-money trial.

More on Trump’s Legal Troubles

Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Could he go to prison ? And will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know , and what we don’t know .

Trump on Trial Newsletter: Sign up here  to get the latest news and analysis  on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C.