The National - News
Saudi airports under attack as Yemen conflict intensifies
Two airports in Saudi Arabia have come under attack as fighting in Yemen between the Houthis and government forces intensified along the western coast. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation yesterday announced the attacks on King Abdullah...
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Ground-breaking ceremony held for $2.3bn UAE-Rordanian railway project
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and King Abdullah II of Jordan yesterday attended the ground-breaking ceremony for the Aqaba-Shidiya-Maan railway project. Sheikh Khaled was received by King Abdullah at King Hussein International...
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Al Muhairi clears all hurdles in Japan
Emirati showjumper Abdullah Al Muhairi’s silver medal-winning performance yesterday, on the last day of the Asian Games in Japan.
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Naguchev strikes gold for Emirates
The UAE picked up three Jiu-jitsu gold medals at the Asian Games on Thursday, with Khaled Al Shehhi, Ahmed Andeez and Balqees Abdulla claiming titles. Al Shehhi beat compatriot Omar Al Suwaidi in the men’s 62kg final, while Andeez added gold in the...
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Security incident forces Tel Aviv flight to land in Saudi city
A flydubai plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia yesterday after an incident in which the pilot and co-pilot were injured. The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said the Boeing 737 had experienced a security incident that...
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UAE unveils plan to keep women safe from online violence
The UAE yesterday launched a global initiative to curb digital acts of abuse against women. The Safe-T Initiative was unveiled at the UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, and seeks to combine legislative reform,...
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President attends inauguration of rail route
President Sheikh Mohamed travels by train from Abu Dhabi to Dubai yesterday to attend the inauguration of the Etihad Rail station at Al Yalayis. The station will be opened to the public tomorrow.
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UK police foil suspected Iranian plot near airbase
British police yesterday arrested five men after after a cache of explosives was discovered near an airbase in Gloucestershire, south-western England. Counter-terrorism police said they were investigating a possible Iranian link to the incident. The...
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Trump welcomes Xi to White House for ‘historic’ state visit
US President Donald Trump on Thursday welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House for a visit aimed at stabilising ties between the world’s two largest economies. During what Mr Trump described as a “historic” three-day visit, the leaders...
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Syria and Iran address UN on second day of talks
Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara yesterday condemned Israel in his speech to the UN General Assembly, saying its air strikes and incursions were undermining his country’s recovery from civil war. On the second day of speeches by world leaders, Mr Al...
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Funeral of Sheikh Ahmed held in Dubai
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, yesterday performed the funeral prayer for Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid at Grand Zabeel Mosque. He was joined by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and...
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President leads UAE Rulers in paying heartfelt tributes
UAE leaders have paid tribute to Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who died yesterday. President Sheikh Mohamed hailed Sheikh Ahmed’s contributions to the development of the Emirates and offered his condolences to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice...
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El Sisi hosts CIA director in search of end to war
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and CIA director John Ratcliffe held talks in Cairo yesterday, after Yemen’s Iranbacked Houthis struck the Saudi capital Riyadh in a significant escalation of the group’s conflict with the kingdom. The meeting...
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Talks with Iran key to ‘turning page’, says Gargash
Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, has spoken of the importance of keeping lines of communication open with Iran to help the region emerge from months of conflict. Addressing the Arab Media Summit in Dubai on Thursday,...
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Houthi offensive in Yemen forces 125,000 to flee homes
A humanitarian crisis is growing in Yemen, where an advance by the Iran-backed Houthis has forced people to abandon temporary shelters, witnesses have told The National, as details emerged of US dialogue with the rebel group. At least 125,000 people...
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Strong Syria good for region, Al Shara says in Dubai
A strong Syria is beneficial for countries across the ]iddle East, even as trade routes through the Strait of Aormuz remain blocked, President Ahmad Al Shara told delegates at a ubai conference yesterday. The country has been at the heart of recent...
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Top IRGC general ‘led Houthi advance’ in west Yemen
A senior Iranian commander was “directly involved” in the Houthi advance in Yemen to capture the Red Sea coast, sources have told The National, as Tehran uses the rebels to increase pressure on the US. Brig Gen Abdolreza Shahlaei was one of several...
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Fighting intensifies in Yemen as 2,000 flee across Red Sea
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi fighters have suffered heavy losses of personnel and equipment in clashes with government forces on several fronts in the southern province of Taiz, state television reported. Fighting was concentrated around the Air Defence...
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New era of UAE-Germany ties with €40bn investment plan
The UAE is to invest €40 billion ($46.47 billion) in Germany in a long-term commitment to the country. The money will be used across sectors including industry, advanced technology, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and energy. The deal...
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President given grand welcome for state visit to Germany
President Sheikh Mohamed arrived in Berlin yesterday to begin a state visit to Germany aimed at bolstering ties between the countries. The President’s plane was escorted by military aircraft after it entered German airspace, state news agency Wam...
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Britain leads ban on settler goods over ‘ethnic cleansing’
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing” in the occupied West Bank as a dozen countries backed restrictions on trade with settlers in response to rising attacks on Palestinians. Mr Miliband said the ban would be...
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Wave of Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon
Damage from an Israeli strike in the village of Kfar Roummane, southern Lebanon, yesterday. Twelve people were killed in a series of attacks.
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Moment of impact
Iranian oil tanker MT Kylo is struck in the Gulf of Oman before sinking on Saturday. The crew were ordered to abandon ship before it was hit, the US Central Command said. It was one of three tankers attacked after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps...
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Warm welcome for new ambassadors
President Sheikh Mohamed receives the credentials of 18 newly appointed ambassadors to the UAE on Thursday, welcoming envoys from Germany, France, the UK, South Korea, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Slovenia, Lithuania,...
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Dutch call for Unifil extension as ‘priority’ to support Lebanon
The Netherlands wants UN peacekeepers to stay in southern Lebanon beyond the expiry of their mandate on December 31, a utch minister told The National yesterday. Tension has grown over the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) owing to disputes over...
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Bessent tells G20 new routes will erode value of Hormuz
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that he expects supply chain disruption in the Strait of Hormuz to soon be a thing of the past, as Gulf states fast-track alternatives to send their energy supplies to market. “The oil will be going on...
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Vigil held for flood victims
Nepalis light candles at a vigil for flash flood victims at Swayambhunath Stupa in Kathmandu yesterday. The floods, caused by a glacier collapse last Wednesday, have killed at least 900 people and left nearly 4,000 missing in Nepal, with more dead or...
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UAE plan to produce next generation of tech talent
The UAE yesterday set out plans to develop the next generation of Emirati experts in science and advanced technology. The National Programme for Advanced Sciences and Technology – established on the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed – will seek...
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UAE begins month-long celebration of Emirati women’s role in rise of nation
The UAE will come together on Friday to celebrate the crucial role played by Emirati women in the nation’s rise, and help set the stage for their future progress. Emirati Women’s Day – which was established in 2015 by Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak,...
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Iranians brace for fuel crisis as latest sanctions take toll
Iran was on the brink of a fuel crisis yesterday, a day after the US announced new sanctions in the hope of bringing Tehran to its knees. Officials say fuel prices are expected to rise, with signs of panic-buying in Tehran as more petrol was dispensed...
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King Abdullah II meets Chinese leader
Jordan and China called for a negotiated end to the Iran war that addresses the “root causes” of the conflict, after King Abdullah II met President Xi Jinping in Beijing yesterday. The two leaders discussed Middle Eastern affairs during the meeting....
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Deadly Israeli strike in Gaza
A fireball erupted over central Gaza yesterday as Israel bombed a warehouse in an attack that Palestinian officials said killed a child. Six others were reported injured, some of them seriously, in the attack on Al Zawaida. In a second strike, Israeli...
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Gulf states intensify diplomatic efforts to reopen key waterway
Gulf states have increased efforts to break the deadlock in negotiations with Iran, with Qatar and Oman leading regional diplomatic efforts to secure an interim agreement to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the UK Maritime...
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Humanitarianism is ingrained in this nation’s culture, says Prime Minister
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, yesterday marked World Humanitarian Day by emphasising that helping others is ingrained in the country’s culture. The occasion coincides with the anniversary of a 2003...
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US envoy condemns Israel over strikes on Syrian air force base
US special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack yesterday said he was “deeply concerned” by Israeli strikes on a military airfield in the north-western province of Idlib, describing the attacks as an unnecessary escalation. Israeli bombers carried out eight...
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Israel held responsible for obstructing peace in Gaza
The foreign ministers of eight Muslim nations, including the UAE, yesterday condemned Israel’s rejection of the latest proposed roadmap for the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. It came as US President...
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Afghan anniversary
A Soviet tank is placed on a square in Kabul on Thursday in preparation for events on Saturday marking the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power
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Al Assad and eight others sentenced to death in Syria
Former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad has been sentenced to death for murder and other crimes connected with his regime’s crackdown against the 2011 revolt in Deraa. The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus yesterday sentenced the former president, his...
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Adnoc Gas awards $8.2bn in contracts to spur growth
Adnoc Gas’s second-quarter net profit reached $664.65 million, beating the company’s estimates “despite exceptional external disruption during the period”, it said in a statement yesterday. The profit announcement was accompanied by news that Adnoc...
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Houthi attacks on Red Sea oil tankers fuel global outrage
A Houthi rebel attack on Saudi tankers in the Red Sea has been condemned by leaders around the world, as the latest regional escalation caused the price of oil to exceed $100 a barrel. The attack on the Saudi-owned Encelia caused a fire to break out...
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Lebanese PM hails ‘beginning of Israeli withdrawal’ from south
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam yesterday visited one of three US-designated pilot zones in southern Lebanon and declared the “beginning of the Israeli withdrawal from our land”. He travelled to Zawtar Al Gharbiyeh a day after Lebanese troops...
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Israeli army bars media from southern Lebanon area
Israeli troops have barred journalists and charity workers from entering an occupied area of southern Lebanon. “Go back,” a soldier yelled through a megaphone to a convoy of cars. He stood on the balcony of a house overlooking a gate that marks the...
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Returning heroes
Just as Argentina’s dream began to crumble, even Lionel Messi’s halo briefly slipped. Enzo Fernandez had just reverted to type and been sent-off for acting the schoolyard bully, upending Spain’s latest teen prodigy, Pau Cubarsi. It was a clear...
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Iran turns its aggression on Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan
Iranian attacks damaged a power generation and water desalination complex in Kuwait, and set off air defences in Jordan and Bahrain yesterday, hours after the US carried out an eighth consecutive night of military strikes on Iran. The escalation came...
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Syria and Lebanon ‘in daily contact’ to tackle terrorism
Syrian and Lebanese forces are liaising daily on counterterrorism and other security matters, Lebanon’s Interior Minister Ahmad Al Hajjar has told The National. Relations between Lebanon and Syria are “currently very good”, he said. He recently held...
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Sheikh Mohamed offers condolences after death of former Emir of Qatar
President Sheikh Mohamed yesterday offered his condolences to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim after the death of his father, former ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa. During a visit to Lusail Palace in Doha, Sheikh Mohamed also extended his condolences to...
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Iraqi state will bring all arms under its control, vows Al Zaidi at White House
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi has pledged to ensure that all Iran-backed militias in his country are disarmed by a September 30 deadline. During a meeting at the Oval Office with US President Donald Trump last night, Mr Al Zaidi reaffirmed his...
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Houthis announce end to truce in Yemeni civil war
Yemen’s Houthi rebels yesterday announced an end to the “de-escalation phase” in the country’s civil war, after strikes hit the airport in the group’s stronghold of Sanaa. The Iran-backed Houthis took over the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, prompting...
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Four days’ mourning declared after death of former Qatari Emir
Qatar’s former ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who oversaw the country’s transformation, has died at the age of 74. The Amiri Diwan, Qatar’s top government body, announced his death yesterday. The royal court declared a four-day period of...
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UAE calls for unity in Gulf as Tehran resumes aggression
Strengthening unity among GCC member states is “an utmost necessity” in the face of threats to regional security and stability, Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, has said. His remarks came after Tehran carried out drone...
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US ready to strike Iran again, says Trump as ceasefire crumbles
US President Donald Trump yesterday threatened to launch further attacks on Iran after declaring that a framework agreement to end the regional conflict was “over”. “We are probably going to hit them hard again,” he said at the Nato summit in Ankara....
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Pharaohs bow out of World Cup
Egypt’s Mohamed Salah applauds fans after the Pharaohs’ 3-2 defeat to Argentina in yesterday’s Fifa World Cup last-16 clash. In a social media post after the match, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi hailed the ‘heroes of the national football...
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UK-French naval force to arrive in Strait of Hormuz imminently
A multinational fleet of warships is expected to arrive in the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days to protect commercial shipping from Iranian threats. Western defence officials yesterday told The National that the naval force would be led by Britain...
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Settler violence in West Bank
A Palestinian restaurant owner inspects the damage to his business yesterday, after it was burnt down by Israeli settlers during an attack on the occupied West Bank village of Luban Al Sharqiya, near Nablus
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Rare bombing attack rocks Damascus, leaving six dead
At least six people have been killed and more than 20 injured after a bomb was detonated in the Syrian capital amascus. The Interior Ministry said the explosive device went off inside a cafe in Al Aijaz area of the city on Thursday. A witness told The...
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Damascus ready for proposals to advance alternative trade route
Syria welcomes proposals to link its ports to Gulf states, and is waiting for practical steps to develop an alternative transit route to the Strait of Hormuz, its Transport Minister told The National yesterday. Yarub Badr said Syria was in the process...
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‘A national achievement added to the UAE’s march to the future’
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, yesterday hailed Etihad Rail’s first passenger train journey as a milestone for the country. The first Abu Dhabi-bound train set off from Al Hilal...
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Arrests of 47 officials ‘only the beginning’, says Iraqi PM Al Zaidi
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi said a series of arrests of politicians and officials on corruption charges at the weekend was only the beginning of his efforts to recover misappropriated public funds. Security forces carried out arrests in...
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Bahrain and Kuwait face missile and drone attacks as US and Iran trade fire
Iran and the US exchanged fire yesterday, with missiles and drones launched towards American military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps yesterday announced that it had fired missiles and drones at eight US military...
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US ‘will be in constant contact with Gulf states’ during talks with Tehran
The US is to keep its Gulf allies up to date and “engaged as much as possible” during talks with Iran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said. “We will not be making any decisions or commitments that in any way undermine the prosperity, stability or...
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US will not undermine Gulf allies’ security, Rubio vows
President Sheikh Mohamed received US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for talks in Abu Dhabi yesterday, as Washington seeks to assure its Gulf allies that it remains aligned with their interests during peace negotiations with Iran. During their meeting,...
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Rubio lands in Abu Dhabi to start diplomatic tour of Gulf
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the UAE last night to begin a Gulf tour, on the same day as Iranian officials were holding talks in Oman. It came as the US and Iran continued to shore up their diplomatic positions amid negotiations for a...
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