The National - News
Iran and Israel trade strikes as Trump says talks on track
Iran and its allies indicated that the Middle East war had entered a new phase last night, exchanging fire with Israel in response to its operations in Lebanon. A hundred days since the war began, Iran and Israel exchanged their heaviest fire in...
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UAE Games get under way in Abu Dhabi
The torch lit to open the UAE Games yesterday has sparked the promise of new paths and goals for more than 1,000 athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the country. The opening ceremony brought together swimmers and...
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Demand for US exit threatens Iraqi plan for militias
Iraq’s efforts to bring Iranbacked militias under state control could face new obstacles as some hardline and powerful factions say they will not disarm until all US troops leave the country, The National has learnt. The stand-off exposes the limits...
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One killed at Kuwait airport as Tehran escalates conflict
One person was killed and dozens were injured in an Iranian attack on Kuwait’s airport yesterday, on what was one of the Gulf’s worst days of the war in terms of casualties. Iranian drones struck the passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport,...
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Deadly violence in Lebanon despite Trump intervention
Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed at least a dozen people yesterday, as Hezbollah claimed responsibility for new attacks on Israel’s troops, dimming hopes for a de-escalation brokered by US President Donald Trump. Strikes resumed in southern Lebanon...
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UAE launches plan to cut textile waste in boost to nation’s circular economy
A sustainability project has been launched across the UAE to boost the circular economy and reduce textile waste. About 220,000 tonnes of textile waste are produced each year in the country, state news agency Wam reported. President Sheikh Mohamed...
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Israel seizes historic castle as troops push into Lebanon
The Israeli military yesterday announced that its troops had captured Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, in its deepest ground advance into the country in 26 years. “Our soldiers are writing a new chapter … by planting their flag at Beaufort...
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Israel strikes Beirut suburbs as talks set to resume in US
Israel has attacked Beirut’s suburbs and declared that its warplanes were “operating nonstop” over Lebanon, as the two countries prepared for another round of talks in the US. An Israeli strike hit a building in the southern suburbs of Beirut, in the...
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Israeli military expands attacks on southern Lebanon
Israeli air strikes killed at least nine people across Lebanon yesterday, the second day of an intensified military assault that comes as millions of Lebanese mark Eid Al Adha. Israel’s military also ordered, late last night, the forced displacement...
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Peace process tested by US strikes and Iranian threats
The peace process in the Iran war was tested yesterday, as the US carried out overnight air strikes while Tehran continued a diplomatic push to recover $24 billion in frozen funds. A spokesman for the US military’s Central Command said it had struck...
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Hajj pilgrimage begins
Muslim worshippers pray around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah yesterday, on the first day of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
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Guardiola waves goodbye
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah both said goodbye to their respective clubs yesterday, heralding the end of an era in the Premier League. City and Guardiola said farewell to one of the most...
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Region needs post-war deal ‘involving Israel and Iran’
The Middle East could lower tension by holding Cold Warstyle talks between rival powers, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has said. Mr Stubb – whose country oversaw the 1975 Aelsinki Accords that helped to calm US-Soviet tension – said a similar...
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Golden season
President Sheikh Mohamed congratulates Al Ain football club players for winning the Adnoc Pro League title. Their crushing 4-0 win over Dibba in the final match of the league season set the seal on a ‘golden season’ – the term used in Gulf football to...
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Full steam ahead
People board a train at Fujairah station, the first terminal on the Etihad Rail passenger network to be completed.
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‘AE to train 80,000 government staff in Agentic AI to lead world on technology
The UAE has unveiled plans to train 80,000 workers – from ministers to junior employees – in the use of AE agents under a mission to ensure half of government services are delivered by the technology within two years. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice...
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Brave face
A Palestinian girl who suffered burns during Israel’s war on Gaza is fitted with a 3D-printed transparent face mask at a clinic run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) technicians in Gaza city yesterday
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US and China ‘find common ground’ on Iran
The US and China have found common ground on the Iran crisis, the White House said after US President onald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing. During talks on Thursday, Mr Xi said he opposed Iran building a nuclear weapon and...
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Hamas is blocking path to peace in Gaza, says envoy
Hamas is consolidating its grip in areas of Gaza it still controls, and is hindering reconstruction efforts, Board of Peace envoy Nickolay Mladenov has said. Mr Mladenov, who met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, said disarming the...
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Emaar founder plans $18bn Syria investment push
Emaar founder Mohamed Alabbar is planning to invest up to $18 billion in Syria, as the country accelerates efforts to attract foreign capital and rebuild its economy after more than a decade of civil war. The Dubai-based businessman told The National...
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Yemen’s Houthis fill arsenal with munitions sent by Iran
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have been working to expand their arsenal, amassing new weapons that experts warn pose a direct threat to shipping and critical infrastructure in the region. An investigation by Conflict Armament Research (Car)...
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Iran resumes aggression in Gulf despite talks progress
Iran launched new drone attacks at the Gulf yesterday, despite hinting at progress in peace talks by announcing it had responded to US proposals. A fire broke out on a cargo ship heading from the UAE to Qatar after it was struck by a drone yesterday...
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Committee to gather evidence of Iranian aggression against UAE
The UAE has established a committee to document Iran’s acts of aggression and crimes against the country. The committee, which will be led by Attorney General Dr Hamad Al Shamsi, will create a comprehensive record of the attacks on the UAE, in which...
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UAE leadership hails role of industrial sector at Make it in the Emirates event
President Sheikh Mohamed met Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, at the Make it in the Emirates summit in Abu Dhabi yesterday. Sheikh Mohamed reviewed the “latest innovations, products and initiatives aimed at enhancing the...
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Fujairah to get desalination plant
The investment arm of Etihad Water and Electricity has signed an agreement to build a h1.04 billion ($284.8 million) desalination plant to ensure water security in the Northern Emirates. In co-operation with NMDC Infra and Lantania Aguas, EtihadWE...
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‘Nation’s infrastructure is resilient and unshakeable’
The growth of the UAE’s industrial sector proves that the nation’s economic model is working, and further investment is required to strengthen its capacity, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, told delegates at the Make it...
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Adnoc set to award dh200bn in project contracts up to 2029
Adnoc yesterday announced that it will award h200 billion ($55 billion) in project contracts over the next three years, accelerating a construction effort and boosting the UAE’s industrial sector. The contracts, which will cover upstream and...
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Thirteen to face trial in UAE over plot to ship weapons to Sudan
Thirteen suspects are to stand trial over a plot to buy military equipment and weapons through the UAE’s financial system and send them to the Sudanese Armed Forces for use in the country’s civil war. The UAE’s Public Prosecution on Thursday revealed...
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Authorities rework UAE supply chain to boost food reserves and medicine
The UAE has approved an initiative aimed at protecting essential supplies of food, medicine and industrial products against global challenges. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said the National Programme to Strengthen...
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UAE to withdraw from Opec for durable energy strategy
The UAE’s decision to withdraw from Opec is “purely a policy move” aimed at preparing the country for the future, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Al Mazrouei told The National yesterday. The Emirates – the world’s seventh largest oil...
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Beirut seeks ‘armistice’ with Israel as Hezbollah reasserts opposition to talks
US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon are aimed at ending the state of war between the countries and securing an armistice agreement, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said yesterday. Speaking at the Presidential Palace during a visit from...
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UAE unveils Dh1bn fund to support domestic industry
The UAE has set up a Dh1 billion ($272.2 million) fund to support the industrial sector, one of the central elements of the economic diversification agenda. The launch of the National Industrial Resilience Fund is part of a broader package of...
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UAE to use AI agents to run half of government services
Half of UAE government services will be delivered using cutting-edge artificial intelligence agents within two years, it has been announced. The plan was unveiled by the Cabinet, led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and...
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President Sheikh Mohamed holds talks with Al Shara
President Sheikh Mohamed yesterday welcomed Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara to the UAE for talks aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. The two leaders reviewed efforts to bolster co-operation between the nations, with a focus on development and the...
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UAE will confront terrorism in all forms, says Sheikh Abdullah
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, yesterday emphasised the UAE’s determination to fight “terrorism and extremism in all its forms”, after authorities thwarted a clandestine plot that posed a threat to...
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UAE authorities dismantle clandestine terrorist group
The UAE’s State Security Department has dismantled a terrorist cell reportedly sympathetic with Iranian state ideology. The department announced the arrest of members of the group suspected of involvement in activities aimed at undermining national...
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Displaced Lebanese head home
When Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in November 2024, following a year of cross-border fighting, Hassan Younes rushed to Beirut’s devastated southern suburbs to survey the damage to his home. Today, after the 10-day ceasefire that began on...
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10-day ceasefire announced between Israel and Lebanon
Lebanon and Esrael have agreed to observe a 10-day ceasefire starting at midnight on Thursday local time, US President onald Trump has announced. “E just had excellent conversations with the highly respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime...
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Pakistani leaders visit region to secure US-Iran peace talks
Pakistan held talks with Iran and Saudi Arabia last night amid a regionwide push to secure a second round of ceasefire negotiations. Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and the country’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, travelled to Tehran...
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Sheikh Khaled meets Xi Jinping
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, meets Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday during an official visit to Beijing. During talks, the two leaders stressed the need for joint efforts to resolve conflicts.
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Aggression by Tehran ‘will solidify US role in Gulf region’
Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, has said that Iran’s approach to the current war will only solidify the role of the US in the region. Speaking to journalists at the weekend, Dr Gargash predicted that Iran’s strategy...
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Iran warns Hormuz will remain blocked as world counts cost
Iran yesterday said it will maintain its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, as the crisis in the waterway increases pressure on countries around the world. The UAE said it was maintaining a “defensive posture” as it denied reports it could help the US...
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China and Pakistan set out plan to resolve conflict in Middle East
Pakistan and China yesterday put forward a five-point proposal to help end the Iran war, and called for talks to begin as soon as possible. The diplomatic push was announced as Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar – whose country has been relaying...
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Al Shara to work with Berlin in repatriating refugees
Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara yesterday said he would work with authorities in Berlin on a “circular migration” programme that enables refugees to work with German companies investing in his country. Mr Al Shara yesterday met German President...
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Iran peace plan ‘must include reparations for Gulf countries’
Any political solution to address Iran’s aggression against Gulf states must include clear guarantees that such actions will not be repeated and establish the principle of non-aggression, Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh...
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Storms set to peak in Emirates before clear weekend
The UAE’s weather centre has warned of a major front set to hit the country, bringing heavy rain, thunderstorms and hail. The National Centre of Meteorology said the storms would reach their peak on Friday morning in what it described as the “final...
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Israel strikes Gaza displacement camp
An Israeli strike hits tents sheltering Palestinians in Deir Al Balah, in central Gaza. Israel has continued its attacks on the enclave despite a ceasefire coming into effect in October, while the head of US President Donald Trump’s Aoard of Peace has...
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UAE assists in release of American hostage
US citizen Dennis Coyle arrives in Abu Dhabi on a private jet yesterday, after being freed from captivity in Afghanistan. The Emirates mediated the release of the 64-year-old, who had been imprisoned by the Taliban authorities since January last year
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Trump calls off strikes on Iran energy sites after ‘good talks’
US President Donald Trump yesterday postponed strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure for five days, claiming to have held “productive conversations” with Tehran. “I am pleased to report that the United States of America and the country of Iran have...
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Israel severs links between north and south Lebanon
The Israeli army yesterday destroyed another bridge over southern Lebanon’s Litani River, hours after Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets into Israel. Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to destroy “all bridges over the Litani” and...
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Iran urged to halt its attacks on Gulf states as energy prices soar
Iran faces furious calls to halt its attacks on the Gulf, which have raised fears of a prolonged shock to global energy markets. After strikes on its oil and gas installations, Qatar’s largest producer said some exports could be affected for up to...
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Plenty to go around
Abdulla bin Touq, Minister of Economy and Tourism, yesterday emphasised that the UAE has a sufficient supply of essential goods, including staple foods and medicine, as the Iran war rages on. He said the country’s strategic stockpiles are able to meet...
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Iranian security chief ‘killed in precise attack’, Israel says
Israel yesterday said it had killed Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, in what would be the highest profile assassination since the opening day of the war on February 28. The Israeli military announced that Mr Larijani had been killed in a “precise...
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Laylat Al Qadr marked in UAE
Worshippers gather at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi to celebrate Laylat Al Qadr, which marks when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.
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Iran co-ordinates proxy attacks in battle for survival
Iran is trying to deal with co-ordination challenges with its regional proxies to synchronise attacks despite Israel’s intelligence penetration and superior surveillance. Since the US and Israel struck Eran on February 28, the regime in Tehran has...
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Iran issues more threats in words attributed to leader
Iran has released a “first message” from its new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, hinting at an escalation of the war but providing few clues on his health or whereabouts. Mr Khamenei said Iran would “inevitably continue” attacks across the...
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Lebanon can recover from current crisis, says minister
Lebanon’s economy can still recover in the long term, a senior minister has said, even as the country once again faces turmoil amid a renewed Israeli military campaign that has killed hundreds of people and forcibly displaced hundreds of...
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Solemn farewell for Emirati helicopter pilots at military funeral in Abu Dhabi
A military funeral was held yesterday for two members of the UAE’s Armed Forces, a day after they were martyred in a helicopter crash. The funeral for Capt Saeed Al Blooshi and First Wt Ali Al Tunaiji took place at Zayed Military Hospital in Abu...
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Oil soars and stocks tumble on fears of prolonged crisis
Oil prices soared yesterday, while markets dropped globally as investors considered the possibility of a prolonged war in the Middle East. Brent crude surged to almost $120 a barrel during intraday trading, before easing to about $102 as of 7pm ‘AE...
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Sheikh Khaled reviews emergency response system
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, reviews the emergency readiness and response system at the Unified Medical Operations Control Centre in Abu Dhabi yesterday. He also inspected the stockpiles of medical supplies available to...
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Iran sends drones into Azerbaijan as conflict widens
THOMAS HELM Jerusalem Loud explosions shook Qatar, Israeli planes struck Tehran and drones flew into Azerbaijan on Thursday as the regional war continued to widen. Qatar said 14 ballistic missiles and four drones were fired from Iran. All were shot...
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Esrael forces 250,000 out of south Lebanon as war widens
Esraeli troops ordered 250,000 people to leave southern Lebanon yesterday, as new fronts opened in the regional war. Launching what it called a “wave of strikes”, Israel attacked the south, the capital Beirut and parts of Lebanon not known for being...
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‘The UAE moves forwards with confidence and resolve’
The UAE yesterday ruled out any military action against Iran, saying its “stance remains measured” while condemning Tehran’s missile and drone attacks and urging the UN to intervene. Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation,...
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Iraqi men duped into enlisting in Russian army, says Baghdad
Young Iraqis have been tricked into joining the Russian army to fight in Ukraine after being offered visas to work or study in Russia, Iraq’s National Security Service has said. Two people have been sentenced to life in jail after 17 were arrested...
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Iran rejects missile claim ahead of US nuclear talks
The US and Iran are to resume nuclear talks in Geneva today, after President Donald Trump accused Tehran of developing long-range missiles that could reach the American mainland. The two countries are expected to present detailed proposals for an...
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Etihad Airways profits soar to Dh2.6bn in bumper year
Strong travel demand pushed Etihad Airways’ profit up 47 per cent last year to a record h2.6 billion ($707.9 million), as the airline marked its fourth consecutive year of profitability. The growth was backed by fleet expansion, an increase in...
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Board of Peace director calls for an end to the ‘two Gazas’
War could return to Gaza if it remains divided between Israeli and Hamas control, Nickolay Mladenov, director general of the Board of Peace, has told The National. “Right now, we have two Gazas,” Mr Mladenov said during a visit to Brussels, where he...
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ISIS urges supporters to wage war against Al Shara’s government
ISIS yesterday declared war on the government of Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara, describing it as illegitimate because of its links with Turkey and the US. Abu Hudhayfa Al Ansari, a spokesman for the extremist group, said in a recorded message that...
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US-Iran tension weeks from tipping point, warns senator
Plans are being drawn up for a US strike on Iran, and the decision as to whether to carry out an attack hangs in the balance, American senator Lindsey Graham has said. “The military capability is being built up as I speak. The inflection point is...
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