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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

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan with Syria's new leader Ahmad Al Shara in Damascus on Friday. AFP

Saudi Foreign Minister meets Syria’s new leaders in Damascus

UN suspends movements in Yemen after Houthis detain more personnel

Serbia's Novak Djokovic acknowledges the crowd after retiring from the Australian Open semi-final against Germany's Alexander Zverev in Melbourne. AFP

Djokovic injury forces retirement from Australian Open

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

Civil rights groups worry Trump could issue new Muslim travel ban

Davos 2025

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

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi speaks at Davos. EPA

Palestinian Authority should control Gaza with no armed groups, Jordan’s Foreign Minister says

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

Broadcaster Mishal Husain is among backers of the British Muslim Network. PA Images

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

Baroness Warsi and Mishal Husain are among group's backers after lack of contact between Muslim Council of Britain and ministers

EU near agreement to ease Syria sanctions

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

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

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al Yahya meets Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda on Friday. Reuters

GCC chief and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister visit Beirut

Egypt secures $2bn syndicated loan from bank consortium

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

Trump orders JFK and Martin Luther King assassination documents to be released

Electric vehicles now last as long as petrol and diesel rivals

In focus

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

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

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

Princess Iman of Jordan expecting her first child

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

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, centre right, celebrates with teammates after scoring against Lille in the Uefa Champions League. PA

Premier League talking points: Man City reaction, red-hot Salah

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, meets with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, not in picture, in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP Photo / Bilal Hussein)

TrendingGaza truce ‘not lasting solution’ and Etihad Rail to link Abu Dhabi and Dubai

Business

Culture

Khalaf Al Habtoor, chairman of Al Habtoor Group, says the project is expected to create thousands of jobs in Lebanon. Antonie Robertson / The National

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

DP World considers additional investments to expand Peru port operations

Why Microsoft sees UAE as ‘hugely important hub’ for AI

Culture

Oscar nominations 2025: Emilia Perez leads with 13 nods

Hans Zimmer to reimagine Saudi Arabia's national anthem

Music & On-stage

The lobby area in the main building of Abu Dhabi Country Club. Photo: Abu Dhabi Country Club

Abu Dhabi Country Club announces redevelopment as it suspends most operations

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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