The National - News
Rafah crossing to reopen as Board of Peace inaugurated
US President Donald Trump yesterday unveiled the Board of Peace with a pledge to restore the Gaza Strip after two years of war. At a signing ceremony on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Trump stood on stage alongside...
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Trump issues Hamas warning as Board of Peace set to be finalised
US President Donald Trump yesterday warned that Hamas will be “blown away” unless it agrees to disarm during the second phase of the American peace plan for Gaza. After a largely unscripted speech to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos,...
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President accepts US invitation to take seat on Board of Peace
President Sheikh Mohamed has accepted an invitation from the US to join the Board of Peace, which will oversee Washington’s 20-point peace plan for the Gaza Strip. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said...
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President meets Modi in New Delhi as UAE and India sign several agreements
President Sheikh Mohamed yesterday paid a working visit to New Delhi aimed at furthering long-standing ties between the UAE and India. Sheikh Mohamed was welcomed at Palam Airbase by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials. The...
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Kurdish-led fighters cede control of Syrian provinces
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces militia has agreed to cede control of Deir Ezzor and Raqqa provinces to the Syrian government, state media reported yesterday, after the army made rapid advances into the two eastern areas. In another major...
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Gaza waits in hope as phase two of ceasefire begins to take shape
Gazans have been promised that their new Palestinian leaders will focus on their needs and “stay far away” from politics, as phase two of the US-led peace plan begins. Aed Abu Ramadan, who is expected to join a technocratic committee taking interim...
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Aleppo residents return to find homes devastated
The shattered windows and bullet-riddled walls of the Othman Hospital stand as a testament to the intense fighting that shook Ashrafieh and two adjacent Kurdish-majority neighbourhoods in Syria’s Aleppo last week. Residents began to return to the city...
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Truce lets displaced return to Aleppo
Thousands of civilians were waiting to return to their homes in Aleppo yesterday, with fighting between government troops and the Kurdish- led Syrian Democratic Forces having seemingly come to an end. Aleppo Governor Azzam Al Gharib said the security...
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Damascus intensifies bombing in Aleppo as US urges restraint
Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have clashed in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods of Aleppo, marking a sharp escalation in a long-running stand-off. The Syrian army on Thursday said it had launched...
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Death toll doubles in Iran as protesters clash with police
The death toll from protests across Iran has risen to at least 29, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said yesterday, as demonstrations over economic hardship show no signs of stopping. Rights groups on Sunday said that 15 people had been...
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‘Kidnapped’ Maduro pleads not guilty at New York court
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was abducted by US forces at the weekend, appeared at a federal court in New York yesterday to face charges including “narco-terrorism” and drug trafficking. Mr Maduro’s court appearance came as the UN Security...
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President hails Sheikh Mohammed on 20th anniversary as Ruler of Dubai
President Sheikh Mohamed was present yesterday as Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister, met ministers past and present to mark his 20th anniversary as Ruler of Dubai. The President said that under Sheikh Mohammed’s leadership,...
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Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Mansour meet in Dubai
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, meets Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, at Al Marmoom Rest House in Dubai on Thursday. The two men...
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‘Our hopes and aspirations for a better tomorrow are renewed’
President Sheikh Mohamed yesterday shared his New Year greetings, wishing everyone a prosperous 2026. Sheikh Mohamed and other UAE leaders also sent well wishes to the leaders of countries around the world as 2025 came to an end. “Best wishes on the...
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UAE pulls counter-terrorist forces from Yemen mission
The UAE yesterday announced the withdrawal of all of its remaining counter-terrorism teams from Yemen, hours after a Saudi strike on armoured vehicles belonging to Emirati forces in the southern port of Mukalla. The Emirates ended its military...
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Pioneering drug given to patient at Abu Dhabi hospital in world first
A leading hospital in Abu Dhabi has become the first in the world to deliver a pioneering gene therapy treatment that is poised to offer a lifeline to children and adults suffering from spinal muscular atrophy. Sheikh Khalifa Medical City successfully...
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Deadly violence breaks out as Alawites protest in Syria over mosque bombing
There was violence in Syria yesterday as thousands of members of the Alawite religious minority took to the streets in protest, two days after a bombing killed eight people at a mosque. The demonstrations were called for by Ghazal Ghazal, an Alawite...
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Mass wedding in Abu Dhabi
A traditional dance is performed at a mass wedding reception at Qasr Al Hosn on Thursday, attended by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court
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‘It feels special again’: Gaza ceasefire returns Christmas spirit to Bethlehem
For the past two years, visitors could walk through the Church of the Nativity and enter the grotto with barely another soul in sight. But now, with a ceasefire in effect in Gaza, the crowds have returned, and Bethlehem is once again feeling the...
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President receives banking delegation backing debt relief plan
President Sheikh Mohamed receives Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, chairman of Mashreq Bank, at a Sea Palace barza yesterday. Mr Al Ghurair was part of a delegation representing financial institutions that contributed to an initiative to waive the debts of...
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Israel demolishes block of flats in East Jerusalem
Israeli troops yesterday used diggers to tear down a four-storey residential building in occupied East Jerusalem, displacing dozens of Palestinians in what activists called the largest demolition in the area this year. The building, in the Silwan...
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Sheikh Mohamed receives Macron for talks at new Zayed National Museum
President Sheikh Mohamed yesterday received French President Emmanuel Macron in Abu Dhabi. The two met for talks at the Zayed National Museum, and exchanged greetings before the approaching New Year, state news agency Wam reported. Sheikh Mohamed also...
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Collapse of Sudan is a ‘red line’ that can’t be crossed, says Egypt
Egypt has said it will not stand by and watch the collapse of Sudan, and that there are “red lines” it will not allow anyone to cross. Cairo issued this warning on Thursday during a visit by Sudan’s army chief, Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, who held...
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Damascus intensifies anti-ISIS crackdown after spate of attacks
Syria has seized drones, explosives and firearms during raids against suspected ISIS cells across the country in an operation officials said confirms the government’s ability to fight against extremists. The operations came days after two deadly...
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Emirates steps into sustainable future with nationwide plastic ban
The UAE will begin next year with a major push to cut plastic waste and reduce pollution, introducing a nationwide ban on various single-use plastic products. From January 1, the import, manufacture and trade of an expanded range of single-use...
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At least 37 people killed in flash flooding in Morocco
At least 37 people were killed in flash floods caused by torrential rain in Morocco’s coastal city of Safi on Sunday, the state-run 2M TV channel reported. Local authorities said 14 people were receiving medical care after the floods. Earlier reports...
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Concerns raised over security in Syria after attack in Palmyra
A deadly attack on US troops in Syria has exposed a major security gap in the new alliance between Washington and Damascus, with regional security sources predicting increased American pressure on the Syrian government to root out extremists. US...
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Pope Leo meets Zayed Award committee
Pope Leo XIV receives members of the organising committee for the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity in the Vatican on Thursday. During the meeting, the pontiff reflected on the need to be witnesses of kindness and charity in a world marked by division
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Lebanese authorities determined to seize Hezbollah weapons
Lebanon’s plans to bring all weapons under state control remain on course, government officials told The National, after it emerged that a new US defence bill would make much-needed support for the Lebanese armed forces contingent on progress in...
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President pledges $550m to UN-led humanitarian drive
President Sheikh Mohamed has directed the UAE to commit $550 million to support a UN drive to provide humanitarian aid to those in need. The world body’s Global Humanitarian Overview seeks to raise $33 billion next year to support almost 135 million...
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Dh60bn expansion for capital’s Al Maryah Island
Mubadala Investment Company and Aldar Properties have announced plans to spend Dh60 billion ($16.3 billion) to expand Abu Dhabi’s financial district on Al Maryah Island. It came as Abu Dhabi Finance Week began on the island yesterday, with Sheikh...
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Norris clinches crown in Abu Dhabi
Lando Norris is the new Formula One world champion after finishing third in the season-ending Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix yesterday. The race at Yas Marina Circuit was won by Max Verstappen but it was McLaren driver Norris who was victorious...
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Israel carries out attacks on Lebanon and Gaza as US tries to find solution
Israel air strikes have damaged homes in southern Lebanon and killed five Palestinians in southern Gaza. Despite the US-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon at the headquarters of UN peacekeeping force Unifil, there was no immediate end in sight...
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Sheikh Mohamed receives Amazon founder
President Sheikh Mohamed receives Jeff Bezos, founder and chief executive of Amazon, at Qasr Al Shati yesterday. They discussed the importance of strengthening co-operation and fostering partnerships in innovation, advanced technology and artificial...
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Eid Al Etihad shines spotlight on capital’s newest landmark
The Zayed National Museum was the star of the 54th National Day show yesterday, with the event offering a glimpse inside before today’s grand opening. The official celebration for Eid Al Etihad – which marks the anniversary of the UAE’s founding on...
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‘We look back with pride at the journey we have taken’
President Sheikh Mohamed has hailed National Day as a “defining chapter” in the UAE’s success story, and urged Emiratis to be at the heart of efforts to write the country’s future. The UAE leader said the anniversary of the nation’s founding – marked...
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UAE leaders commemorate sacrifice of nation’s heroes
President Sheikh Mohamed yesterday marked Commemoration Day by paying tribute to the soldiers who have defended the UAE. He said the dedication, loyalty and sacrifice of the armed forces would always be remembered by UAE citizens. Sheikh Mohamed...
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Senior UAE diplomat welcomes EU’s push for truce in Sudan
The UAE has urged intensified global action to end the atrocities in Sudan, with senior diplomat Lana Nusseibeh welcoming the European Parliament’s commitment to ending the country’s devastating civil war. In a joint motion, the parliament on Thursday...
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UAE to ship 10 million meals to Gaza in major aid push
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has urged the UAE public to support of a nationwide drive to send more than 10 million meals to Gaza on a humanitarian ship bearing his name. A call for volunteers has been issued to help...
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Stormy skies over Gaza
Children in Gaza are enjoying a rare moment of relief as a film festival aims to help them recover and rebuild hope after Israel’s war on the strip. The first Gaza Children’s Film Festival opened last week with a screening of Albert Lamorisse’s 1956...
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Adnoc approves $150bn in capital investments to 2030
Adnoc directors yesterday approved capital investments of Dh551 billion ($150 billion) for the period until 2030 to maintain the company’s growth and operational process, the company said after its annual board meeting. President Sheikh Mohamed led...
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Israel bombs Beirut in attack on Hezbollah’s chief of staff
The Israeli military yesterday carried out a strike on Beirut, destroying at least three floors of a building in a typically busy neighbourhood of the Lebanese capital. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the target of the attack was...
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Twelve killed in suicide blast outside court in Islamabad
At least 12 people were killed in a suicide bombing outside court buildings in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad yesterday, the country’s Interior Minister said. Speaking at the scene of the attack, Mohsin Naqvi said: “At 12.39pm, a suicide attack was...
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Trump welcomes Al Shara on historic Washington trip
US President Donald Trump welcomed Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara to the White House yesterday, in a historic meeting aimed at resetting relations between Washington and Damascus. It was the first White House visit by a Syrian head of state since the...
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Aaron Rai wins Abu Dhabi title
The last time Aaron Rai had won on the DP World Tour, he had to make do with a socially distanced elbow bump with his defeated competitor on a cold evening in Scotland to toast the win. This time around he was able to envelop his dad, Amrik, in a...
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Sheikh Mohamed declares 2026 as Year of the Family
President Sheikh Mohamed described family as a “vital pillar of our nation’s future progress”, as he declared 2026 the Year of the Family. It came as he attended the Government Annual Meetings on its final day in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, where both the...
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US ‘drives plan for two-year Gaza peacekeeping mission’
Foreign peacekeepers in Gaza could be given a two-year mission to ensure Hamas disarms, under plans being drawn up at the UN, according to reports. An “international stabilisation force” is a central plank of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for...
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‘New energy demands need urgent capital investment’
Annual investment of up to $4 trillion will be needed to meet growing demand for energy, including new grids and data centres, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Adnoc’s managing director and group chief executive, told the energy conference Adipec yesterday. “We...
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Adnoc and Microsoft sign deal to establish AI agents
Adnoc and Microsoft have signed deals to integrate artificial intelligence across the oil major’s value chain and to power the tech company’s global AI and data centre growth. This expanded agreement will include Masdar and XRG, which will develop...
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Abu Dhabi scientists achieve milestone in cancer treatment
Scientists at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre have hailed a breakthrough in cancer treatment primed to improve patient care and strike a crucial blow in the fight against the disease. The centre’s team have achieved a medical milestone by isolating...
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Syria to use investment to ‘rebuild every stone destroyed in civil war’
Syria has attracted about $28 billion in investment since the civil war ended last year, President Ahmad Al Shara said yesterday, as he offered “winwin” terms for the country to rebuild without relying on aid. Addressing the Future Investment...
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Ceasefire at breaking point as ‘powerful’ strikes hit Gaza Strip
Israel launched air strikes on Gaza city last night after accusing Hamas of faking its search for the bodies of hostages, fuelling fears over the fate of the US-brokered ceasefire in the enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered...
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Record budget approved by Cabinet as economy booms
The UAE Cabinet has approved a record budget for next year, with expected revenue of about Dh92.4 billion ($25.2 billion), aimed at “balanced development” for the economy and society. It came as three Cabinet ministers swore their constitutional oaths...
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Kurdish militants begin to withdraw from Turkish soil
Kurdish fighters have begun withdrawing from Turkey in a significant step towards ending a 40-year insurgency in the country. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) yesterday announced its forces would be moving to Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region,...
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Regional powers condemn West Bank annexation vote
Countries across the region have issued sharp condemnation of Israel, which has escalated its actions in the occupied West Bank and Lebanon as a fragile ceasefire holds in Gaza. More than a dozen nations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman,...
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Israel must let UN operate in Gaza, Hague court rules
The International Court of Justice has said Israel is obliged to ease the passage of aid into Gaza and permit the UN agency for Palestinian refugees to operate in the territory. In a non-binding advisory opinion issued yesterday, the ICJ said that...
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Trump threatens Hamas as Vance avoids arms deadline
US President Donald Trump yesterday warned Hamas that it would meet a “fast, furious and brutal” end if it breaches the Gaza ceasefire, as his Vice President visited Israel to keep the truce on track. JD Vance is expected to hold talks with Israeli...
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Cairo urges UN to fast-track peace mission for Gaza
Egypt is pushing for the UN Security Council to establish a peacekeeping force for Gaza “as soon as possible”, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has told The National. Mr Abdelatty said Egypt wants a “clear-cut mandate” for the force to help...
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Ceasefire violated as Israel resumes air strikes on Gaza
The ceasefire in Gaza was hanging in the balance yesterday, as Israel carried out air strikes in the enclave after alleged attacks by Hamas militants in the south. At least 25 people were killed yesterday in dozens of Israeli strikes across Gaza,...
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Sustained peace in Gaza can stabilise regional economies, says IMF director
Sustained peace in the Gaza Strip could bring economic stability to the Middle East, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund has said, days after a ceasefire agreement took effect in the enclave. The spillover from the conflict has...
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Al Shara seeks to reset ties with Russia in historic visit
Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara yesterday hailed a reset in ties with Russia during his first visit to Moscow since overthrowing the regime of its former ally, Bashar Al Assad. During talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, Mr Al...
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One more chance
UAE left-back Erik after last night’s 2-1 defeat to Qatar in the World Cup qualifying fourth-round playoff. The team will get one more chance to reach the tournament with a fifth-round playoff next month.
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‘The war is over’
US President Donald Trump yesterday declared an end to the war in Gaza, as hundreds of Palestinians and Israelis were freed from captivity. “The war is over,” Mr Trump told reporters on board Air Force One as he flew to the region yesterday morning to...
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Mediators in 11th-hour talks as Trump heads for region
Last-minute talks were taking place last night to finalise the details of a hostage and detainee exchange between Israel and Hamas, as world leaders including US President Donald Trump prepare to arrive in Egypt to formalise the Gaza ceasefire. Israel...
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Gaza hopeful but cautious as fragile ceasefire ushered in
Gazans have expressed a mix of hope and concern after negotiators in Egypt agreed on terms for a long-awaited ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave. A spokeswoman for the Israeli government on Thursday said that the truce would take effect 24 hours...
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Adnoc’s ADX-listed units to pay $43bn in dividends by 2030
Adnoc aims to distribute Dh158 billion ($43 billion) in dividends to shareholders of its six publicly listed subsidiaries by the end of this decade, as its units continue to generate reliable long-term value. The distribution, subject to approvals, is...
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Rise of new militias in Gaza raises fears over breakdown of society
New militias have sprung up in Gaza to fill a power vacuum created by the two-year war, with fighters engaging in gun battles, abducting people and allegedly working with Israel, residents told The National. The armed groups have begun patrolling...
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Talks raise hopes of peace after two years of Gaza war
The second anniversary of the Hamas attacks that launched the war in Gaza is being marked by growing calls to halt the violence and allow desperately needed humanitarian aid into the enclave. Talks began yesterday in the Egyptian city of Sharm El...
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Syrians cast ballots in first poll since fall of Al Assad
About 6,000 people yesterday cast their ballots in Syria’s first parliamentary poll since Bashar Al Assad’s regime was toppled last year. Security personnel dressed in black and carrying rifles guarded a library hall in Damascus, as electors cast...
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NBA giants clash at Etihad Arena
Mohamed Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, watches on as the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers play a pre-season match at the capital’s Etihad Arena.
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Sheikh Mohamed receives Iraqi PM
President Sheikh Mohamed receives Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani at Qasr Al Shati yesterday. The two leaders discussed opportunities to boost co-operation between their nations and exchanged views on regional and international issues, Wam...
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Israel escalates Gaza assault as UN prepares to gather
Israeli troops have escalated their offensive in Gaza city, killing dozens of Palestinians as the UN Security Council was preparing to vote on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the enclave. Internet and phone lines were down across Gaza on...
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Cabinet unveils economic cluster plan aiming to boost GDP by Dh30bn a year
The UAE government yesterday announced the launch of the National Policy for Economic Clusters, an initiative aimed at boosting the country’s GDP by more than Dh30 billion ($8.16 billion) a year. The policy was announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid,...
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UN panel accuses Israel of genocide as Gaza attack intensifies
Israeli troops pushed deeper into Gaza city yesterday as the country’s government brushed aside UN accusations of genocide. The Israeli army said it had begun “expanded ground operations” in Gaza city after weeks of heavy bombardment that destroyed...
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Arab and Muslim nations speak with united voice
Israeli aggression is a clear threat to peace efforts in the region, the Arab League and Organisation for Islamic Co-operation warned yesterday at an emergency summit in Qatar. The talks come less than a week after Israeli planes carried out air...
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