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Weekend edition

East Jerusalem settlement expansion shorthand gif demolitions

Special reportHow Israel is accelerating illegal settlements in Jerusalem during Gaza war

Quiz of the week

Find out how well you’ve kept up with the news of the past seven days

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk has found a new ally in his bid to conquer space in US President Donald Trump. Reuters

Musk on Mars: Is colonising the Red Planet realistic - or an excuse to ignore Earth's existential issues?

Ramadan is set to begin around March 1 this year. Victor Besa / The National

ColumnWhy I begin my Ramadan preparations a month early

Getty / Nick Donaldson

Weekend EssaySyrian refugees deserve a safe country to return to

Leptis Magna in Virginia Water Park. Victoria Pertusa / The National

Revealed: How a monumental chunk of Libyan heritage ended up in the grounds of Windsor Castle

Nick Jonas at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December. Getty

How Nick Jonas is becoming a leading man on his own terms

Doctors in the US are often irritated by commercials telling patients to ask their physician about the advertised drug. Getty Images / AFP

Side-effect of new Trump administration could be end of prescription drug ads on TV

Daniela Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Liri Albag and Naama Levy are set to be freed on Saturday. Photo: @IsraelMFA / X

Hamas names four Israeli female soldiers to be released on Saturday

Latest: Hundreds of Palestinians due for release by Israel in ceasefire exchange
‘Anyone who hesitated was shot’: Gazans say Israel used them as human shields
Northern Gazans eager to get home after second ceasefire exchange

Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire likely to be extended

Pete Hegseth attends an inaugural ball in Washington on Monday. Getty / AFP

Pete Hegseth confirmed as next US Defence Secretary

Saudi Arabia actively working to lift sanctions on Syria, Prince Faisal says

Houthi supporters shout slogans and hold their weapons up during a pro-Palestine rally in Sanaa, Yemen, following the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. EPA

UN suspends movements in Yemen after Houthis detain more personnel

US cuts all new foreign aid, reports say

Civil rights groups worry Trump could issue new Muslim travel ban

Davos 2025

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide. EPA

InterviewNorway Foreign Minister says Gaza ceasefire is ‘starting point’

US President Donald Trump speaks to the World Economic Forum via live stream from Washington. AP

Trump calls for lower oil prices and huge defence spending in Davos speech

IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva predicts more regional co-operation on trade and economic activities. AFP

Collaboration not tariffs is best for global trade, says IMF chief

The medical industry is increasingly using AI to help with operations, as well as patient administration and billing. Victor Besa / The National

AI can ease pressure on global healthcare systems, Mubadala executive says

Badr Jafar, UAE special envoy for business and philanthropy, has called frontier markets 'one of the greatest opportunities of our time'. Photo: Crescent Enterprise

Frontier markets need more than traditional philanthropy, UAE official says

Analysts worry businesses will be torn between growing rivalry between the US and China. Reuters

What does the WEF buzzword ‘bi-globalisation’ mean for you?

Tom Fletcher, UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Markus Schreiber / AP

Top UN humanitarian official urges new US administration to remain 'engaged with the world'

Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed, chairwoman of Dubai Culture, spoke at the World Economic Forum about Dubai's ability to host large-scale events successfully. World Economic Forum / Greg Beadle

Sheikha Latifa on how the UAE is becoming a leader in hosting large-scale events

Video

Why is Israel raiding Jenin after the ceasefire in Gaza?

Israel's raid comes after a weeks-long crackdown by the Palestinian Authority on what it says are outlaws trying to ‘hijack’ Jenin camp.

Abu Dhabi to Dubai in 30 minutes: Etihad Rail announces high-speed passenger line

Abu Dhabi to Dubai in 30 minutes: Etihad Rail announces high-speed passenger line

TikTok flags 'Free Palestine' as hate speech after reprieve from ban

TikTok flags 'Free Palestine' as hate speech after reprieve from ban

The National sums up Davos with analysis on Trump speech

The National sums up Davos with analysis on Trump speech

Dubai's viral kunafa chocolate a hit at Davos

Dubai's viral kunafa chocolate a hit at Davos

Gaza ceasefire

Dubai Humanitarian will scale up medical aid to Gaza with three airlifts. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Dubai Humanitarian hub to scale up crucial medical aid to Gaza

Fighters from the Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, arrive to collect Israeli hostages under the ceasefire agreement with Israel, in Gaza City. AP

US warns against Hamas assuming governance role in postwar Gaza

A man warms himself in front of a fire in Jabalia in northern Gaza. AFP

US and Egyptian security companies to screen returning Palestinians

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Photo: UAE Presidential Court; Reuters

Sheikh Abdullah and US Secretary of State Rubio discuss Gaza ceasefire

Israeli troops and military vehicles prepare to enter Jenin in the occupied West Bank, near Muqeible. AFP

EditorialIsrael is shifting its war machine to the West Bank

US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. AFP

Trump's Middle East envoy says he will be 'outside overseer' in Gaza

Steve Sosebee is the co-founder and executive director of Heal Palestine and also the founder of the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, which has been assisting the children of Gaza for more than 30 years. Antonie Robertson / The National

Health care for Gazan children a priority as volunteer doctors plan return

Palestinians chase humanitarian aid lorries after they arrive through the Karam Abu Salem into Gaza. AP

Lorries navigate multiple security checks as Egyptian aid arrives in Gaza

A fallen tree in east Belfast. Around 560,000 homes and businesses were left without power across Northern Ireland. PA

Ireland and the UK battered with record winds

One person died in Donegal died as gusts of 183kph were recorded early in the morning near the coast

UN chief appoints new head of Libya mission

David Lammy visits the border crossing in Adre where thousands of Sudanese refugees have entered Chad, fleeing civil war. PA

UK announces funding to stop people smuggling from Sudan

High-profile UK Muslims back national body to engage with ministers

Shoppers walk through the old city market in Damascus, as a new Syria emerges after 13 years of civil war. AP

EU near agreement to ease Syria sanctions

Abu Dhabi's Modon Holding enters London's prime property market

World Education Day: UAE President urges responsible use of AI in classrooms

Egypt secures $2bn syndicated loan from bank consortium

Djokovic injury forces retirement from Australian Open

In focus

Maher Fattouh during his graduation ceremony at the University of Bristol. PA

Syrian footballer blinded during war graduates in UK

Microsoft's digital crimes unit says cyber crime attacks by nation-state actors are expected to increase in the coming years. Getty Images

Iran Mint Sandstorm: how hackers and cyber criminals are nicknamed

Princess Iman and husband Jameel Thermiotis married in 2023. Photo: @RHCJO / Twitter

Princess Iman of Jordan expecting her first child

Growing oranges could become a realistic prospect in the UK as warmer temperatures spread north. AFP

How climate change could bring orange groves to Britain

John Ashcroft and his wife Judi moved to the Emirates in 1998 and have chosen to retire in Dubai: Photo: John Ashcroft

Want to retire? Habibi, come to Dubai

A series of posts by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the Threads social media app, outlining his changes to content moderation. PA Wire

What happens when you say goodbye to fact-checkers on social media?

Usman Nurmagomedov speaks to the media ahead of the PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Usman Nurmagomedov promises to defeat Paul Hughes ‘before five rounds’ in PFL lightweight title fight

Waciny Laredj is a novelist and professor at Sorbonne University in Paris. Victor Besa / The National

How One Thousand and One Nights inspired writer Waciny Laredj

Business

Culture

Investors are now at a juncture: should they focus on investment in AI adopters or in AI developers. Reuters

Investing in AI: Finding the right balance between developers and adopters

Oil prices record weekly drop as Donald Trump asks Opec to lower costs

UAE businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor plans mega-project investment in Lebanon

Culture

Abu Dhabi Country Club announces redevelopment as it suspends most operations

Hans Zimmer to reimagine Saudi Arabia's national anthem

Music & On-stage

No Other Land has been nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film despite not finding a distributor in the United States. Courtesy Yabayay Media/
Antipode Films

Palestinian-Israeli film No Other Land earns Oscar nod

Beyond the Headlines

Beyond the Headlines

Delve deeper into the biggest stories from the Middle East and around the world

Culture Bites

Culture Bites

Your guide to the arts and culture scene in the UAE

Business Extra

Business Extra

The stories, companies, trends, tech, Innovation and leaders shaping your world

Trending Middle East

Trending Middle East

What’s trending today? We bring you the latest social media trends from the Middle East and around the world

Pictures of the Day

Students read Islamic books at Jamia Binoria in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA

A Yingge dancer gets his make-up done before a traditional folk performance in Shantou, southern China’s Guangdong province, in the run-up to the Lunar New Year. AFP

Jammu Kashmir policewomen march during a rehearsal for India's Republic Day parade in Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir. AP

A crew member assists as boxes of World Health Organisation aid are loaded on to a UAE plane, the delivery bound for Gaza via Al Arish in Egypt. AFP

Pupils attend a ceremony at a religious school in Kabul, Afghanistan, where about 260 Afghan girls graduated. EPA

Lions at play at an exotic animal rescue centre in Villena, Spain. Reuters

Alexander Zverev, right, embraces Novak Djokovic, who retired injured in their semi-final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne. AP

The 'Robert Burns Mural' adorns the gable-end wall of the Robert Burns World Federation building in Kilmarnock, Scotland. The annual Burns Night celebration takes place on January 25. PA

Firefighters hike up a mountain to create a containment fire line to control a blaze in Castaic, Los Angeles County, California. AFP

Crew members of the Galaxy Leader look relieved as they arrive at Sofia Airport on a Bulgarian government plane. They were released by Yemen’s Houthis who seized the ship in the Red Sea in November 2023. Reuters

Students read Islamic books at Jamia Binoria in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA

A Yingge dancer gets his make-up done before a traditional folk performance in Shantou, southern China’s Guangdong province, in the run-up to the Lunar New Year. AFP

Jammu Kashmir policewomen march during a rehearsal for India's Republic Day parade in Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir. AP

A crew member assists as boxes of World Health Organisation aid are loaded on to a UAE plane, the delivery bound for Gaza via Al Arish in Egypt. AFP

Pupils attend a ceremony at a religious school in Kabul, Afghanistan, where about 260 Afghan girls graduated. EPA

Lions at play at an exotic animal rescue centre in Villena, Spain. Reuters

Alexander Zverev, right, embraces Novak Djokovic, who retired injured in their semi-final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne. AP

The 'Robert Burns Mural' adorns the gable-end wall of the Robert Burns World Federation building in Kilmarnock, Scotland. The annual Burns Night celebration takes place on January 25. PA

Firefighters hike up a mountain to create a containment fire line to control a blaze in Castaic, Los Angeles County, California. AFP

Crew members of the Galaxy Leader look relieved as they arrive at Sofia Airport on a Bulgarian government plane. They were released by Yemen’s Houthis who seized the ship in the Red Sea in November 2023. Reuters

Students read Islamic books at Jamia Binoria in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA

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