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EPA / Reuters

Weekend EssayThe Assad regime were world leaders in torture. Its survivors will determine Syria's future

Poland is stepping up security at its border with Belarus to stem the arrival of Middle East and African migrants. Getty Images

Middle East migrants under siege in Poland's forest sanctuaries

Quiz of the week

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

US President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to abolish double tax rules for American citizens living abroad. AP

US expats hope Trump honours double taxation pledge

Hannan Timraz cooks for her family in Khan Younis, where they live after being displaced from Rafah. Mohammed Abu Amra for The National

Postcard from GazaThe Gazan mothers adding a pinch of resilience to traditional Palestinian dishes

A window display at Prada's Bond Street store in London. Prada posted an 18 per cent rise in sales in the nine months to the end of September. Getty Images

Prada is a luxury goods star but it's a devil of a time for the rest

Manar Shehab with her award during the closing ceremony of the 21st Marrakesh International Film Festival. AFP

Palestinian psychologist Manar Shehab is now an award-winning actress

The Christmas tree made use of a jewellery collection held by a retailer at the hotel to set the record. Delores Johnson / The National

TimeframeWhen Emirates Palace built the most expensive Christmas tree

Assad regime soldiers hand in weapons in hope of new future

Weapons collected as part of the continuing Syrian disarmament process, in Hama. Lizzie Porter / The National

Assad regime soldiers hand in weapons in hope of new future

Latest: US removes bounty offered for HTS leader after landmark visit to Damascus
Syrian army generals and security officers fled to Lebanon, sources say
Exclusive: Lebanon 'flooded' with abandoned Syrian firearms costing as little as $25

gif for shorthand on gaza amputees

Special reportLost limbs of Gaza: war amputees face uncertain future of limited mobility and support

Latest updatesHouthis confirm missile attack on central Israel

US Senate passes government funding bill and averts shutdown

Police and ambulance crews at the site of the Christmas market tragedy in Magdeburg city centre. Getty Images

Two killed and 60 injured after car ploughs into German Christmas market

Somalia’s hungry are the unexpected casualties of Russia-Ukraine war

Israel's eviction orders on Lebanon 'grave breach' of humanitarian law

US president-elect Donald Trump delivers remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Reuters

Trump tells EU to buy US oil and gas or risk tariffs

Syria transition

Syrian composer Samih Choukeir sings his song Ya Haif (What a Shame) at a rally in Paris celebrating the overthrow of Bashar Al Assad. EPA

CommentFor Syrian exiles, this sliver of liberty feels monumental

Syrians wait with their belongings at the Masnaa border crossing as they prepare to enter Lebanon. EPA

ExclusiveSyrian army generals and security officers fled to Lebanon, sources say

A man repaints his storefront in Damascus, daubing over the flag of the former Syrian government. EPA

How to form a government in ten days: Syria's HTS installs first bureaucrats

The head of the UN-mandated Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic Paulo Pinheiro said the most important thing in documenting human rights abuses in Syria was 'to protect the civilians'. EPA

ExclusiveSyria Commission chief on his 13 years of documenting human rights abuses

Jean-Francois Guillaume, France's special envoy to Syria, outside the entrance to the French embassy headquarters in Damascus this week. AFP

Overgrown and dusty: How France found its deserted Syrian embassy

A Syrian fighter speaks as activists gather at Umayyad Square in Damascus to demand a secular state. AP

ExclusiveGerman Syria envoy warns on sanctions hopes after visit to Damascus

Syrian composer Samih Choukeir sings his song Ya Haif (What a Shame) at a rally in Paris celebrating the overthrow of Bashar Al Assad. EPA

CommentFor Syrian exiles, this sliver of liberty feels monumental

Syrians wait with their belongings at the Masnaa border crossing as they prepare to enter Lebanon. EPA

ExclusiveSyrian army generals and security officers fled to Lebanon, sources say

A man repaints his storefront in Damascus, daubing over the flag of the former Syrian government. EPA

How to form a government in ten days: Syria's HTS installs first bureaucrats

The head of the UN-mandated Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic Paulo Pinheiro said the most important thing in documenting human rights abuses in Syria was 'to protect the civilians'. EPA

ExclusiveSyria Commission chief on his 13 years of documenting human rights abuses

Jean-Francois Guillaume, France's special envoy to Syria, outside the entrance to the French embassy headquarters in Damascus this week. AFP

Overgrown and dusty: How France found its deserted Syrian embassy

A Syrian fighter speaks as activists gather at Umayyad Square in Damascus to demand a secular state. AP

ExclusiveGerman Syria envoy warns on sanctions hopes after visit to Damascus

Syrian composer Samih Choukeir sings his song Ya Haif (What a Shame) at a rally in Paris celebrating the overthrow of Bashar Al Assad. EPA

CommentFor Syrian exiles, this sliver of liberty feels monumental

Video

Assad regime forces surrender their weapons in Hama

Hundreds of former soldiers and police officers hand in their weapons and prepare for a 'settlement process' under the new rebel-led government.

Fury and Usyk in 11-minute staring match ahead of Riyadh bout

Fury and Usyk in 11-minute staring match ahead of Riyadh bout

Vladimir Putin proposes missile duel with the US

Vladimir Putin proposes missile duel with the US

‘Don’t try to make fans happy’: Sarah Jessica Parker shares success behind And Just Like That ...

‘Don’t try to make fans happy’: Sarah Jessica Parker shares success behind And Just Like That ...

Israeli air strikes in Yemen after Houthi missile intercepted over Israel

Israeli air strikes in Yemen after Houthi missile intercepted over Israel

In focus

Dolce & Gabbana's new store and cafe in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Dolce & Gabbana

Black Book: D&G, L'Afshar x Samsung, Missoni, IWC and Garrard

Team Hawks's Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Team Falcon during a match in the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi, 19 December 2024. EPA

ExclusiveSabalenka determined to stay world No 1 as she steps up pre-season in UAE

A public works vehicle sprays water in a bid to reduce air pollution on Signature Bridge, on a smoggy winter morning in New Delhi. AFP

PodcastInside Delhi’s pollution crisis

Mufasa: The Lion King is screening in cinemas across the Middle East. Photo: Disney

Mufasa: The Lion King has message 'the world needs to hear', say cast

Running clubs are proving popular as they are also a good way for social interaction. Gabin Vallet / Unsplash

Fitness trends for 2025: Hyrox, running clubs and healing practices

FILE - Jimmy Donaldson, the popular YouTube video maker who goes by MrBeast, wears a Lionel Messi jersey as he stands in a sideline box at the start of an MLS soccer match between Inter Miami and CF Montreal, March 10, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo / Rebecca Blackwell, File)

MrBeast did not rent pyramids for 100 hours, Egyptian authorities say

Pro-Palestinian supporters hold a picket line outside Columbia University, Tuesday, Sep. 3, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo / Yuki Iwamura)

PodcastPalestine and pressure on campus

Designer Brunello Cucinelli says his creations are expensive but that allows 'every link in the chain to be rewarded a fair amount'. Photo: Brunello Cucinelli

Brunello Cucinelli on philosophy, sustainability and living a full life

Dolce & Gabbana's new store and cafe in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Dolce & Gabbana

Black Book: D&G, L'Afshar x Samsung, Missoni, IWC and Garrard

Team Hawks's Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Team Falcon during a match in the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi, 19 December 2024. EPA

ExclusiveSabalenka determined to stay world No 1 as she steps up pre-season in UAE

A public works vehicle sprays water in a bid to reduce air pollution on Signature Bridge, on a smoggy winter morning in New Delhi. AFP

PodcastInside Delhi’s pollution crisis

Mufasa: The Lion King is screening in cinemas across the Middle East. Photo: Disney

Mufasa: The Lion King has message 'the world needs to hear', say cast

Running clubs are proving popular as they are also a good way for social interaction. Gabin Vallet / Unsplash

Fitness trends for 2025: Hyrox, running clubs and healing practices

FILE - Jimmy Donaldson, the popular YouTube video maker who goes by MrBeast, wears a Lionel Messi jersey as he stands in a sideline box at the start of an MLS soccer match between Inter Miami and CF Montreal, March 10, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo / Rebecca Blackwell, File)

MrBeast did not rent pyramids for 100 hours, Egyptian authorities say

Pro-Palestinian supporters hold a picket line outside Columbia University, Tuesday, Sep. 3, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo / Yuki Iwamura)

PodcastPalestine and pressure on campus

Designer Brunello Cucinelli says his creations are expensive but that allows 'every link in the chain to be rewarded a fair amount'. Photo: Brunello Cucinelli

Brunello Cucinelli on philosophy, sustainability and living a full life

Dolce & Gabbana's new store and cafe in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Dolce & Gabbana

Black Book: D&G, L'Afshar x Samsung, Missoni, IWC and Garrard

Wreckage of Pan Am Flight 103 after it crashed onto the town of Lockerbie in Scotland, on December 21 1988. Getty Images

Lockerbie victims offered some justice with trial of Libyan in US

Abu Agila Masud has denied three charges

Egypt hosts presidents of Iran and Turkey at summit of eight Muslim-majority nations

Former Labour minister Peter Mandelson is first political appointment to the Washington ambassadorship in nearly 50 years. Getty Images

Political strategist Peter Mandelson named UK's ambassador to US

Putin says fall of Assad is not a defeat for Russia

Palestinian children wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. EPA

UN seeks ICJ opinion on Israel's obligations over Palestinian aid

UAE's push to protect women impressive but room to do more, says UN independent expert

Starliner astronauts' return to Earth delayed again

CommentA US ban on TikTok would be many things, but it is not unprecedented

Oldest known Ten Commandments tablet sells for more than $5m

Business

Culture

A cargo ship on the Huangpu River in Shanghai. China, the world's second-largest economy, has driven oil demand growth for the past two decades. EPA

Oil prices post weekly loss on concerns over crude demand growth

Oman's Vision 2040 a 'success story' for Gulf diversification plans, IMF official says

Crypto crimes surge as popularity of digital assets grows

Culture

Beirut’s Metropolis cinema to return amid Israel-Lebanon ceasefire

Lutfi’s manga-inspired art is driven by his love for Japan and the UAE

An AI-generated artwork by Turkish-American media artist Refik Anadol on display at the World Economic Forum in Davos. EPA

Ghost in the machine: Technology makes its way into the artist studio

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

Men queue at a reconciliation centre in Latakia, Syria. Reconciliation centres have opened in cities across the country, giving former conscripts of the Assad regime a chance to clear their names, gain new IDs and sever ties with the regime. Getty Images

A young patient at Souza Aguiar Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, gets a visit from Father Christmas. Getty Images

Ukrainian rescue services tackle a fire at the scene of a Russian missile attack in Kyiv. Getty Images

North Koreans welcome the country's triumphant weightlifters home from the IWF World Championships in Bahrain, at Pyongyang International Airport. AP Photo

A couple admire the 22-metre Christmas tree at CityCenterDC in Washington, US. Reuters

Celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's People's Army and the 35th annual All-People Defence Festival at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi. EPA

Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid, right, celebrates his goal against the Boston Bruins with Evan Bouchard, second left, and Leon Draisaitl during an National Hockey League game in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. AP

A newborn baby being examined on a maternity ward in the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, in Kahani, on the island of Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean territory. Reuters

Politicians brawl over legislation in Taiwan's parliament in Taipei. AFP

A mock US dollar bill showing Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is held during a session in the plenary Chamber of Deputies in Brasilia. Reuters

Men queue at a reconciliation centre in Latakia, Syria. Reconciliation centres have opened in cities across the country, giving former conscripts of the Assad regime a chance to clear their names, gain new IDs and sever ties with the regime. Getty Images

A young patient at Souza Aguiar Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, gets a visit from Father Christmas. Getty Images

Ukrainian rescue services tackle a fire at the scene of a Russian missile attack in Kyiv. Getty Images

North Koreans welcome the country's triumphant weightlifters home from the IWF World Championships in Bahrain, at Pyongyang International Airport. AP Photo

A couple admire the 22-metre Christmas tree at CityCenterDC in Washington, US. Reuters

Celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's People's Army and the 35th annual All-People Defence Festival at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi. EPA

Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid, right, celebrates his goal against the Boston Bruins with Evan Bouchard, second left, and Leon Draisaitl during an National Hockey League game in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. AP

A newborn baby being examined on a maternity ward in the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, in Kahani, on the island of Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean territory. Reuters

Politicians brawl over legislation in Taiwan's parliament in Taipei. AFP

A mock US dollar bill showing Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is held during a session in the plenary Chamber of Deputies in Brasilia. Reuters

Men queue at a reconciliation centre in Latakia, Syria. Reconciliation centres have opened in cities across the country, giving former conscripts of the Assad regime a chance to clear their names, gain new IDs and sever ties with the regime. Getty Images

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Sixteen injured in Houthi-claimed attack in Tel Aviv

ExclusiveSabalenka determined to stay world No 1 as she steps up pre-season in UAE

US Senate passes government funding bill and averts shutdown

Wall Street rallies on cooler-than-expected US inflation report

Where are Fujairah's new hiking trails and how do you reach them?

Cartoon for December 21, 2024

Where to watch New Year's Eve 2025 fireworks in the UAE

AK-47 for $25: Lebanon 'flooded' with Syrian firearms abandoned after army collapse

Lights off along Tehran's highways as Iran scrambles to save energy

ADQ Catalyze forum explores how global businesses can navigate evolving investment landscape

Assad regime forces surrender their weapons in Hama

Assad regime forces surrender their weapons in Hama

Israeli air strikes in Yemen after Houthi missile intercepted over Israel

Israeli air strikes in Yemen after Houthi missile intercepted over Israel