In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said the truce would begin on Saturday.

“The celebration in Russia is for Victory Day but, likewise, in Ukraine, because they were also a big part and factor of World War II,” he wrote.

A large number of prisoners from both sides will also be included.

“This ceasefire will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prisoner swap of 1,000 prisoners from each country," Mr Trump wrote.

Russia holds a Victory Day parade on May 9 in Moscow every year to commemorate the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

The military parade takes place in Red Square and is one of Russia’s more important state ceremonies.

Mr Trump said he had personally requested the ceasefire and praised the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He added that negotiations aimed at ending the war, now in its fourth year, were continuing.

The war between Russia and Ukraine erupted in early 2022, when Russian forces invaded eastern Ukrainian territory. Kyiv initially received strong support from European allies as well as the US, but Mr Trump's return to office put future aid from Washington in jeopardy.

Mr Trump campaigned on ending the war, and he claimed he could end it within 24 hours of entering office. After beginning his second term, he engaged in an explosive Oval Office exchange with Mr Zelenskyy, paused and then restarted military and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, and hosted Mr Putin for a much-vaunted but ultimately underwhelming summit in Alaska.

US mediation efforts seem to have stalled, and Mr Trump has appeared to shift his focus to other issues, such as the ongoing war in Iran.

A US Navy fighter jet attacked and "disabled" two unladen Iran-flagged oil tankers attempting to reach Iranian ports on Friday as Washington awaits Tehran's response to its proposal for ending the war.

There was no immediate response from Iran's leaders, but state-affiliated media quoted a military official as saying the US Navy would be met with "decisive force" if it "causes trouble" for Iranian vessels again.

The Tasnim news agency reported that the situation was "calm now" but that there was a possibility of renewed clashes.

The US military’s Central Command said an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS George H W Bush aircraft carrier disabled the MT Sea Star III and MT Sevda by “firing precision munitions into their smokestacks”.

The attacks came two days after a fighter jet from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln disabled another Iranian-flagged unladen tanker by firing several rounds from a 20mm cannon at its rudder.

"US forces in the Middle East remain committed to full enforcement of the blockade of vessels entering or leaving Iran," Centcom chief Adm Brad Cooper said.

Centcom said earlier on Friday that US forces were preventing more than 70 tankers from entering or leaving Iranian ports. They had a combined capacity to transport more than 166 million barrels of Iranian oil worth more than $13 billion, it said.

The US blockade aims to increase pressure on Tehran to return to negotiations amid a ceasefire that has largely held since it was announced on April 8, ending six weeks of heavy American and Israeli bombardment and retaliatory Iranian drone and missile attacks on Israel and neighbouring Gulf states.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters during a visit to Italy that Iran's response to Washington's latest peace proposal was expected on Friday.

“We’ll see what the response entails. The hope is it’s something that can put us into a serious process of negotiation,” he said.

The 14-point proposal reportedly calls for Iran to lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, enforced since the start of the war, and for the US to end its blockade of Iranian ports for 30 days while both sides discuss terms for a permanent ceasefire.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday accused the US of trying to undermine a negotiated end to the war.

"Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the US opts for a reckless military adventure," he wrote on X.

He questioned whether this was "a crude pressure tactic" or the result of someone "once again duping [US President Donald Trump] into another quagmire".

His comments followed an exchange of fire on Thursday after the US said it attacked Qeshm Island off Iran's coast and the port city of Bandar Abbas after intercepting missile, drone and small boat attacks on three of its warships as they passed through the strait on their way out of the Arabian Gulf.

Tensions in the region have been high since Monday, when the US military began implementing "Project Freedom", a plan announced by Mr Trump a day earlier to escort commercial ships trapped in the Gulf by the war through the Strait of Hormuz. This was followed by attacks on several ships and an Iranian missile and drone attack on the UAE, which has borne the brunt of Iran's attacks on Gulf states.

The UAE Ministry of Defence said Iran launched two ballistic missiles and three drones in a fresh attack on Friday, injuring three people.

The Industrial Content Leaders programme was launched on Thursday at the Make it in the Emirates 2026 event in Abu Dhabi.

The four-month programme, starting this summer, will bring participants through three phases: foundational knowledge of the industrial sector, hands-on media production using AI tools, and the launch of national content projects led by the participants themselves.

The scheme was launched by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation and IMI Media Academy.

"This programme is an investment in the next generation — preparing young people who understand the importance of national industry and can communicate its value through innovative, AI-powered approaches," said Hassan Al Nuaimi, assistant undersecretary at MoIAT.

"We want them to tell the story of UAE industry and build a national narrative that reflects the country's ambitions.”

The initiative will help young people gain direct exposure to the UAE’s industrial transformation while developing practical skills in AI, media, and storytelling, said Dr Sonia Ben Jaafar, chief executive of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation.

"More importantly, they will help capture a defining moment in the country’s evolution through the lens of a generation shaped by its ambition, grounded in its values, and entrusted with carrying its story forward," she said.

The ability to shape narratives is just as important as the ability to build industries in today's world, said Ali Al Hammadi, chief operating officer at IMI.

"This programme is about empowering young talent to tell stories that strengthen national identity, showcase innovation, and position the UAE’s industrial sector on the global stage," he said.

Sheikh Saud was accompanied by Sheikh Rashid bin Saud Al Mualla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Quwain, and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saud Al Mualla, Deputy Ruler of Umm Al Quwain.

They reviewed a number of issues related to national affairs and the wellbeing of citizens in light of the UAE’s sustained focus on strengthening the role of citizens in the country’s development while supporting its continued progress, reported state news agency Wam.

Sheikh Mohamed congratulated the winners and said that the private sector is a crucial part of the national economy, stressing the UAE's commitment to empowering Emirati talent across the sector, reported the state news agency Wam.

The Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, or Nafis, was introduced in 2021 to lead the government's Emiratisation drive, which aimed to ensure 10 per cent of all skilled jobs in private companies were filled by UAE citizens by the end of this year.

Employers in the UAE with at least 50 members of staff are required to raise their Emirati workforce by 1 per cent every six months under the scheme, and this target reached 8 per cent at the end of 2025.

The initiative has proved crucial in encouraging large numbers of citizens who have typically preferred to take up jobs in the public sector to join the private sector. Last month, it was announced that the scheme would be extended until 2040.

Wind Rises, a sailing school founded more than 10 years ago in Russia, where it now has nine branches in operation, chose Dubai as its first international outpost. Mr Troshin arrived in 2022 to help set it up and spent the early months doing his utmost to make the business work: the research, the logistics, the licensing and getting a boat on the water. He splits his time between management and getting out on the water as a qualified instructor.

He earns Dh20,000 ($5,445) a month as general manager – and says that in Dubai, it doesn't go as far as he'd like.

What was your first job and salary?

My first job was at an internal combustion engine plant during my university studies, around 1998 or 1999. I was taking a part of metal, putting it on the machine and receiving the finished item. My salary was about $150 a month. It wasn't a big salary but at the time it was good money for someone just starting out in education. I was living with my parents.

Tell us about your career journey. How did you get into sailing?

I was born into a family connected with the sea. My father was a sailor, so there was never really any possibility of passing sailing by. I've been on boats since childhood.

Before sailing, I had many different jobs. I was a manager in a computer shop, selling computer parts and office equipment. Then I sold commercial Canon printers and copiers to business clients. I also worked as an entrepreneur selling equipment to government and commercial clients, while also running a clothing shop. Then I moved into telecoms, selling home internet services.

By around 2015, the sailing industry was coming up in Russia and I made the decision to be part of it. That was my first proper job in sailing – working commercially as an instructor. Afterwards, I moved through different positions: instructor, technical manager, then technical director. Eventually, I moved to Dubai.

What is your current role and salary?

I'm the general manager of Wind Rises Sailing Experience. Wind Rises is originally from Russia, with nine branches serving around 50,000 clients a year.

This Dubai branch is the first international one, which I established and now manage. I also go out on the water as a professional instructor when needed. My salary is Dh20,000 as general manager.

Do you manage to save?

No. I can't really save because I had to buy a car and used up all my savings for that. My apartment also takes almost half my salary.

At the beginning, it was even more complicated – when you're new to a country, you have to spend on an apartment, driver licence, furniture, everything.

Now I have what I need in general but I can't invest yet because the apartment costs so much. I want to invest – I just can't right now. It is working, slowly.

Growing up, were you taught how to handle your finances?

From my parents, from everywhere. When I was in Russia, I tried to make investments. But because of the situation there, all my investments were frozen. It scared me a little.

I still have an apartment in Russia but it's not a good time to sell.

How do you budget your income?

I know what my income is, so I plan my spending accordingly. I don't need to spend big sums, I already have what I need. Every month, sometimes several times a month, I do a calculation: what I have in savings and what I need to collect for the next apartment payment, the next trip etc.

What are your financial goals?

In the short term, I would like to buy an apartment here – maybe with a loan – in the next two years. In the longer term, I would like to own different assets: maybe another apartment, some market investments.

Eventually, I'd like to live somewhere in the Mediterranean.

What is it like working in the sailing industry in Dubai?

It's a small industry. The basic salary for a sailing instructor is around Dh150 per hour, or around Dh10,000 a month for a less-qualified instructor. But if you have proper qualifications and additional licences, you can earn more than Dh15,000 or Dh20,000 a month.

Do you want to be featured in My Dubai Salary, a bi-weekly column that explores how people around the world manage their earnings? Write to pf@thenationalnews.com to share your story.

For its 17th staging, that principle begins with the curators themselves.

Angela Harutyunyan and Paula Nascimento had not worked together before they were invited to curate the biennial. Titled What remains, sits restive, the 2027 staging will run from January 21 to June 13, with 109 participants presenting work across Sharjah City, Al Dhaid, Khor Fakkan and Kalba.

The collaboration results in two distinct ways of thinking about art, history and place in conversation. Harutyunyan, who was born in Armenia, is a professor of contemporary art and theory at Berlin University of the Arts, with research interests spanning post-Soviet art and culture, Marxist aesthetics, historical temporality and curatorial theory.

Nascimento, an Angolan architect and independent curator based in Luanda, works across visual arts, urbanism, geopolitics and arts education. She also co-curated Angola’s pavilion at the 2013 Venice Biennale, which won the Golden Lion for Best National Participation.

The duo began their work in Sharjah towards the end of last year, through site visits and early conversations about what the biennial could become.

“We did a first visit to the sites, including those of the previous biennial. I had been before, but she had not,” Nascimento says. “We started to engage in conversation and think about what it would mean to do a biennial in Sharjah, and what that means for a curator. What would we like to bring to it?”

The arrangement required trust, Nascimento adds, as the two curators were not arriving as an established duo with a shared method in place.

“It is also a risk from the biennial organisers to say: 'Let’s bring these people together and hopefully they will do something,'” she says. “It is more common for people who know each other, or who have collaborated before, to come together.

“But if we are open to really understanding other practices and colleagues, and engaging in conversation, it can be fantastic, as it has been in this case.”

Harutyunyan is curating her first biennial, and says the process required her to translate years of research into physical and spatial form.

Informed partly by Armenia, the former Soviet republic where she was born, her section focuses on the afterlives of 20th-century socialist and state-led modernisation: the buildings, public spaces and institutions they left behind, and the artists who work with those traces.

“It’s about asking: 'What happens to the shards, to their fragments?'” she says. “They are not gone. These projects are dead, but their fragments are there. So how do artists give shape and form to those fragments in the present?”

Nascimento, meanwhile, approaches the theme through infrastructure beyond roads, buildings and physical systems. Rather than asking artists only to place work inside Sharjah’s buildings, she says the aim is to let those sites affect what they make.

“I did not want to formulate an idea of working that is just based on the fact that artists will assess space or certain buildings in Sharjah,” Nascimento says.

“It is more than having just a straightforward response, or to say: 'This is a wind tower house and I want to bring something here.' It is also about going a little bit deeper.

“What really resonates? What from those contexts can contaminate their existing artistic practices, their ideas, or what they do? I like this idea of a two-way conversation between site and context.”

The two curatorial approaches will be tested most clearly through the biennial’s varied locations.

“In Sharjah City, you have an intense urban life. In Al Dhaid, it is a sort of haunted landscape in many ways, with the old abandoned women’s clinic and the Art Palace. Then you go to Khor Fakkan, and you have this pristine, beautiful, tranquil landscape that is very different from Sharjah City,” Harutyunyan says.

“Geography already determines a certain pace of movement, from the intensity of the city all the way to the east coast. So in terms of curation, I want to be specific to the quality of locations.”

Site visits, both in person and through video material from Sharjah Art Foundation’s extensive archive, have helped clarify where certain works may sit and how they may speak to one another.

“We conducted both curatorial site visits and visits together with artists, which I find especially productive because you are visiting Sharjah not on your own, but with a group of artists,” Harutyunyan says. “In dialogue with them, some ideas start becoming much clearer, or crystallising around locations and venues.”

Those meetings have also left room for new concepts to emerge. Sometimes the curators decide where a work should go. At other times, an artist arrives with one idea and leaves with another.

That openness runs through Sharjah Art Foundation’s history with the emirate's buildings. The Flying Saucer, a distinctive brutalist structure that opened in 1978, was acquired by the organisation in 2012, used as a venue in the 2015 biennial and reopened five years later as a permanent exhibition and community space.

“I particularly like that Sharjah Art Foundation is using the biennial as a trigger for almost a larger urban master plan,” Nascimento says.

“It touches on the preservation of certain types of historical buildings and activates the biennial in places that are not so central, and may be difficult to reach.

“It goes beyond the event, with its big art crowds and stars, to represent this longer-term commitment to the local public.”

“In our home, qamardeen appears on the table when the sun gets hotter,” says Hafsa Asaad, a homemaker from Dubai. “My mother made the drink from dried apricot paste, as did my grandmother. And then there's jallab, grape molasses and rose water with pine nuts floating on top. These are our traditional drinks; no cola comes close.”

Like hers, many households in the UAE stock laban, the salted buttermilk drink as ubiquitous in supermarkets as it is on family tables. In Turkey, it’s replaced by ayran, a cold, yogurt-based beverage seasoned with mint leaves. Egypt, meanwhile, has its own beloved cold brew: karkadeh, made with dried hibiscus petals steeped until the water turns deep red and served chilled.

“These drinks have always been here,” Asaad says. “We just sometimes forget to choose them.”

It is a lapse Nawal Nasrallah, an Iraqi food historian and writer, acknowledges but adds: “I do not think this rich beverage heritage will go out of style any time soon.” Indeed, in the souqs and marketplaces of Iraq, vendors still sell sherbet zibeeb, a raisin-based cooler, alongside sherbet rumman, made from pomegranates, their terracotta pitchers sweating in the afternoon heat.

“Sodas and commercial drinks have their place in modern life, but they have never truly replaced our traditional staples – natural, nourishing and affordable alternatives that remain timeless,” adds Nasrallah.

And as temperatures climb across the globe, breaking records in Europe, the UK, the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Peninsula, that timelessness is starting to feel urgent rather than merely nostalgic.

West Asia has always known heat – and it has always known how to handle it. Apart from hibiscus juice and yogurt-based coolers, Egyptians also rely on tamar Hind, a deeply cooling sweet-sour tamarind drink. In Iraq, shineena, a chilled, salted, frothy yoghurt drink, rehydrates instantly. Sherbet loomi Basra, brewed from dried limes and served over ice, is sharp but reviving.

One drink that Nasrallah worries may be fading is sakanjabeen, a vinegar and sugar syrup that medieval physician Ibn Sina himself described in his Canon of Medicine, where he detailed its preparation with the precision of a scientist. It can be tweaked with aniseed to clear phlegm, or with cardamom to ease flatulence.

“It is becoming almost a memory,” Nasrallah says, “A pity given its merits. It is a fantastic thirst-quencher and potent digestive tonic.”

Travel East, and the same philosophy unfolds across an astonishing breadth of ingredients and geography. In India, the repertoire of summer drinks is less a list, more a living archive, one shaped by altitude, coastline, soil and monsoon patterns.

“India's cooling drinks developed as a direct response to the climate and available ingredients,” says Dipali Khandelwal from Jaipur, founder of The Kindness Meal, a platform dedicated to preserving India's disappearing food cultures. “People used what grew around them to stay hydrated.”

In the hot, dry interior, that meant refreshing chaas, or spiced buttermilk, and high-protein sattu made from chickpea flour. Along the western coast, it meant tangy kokum sherbet, made from the kokum fruit.

In Bengal, you have gondhoraj ghol, buttermilk spiked with fragrant king lime. In Kashmir, babri beol is made with sweet basil seeds. In the Himalayan foothills, the vivid pink buransh sherbet is pressed from rhododendron flowers.

In Gujarat, the summer begins in earnest as early as March and doesn't relent until the end of the year. Here, chaas, thin spiced buttermilk seasoned with cumin and sometimes mint, is a daily ritual. In Kutch, where temperatures brush 50°C, it's known as “Kutchi beer” and is drunk steadily through the day.

Chef Sunil Jajoria, who grew up in the desert state of Rajasthan and now works at Anantara Jewel Bagh Jaipur, knows this intimately. “For me, drinks like jal jeera, bael sherbet, khus and sattu aren't just refreshments; they're a part of everyday life,” he says. “If I had to choose one standout, it would always be chaas. It's light, refreshing, aids digestion and works beautifully as a natural electrolyte in extreme heat.”

In his kitchen, chef Jajoria gives these classics a personal signature: pudina chaas with cooling mint; bhuni kairi ki chaach with smoked raw mango and tarbooj shikanji, or watermelon lemonade.

Raw mango is also the star of another coastal drink in India: aam panna. In Maharashtra and Goa, boiled raw mango pulp is blended with sugar or jaggery, then seasoned with cumin and black salt to create a tangy, thirst-quenching summer cooler.

“Nothing says Mumbai summer like a chilled glass of panna after stepping in from the heat,” says Mumbai resident Sheetal Deshpande. “Every Maharashtrian household has its own version, but for most of us, aam panna tastes like childhood holidays and relief from the brutal heat of May.”

The regional variations are remarkable in their specificity. Khus sherbet, made from vetiver roots, carries an earthy aroma. In Bihar, sattu sharbat is protein-rich and deeply sustaining. Odisha's bela panna works with wood apple pulp. In Punjab, chabeel, a rose-tinted milk drink, is served freely outside gurdwaras to anyone who passes.

Nannari sharbat, derived from Indian sarsaparilla root, has been trusted by Ayurvedic practitioners for generations in Telangana. And in Tamil Nadu, jigarthanda, which translates into “cool heart” in Urdu, combines milk, ice cream and natural gums, and sits between drink and dessert.

Khandelwal places all of this in a wider frame: “Historically, these drinks were never seen as just food or just medicine. They were a natural blend of both, everyday practices that combined nourishment, healing and climate adaptation into one simple habit.”

Alongside fruits and grains, cooling resins such as gond katira (edible gum) and seeds such as sabja (sweet basil) were incorporated for their water-retaining properties. “These beverages are shaped by seasonality and agriculture, using ingredients that naturally appear during peak heat, making them practical, local solutions to survive summer.”

But do they actually work? Clinical nutritionist Amita Gadre, author of What, How Much and How to Eat, begins by correcting a common misconception. “I'd push back on the word 'cooling' here. From a nutrition science standpoint, no drink directly lowers body temperature. The body regulates its own temperature through sweating and circulation.” What these drinks can do is something more specific: they hydrate efficiently, and they replace what perspiring takes away.

“When you sweat, you lose water and electrolytes, primarily sodium and potassium. A drink that replaces both is genuinely useful,” adds Gadre.

She explains that modern sodas do the opposite: their high sugar content raises osmolality, forcing the gut to dilute the drink before it can absorb it, slowing rehydration precisely when the body needs it most.

“Drinks like chaas, sattu sharbat or kokum water with a pinch of salt are naturally low in sugar, contain some sodium and potassium, and are absorbed efficiently.” Yoghurt and buttermilk, she notes, are fermented and therefore easier to digest; jaggery retains trace minerals and, mixed with water and salt, functions as a basic oral rehydration solution. Herbs like mint create a sensation of coolness through receptor activation – sensory, not physiological, but real nonetheless.

“The value of these drinks is practical, not mystical,” she concludes. “They were developed in hot climates, and many of them align well with what basic rehydration science recommends.”

What emerges – from shineena in Baghdad and jigarthanda in Madurai, to karkadeh in Cairo and buransh sherbet in the Kumaon hills – is not just a list of drinks, but a showcase of human ingenuity operating under heat.

Passed down through households, street stalls, cookbooks and community kitchens, they are, as Khandelwal puts it, “vernacular technologies of survival”.

After a short flight from Mumbai, I’m greeted at the airport by a giant sign welcoming guests to a couple’s nuptials, setting the tone for what can be expected during my stay at one of India's most popular wedding destinations. After all, it's where Indian stars Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda tied the knot in February.

The hour-long drive to Fairmont Udaipur Palace only reinforces the appeal, with views of the lush green Aravalli hills unfolding along the way. Arriving at the sprawling property, its scale alone makes it easy to see why it’s such a popular setting for milestone occasions.

The welcome

I’m greeted by friendly hotel staff at the lower lobby, but my attention is drawn to what lies in front of me.

The Panther Patio, the hotel’s dramatic arrival space, is anchored by oversized leopard sculptures – the property’s emblem and an animal once known to roam the surrounding hills, with some still believed to inhabit the nearby forests today. Another striking feature is a large artwork set against a backdrop of leopards, helping root the hotel in its natural surroundings.

The property also maintains a bespoke fleet of vintage and classic cars. These are intended to make arrivals feel more ceremonial, as inspired by the royal entrances once associated with Rajasthan’s maharajas. After being offered a towel and welcome drink, I’m taken up an elevator into the hotel’s grand lobby, where the scale and design of the opulent space immediately stand out.

Crystal chandeliers hang beneath a striking blue-domed ceiling, while intricate tilework and marble floors add to the palace-like atmosphere. The space is framed by arched windows that overlook the surrounding hills.

The room

There are more than 300 rooms and suites at Fairmont Udaipur Palace. I’m staying in a corner deluxe suite with access to a plunge pool. At 108 square metres, the accommodation feels comfortably oversized, with a clear separation between the bedroom and living space. A king-sized bed anchors the room, while the sitting area opens onto a terrace, where a private plunge pool overlooks the surrounding mountains.

The interiors lean into a palace-inspired aesthetic, with patterned rugs, carved detailing and large windows that keep the space feeling bright. The living area has sofas and armchairs around a central table. Outside, the plunge pool is not especially large, but it offers privacy and a quieter alternative to the resort’s main pools.

In-room amenities include an espresso machine, kettle, complimentary bottled water, while blackout curtains and turndown service make it easy to switch off.

The bathroom is also spacious, featuring a roll-in shower, a hand-held showerhead and accessibility features such as handle bars subtly integrated into the space. Here's where I find the luxury bathrobes, slippers and premium toiletries, too.

However, because I’m staying in a corner unit near an exit door, noise becomes an issue. I’m also on the same floor as a ballroom, meaning guests frequently move in and out, with the sound of the door slamming sometimes reverberating into my room. After informing the front desk, staff eventually places a door stopper to help ease the noise.

The food

As the property is tucked away in the mountains, there are plenty of on-site dining options.

Dining is spread across a mix of relaxed and atmospheric venues. Bahaar, the all-day dining brasserie, serves globally inspired dishes alongside regional favourites, with live cooking stations. The menu spans north Indian specialities, Italian comfort food and Asian options.

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During dinner one evening, I get to experience a Rajasthani thali spread for the first time. The sheer number of dishes presented is impressive. It includes curries such as butter chicken, paneer and dal, alongside roti, paratha and chickpeas. It feels like a well-rounded introduction to Indian cuisine, covering a range of flavours from spicy and creamy to tangy and sweet, as well as textures from crisp to soft.

For something slower-paced, Dastaan serves as the hotel’s lounge, centred around coffee, tea and light snacks. The Ivory Pool Garden offers a more casual option by the water, serving light bites alongside an ice cream selection.

Another spot worth visiting is Sitara. Located at one end of the grand palace lobby, it features a glass-domed atrium with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Aravalli hills. In the evening, it’s particularly suited to stargazing.

Hotel facilities

The facilities are designed to keep guests entertained on site for much of their stay. There are two main outdoor swimming pools, including an impressive infinity pool overlooking the surrounding landscape. Sun loungers and cabanas are spread across the pool decks, while landscaped gardens and terraces double as spaces for outdoor dining, evening events and live entertainment.

The spa and wellness centre are located near the pool, meaning guests have to step outside the hotel to get to them. A 24-hour gym is open for those who may want to get in a last-minute workout, while sports facilities include a golf course and outdoor courts for tennis, padel and pickleball. Elsewhere across the grounds, quieter lounge areas and picnic spots give the property a sense of scale rather than bustle.

Spa and wellness

Spanning two levels, the space includes treatment rooms and a full-service salon, ideal for those who want to get their make-up or hair done before an event.

The wellness and spa centre is designed as a quiet retreat within the palace, offering a more introspective counterpoint to the grandeur of the property. The Fairmont Spa features a series of well-appointed single and couple treatment suites, along with facilities such as a steam room, sauna, cold plunge and indoor Jacuzzi.

The treatment menu spans everything from deep-tissue and hot stone massages to body scrubs, wraps and facials, alongside therapies such as aromatherapy and reflexology.

Beyond the spa itself, the wellness offerings include a fully equipped fitness centre and a dedicated yoga studio, where daily sessions are available.

Family-friendly factor

The hotel is child-friendly, with a range of facilities and activities designed for families.

There’s a dedicated indoor children's zone that includes a soft play area, books, games and painting activities, while older children and teens can head to The Den, which features a PS5 driving simulator, pool table and carrom.

Outdoors, there is a pool for little ones, mini-golf and experiences such as horse riding for younger guests and a zip line. There are also interactive workshops, including bakery classes and pizza-making sessions.

Dining is made easier with highchairs and dedicated children’s menus, while complimentary cribs and strollers, along with babysitting services for an additional fee, add to the convenience for families travelling with younger children.

Bottom line

Rates start at about Dh1,320 per night, but vary by availability and seasonality. Check-in is at 3pm and check-out is at noon.

This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel and reflects standards at the time of stay. Services and details may change in future.

My grandfather was my hero growing up. The most intelligent man I’ve ever met and the person who introduced me to the red ball and bat.

From playing in the garden and teaching me how to bowl, to taking me to my first match and telling stories about legends of the past, he enabled endless memories.

Jack Evans died 10 years ago this month, but to me, he is immortal. Cricket is the vessel through which he still lives.

It was his dream to see England tour Australia in an away Test series, and it breaks my heart that it never materialised. Now, the best I can do is make sure his love for this wonderful sport endures through me.

Last winter, I was lucky enough to watch England play during a trip to Australia. I’m not a spiritual person, but I felt my grandfather's presence every second. He might have been disappointed with their performance – England were hammered 4-1 – but I know he would have beamed to see me there.

It wasn’t just my grandfather who loved cricket. Both my father and uncle played at a good level, while my grandmother was also a big fan. It was part of the fabric of their home.

My grandparents, Jack and Eileen, were members at Lancashire County Cricket Club for decades, travelling to Old Trafford – the cricket ground, not the football stadium, for the uninitiated – come rain or shine. And when I was old enough, I was the lucky grandson they took as their guest.

It was never just about the sport. That’s one of the many nuances of cricket that I find is lost on those who scoff at the sport's seeming long-windedness. In England, county championship games are played over four days, while Test (international) matches are five days. But for my grandparents, watching their beloved Red Roses was a social occasion – a mini-holiday, even.

They’d take a picnic basket loaded with sandwiches and flasks of tea, and read their books during breaks. They’d never be seen without the newspaper, which was dissected ritualistically. He would start with the sport pages, while she would reach for the news. When they finished their respective sections, they’d swap. After that, they’d tackle the crossword together.

One of the most fascinating things about love is how people show it in different ways. The way my grandparents bonded over a day at the cricket, even after half a century of marriage, is still one of the purest iterations of love I’ve ever seen.

I still remember watching Sir James Anderson steaming in for Lancashire as an unknown academy product. I won’t have even been 10 years old, and my grandfather leaned over after Anderson’s first delivery to say: “We could have something here.”

He wasn’t wrong. Anderson has more Test wickets to his name than any other fast bowler in history and is widely regarded as the best swing bowler the game has ever seen. My grandfather knew his stuff.

What cricket has that other sports don’t is the ability to ebb and flow. There are spells, sometimes hours at a time, of intense sporting action. Then there are times when the game slows down, the sun comes out, and batters simply accumulate runs. There are long breaks for lunch or tea, or it can be paused for weather delays. Tapping in and out of the sporting action is one of the game's joys.

Yet between these moments of relaxation and a sense of escapism come bursts of excitement, ecstasy, stress, and agony … or all of the above.

To me, it's the niche nature of cricket that makes it so easy for fans to bond.

At the Brisbane Test match in December, as I watched England’s defeat against Australia with one of my closest friends, his wife, and her family, it occurred to me that our friendship had blossomed and grown stronger over the years thanks to our love of cricket.

Even talking to Australian fans during the game – us, bitterly disappointed; them, jubilant – we quickly became friends rather than foes. We had so much in common: a shared love for the same game.

I thank my grandfather for the time, love, and support he unflinchingly gave me throughout his life. I miss him every day and often find myself longing for his advice.

What I’ve found with cricket is that it somehow takes me to a headspace where I no longer miss him. Instead, I feel overwhelmed with pride and gratitude that I knew him at all.

As long as I have cricket, he survives within me.

Its most familiar use is in literature. Diwan shi’r means a collection of poems, usually by one poet. Diwan Al Mutanabbi, for example, refers to the collected poems of the 10th-century Arab poet. It is not simply one book in the ordinary sense, but a body of work gathered and preserved over time.

The literary meaning is connected to the word’s older administrative life. Diwan is generally treated as a Persian loanword that entered Arabic through the world of records, registers and government offices. In early Islamic administration, it was used for official registers, including records of soldiers, stipends, taxation and public revenue.

That practical meaning gave the word a long administrative afterlife. A diwan came to mean not only a record, but also the office that kept it and the court or bureau where official work was carried out.

The word remains part of official language in the Gulf today. Phrases such as Diwan Al Amiri refer to the court or office of a ruler. In the UAE, Diwan Wali Al Ahd refers to the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court.

It also continues to be a presence in cultural life. A collection of poems and literary reflections by UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, titled Diwan, was launched as part of Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival in 2023.

In Kuwait, diwaniya has a more social meaning. It refers to a reception space where guests meet, exchange news, drink coffee and discuss public affairs. It is similar to the wider Gulf tradition of the majlis, which is the more commonly used term in the UAE.

The word also travelled into European languages as divan. In English, it was used by the late 16th century for an eastern council or council chamber. By the early 18th century, it had also come to mean the long, cushioned seat associated with opulent settings, which is why divan in English can still refer to a type of comfortable sofa.

What links some of these disparate meanings is the idea of gathering: a place to share, preserve, celebrate or simply rest.

This week she put out a satirical video about a fictional tech billionaire urgently appealing to parents not to support proposed UK government restrictions on social media for under 16s. “We know you’re worried about what social media is doing to your children. We hear you,” the fictional 'tech bro' says.

“Before you rush to support age restrictions on social media, please spare a thought for us, a small community of social media billionaires,” he says, showing his empty pockets.

The video seeks to build on momentum generated by parents to influence a UK government consultation on how best to restrict social media access to children, which ends this month. Options vary from an outright ban for under 16s, or curfews. It was published by Smartphone Free Childhood, a campaign group launched by Ms Greenwell and her partner Joe Ryrie.

British and European efforts to regulate artificial intelligence and social media face the distractions of a trade war with the US, as well as concerted lobbying against official initiatives by technology giants. Who blinks first has become the defining issue of regulation for safeguarding fast-changing digital use, especially by young users.

Among the measures promoted by the European Union is tackling how to create an age threshold for digital usage. The EU introduced an age verification app last month for anonymised digital access by age that is has encouraged states to adopt. A pilot roll-out is under way with France, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Ireland involved.

States have also deployed legal means to fight deepfakes – modified videos using imagery of real people. On Thursday, French prosecutors said they were opening an investigation against X and its owner, US businessman Elon Musk, for alleged distribution of child sexual abuse imagery.

Ms Greenwell believes the balance could soon tip in the favour of parents. “All around the world, you see movements spring up, of parents saying 'this isn't good enough for our kids',” she told The National. “We've gone from an era of techno optimism, where we thought that the internet was going to fix everything, and now we're starting to see more of the downsides.”

The challenges they face are immense. Labour MPs have voted against attempts to ban social media for under 16s three times this year. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has spoken of his doubts about a ban, citing his own children’s use of the platforms.

While some have viewed the ensuing three-month consultation as an additional delay, Ms Greenwell is optimistic it could achieve the desired results.

Australia imposed its ban late last year, while 15 other countries are considering imposing similar regulations. “It's like a game of dominoes. Once it became real and tangible that it is actually possible to do this, everyone's grown in confidence to think 'let's do the same',” Ms Greenwell said. “I think the tech companies are resigned to the fact that this is going to happen and that they're going to need to adjust their business models accordingly.”

Former UK tech minister Saqib Bhatti, a Conservative MP, has spoken of his battles in 2023/24 with social media companies that were increasingly trying to insulate themselves from online safeguards. “The move has been away from them showing responsibility,” he said, citing his own meetings with the companies themselves and whistle-blowers.

“If I can't get through to these companies as a government minister, then how can the average consumer?” he said, speaking at the centre-right think tank Onwards. “So I'm going to struggle to be convinced that the Online Safety Act wasn't required, because there is huge need for it.”

Mr Bhatti told The National it was possible for the UK to uphold its “principles-based approach” to regulation without damaging its relationship with the US.

“We’re asking the social media companies to hold themselves to the same terms and conditions that we all sign up to. They have responsibilities, too, and then we have to work with our American counterparts to ensure that they understand where we're coming from,” he said.

Children access social media for the first time at an average age of 9.6 years, despite the minimum age on most social media platforms being 13 years old, according to research conducted by child advocacy groups Eurochild, ECPAT and Terre des Hommes.

"This suggests that the real issue is weak enforcement and the way platforms are designed, rather than the absence of rules," Eurochild told The National.

French MP Laure Miller, who has been pushing for a ban for under 15s, has similarly waged an uphill battle. She says regulation is needed to protect young people from social media giants with algorithms designed to capture our attention.

“It's like David against Goliath,” Ms Miller told the representative council of Jewish institutions in France in February. “Children who spend several hours a day on these networks are not at fault; they are victims of platforms that do everything to develop compulsive usage.”

Medical evidence is beginning to play a role in the campaigning for new laws. Dr Jen Lee, of Healthcare Workers for Smarter Screens, urged the government to take into account the experiences of front-line workers in its consultation, after the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges described social media use in children as a “public health emergency damaging our children’s mental and physical health”.

“Frontline health workers need to have a much bigger voice in terms of policy-making. The government consultation does not provide that option,” Dr Lee said.

Coalitions needed

Teaming up with Europe and Australia on restrictions would help to pressure social media companies and make it easier for governments to take them on, she added.

The EU verification App gives users a digital ID card to prove their age on social media platforms without revealing personal details.

Individual EU nations are also looking to pass laws that would restrict age access, with cut off ages from 15 in France and Greece, to 16 in Spain.

But on Thursday, it delayed key measures in its own landmark AI Act, regulating high-risk tech systems including biometrics rules. The law also bans AI practices which create unauthorised sexually explicit images and introduces a watermark for Ai generated imagery.

At a press conference in Brussels, MEP Arba Kokalari pushed back against allegations that delays were introduced to appease the German industrial sector. Ms Kokalari said the new rules would bring much-needed clarity, so that Europe "can take on the competition against China and the US in the tech race".

Unlike Australia, EU digital rules involve complex negotiations between EU institutions and nations. Laws take longer to be adopted across 27 countries but are more powerful once they are enforced across the continent, which is the world's largest single market.

In a bid to harmonise efforts on legislating on a social media ban for teenagers, European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has sought advice from top mental health experts. On March 5, she convened the first special panel on child safety online, which is set to present recommendations to the commission by summer.

But the US accuses Europe of clamping down on free speech and has imposed heavy handed measures. In December, Washington sanctioned five EU figures, including former commissioner Thierry Breton, who were involved in efforts to curb online hate speech and misinformation.

European Commission officials accused Meta and TikTok of violating its Digital Services Act, the EU's content moderation law.

The legal fight is expected to last years. Renate Nikolay, Deputy Director-General at the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, has defended the DSA. Speaking this week on a Politico panel, Ms Nikolay said that platforms have already introduced some of the features that would never have happened without the DSA, including "design features to protect users better, adjustments to their notice and action system, [and] to their transparency activities."

Transatlantic tensions are likely to continue. US ambassador to the EU, Andrew Puzder, recently told news website Euractiv that a tech sovereignty package scheduled to be unveiled by the commission this month could jeopardise an EU-US trade agreement.

While the UK is not concerned with a cultural invasion, campaigners have growing fears over the toll of digital content.

Dr Lee said Labour’s stated emphasis on being a government of growth has seen them take a weak position in the face of tech companies. “They were actively courting these big tech companies,” she told The National. “Add to that a very aggressive US political climate that doesn't simplify this matter at all, and a Labour government that also hasn't been able to make big decisions.

“Parents, health professionals, teachers, everyone has been calling for strict social media restrictions on children. So what does the government do? They have a consultation instead.”

Fitful regulation

Though the harm of social media use has been universally noted, the debate across the world centres over how to police it. US first lady Melania Trump was joined by her French counterpart Brigitte Macron and more than 40 other spouses in March for a digital safeguarding summit. Later this month, a UN meeting in Vienna will promote international action on deepfakes and other abuse, some of which amounts to transnational exploitation of children.

The UK’s Online Safety Act puts companies at risk of fines if they do not ensure that harmful or pornographic content is not fed to children, but critics say it does not pressure companies sufficiently to remove such content from its platforms before it can be accessed.

Proponents of age restrictions say the measure is needed to support parents who are struggling to monitor their children's social media consumption due to peer pressure. They also hope it would force social media companies to address the addictive nature of their platforms, which is at the heart of their business models.

Critics say that age verification would remove online anonymity. It could also have the adverse effects of forcing children on to VPNs, and of giving social media companies less incentive to remove harmful content from their platforms.

The sound can stop you in your tracks, and yet it feels eerily familiar.

“He’s puffing the air through his neck to make those reverberations,” Manda Butler tells The National. “It’s telling the ladies that he’s a very handsome boy … and telling the other males to stay away.”

Ms Butler is a zookeeper at Camel Safari in Mesquite, a small town near Las Vegas, where tourists come to ride camels and learn about the animals that are well suited to the hot, dry landscape.

The desert climate is not unlike parts of the Middle East and North Africa, where the camel came from.

During mating season, camels like Fabio produce some of the most unusual vocalisations in the animal kingdom.

As they enter rut, a fleshy sac known as a dulla inflates from the side of the mouth. Air is forced through it, creating a wet, gurgling sound that shows its dominance, while attracting females.

“They become very testosterone-filled,” Ms Butler says. “They’re very focused on breeding.”

The noise Fabio makes feels almost prehistoric. And that may be why it has found a second life far from the deserts of the Middle East on this ranch in the US.

“Camels are a gold mine for sound designers,” David Philipp, studio head, UK at video game services company Arrival and a founding member of sound creator Boom Library, tells The National.

“They have a very specific guttural sound that is really useful ... there is this 'moany' quality ... and they hold this sound for a long time.”

Mr Philipp, based in London, has recorded sounds from camels as part of video game production, and describes them as surprisingly rewarding animals to work with.

But long before the microphone is switched on, capturing those sounds takes weeks of preparation, from careful research to delicate negotiations with handlers.

It also demands a high tolerance for failure when the real recording begins.

“It’s a gamble," he says. "Every animal is as individual as a human ... even if you want them to vocalise ... they [may] not do anything."

Camels, however, have offered him some rare reliability. Working with a specialist in the UK, and his long-time colleague, Arrival's senior sound designer Jack Webber, Mr Philipp discovered that a brief period of separation can be key. Temporarily remove camels from the group, and they begin to call out loudly for the others.

He recalls one instance where they called back and forth in long, echoing noises that carried on for minutes at a time.

“That was one of the most straightforward [recordings] we’ve ever done,” he says.

A similar technique has been used in Hollywood. During the making of The Lost World: Jurassic Park, the cries of a baby Tyrannosaurus rex were built from recordings of a real camel calf.

Gary Rydstrom, the film’s sound designer and re-recording mixer, described how the team captured the sound after briefly separating a baby camel from its mother.

“I don’t think we modified the baby camel too much,” he says in a behind-the-scenes special feature posted on YouTube. “It’s a baby camel calling for its mum.”

The use of camel vocalisations extends well beyond that film. According to Vanity Fair, similar recordings were used to help create the roars of woolly mammoths in Game of Thrones.

They have also appeared in modern video games, including God of War Ragnarok and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, in which Mr Philipp and his colleagues incorporated them into a range of creature sounds.

In the studio, camel recordings usually take on a new life. They are stretched, compressed and combined with other sounds until something unique emerges. The result might be a monster, an alien or something more primal.

“It could be a chair screeching on the floor,” Mr Philipp says. “You try and blend those elements together so it sounds like one cohesive creature … that is where the art begins.”

Perched imposingly on a steep rock face and peering imperiously into Israel and south Lebanon, the 12th-century citadel is consumed by conflict again. On Wednesday, an Israeli air strike barrelled into the neighbouring village of Arnoun, and the wider area is witnessing some of the fiercest air strikes and ground fighting despite a purported ceasefire.

“Whoever controls the fortress controls an eye on the south,” said Mounir Shehadeh, a retired Lebanese army general who served in senior positions including in south Lebanon.

The National recently drove along the winding road that hugs the Litani River below the castle. An Israeli flag was ripped from its walls when residents briefly returned in the first days of the ceasefire.

Now the villages and towns that neighbour the castle have become ghost towns, vacated by Israel's forced displacement orders. Those orders have continued despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah that is almost constantly breached.

With Israel already occupying a buffer zone, reaching a “yellow line” as far as 10km into south Lebanon, its military over the past week has also ordered the displacement of dozens of villages and towns north of the area and the Litani, effectively making them uninhabitable, too.

“The war never ended. Everyone left,” said Ahmed, who is originally from Zawtar Al Charqiyeh near Beaufort and recalls happy childhood memories there.

Among those who fled Zawtar Al Charqiyeh, one of the most heavily bombed towns outside Israel's buffer zone in south Lebanon, was Ahmed's mother. She joined more than 1.2 million people – a number still rising – who have been displaced by the conflict and are unable to return home to areas that have become uninhabitable.

Limited satellite images from above Zawtar Al Charqiyeh suggest that a once-thriving town has been reduced to rubble in recent weeks, as Israel's demolition of villages that dot the border region proceeds further north.

Flags and armies

During the first days of the ceasefire last month, when residents were briefly able to return, footage of one removing the Israeli flag from Beaufort went viral – the latest in a long list of flags that have been hoisted from its ramparts.

Long before it was the site of modern day clashes, medieval armies would tussle there. Despite that, advantages from olden times still persist today.

“Beaufort is above a seismic cliff that houses a great number of grottos and rock-cut rooms,” says Jean Yasmine, a conservation architect who was the manager of a restoration project at Beaufort between 2001 and 2015. “These may be used to house observation points controlling the whole landscape underneath.

“It was the case since Byzantine time until today so the soldier can monitor the movements of enemy troops all around [and] in specific cases, bomb them,” added Mr Yasmine, who also works with Lebanon's Directorate General of Antiquities.

Currently, the DGA can't go to the site to check on its state with the castle surrounded by conflict, even if the citadel has not been hit directly.

Now, the famous castle finds itself alone, surrounded by an eerie network of empty roads haunted by the sound of the looming drones; sound carries easily throughout the valleys and hills that traverse this part of south Lebanon.

Some of the most fierce ground clashes have taken place nearby, including what Hezbollah says was an ambush this week.

Hezbollah said it had observed Israel soldiers moving north of Deir Seryan towards Zawtar Al Charqiyeh, who were met with gunfire in a “violent short-range confrontation”. They claimed a helicopter that came to evacuate wounded soldiers was also fired on, while footage online seemingly recorded from nearby the fighting carried the sound of intense clashes.

In many respects it comes as a surprise that Beaufort Castle appears empty. At around 800 metres above sea level, with steep slopes making access difficult, it makes for a good defensive position, said Gen Shehadeh – although it requires significant effort to control and retain.

The Palestine Liberation Organisation held it in the early years of the 1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War, until it was heavily shelled, seized and occupied by Israeli forces. The damaged fortress turned into an Israeli forward operating base, coming under heavy fire from Hezbollah. The Israeli military then relinquished control in 2000, fleeing back across the border under heavy pressure from Hezbollah.

During the 2024 war, the castle was among the historic sites to which Unesco granted additional protection.

In the early years of Beaufort Castle's history, Sultan Salah Al Din captured it from Crusaders in 1190 after gathering his troops in nearby Marjayoun. He held it for 50 years before the Barons' Crusade took control.

With the onset of aerial warfare – with drones playing a crucial part of the current conflict – Beaufort perhaps has less tactical significance compared to the Crusades.

“Aircraft and drones have relatively reduced the importance of high ground,” said Gen Shehadeh. “However: high ground remains important … elevation equals visual and fire control.”

But once visitors are through its wooden gate, what is revealed is an architectural wonder: a large and elaborate stone device that for centuries reliably informed Egyptians whether they would have enough to eat for the next year.

Cairo's Nilometer was built in the 9th century, and had long continued to gauge the river's water level during the annual flood season. The completion some 50 years ago of the Soviet-built High Dam on the Nile in southern Egypt has rendered it obsolete. The water level is now measured in Lake Nasser, the world's largest artificial lake that is behind the dam.

But the bitter, years-long quarrel between Egypt and Ethiopia over the former's share of the Nile's water has quietly given symbolic significance to the Nilometer, turning it into a monument to the enduring bond between the river and the livelihood of Egyptians.

Sitting on the southernmost tip of Roda, a residential Nile island in Egypt's capital, the Nilometer has for years languished in obscurity. It is rarely visited by locals and it is off the itinerary of tours curated for the millions of foreign tourists who come to Cairo every year.

But that takes nothing away from its historical and aesthetic value.

“Whenever Egyptians had to identify a spot to build a Nilometer, they chose a place where the current is not too strong and the river is deep,” said Abbas Sharaky, Egypt's leading Nile expert and a professor at Cairo University's Faculty of African Postgraduate Studies.

“Roda island meets these requirements and the Niometer is very well looked after, but it's not getting the public attention it deserves.”

A variety of Nilometers have been used by Egyptians for thousands of years to measure the river's annual flood, which peaks in August. That allowed them to predict agricultural productivity and avoid destructive flooding.

However, the one on Roda island has wider significance. It is one of the oldest surviving Islamic monuments in Egypt, a fact that raises questions about its relative obscurity in its home city and beyond.

It is housed in a brown and silver cone-like wooden structure, perched on a building the size of a volleyball court.

Technologically sophisticated by medieval standards – it was commissioned in 861 AD by the Abbasid Caliph Al Mutawakkil, on the site of an older water gauge – the Nilometer is built of limestone blocks and is based on a concept in physics called the principle of communicating vessels.

It consists of a deep, stone-lined well with a measuring column standing in the middle. A 45-step staircase spirals to the bottom of the well, allowing maintenance and manual inspection.

Three tunnels at different heights connect the well to the river, allowing the Nile's water to enter in a controlled fashion.

A “perfect flood” would see the water level reach the 16-cubit level on the octagonal column. The reading allowed authorities to predict whether the next harvest would be plentiful, and determine how much tax farmers had to pay.

“Sometimes, past authorities hid the fact that the water level was low so they can still collect high taxes from crop growers,” said Mr Sharaky.

Significantly, the walls inside the Roda Nilometer are adorned with engraved Quranic verses that are among the oldest surviving examples of architectural Arabic Calligraphy, or Kufi style, in Egypt.

The verses deal with themes relevant to the function of the Nilometer, such as water, rain, vegetation and divine providence. In their entirety, they paint a picture of a people entirely beholden to the Nile for their livelihood.

The location of the Nilometer on Roda island also offers a majestic view of the river at its widest point in the Egyptian capital.

Water supply fears

Egypt, the most populous Arab nation with 109 million people, is gripped by fear that a Nile dam built by upstream Ethiopia would reduce its share of the water.

It claims that any reduction of its share of the Nile's water would wipe out millions of agricultural jobs and disrupt its delicate and politically sensitive food balance.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi says the threat from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is existential and tells visiting dignitaries without fail that his country will not sit idly by and watch its “water security” taken away.

“Egypt will not be lenient when it comes to its existential water interests,” Mr El Sisi told Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump's senior adviser on Arab and African affairs, in April in Cairo.

More than a decade of negotiations between Ethiopia on the one hand and Egypt and fellow downstream Sudan on the other has failed to produce a legally binding deal wanted by Cairo and Khartoum on the dam's operation.

Ethiopia maintains that the dam is a sovereign matter and repeatedly seeks to reassure Cairo and Khartoum that they have nothing to fear from it.

However, experts in Egypt maintain that while the effects of the dam on Egypt have to date been minimal – thanks to consistently plentiful rain on the Ethiopian highlands in the past few years – Cairo is rightly worried about how much water Ethiopia would allow through when there is a persistent drought.

Egypt has been seeking to pressure Ethiopia into showing flexibility in the dispute, by cosying up to neighbours of the Horn of Africa nation with military pacts, arms deals and securing naval facilities on the Red Sea.

Significantly, it has deployed up to 15,000 troops in Somalia, its largest military deployment outside the country since the Kuwait liberation war in 1991. The troops are there as part of an African Union peacekeeping force and a training and counter-terrorism mission.

Egypt has also been trying to stymie efforts by landlocked Ethiopia to gain a foothold on the Red Sea, vociferously opposing its attempt to secure an outlet on the strategic waterway in the breakaway region of Somaliland.

The reason is simple: the UAE is an exceptional place to do business and to live. It is a global magnet for talent. According to Boston Consulting Group estimates, the UAE last year attracted nearly 178,000 highly skilled professionals, a 21 per cent increase compared to the previous year. And the country not only attracts talent, but it also ranks first globally for “brain gain”, reflecting its ability to integrate people from all over the world into its economy and society.

It is also one of the places with the lowest crime rates on Earth. Abu Dhabi has been ranked the world’s safest city for 10 consecutive years.

And while infrastructure is deteriorating across much of the West, the UAE continues to invest at scale. The contrast is striking: while the UK built about 700 kilometres of new roads in 30 years, the UAE added more than 10,000 kilometres in just two decades.

Beyond business and security, the UAE has also become one of the world’s most vibrant destinations. It does not simply welcome visitors, but it also sets global standards. From the highest density of luxury hotels worldwide to a culinary landscape that spans Michelin-starred restaurants and authentic street food, the country has built a hospitality ecosystem that competes with the very best, from Ibiza to Bali.

And yet, during my most recent visit, something felt different.

The UAE, a beacon of security, found itself on the frontline of a major conflict, with the shortest sea distance between its border and that of Iran being less than 50 kilometres. The implications were immediate and tangible: missile threats, drone activity, restricted air space and disruptions to one of the world’s most critical trade routes, the Strait of Hormuz.

Beneath the surface, the pressure is even more intense, and nowhere is it more so than in the digital domain. Having built a sovereign AI company that also provides cyber security solutions, I am acutely aware of how severe such attacks often are. Critical infrastructure, energy grids, transport networks and financial systems have become a permanent battlefield alongside the physical one.

What stands out, however, is the response.

The UAE has demonstrated an exceptional ability to defend itself across both physical and digital domains. This resilience is not accidental. It is the result of a governance model built for speed, execution and long-term thinking. While many western countries struggle to respond decisively in times of crisis, the UAE has shown how state capacity can translate into real-world security and stability.

This achievement reflects a deliberate ecosystem, combining private sector ambition with world-class research institutions. Abu Dhabi’s G42, one of the most ambitious artificial intelligence companies anywhere in the world, is anchoring a new generation of sovereign technology infrastructure.

The UAE has built the institutions, the talent base and the strategic commitment to thrive.

And yet there have been some visible effects of the ongoing conflict. Malls, hotels and beaches have been quieter than usual for a couple of weeks.

But that is only one part of the picture, and a temporary one. Every day, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are becoming livelier again.

What remained unchanged throughout is the underlying mindset that has defined the UAE for decades: resilience, ambition and an almost instinctive ability to think beyond the immediate crisis. If anything, this mindset has intensified. As during the Covid-19 pandemic, decision-makers are already focused on what comes next, using disruption not as a setback, but as a catalyst to optimise, invest and reposition.

This is what sets the UAE apart.

The country remains one of the best places in the world to do business, to live and to visit.

Residents know it is safe – and have seen that this is true even under pressure.

And those who are overly concerned about tourism should recall the many predictions during the pandemic that global travel would fundamentally decline. The opposite has happened. Tourism has surpassed pre-Covid levels worldwide, with the Middle East leading the recovery, now more than 30 per cent above 2019 levels. As soon as winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, beaches will be full again across the Emirates.

Yes, this is a bump in the road. But it is a bump on a path that continues to rise steeply.

After a week in the UAE, I can assure you that this country is very much up and open for business.

The action, organised by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (Anga), took place on the final day of the Biennale’s preview week and followed a protest on Wednesday outside Israel’s temporary exhibition space at the Arsenale. The 61st International Art Exhibition opens to the public on Saturday and runs until November 22.

Several national pavilions, including the UK, the Netherlands, South Korea, Austria, Ecuador and Spain, were among those either fully or partially closed, with several others, such as Lebanon, including signage supporting the strike. Others dimmed lights, suspended sound works or replaced elements of their displays with material relating to Palestine.

The strike was part of a wider campaign calling for Israel to be excluded from the Biennale. Anga says its 2026 open letter has been signed by 236 artists, curators and art workers involved in this year’s exhibition, including participants from national pavilions, collateral events and the Biennale’s central exhibition, In Minor Keys.

The group says Israel’s presence at one of the world’s most important art events normalises the country’s actions in Gaza and allows culture to be used as a form of political cover. It has also linked the strike to labour conditions around the Biennale, saying the event depends on precarious cultural work.

“It was overwhelming and heartening seeing such a diverse group join together and to hear so many different languages coming together in solidarity,” Palestinian-Canadian artist Jude Abu Zaineh, who attended the protest, tells The National.

The demonstration came after hundreds of protesters gathered outside Israel’s exhibition on Wednesday, waving Palestinian flags and banners that accused the pavilion of “artwashing”. The protest briefly blocked access to the space, which is hosting Rose of Nothingness by the Romania-born Israeli artist Belu-Simion Fainaru.

Israel is taking part in the Arsenale this year while its permanent pavilion in the Giardini is under renovation. Fainaru has previously said he opposes cultural boycotts and believes art can create spaces for dialogue and shared language during periods of political division.

Venice Biennale organisers have said the protests and strike action do not involve the institution’s staff or organisation. In a statement, it said its work was being carried out in accordance with the law and that it remained committed to the orderly running of the event, “in a spirit of respect for freedom of expression and pluralism of opinion”.

The strike adds to an unusually turbulent opening for the Biennale, which has already been reshaped by political disputes. Last month, the international jury resigned after saying it would not consider artists representing countries whose leaders face international charges. The decision was widely understood to affect Israel and Russia.

The Biennale later scrapped its traditional Golden Lion awards for this edition and replaced them with two visitor-voted prizes, to be announced on November 22, the exhibition’s final day.

Russia’s return to the Biennale has also drawn criticism. The country is presenting a programme during preview week, but its pavilion is expected to close to the public when the exhibition formally opens.

Yousef Al Otaiba reflected on the importance of the chip shipment in the context of the UAE's AI ambitions during a roundtable discussion hosted by the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington.

"The UAE is all in on American tech, we are not hedging, we are not diversifying, we're doubling down on it," he said.

"I'm happy to announce that that first batch of advanced chips have been delivered and more are on the way."

In recent years, the UAE has sought to be able to purchase and use Nvidia's chips for its AI buildout.

Stringent export controls aimed at bolstering and protecting the US lead in AI can make such purchases difficult.

Ultimately, citing its long-standing status as a US ally and lengthy list of ongoing partnerships, the UAE gained permission from the Trump White House to buy and use the technology.

Security assurances from the UAE that the chips would not fall into the wrong hands and be used by a nefarious entity were a key aspect of the US ultimately allowing its ally to purchase the chips.

Mr Al Otaiba's comments took place during the multi-day AI+ Expo in Washington, organised by the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP).

During the discussion on Friday, the Atlantic Council released what it described as a "first in a series" report looking at how various countries have pursued different AI strategies.

The analysis, "A new playbook for AI leadership: The case of the United Arab Emirates", examines the UAE's affinity for AI over the last decade.

"The country has positioned itself as a global hub for AI investment and a regional gateway linking advanced economies with the Global South," a summary of the report reads.

"The analysis finds that the UAE’s long-horizon national vision, institutional agility, and investment-led innovation model have enabled rapid progress, particularly in AI deployment, infrastructure build-out, and ecosystem formation."

The report gave the UAE a score of 17.3 out of 25, giving the country the title of an "advanced AI power", just short of being classified as a "frontier AI power", the highest ranking on Atlantic Council's scale.

The think tank's analysis concludes that the UAE's AI strategy gives proof to the idea that that "competitiveness is not limited to traditional technology powers", and that ultimately countries in many different circumstances "can shape their own trajectories and influence the future distribution of AI capabilities".

Karan Bhatia, Google's head of government affairs and public policy, said he was enthusiastic for the Atlantic Council's new study, and mentioned the UAE's leadership in the technology sector.

"The UAE is the perfect country to do the first study on," he said.

The Atlantic Council's report comes a day after the UAE again took the top ranking bestowed by Microsoft, which analysed more than 100 countries on how they adopted AI.

The Emirates was followed by Singapore, Norway, Ireland and France.

For the last decade, the UAE has made a significant push to become a global leader in AI.

In 2019, the country announced the establishment of a university dedicated to the technology, the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

Two years earlier, the Emirates was among the first countries in the world to appoint an AI minister, Omar Al Olama, who is now Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications.

Methodical efforts to prioritise AI in the UAE culminated in a major announcement during US President Donald Trump's visit to the country in 2025, when plans for a 5GW UAE-US AI Campus were announced.

The White House has since praised the UAE, as well as companies based there, for partnering so closely with the US.

During congressional testimony in February, US undersecretary of state for economic affairs Jacob Helberg spoke highly of Abu Dhabi based AI company, G42.

"They agreed to build a common operating picture that could allow American policymakers to actually have total transparency and assurance that the clusters in the UAE used and owned by G42 are not being accessed improperly," Mr Helberg said.

“The UAE is an incredibly important partner," Mr Helberg added. "They are a major investor who has pledged to invest $1.4 trillion in the US.”

The town, next to London's Gatwick Airport, previously had no Reform councillors, yet by late afternoon there were indications it could take nine or 10 out of the total of 13 standing.

It was a dramatic demonstration of how the hard-right party led by Nigel Farage has surged to power across the country, upending Britain’s traditional Labour-Conservative two-party system.

Walking around the hall at the K2 sports centre, watching the counters pile up the votes by hand, those on the Reform rack quickly began to stack higher than the rest. The contrast must have been telling for Khayla Abu Mosa, who two years ago became the first Palestinian-Jordanian councillor in England, winning one of the Crawley seats that was not contested this year. Election analyst Michael Thrasher said that in the 2024 election, Reform barely stood in any seats, and nobody voted for them.

The sight of Reform ballot piles rising, and Green gains in other parts of the country, greeted Labour candidates across the UK. Reform was on course to take 1,500 council seats out of the 5,000 on offer. It was also a demonstration of the deep fracturing of UK politics, with the hard-left Green Party taking control of its first councils, the Lib Dems progressing, and the Conservatives plummeting with 500 losses, and Labour three times that amount.

That descent, just two years after the party took power in Westminster in a landslide election win, has intensified calls for Keir Starmer to step aside, despite his defiance on Friday in the face of the enormous losses. “That hurts, and it should hurt,” he curtly said.

That has not gone down well in some parts of the party. “It’s hard to say how someone can lose an election in every part of the country in this dramatic fashion and still think they have a mandate to serve five years,” a senior Labour figure told The National.

But a cohort of loyalists remain that may well keep him in power. Among them at Crawley was Ms Abu Mosa, who wanted to advertise the "unity and diversity" in Croydon rather than deride her leader.

With the party’s vote holding in London and with no obvious immediate rival challengers, Mr Starmer may well limp on.

The same goes for the Conservatives. Despite Kemi Badenoch showing resilience and leadership in parliament, there is still a lingering legacy of the chaotic Tory governments under Boris Johnson and the short-lived Liz Truss.

“People want change, I understand that,” said a veteran Conservative. “And to be honest with you, we did make mistakes when in government.” He said he was also worried by the lack of political experience among the brigade of new Reform councillors, and concerned too that Mr Farage was a “Trump 2”.

But despite the heavy Labour losses, a councillor in Crawley said she was still proud of how the party was working for people.

Ms Abu Mosa told The National: “We did what we could, and no matter what the outcome is, I will be proud of all those who work so hard for Labour.”

She also firmly backed Mr Starmer, who might surmount this heavy defeat and continue as Prime Minister despite a huge loss of political capital.

However, these elections for councils, which give local politicians a fair degree of power, from setting budgets to fixing roads, could well prove the pivotal moment when Reform became a national party firmly fixed on the road to power in Westminster.

The decision to make the announcement on Sunday was made after an assessment of the current situation in co-ordination with relevant authorities, the ministry said on X.

The ministry added that examinations and international assessments would proceed in-person in accordance with the approved plans.

"The ministry also affirms the readiness of educational institutions to transition between different learning models when needed," read the post on X. "Any further updates or developments will be announced through the official communication channels."

Schools and universities have been conducting online classes since Tuesday as a result of renewed Iranian attacks on the UAE. The measure was taken to "ensure the safety and well-being of the educational community", the ministry said at the time.

تعلن #وزارة_التربية_والتعليم أنه سيتم الإعلان مساء يوم الأحد الموافق 10 مايو 2026 عن نظام التعليم المعتمد للفترة المقبلة، سواء كان التعليم حضورياً أو عن بعد وذلك بعد تقييم الأوضاع الراهنة بالتنسيق مع الجهات المعنية، بما يضمن سلامة المجتمع التعليمي واستمرارية العملية التعليمية.… pic.twitter.com/OA7qQkyXcV

— وزارة التربية والتعليم (@MOEUAEofficial) May 8, 2026

Disruption in learning

The government previously mandated that the education sector shift to remote learning at the beginning of March, after the start of the Iran war.

Schools and nurseries across the Emirates began reopening their doors on April 20, with strict safety rules in place.

Aside from the switch to remote learning, international A-level and GCSE exams were cancelled. Leading UK education boards confirmed this month that summer exams for school leavers and university hopefuls would be scrapped – possibly putting academic aspirations on hold.

Schools are dealing with portfolios, coursework submissions and teacher-predicted grades to ensure this year's classes receive results that reflect their years of work.

Two people were killed when Israeli warplanes struck the town of Zrariyeh, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported. Three others were killed and a woman was injured in an Israeli strike on the road between Arab Al Jall and Houmine Al Tahta Road, while a separate strike on the town of Sultaniyah killed four people, it said.

Separately, Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said four people were killed, including two women, in an Israeli strike on the town of Toura. Local media reported four more deaths in Deir Antar, including paramedic Hussein Ahmad Chaitli, 52, a member of Al Rissala Scout Association, a medical and scout organisation affiliated with the Amal Movement.

Another paramedic, from the Lebanese Civil Defence, was killed in an Israeli strike on his car. Hafez Ali Yahya was driving from Rachaya to his home in Kfarchouba, about 5km away, in the morning when his vehicle was struck, Hussein Faqih, head of civil defence in Nabatieh district, told The National.

“He left the centre at 8.05, and Israel targeted his car shortly after,” Mr Faqih said.

The Lebanese Civil Defence operates under the country's Interior Ministry and is not a party in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organisation, said on Wednesday that the agency had “verified 152 attacks on health care that resulted in 103 deaths and 241 injuries” in Lebanon since the war began on March 2. This includes seven members of the Civil Defence.

The Israeli army on Saturday also issued forced displacement orders to the residents of several villages in Tyre province.

Saturday's attacks came two days after Israel carried out its first strike on Beirut's southern suburbs since a 10-day ceasefire declared in Washington took effect on April 17. The truce was later extended by three weeks. Since then, Israel has killed at least 380 people in Lebanon, and continued to carry out systematic destruction in dozens of border villages it occupies behind the “yellow line” demarcating its self-declared security zone along the southern border.

Hezbollah, for its part, said it attacked Israeli troops, tanks and D9 bulldozers in Al Bayyada, Khiam and Deir Seryan with drones, guided missiles and artillery fire on Saturday.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also met Simon Karam, who is heading the country’s delegation for further talks with Israel in Washington on Thursday and Friday next week. Lebanon and Israel held their first major high-level engagement since 1993 in the US capital last month.

The talks, described as preliminary contacts between the two countries, are intended to pave the way for a longer-term peace agreement.

The war resumed on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel in support of its main backer, Iran, and in retaliation for Israel's violations of a November 2024 ceasefire. Since then, more than 2,759 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, and 8,512 others injured, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.

The Israeli attacks and ground invasion of the south have forced more than a million people from their homes.

The Defence Department on Friday published an initial tranche of documents, images and accounts related to so-called unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). President Donald Trump ordered the release in February.

At least three of the dozens of files on the Defence Department's website pertain to unusual sightings over waters off the UAE, including one from June 1, 2024 that was recorded by an infrared sensor aboard a US aircraft flying across the Gulf of Oman.

An accompanying mission report described the UAP as “consisting of an object with a vertical pole or bar attached to the bottom of the object.”

The object appears to be moving quickly over the water and is described as “resembling an inverted teardrop”. An observer reported that the UAP may be a reflection from an object in the water.

Other videos captured over UAE waters or elsewhere in the Middle East show military cameras tracking small, fast-moving objects zooming past ships, buildings or over the ocean. There is nothing that looks like a UFO in the sci-fi sense of the term and no evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence.

Some of the objects could potentially be hobby or commercial drones, such as the one seen in this image, taken from a video captured by a US aircraft over Iraq in 2022.

President Donald Trump said he ordered the release of the files to increase government transparency.

“Whereas previous administrations have failed to be transparent on this subject, with these new documents and videos, the people can decide for themselves,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Have Fun and Enjoy!

For decades, UFOs have been at the centre of theories, fuelled by alleged sightings, popular culture and government secrecy surrounding the issue.

From speculation about recovered spacecraft in the Nevada desert to claims of hidden military programmes studying extraterrestrial technology, the idea of concealed alien encounters has persisted in the public imagination.

Sheikh Mansour arrived in Turkey on Friday on a working visit, reported the state news agency Wam. The meeting addressed a number of regional issues, including "developments in the Middle East and their repercussions on regional security and stability, with the two sides exchanging views on these matters", Wam stated.

They also explored ways to further strengthen them in support of the two countries’ shared development priorities and mutual interests, in a manner that promotes growth and prosperity for both nations.

The discussions took place within the framework of the strategic relations and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) between the two countries, as well as their shared commitment to continuing progress towards its objectives.

Accompanying Sheikh Mansour were Sheikh Theyab bin Zayed; Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group Chief Executive of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc); Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Defence Affairs; Faisal Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs; and a number of senior officials, reported state news agency Wam.

The force warned of the dangers presented to riders, motorists and pedestrians by people using e-scooters in areas not approved for their use. People have been urged not to use e-scooters on public roads and areas crowded with vehicles. A video has been shared by Abu Dhabi Police on X showing examples of dangerous e-scooter use.

The warning came from police as part of Gulf Traffic Week, taking place in Abu Dhabi this week. Parents were also urged to supervise their children while using e-scooters, and to make sure they are wearing appropriate protective equipment.

The problem is not confined to Abu Dhabi. Last month, a new unit was set up in Dubai to tackle the improper use of e-scooters and bicycles.

The unit, formed by Dubai Police and the emirate's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), began operations on May 1, with the task of patrolling cycling tracks, major roads and bike-friendly areas to curb reckless riding. Officers from the unit ride e-scooters and other designated vehicles bearing Dubai Police and RTA insignia.

According to the UAE's traffic laws, e-scooter riders must be at least 16. They are required to wear helmets and reflective jackets and are prohibited from carrying passengers. Scooters must have lights fitted to their front and rear, and must not exceed the 20kph speed limit.

Fines vary, with Dubai imposing a Dh300 ($81.69) penalty for those who ride e-scooters on roads with speed limits above 60kph. Nshama, the management company in charge of the Town Square community in Dubai, warns that Dh1,050 fines can be imposed on riders who break the rules.

Though rules stipulate that no one under the age of 16 can ride an e-scooter, it is not uncommon for young children to be involved in e-scooter accidents, doctors have told The National.

“These clashes have so far resulted in the fall of several heavy-calibre shells in multiple locations within the company’s premises,” the Zawiya Oil Refining Company said in a statement. “This situation necessitated the immediate implementation of emergency measures, including the complete shutdown of the refinery … to safeguard the lives of employees, protect the facilities and preserve the surrounding environment.”

The company also moved oil tankers away from the port after several areas of the complex were hit by heavy shelling.

The clashes in Zawiya began after the forces from the Tripoli government's Joint Security Room began a large-scale operation against the hideouts of criminals, wanted people and outlaws in the city. Control of Libya is divided between the UN-recognised Government of National Unity in Tripoli and a separate government in the east.

The Zawiya refinery, with a capacity of about 120,000 barrels per day, is connected to the Sharara oilfield, which can produce about 300,000 bpd. It can produced an estimated $1 million worth of refined oil a day.

The Zawiya Oil Refining Company called on “all official state authorities to intervene swiftly and keep armed conflicts away from vital facilities, in order to protect workers and residents of nearby areas and to ensure the safe continuation of operations within the oil complex – particularly the Zawiya Refinery, whose activities are closely linked to the public interest and the security of the nation and its citizens.”

The National Oil Corporation, Libya’s state-owned oil company, issued a statement xaying that “staff working in the facilities, oil installations and the Oil Institute in the city of Zawiya are safe and in good health. All employees, workers and students at the institute have been evacuated”.

Eight cases have been reported so far, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), including three deaths, on the MV Hondius, which set sail from Argentina a month ago. Five of the eight cases have been confirmed as hantavirus. The hantavirus involved is the Andes virus, the only strain known to be capable of limited transmission between humans, linked to close and prolonged contact.

The vessel, carrying roughly 150 people, is now en route to Europe and is expected to arrive in Spain on Saturday or Sunday.

WHO said the outbreak was not the start of a pandemic. But it and national authorities are taking the situation seriously. How concerned should we be?

What is the hantavirus?

Hantaviruses are a collection of viruses that cause serious illnesses and, in some cases, can be fatal, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US.

Infection typically occurs through inhalation of air that is contaminated with particles from rodent urine and droppings.

If infected, patients can develop fever, fatigue, muscle aches and respiratory illnesses. In rare cases those affected can develop haemorrhagic fever and kidney failure requiring hospital treatment. Symptoms usually appear after between two and four weeks, but it can take longer.

Hantavirus can have a case fatality rate of about 1 to 15 per cent in Asia and Europe and up to 50 per cent in the Americas, WHO data shows.

Dr Yazeed El Khaleq, a consultant pulmonologist specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of complex respiratory and lung conditions at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi, told The National the risk remains low as it is not easily transmitted between people.

“Human-to-human transmission is limited to one strain,” he said. “And only after prolonged exposure to anyone infected.”

How did this outbreak start, and are cruises particularly susceptible?

It is still not clear how this outbreak started, but authorities are investigating.

The cruise ship had been travelling to remote areas, so there is a possibility this is how someone encountered it. Conditions onboard may also have played a role, as passengers share common areas, lifts and dining halls, meaning infections can spread rapidly.

For example, during Covid-19 the Diamond Princess had an outbreak in which more than 600 passengers and crew caught the virus. Norovirus, the vomiting bug, is also linked to cruises. Age also matters. Cruises are popular with older people who can have pre-existing conditions, making infections more deadly.

People can take regular prevention measures, such as washing hands, and avoid shared areas if feeling unwell. “The important thing is to detect, isolate and contact trace,” said Dr El Khaleq. “Hospitals will usually admit anyone who has the virus, as it is rare.”

Could this become a pandemic like Covid-19?

The WHO on Thursday said the outbreak is not the start of a pandemic.

“We believe this will be a limited outbreak if the public health measures are implemented and solidarity is shown across all countries,” said Dr Abdirahman Mahamud, WHO’s alert and response director. Dr El Khaleq agreed, saying the risk to public health in the UAE and wider Gulf region is “extremely low”.

“There was an outbreak in Argentina in 2018 which was limited and controlled quickly. After this, the UAE tested rodent species as a precautionary measure and all came back negative. The UAE is always very responsive," he said. “I don’t think we are at risk of a pandemic such as Covid-19."

Dr El Khaleq said there is “very good resilience in the Gulf” and that lessons were learnt from Covid-19, "but as WHO said, this is not like Covid-19”.

“With Covid-19, human-to-human is the root transmission. Even a sneeze does the job, and it occurs a short time after coming into contact,” he said. “Only one strain of the hantavirus causes human-to-human transmission, and you need to be in close contact for a long time to get enough of the viral load.”

Can the virus be treated?

There is no cure or specific vaccine for the virus but medics can offer supportive treatment.

According to Dr El Khaleq, these treatments can vary as patients can experience different health complications. “If a patient develops kidney issues, there is dialysis,” he said. “Or, if there are heart issues, there is medication to support the heart muscle and decrease inflammation.”

Anyone with symptoms should consult a doctor, self-isolate and wear a medical mask if they have respiratory symptoms. Dr El Khaleq said the most important advice was for travellers going to South America or places where the virus appears.

“People should avoid contact with rodents and, if camping, should not walk barefoot. They should practise strong personal hygiene,” he said. "If respiratory symptoms are present, practice respiratory etiquette and wear a medical mask. If symptoms develop, consult a doctor and get tested.”

What happens next?

The MV Hondius is expected in Tenerife, Spain, at the weekend. Medical teams are on standby for its arrival and passengers will be assessed onboard. WHO said it was prepared to offer support.

"The ship is now sailing for the Canary Islands, and we are confident in the capacity of Spain to manage this risk, and we are supporting them to do so," WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday. "We assess the risk to the people of the Canary Islands as low."

WHO has taken a number of actions since it was notified of the situation on May 2 including deploying an expert on board the ship.

Hospitality, transport and tourism businesses have been the biggest beneficiaries of the lifeline the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has extended through lenders in the UAE, the latest data from the regulator showed on Friday.

As of May 1, a total of 60,559 individual customers, 4,335 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and 485 companies from the country’s corporate sector have taken concessions and deferrals offered by the commercial lenders, CBUAE said in a statement on Friday.

Businesses in the transport sector sought the most assistance from commercial banks, with 361 companies benefiting from the concessions on offer. More than 170 companies from the tourism sector and 134 from the entertainment industry were also supported by banks through the CBUAE’s Financial Institutions Resilience Package.

The US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28, has disrupted business across the region. Iran has launched waves of drones and missiles at Arab nations across the region.

Hospitality, aviation, transport and entertainment are among the worst-hit sectors. The UAE has faced the most intense barrage of Iranian attacks, with thousands of drones and hundreds of cruise and ballistic missiles launched at civilian targets.

The UAE was again attacked by Iran this week, and the Defence Ministry said air defence systems were activated on Friday to deal with aerial threats from Iran.

The package

The CBUAE on March 18 approved a resilience package to reinforce the stability of the banking sector against the backdrop of the war in the Middle East. The package is aimed at supporting the UAE banking sector in “light of exceptional global and regional circumstances”, the regulator said at the time.

It allows lenders to access liquidity and provides them with the flexibility to use capital buffers to support the UAE economy. In view of the extraordinary circumstances, banks were directed to provide the required financing services to support their customers and the national economy.

“The CBUAE’s precautionary policies and proactive frameworks have consistently demonstrated their effectiveness in promoting the resilience and preparedness of the financial and banking sector, while ensuring monetary and financial stability,” said Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court and Chairman of the CBUAE board, said at the time.

Continued growth

The resilience package is backed by the CBUAE’s foreign exchange reserves of more than Dh1 trillion. The regulator affirmed the strong fundamentals of the country's Dh5.4 trillion banking sector.

On Friday, the regulator said that the banking sector is in a good state and has continued to grow despite the uncertainties caused by the war. Total banking assets in the country have grown by 2.1 per cent, while loans and deposits have risen 3.2 and 1.9 per cent respectively over the course of the conflict, from March 1 to May 1.

The monetary base cover ratio – a measure of financial stability – has also hit 115.3 per cent, over that time period, according to the CBUAE social media post.

The regulator said affected customers were allowed six months of loan deferrals as well as suspension of interest and fees on some loan facilities. Banks have also ensured continuity of credit financing for priority sectors, it added.

A senior Saudi diplomat has reiterated the kingdom’s support for “de-escalation and negotiation” in the Middle East after Washington and Tehran exchanged fire overnight in the Strait of Hormuz.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia maintains its position supporting de-escalation and negotiation efforts,” Rayed Krimly, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, wrote in a post on X.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that three US destroyers came under fire in the Strait of Hormuz and that "great damage" was done to the Iranian attackers.

The US ⁠military earlier confirmed it had carried out strikes on Iranian sites after an "unprovoked" attack.

US Central Command said that it had intercepted Iranian attacks as naval vessels crossed the vital waterway. It said US forces had eliminated "inbound threats" and had aimed for Iranian military bases that Centcom claimed had attacked US interests.

Mr Krimly's comments also came after The Wall Street Journal published a report claiming that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have lifted restrictions on the US military’s use of their bases and airspace imposed after the start of the American operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The report cited unnamed Saudi and US officials.

The report added that the Trump administration was looking to restart the operation, dubbed "Project Freedom", to guide commercial ships with naval and air support, which it had paused this week.

"Beware of media reports attributed to unnamed sources – some of whom claim to be Saudi – suggesting otherwise," said Mr Krimly.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly called for de-escalation. This week, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said it backed Pakistan’s mediation and diplomatic efforts to reach a political solution to the Iran war.

Mr Trump told ABC News that the ceasefire announced on April 7 was still in effect despite overnight strikes. "It's just a love tap," he said.

Hours later, the UAE said it was responding to incoming Iranian missiles and drones. Three people suffered moderate injuries.

The UAE has sustained more incoming fire from Iran than any other country in the past two months. Since the war broke out on February 28, the Emirates has engaged 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2,263 drones.

On Monday, the UAE, a key US ally, reported attacks on its territory for the first time since the truce was declared nearly a month ago. The UAE's Ministry of Defence said the country's air defence systems had engaged 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran. Three people were injured in a fire at Fujairah Oil Industry Zone following a drone strike.

The emirate's Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility) announced the ban in a post on social media.

"In an effort to enhance road safety and protect delivery motorcyclists and road users, the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility) has announced a ban on delivery motorcycles on certain roads in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi," the transport authority announced on X.

"This includes roads with speed limits of 120kph or higher and Sheikh Zayed Street (from Sheikh Zayed Bridge to Sheikh Zayed Tunnel)."

In an effort to enhance road safety and protect delivery motorcyclists and road users, the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility) has announced a ban on delivery motorcycles on certain roads in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi... pic.twitter.com/3i5Kl1yAGu

— أبوظبي للتنقل | AD Mobility (@ad_mobility) May 8, 2026

The measure has been introduced as part of an "integrated system aimed at raising road safety standards and improving traffic flow on vital routes, ensuring a safer transport environment for all road users".

The new rule will be effective from Friday, May 15.

Boosting road safety

Abu Dhabi's road safety drive comes months after Dubai Police placed restrictions on the movements of delivery riders.

The force barred delivery riders from using the two far-left lanes on roads with five lanes or more and from using the farthest left lane – widely known as the fast or overtaking lane – on roads with three or four lanes, from November 1.

Police said at the time that the directives were introduced in response to a concerning rise in the number of accidents involving delivery riders. They are an expansion of existing laws barring riders from using the furthest left lane on roads and from travelling at more than 100kph, introduced in 2021.

Three people were injured after the UAE dealt with further attacks from Iran on Friday, the Ministry of Defence said.

The country's air defence systems engaged two ballistic missiles and three drones fired by Iran. The ministry did not reveal the location of the attacks or give further details about those injured.

Authorities issued an alert at 6.43am to say the country was responding to threats. The public were urged to remain in a safe location and wait for updates from official channels.

Since the regional war broke out on February 28, the UAE has defended itself against 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2,263 drones.

Two UAE Armed Forces personnel and a Moroccan civilian contractor working for the military have been martyred. Ten civilians have been killed.

A total of 230 people have been injured as a result of the Iranian attacks on the country.

Tehran resumed its attacks on the Emirates on Monday after a near month-long halt to hostilities, following a conditional ceasefire that came into effect on April 8.

The UAE strongly condemned the renewed Iranian attacks, saying they represented a "dangerous escalation" and that the country reserved the right to respond. The UAE announced on Thursday that it set up a committee to document Iran's acts of aggression and crimes against the country.

A resolution was issued by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, establishing the committee to record and monitor “Iranian acts of aggression, international crimes and the damages resulting from them, which affected the territory of the UAE, its citizens, visitors and residents”.

The unpopularity of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has grown gradually but steadily since the 2024 general election. Now it has suddenly hit hard. Election results, from English councils to the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, show widespread rejection of Mr Starmer, the Labour government he leads and the Labour party itself.

For the past century, two parties – Labour and the Conservatives – have dominated British politics. That domination appears to be over. The Conservatives also performed very badly in these elections.

That has helped power the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform party, with Mr Farage promising that “the best is yet to come”. He is preparing to be in government after the next general election, and it could happen. He rightly points to “a historic shift” in British politics in which the Green party has also performed well and the persistence of the Liberal Democrats has paid off in some areas.

The success of nationalist parties in their parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales joins the past successes of Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland to show that the British “two-party system” is a delusion this year. We live now in a multi-party democracy, although the UK retains an antiquated electoral system that for the past 100 or so years did benefit Labour and the Conservatives. That time has gone, perhaps temporarily but possibly – some think probably – forever.

In the short term, Mr Starmer remains Prime Minister. He says defiantly “I’m not going to walk away” from the job. But voters have walked – or run – away from his party. Nevertheless, Mr Starmer may stay in Downing Street because there is no obvious choice of a successor.

Even in historic Labour heartlands in the north of England, the party has been humiliated. The ambitious Labour mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, would be a talented possible choice for the leadership, but the catch is that he is not an MP. If he tried to become one even in a formerly solid Labour seat, he might actually lose and end his own political career.

But this week’s shake-up should unnerve the Conservative party, too. It suffered a crushing defeat in the 2024 general election and has had half a dozen leaders in less than a decade. The current leader, Kemi Badenoch, and her party still remain unpopular.

To add to the misery, Labour and the Conservatives have both performed poorly in the Scotland and Wales parliamentary elections. That, coupled with the rise of Sinn Fein to power in Northern Ireland, means that even the political structure of the UK is itself open to question in the long term. Northern Ireland and Scotland may, at some time in the future, demand to hold referendums on leaving the UK.

Halfway through a parliamentary term, as Britain is now, “mid-term blues” for the government are not unusual. But this year is obviously so much worse than normal. British people have come to recognise that in the 21st century, our democratic system has failed to produce stability. If – when – Mr Starmer is forced out, the UK will have its seventh prime minister in a decade or so. A Premier League football team that had such churn in its top managers would face relegation to a lower division.

As for the big winners this week, Reform UK, the victories are real but so are the problems ahead.

Starmer says defiantly 'I’m not going to walk away' from the job. But voters have walked – or run – away from his party

One is a lack of experience in running a complex country of almost 70 million people, although (for now at least) that sense of freshness may be an asset since Labour and the Conservatives for all their experience have performed so dismally. Second, there are constant ethical questions about some Reform political candidates, councillors and leading figures. They have been splits and defections from the party, and questions about allegedly racist comments made by some members.

Then the British elections watchdog, the Electoral Commission, is also considering whether to investigate a £5 million (almost $7 million) gift from a crypto billionaire called Christopher Harborne to Mr Farage, which Mr Farage says was for his own personal security. It’s not clear why such a vast sum of money appears to have been seen as necessary.

What we can say for certain is that British politics is in a profound state of flux. Voters are split five or six ways. Under the antiquated British “first past the post” system, that means any party that can achieve about a third of the votes could win a landslide at a general election victory. Some may predict all this inevitably means “Curtains for Keir”, but for now it appears that Labour MPs believe the last thing they need is an internal battle over a new leader.

As for the clearly divided British public, perhaps we would all be satisfied with a period of calm and clear leadership. For now, it seems our gradual sense of political change – as Hemingway suggested – could very suddenly shock us all.

Mount Dukono erupted on Friday at 7.41am local time, spewing ash up to 10km into ⁠the sky, the country's volcanology agency said. Footage released by the group showed a cloud of hot ash billowing from the crater and blanketing the slopes of the volcano.

Rescue workers found 17 people from a group of 20 hikers who went missing after the eruption began. Fifteen were taken to hospital, police said, and two remained behind to help search for the bodies of three hikers – two Singapore citizens and one Indonesian – who died.

Indonesia's search and rescue agency, known as Basarnas, said the group comprised nine Singaporeans and 11 Indonesians. “The government is continuing to gather information to establish a complete account of the incident,” it added.

Discussions held by authorities suggest “possible negligence by tourism operators or individuals” who proceeded to climb Dukono despite the hiking area being closed by authorities, Basarnas added.

Tourists and climbers have been advised since 2024 to stay at least 4km radius from the main crater, where there is a risk of rocks, ash and lava being spouted into the air. Despite the warnings, hikers have continued to travel to Dukono, especially those seeking extreme climbing experiences and the chance to see an active volcano up close.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "ring of fire", an area of high seismic activity on top of various tectonic plates. Dukono is on the island of Halmahera, to the east of Sulawesi in North Maluku province.

Volcanic activity decreased last year, but has picked up again since the end of March. Nearly 200 small-scale eruptions have taken place since then, the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia said.

The two leaders explored ways to bolster links across key fields including the economy, industry, renewable energy, technology and artificial intelligence, under a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between their countries.

They also discussed the latest developments in the Iran war and their implications for regional and international security, freedom of navigation and the global economy.

The meeting, which took place during Mr Stocker's working visit to the Emirates, was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, Adviser to the UAE President, as well as ministers and senior officials.

The much-needed upgrade came after a lengthy approval process and will increase the number of beds from 60 to 72, the ICRC said. Improvements will be made to emergency, outpatient, maternity and paediatric departments.

The hospital, which was designed to last six to 12 months, has been operational for two years since Israel's war on Gaza began in 2023. Since then, it has survived bombardment, extreme weather changes and an overflow of sick and injured patients.

Speaking to The National, ICRC spokesman Patrick Griffiths said talks on bringing in materials and equipment began nearly a year ago.

"This week marks the culmination of a months-long effort of negotiations with Israeli authorities," he said.

The facility is effectively a "replacement hospital," with parts being sourced from Nairobi to Egypt's Al Arish. Each piece is being replaced by a new one, Mr Griffiths said.

The field hospital was supposed to be temporary, but has had to get an upgrade so it can last longer because of the urgency and scope of medical needs in Gaza.

"The health system in Gaza is under immense pressure, and if the field hospital wasn't here, there would be a huge gap in people's abilities to have their health needs met," Mr Griffiths said.

Still, with only canvas and tents separating patients inside the hospital from the elements outside, the situation is less than ideal.

People are unprotected from the heat in the summer, the cold in the winter, and storms. The hospital is also close to the sea, leaving it vulnerable to erosion from saltwater.

Israel is currently blockading the entry of essential equipment and items needed to sustain already damaged health facilities.

When the ceasefire began in October, Gaza did not have a single fully-functioning hospital, despite more than 172,000 people being injured during the two-year war.

The ICRC maintains a strong relationship with the warring sides in the Gaza war. But Israel has already banned the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) - which has the largest humanitarian network in Gaza, with more than 11,000 employees - from operating there.

"There are no alternatives, and we stretched the hospital's shelf-life because of the immense needs," Mr Griffiths said.

It also unveiled Dh180 billion in cumulative offtakes over the next decade — adding Dh12 billion to an existing Dh168 billion pipeline, with plans to localise more than 5,000 products, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) said on Friday after the four-day event came to a close.

“There is a great difference between those who focus only on surviving crises and those who seize them as opportunities and turn them into new beginnings,” Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, had said on Monday. “In the UAE, we do not simply endure hardships. We emerge from them stronger.”

The UAE also unveiled planned projects of Dh200 billion over the next three years and financing worth Dh19 billion amid a push towards industrialisation. Investments worth Dh48.5 billion were also announced during the four-day industry event.

More than 200 agreements were signed across offtakes, investments, projects, financing and enablement programmes, the MoIAT said.

New deals

Some of the UAE's largest industrial conglomerates, investors, government bodies and corporates from oil and non-oil sectors of the economy signed a host of deals during the four-day industry showcase, which concluded on Thursday.

The flurry of pacts includes announcements from Abu Dhabi's Ta'ziz, Mubadala Investment Company, Adnoc, Emsteel, MoIAT, UAE defence conglomerate Edge, Emirates Global Aluminium, telecom company du and PepsiCo, among others.

Among the biggest domestic agreements was Abu Dhabi's Ta'ziz pact with the investment conglomerate Alpha Dhabi, aiming for $10 billion in capital investment in its new industrial chemicals ecosystem in the emirate. Ta'ziz also signed global offtake and feedstock agreements worth $28.5 billion to support chemicals production in the UAE and boost industrial growth.

Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi signed Dh2.1 billion in deals, while Abu Dhabi Investment Office confirmed Dh1.5 billion in support for new and expanded factories. Etihad Water and Electricity unveiled a deal worth Dh1 billion for a desalination plant, while Mubadala announced Dh4.5 billion in investments.

The Arab world’s second-largest economy also unveiled plans to enable Dh2 billion in annual food import substitution through local production, supporting up to 200 food factories and aiming for a 15–30 per cent increase in local production capacity.

The defence firm Edge awarded a Dh200 million contract to Abu Dhabi’s ECCI to manufacture and supply high-technology cable harness assemblies.

Boosting resilience

The agreements unveiled during the summit are part of the UAE government's efforts to boost the resilience of the country's industrial base in the face of geopolitical shocks and global economic headwinds.

In his keynote address on Monday, Dr Al Jaber said the industrial sector's contribution to UAE GDP has climbed to Dh200 billion and that there is room to boost this further, despite the adversity the country has faced in recent months amid the Iran war.

“Those who manufacture, own their decisions. Those who build, own their future. And those who combine both … secure their sovereignty and resilience,” Dr Al Jaber told delegates at the time.

Industrial exports from the UAE have grown to Dh262 billion, including Dh92 billion in advanced industrial exports, he said. At the end of April the government launched a Dh1 billion fund to support the industrial sector and announced a national strategy to secure supply chains and boost local food, medicine and industrial production.

The announcement, just a week before Make it in the Emirates, set the tone for the industrial extravaganza. The UAE has prioritised development of the industrial sector, a central pillar of its economic diversification drive, as it reduces its reliance on hydrocarbon revenue.

The Emirates launched its industrial strategy, Operation 300bn, in 2021, to position itself as a global industrial hub by 2031. The country's overarching agenda is focused on priority industries including chemicals, electrical, construction, machinery and equipment, food, transport, metals, pharmaceuticals, rubber, plastic and fibreglass, and wood and paper.

Procurement Opportunities

The Emirates, which in recent years has also invested heavily in advanced technologies and AI, set a new target for industrial procurement in the country this week. The value of industrial procurement opportunities in the UAE, Dr Al Jaber said, will rise by 7 per cent from Dh168 billion to Dh180 billion over the next 10 years.

As part of that push, the state-owned oil and gas major Adnoc became the first partner to back the National Industrial Resilience Fund. It signed an agreement with MoIAT and Emirates Development Bank to strengthen supply chain resilience and support local industries.

The UAE's PureHealth said it has exceeded Dh6.33 billion in local procurement spend since joining the National In-Country Value programme in 2022 to support the local industrial sector. The number of exhibitors at the event reached 1,245 this year, organisers said. It also attracted 146,329 visitors, up 19 per cent on last year.

Other deals

On Thursday, Adnoc Distribution announced the signing of an agreement with Dtek.ai to introduce Swift, an AI-powered self-checkout system, at Oasis Adnoc convenience stores across the UAE. Adnoc Distribution also announced partnerships with Emirates Global Aluminium and Borouge, valued at more than Dh60 million, to support domestic industrialisation.

MoIAT also announced an initial agreement with PepsiCo to expand the UAE’s Future Industries Lab, to support SMEs and help equip young Emiratis with practical experience in the industrial sector. Abu Dhabi technology-enabled healthcare company M42 and Global Medical Supply Chain (GMSC), a unit of Mubadala Bio, have entered into an outsourcing agreement to strengthen medical supply chain services across M42’s healthcare network.

As part of the agreement, GMSC will manage a fully integrated supply chain model across M42’s network, covering sourcing and procurement, demand planning, warehousing, distribution and inventory management. The partnership spans pharmaceuticals, medical consumables, equipment and instruments, ensuring reliable and consistent supply across healthcare facilities.

Mubadala Investment Company also announced a partnership with Whoop to advance proactive health and preventive healthcare innovation in the UAE, anchored by its $75 million investment in the wearable fitness tracker firm.

Abu Dhabi's steel and building materials manufacturer Emsteel announced six partnerships to support the advanced manufacturing goals of the UAE and decarbonise the steel value chain. Emirates Global Aluminium and Adnoc Logistics & Services also signed a high-level agreement to explore collaboration on supply chain resilience in the aluminium value chain.

The Image Nation Abu Dhabi co-production shot in Remah Desert over two days in April 2025, with support from Abu Dhabi Film Commission and Creative Media Authority Abu Dhabi.

Scott, known for Severance, Parks and Recreation and Big Little Lies, stars in the film alongside Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Michael Patric, Will O’Connell, Brendan Conroy, Ezra Carlisle and Austin Amelio. Amelio travelled from Texas to Abu Dhabi to shoot his scenes in Al Ain.

Hokum follows an American novelist who retreats to a remote coastal hotel and becomes caught in a mystery surrounding a sealed room and a dark force. The film is directed by Damian McCarthy, known for Oddity and Caveat, and co-produced by Spooky Pictures and Cweature Features in addition to Image Nation.

The production also placed four Emirati interns on set through Creative Lab, the authority’s youth talent development arm, enabling them to experience the workings of an international film set across the camera, production, art and wardrobe departments. One intern later travelled to Cork in Ireland, to continue working on Hokum's wardrobe team.

“Working in the camera department gave me hands-on experience preparing equipment, organising lenses and supporting the team on set,” Abdulaziz Al Blooki tells The National. “It was a fast-paced industry environment that pushed me to stay focused and work efficiently under pressure.

“It shaped my career direction, helping me discover a strong interest in camerawork. One of the most valuable lessons came during filming in a light sandstorm and high heat, where I learnt the importance of preparation, protecting equipment and strong teamwork. I’m eager to keep developing my skills, take on bigger projects and build solid experience in the industry.”

In the production department, the work centred on daily logistics, says intern Hamda Al Nuaimi.

“We had to ensure everything was fully prepared before filming began,” says Al Nuaimi. “During filming, we made sure that everyone was functioning in their assigned positions and that the location, with all set details, was in place.

“The experience of interning was very enjoyable as it helped me realise that filmmaking and producing require a unique set of skills that not everyone has. I also learnt valuable time management and flexibility to roll with the fluid nature of filming schedules and location shooting,” Nuami adds.

The Al Ain shoot continues Image Nation’s use of locations across the Emirates for film and television projects. “The UAE’s landscapes have been central to some of our biggest productions, including Hoba (The Vile), Al Kameen and now Hokum,” Ben Ross, chief executive of Image Nation, says. “The location brought a scale and authenticity to the film that a soundstage couldn’t replicate.

“This is what Abu Dhabi’s collaborative production ecosystem makes possible: solid infrastructure and a track record that international filmmakers trust. For us as a studio rooted in Abu Dhabi, that’s an important part of what we do.”

Abu Dhabi Film Commission helped facilitated access to locations, government support and the emirate’s 35 per cent rebate programme.

“We offer an attractive rebate programme for regional and international projects, while also supporting the production every step of the way, ensuring a smooth and efficient process,” says Sameer Al Jaberi, head of Abu Dhabi Film Commission.

“This project highlights the strength of our collaboration with Image Nation Abu Dhabi, whose continued efforts play a vital role in attracting high-quality, globally recognised productions.”

Creative Media Authority Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, supported with the script and permitting processes. Its talent programmes are designed to move young creatives from training into professional environments, with Creative Lab providing routes into active productions.

“The placement of four UAE interns on Hokum represents a meaningful opportunity to nurture emerging local talent by giving them direct exposure to an international production environment,” says Aysha Al Jneibi, director of talent management at Creative Media Authority.

“Initiatives such as these, which are run primarily through Creative Lab, are essential in equipping the next generation of filmmakers with practical skills and industry experience, and we are proud to see these talented individuals contribute to a project of this scale.”

Hokum had its premiere at the South by Southwest Film and TV Festival in the US and is now showing in cinemas across the region.

League leaders Al Nassr lead Al Hilal by five points courtesy of their 4-2 victory over neighbours Al Shabab on Thursday, having played a game more than their Riyadh rivals.

Here's all you need to know:

When is it?

Al Nassr v Al Hilal takes place on Tuesday, May 12, with kick-off at 10pm (11pm UAE).

Where is it?

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Nassr teammates will enjoy home advantage with the game being played at Al Awwal Park.

How to watch

According to the league's website, the game will be broadcast live on SSC (Saudi Sports Company) on linear TV and streamed via Shahid in the Middle East and North Africa and Thmanyah in the UAE.

International viewers can watch the game on the Saudi Pro League's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@-saudiproleague and via other subscription packages such as DAZN.

Why is the game so important?

Al Nassr v Al Hilal matches are always a big deal, pitting Saudi Arabia's two biggest clubs against each other.

Hilal are 20-time Saudi champions – a record – while Nassr are chasing a 10th crown and a first league title in seven years.

Both clubs have a huge fanbase in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

This match has much more riding on it, though.

Al Nassr beat Al Shabab - in pictures

Until last Sunday, Nassr looked to be cruising to the title, going into their match against Al Qadsiah on the back of 16 straight league wins.

A shock 3-1 defeat in Dammam left the door open for Hilal. A 2-1 comeback win over Al Khaleej on Tuesday saw Simone Inzaghi's side narrow the gap to two points, before Nassr restored their five-point cushion with victory over Shabab on Thursday.

Ronaldo was on target in that match, bringing up his 100th Saudi Pro League goal.

The Portuguese superstar has yet to win any major silverware since joining Nassr in late 2022.

Back then, Ronaldo's move sent shockwaves through the football world, shining a global spotlight on Saudi football. It was the launchpad for the Kingdom's clubs to make several headline-grabbing signings as it bid to raise the standard of the league to compete with Europe's big five.

What was being billed as Ronaldo's coronation just a few weeks ago could now turn into a defining showdown, with the title race hanging in the balance and little margin for error.

Ronaldo winning the league would be a watershed moment for his move to the Middle East. Defeat, however, would open the door for Hilal to deny him that milestone.

Benzema and other subplots

The biggest rivalry in Saudi football essentially has come down to one match with global attention and legacy stakes.

But Ronaldo isn't the only show in town.

There are plenty of tantalising subplots: Ronaldo's former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema is chasing back-to-back titles, having led Al Ittihad to a league-and-cup double last season.

Benzema's move to Hilal in early February caused consternation for Ronaldo, who effectively refused to play as he accused the two clubs' powerbrokers, the PIF, of favouring Hilal in the title race.

Two behemoths of world football, owners of six Ballon d'Ors between them, are battling it out for Saudi supremacy.

Nassr coach Jorge Jesus, who led Hilal to the Saudi league-and-cup double in 2024 before being sacked 12 months ago, will look to get one over his old club and mastermind Nassr's first title success since 2019.

Should Hilal win on Tuesday and go on to win the league, it would represent one of the greatest turnarounds in SPL history.

Nassr raced out of the blocks, winning their first 10 games of the season. A 3-1 defeat to Hilal on January 12 saw the pendulum swing decisively back towards the blue half of Riyadh, with Hilal opening up a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

Nassr's surge through the spring saw them string together 16 successive league wins, putting the ball firmly back in their court. The title was theirs to lose.

The setback at Qadsiah has given Hilal hope, and with a game in hand, Hilal know they must walk out of the lion's den with all three points on Tuesday to put themselves in the driving seat to claim a record-extending 21st league title.

Remaining fixtures

Al Nassr

- Al Hilal (Tuesday)

- Damac (May 21)

Al Hilal

- Al Nassr (Tuesday)

- Neom (May 16)

- Al Fayha (May 21)

IAG said in its quarterly trading update that it expects prices to rise and warned its profits will be lower as a result of Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

European authorities ‌are scrambling for ⁠solutions to ​prevent broad aviation disruptions this ​summer ‌after European airlines have warned of ⁠jet fuel shortages within weeks ⁠as a result of the Iran war.

Jet fuel exports from the five Gulf states fell by about 80 per cent in March during the Iran war as part of a wider disruption that wiped more than 10 million barrels a day from global oil supply.

The continent is more dependent on jet fuel imports, with some 75 per cent ​from the Middle East, than for any other transport fuel.

But IAG, which is also the parent company of Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL, said a strong supply chain and local arrangements at its main hubs will keep fuel supplies flowing.

UK airlines buy jet fuel in advance, and airports maintain stocks to see them through periods when supplies are threatened. IAG says it has advance purchases in place for 70 per cent of its fuel needs this year.

British Airways said that “based on what we know today, we are confident of jet fuel supply in our main markets throughout the summer”.

“Today, the situation is more about the price of fuel than availability,” the company says.

“If the current conflict continues to restrict flows of both crude oil and jet fuel from the Middle East, there is the potential for supplies of jet fuel to be restricted on a global basis.

“We are engaging with governments in each of our home markets as well as with the EU to ensure that the industry is getting the support it needs to navigate this situation.”

The company’s chief executive Luis Gallego added: “We currently see no issues with fuel availability in our main markets, particularly as we benefit from our investment in fuel self-supply at our hubs.”

The European Commission has now confirmed the price of a ticket that has been sold cannot be increased retroactively to reflect increased fuel costs.

Meanwhile, French Transport Minister Philippe ​Tabarot ​said he did not expect large numbers of flight cancellations this ​summer by airlines due to ⁠a shortage of jet fuel.

Most airlines have no interest in cancelling flights ⁠during the summer when they make ​most ⁠of their ‌revenue, although some have slightly reduced ​their traffic, he said.

The French government is preparing aid measures to support airlines, such as deferrals of social security contributions, extended tax payment deadlines and flexibility on fuel ​loads.

Ms Albanese received the Order of Civil Merit from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at a ceremony on Thursday.

“Public responsibility brings with it a moral obligation not to look the other way,” Mr Sanchez said. “It is an honour to bestow the Order of Civil Merit on a voice that upholds the conscience of the world.”

Ms Albanese, an Italian human rights lawyer, has been a strong critic of Israel and its war on Gaza. She was in Madrid to promote her book When the World Sleeps: Stories, Words and Wounds of Palestine.

The US imposed sanctions on Ms Albanese after she called for the International Criminal Court to investigate US and Israeli companies and citizens she says are involved in rights breaches. She has also been threatened with arrest in Germany for her criticism of Israel.

Mr Sanchez has written to the EU to ask it to block the US sanctions against Ms Albanese, telling officials they “represent a very worrying precedent that compromises the independent workings of institutions that are essential to international justice”.

The Spanish socialist leader is also the EU's most vocal critic of Israel and in the past has convened Arab and European nations to increase pressure on Israel to end its war on Gaza and its push to annex the occupied West Bank. Spain was among the first European countries to recognise the state of Palestine in 2024.

Ms Albanese also visited the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid to see Picasso’s Guernica. The famed anti-war painting represents his condemnation of the Nazi bombing of the Basque town in 1937. Ms Albanese compared the destruction in the painting to Israel's actions in Gaza.

She criticised the ceasefire in the enclave as a pretext “for the world to take its eye off Gaza and for it to be forgotten about”.

Labour haemorrhaged seats as authorities in England declared local election results, after a set of contests that could prove decisive for Mr Starmer’s leadership.

Mr Starmer said there was no "sugarcoating" the “tough” local election results, saying he took responsibility. “Days like this don’t weaken my resolve to deliver the change that I promised," he added.

“We have lost brilliant Labour representatives across the country, these are people who put so much into their communities, so much into our party. And that hurts, and it should hurt, and I take responsibility.”

Reform leader Nigel Farage suggested his party was on course for a general election victory after taking council seats from Labour. Reform’s gains exceeded 700 seats and control of one council when results were announced from 79 of the 136 councils in England by Friday afternoon, while Labour lost more than 380 councillors and control of eight local authorities, including in its traditional northern heartlands.

A jubilant Mr Farage heralded a “historic change in British politics", saying “there is no more left-right”. Reform was “scoring stunning percentages in traditional old Labour areas”, he added.

With 1,200 council seats already declared, Sky News made a “national equivalent vote” prediction which showed Reform on 31 per cent, Conservatives on 19, Greens 16, Labour 15 and Liberal Democrats 13.

On that basis, if there was a general election, Reform would win with a 60-seat majority, with Mr Farage as prime minister. But Labour MPs have insisted there should not be a “panic” among colleagues leading to a leadership challenge against Mr Starmer “expressed by the misplaced hope in the panacea of a new leader”.

“The PM has my support in that and I urge colleagues to rally behind him,” Rugby MP John Slinger told The National.

While he admitted the result was “very disappointing”, he also accused parties such as Reform of “weaponised anger and false promises” that did not fix anything “and risk tearing our community apart”. But a Labour official told The National it was a “disastrous result”, adding: “I don’t know where we go from here."

Despite the heavy losses, a councillor in Crawley, West Sussex, said she was still proud of how the party was working for people. Khayla Abu Mosa, who said she was the first Palestinian-Jordanian to be a councillor in England, told The National: "We did what we can and no matter what the outcome will be, I will be proud for all those who work so hard for Labour."

The pro-Palestine Greens are also expected to do well, with leader Zack Polanski predicting “record-breaking local elections” for the party. He said it would “take time for the full scale of the Green successes to become clear", especially in London boroughs to be counted later on Friday.

The Greens’ Zoe Garbett became the party’s first elected mayor, ousting Labour in Hackney.

Mr Polanski said his message to Mr Starmer was “it’s time to go” and “the country has clearly rejected you” in the local elections.

There was some hope for Labour, though, with polling expert John Curtice saying a stronger-than-expected performance in London, and a struggle by the Greens to convert votes into seats in some boroughs, may lead to the party avoiding a humiliating defeat.

“It may well be now that Labour lose rather less than the 1,500 seats that some people said was potentially the tipping point for attempts to try to unseat Keir Starmer," Mr Curtice said.

It could be another bad result for the Conservatives, despite an improvement in party leader Kemi Badenoch’s approval rating, with the party expected to lose further ground to Reform. It did manage to take the London borough of Westminster from Labour, however.

Almost 25,000 candidates were fighting to be elected to more than 5,000 seats on the councils across England, where six local mayoral contests also took place.

Parliaments chosen

In Scotland, all 129 seats were up for grabs at Holyrood, while voters in Wales were choosing 96 members of the Senedd. Counting did not start until Friday afternoon.

The Scottish National Party was expected to remain the largest party, but lose overall control of the Scottish Parliament.

Labour faces losing the national vote in Wales for the first time in more than a century, while in Scotland the SNP appears likely to remain the largest party after 19 years in power. Welsh Labour expects to be reduced from 30 to around 10 members in the Senedd, with a party spokesperson saying they are “deeply disappointed” they will not lead the government.

Baroness Eluned Morgan, the First Minister of Wales, lost her seat, marking the first time a sitting Welsh leader has lost an election in the Welsh Parliament.

The party has been the largest at country-wide elections in Wales for more than a century and had won the most seats in the Welsh Parliament since its creation more than two decades ago.

Plaid Cymru was on course to become the largest party in Wales, with reform second.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “This has undeniably been a very difficult election for Welsh Labour.

“We now expect to lose several hardworking and respected Members of the Senedd. We thank them for their service to their communities.

“It is looking like Welsh Labour will return a group of around 10 MSs – which will at least allow a vocal Labour opposition, even though we are deeply disappointed about not being able to lead a government.”

Farage jubilant

Baghdad-born former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform in January, said it was a historic night that proved there were no longer left or right traditional heartlands for Labour or Conservatives. He said Mr Starmer was a “lame duck prime minister” after a “catastrophic night” for Labour.

Mr Farage compared the substantial gains to clearing Becher’s Brook, a famously difficult jump in the Grand National horse race.

“If we cleared Becher’s Brook and landed well, we go on to win the Grand National," he said. “What is very clear to me is that our voters will stick with us now all the way through.”

Reform's East Sussex councillor Aidan Fisher told The National that his party’s victory was in part down to people “feeling betrayed by the traditional parties”. Those parties "seemingly don't listen and that has created the desire for a new broom, which we are seeing unfolding today with the meteoric rise of Reform UK", he added.

Labour went into Thursday’s local elections expected to lose up to 1,850 councillors, with senior figures describing the contest as “tough”. Initial results painted a bleak picture for Mr Starmer. In some wards in Halton, in Cheshire, Reform won with more than 50 per cent of the vote in an area where last year Mr Farage’s party won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes.

Labour losses to Reform followed in Chorley, Lancashire, and Wigan, Greater Manchester.

A national drubbing is likely to reignite speculation about Mr Starmer’s leadership of the party and the country. Before polls closed, The Times reported that Energy Secretary and former Labour leader Ed Miliband had privately urged the Prime Minister to set out a timetable for his departure after the elections.

Labour's Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash, whose wife Pamela Hargreaves lost her seat in Reform’s clean sweep, said Mr Starmer should step down. “It’s clear to me that the Prime Minister should take this opportunity to set out a timetable for his own departure, and then allow for the widest possible leadership election that includes all the talents of our party," Mr Brash added.

But Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy urged Labour to refrain from playing “pass the parcel” with the party leadership in response to the election results. He told the BBC there were “questions we have to answer”, but there were “no circumstances in which the answer to the questions that the British people are raising is to change the leader yet again”.

For the event, which kick-started in 2016, restaurateurs align on pricing. This year, the two-course lunch menus are priced at Dh125, while the three-course dinner menus sit at Dh250.

Many Michelin-starred and Mena's 50 Best-awarded restaurants are taking part, alongside menus from famous chefs and homegrown talent.

Here's where you'll find The National team dining over the coming weeks.

11 Woodfire

Where: Jumeirah Beach Road

I adore 11 Woodfire and won't be passing up the chance to enjoy a Michelin-starred dinner for all of Dh250.

A homely setting, in a villa on Jumeirah Beach Road, 11 Woodfire is the creation of chef and restaurateur Akmal Anuar. The menu focuses on open-fire cooking, with great-quality ingredients, simple presentation, and exceptional quality at its heart.

Starters include smoked burrata, calamari, lamb ribs and grilled avocado. For mains, choose between French turbot, smoked Woodfire chicken, 250g rib-eye black Angus steak and cauliflower steak; all mains are served with a choice of broken potatoes or shallots and corn kernels. For dessert, pick between a purple corn dish, which plays with different textures, or bone marrow chocolate with tonka ice cream and banana.

Farah Andrews, head of features

Avli by tashas

Where: Gate Village, DIFC

I admire – and adore – Natasha Sideris. Not only has she built a restaurant empire through her Tashas Group nearly single-handedly – writing a cookbook or two along the way – but she’s also warm, dynamic and forever innovating. For all of that, the food at her venues, from Flamingo Room to Avli by tashas and Bungalo34, is consistently delicious.

Avli, which is participating in Dubai Restaurant Week this year, offers a three-course dinner menu in line with the Greek-South African entrepreneur’s culinary philosophy: high-quality ingredients and simple but masterful cooking techniques.

How I’ll decide among the feta saganaki, seabass ceviche and black garlic and squid ink calamari from the appetiser options is anyone’s guess. At least the main and dessert are a no-brainer: aubergine papoutsakia with beef mince, tahini yoghurt, a sourdough crumb; and crunchy hazelnut and dark chocolate with vanilla bean ice cream.

Panna Munyal, features sub-editor

Baoli Dubai

Where: J1 Beach

A tropical party spot that blends French, Mediterranean and Japanese cuisine under soft lighting and an atmosphere that begs you to unwind, Baoli is the ideal place for a special weekend dinner.

The last time I visited I enjoyed the sushi platter, rich Wagyu steak, and decadent Isfahan rose cake with matcha foam and lychee sorbet. This time I'm looking forward to sampling the tomato carpaccio with yuzu creme fraiche and tanoki crumbs; the duck and ginger rice pot; and the orange blossom creme brulee, which sounds like summer in a bowl.

Speaking of which, this is an opportunity to enjoy the best of Baoli – a meal at which usually goes for Dh500 per person – before Dubai nights become hotter.

Hala Nasar, social media journalist

Canary Beach

Where: Club Vista Mare, Palm Jumeirah

Canary Beach, the sister venue of Joey Ghazal's Canary Club, does exactly what you want it to. Tables are set directly on the sand, close enough to the water to feel like you’ve properly left the city behind.

I was expecting it to lean louder – the JLT original has become a weekend party spot – but here the tone is much more measured. Service matches that mood. The staff are attentive without being overbearing and quickly find a natural rhythm with the table. Its location on the quieter end of the Palm helps; Canary Beach feels removed from the busier West Palm stretch.

The menu sits in that Latin American–Japanese space, with a focus on clean flavours, citrus, and a bit of heat. Think toro rolls, teriyaki salmon and soy-glazed sirloin.

It suits the setting – straightforward, well-executed and built for sharing over a long, unhurried lunch or dinner. And if you look a little closer inside the restaurant, away from the beach, there's an ice box behind which you might find something surprising.

Nasri Atallah, TN magazine editor

Ce La Vi

Where: Address Sky View Hotel, Downtown Dubai

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There was a time when I couldn't scroll Instagram without seeing a snap of Ce La Vi. After it opened in January 2020, the restaurant enjoyed three months of social media posts featuring the supersized swing that frames the Burj Khalifa skyline. Then the pandemic hit...

Yet in the years since, the Southeast Asian restaurant – with establishments in Singapore, Tokyo, Taipei and London – has continued to be a favourite in the city. And, shamefully, I still haven't visited. So this week I'm going to snap up the lunch menu offer, which I'm pleased to see has vegan options. Meaning it's the gem lettuce salad, mushroom kamameshi and a trio of seasonal sorbets for me.

Hayley Kadrou, deputy features editor

CQ French Brasserie

Where: Grand Millennium Hotel, Barsha Heights

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CQ is a forever favourite of mine, be it for a date night or an evening with friends. It is also notable for its very good deals throughout the week; the set-price ladies' night is close to unbeatable in my eyes.

So it's no surprise that the French brasserie-style restaurant is stepping up for Dubai Restaurant Week. The vast majority of its menu is available for both the lunch and dinner sittings.

You can't go wrong with a table out on the terrace at the Dubai-grown chain's latest opening in Barsha Heights. I'm always happy to start a meal by sharing some starters, favourites include escargots, salads and calamari. Come the main, I am always ordering steak frites; for non-meat eaters, the main options also include moules-frites and mushroom risotto. For dessert, look no further than the creme brulee or chocolate mousse.

Farah Andrews, head of features

Demon Duck

Where: Banyan Tree, Bluewaters Island

Have you ever tried to cook a duck? It’s not easy. I tried to roast a whole duck after watching too many chefs on YouTube; the bird was expensive, and my skills were lacking, so it's probably best to leave it to the professionals.

Luckily, Dubai has the answer for that craving: Demon Duck, by Michelin-lauded chef Alvin Leung. The restaurant offers pan-Asian cuisine, with a few surprises or as the restaurant calls it, their “own unapologetic twist”.

I am especially excited to try crispy duck and Alvin’s special hummus, which is an obvious nod to our location and sounds delicious. For those less enthusiastic for duck, there are plenty of other options. I will be making a note to try the tongue-numbing Sichuan dishes.

Enas Refaei, assistant editor-in-chief

Gerbou

Where: Nad Al Sheba

On a quiet street in the green surroundings of Nad Al Sheba, Gerbou offers a modern take on Emirati flavours, and has a calm, assured feel that suits the cooking.

The lunch and dinner menus serve as a fine introduction. The chicken arseeyah is worth ordering because it understands what slow-cooked chicken and rice should be: soft, rich, generous and deeply comforting. The chicken machboos, meanwhile, brings the familiar Gulf combination of spiced rice and chicken, done with real care.

Vegetarians have options, too: vegetable salona at lunch and roasted cauliflower with granola, bell pepper and smoked yoghurt at dinner.

Saeed Saeed, arts and culture reporter

Jun's

Where: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard

May is only just upon us, but my thoughts are already turning to Jun's.

The swish Downtown Dubai restaurant is well worth a visit at any time of the year, featuring a menu overflowing with such quality and variety that no two trips need ever be the same.

Award-winning chef Kelvin Cheung has brought his Chinese heritage and North American upbringing to the table in a fine dining fusion of delicious dishes, offering everything from tempura zaatar chaat and char siu Wagyu claypot to dan dan spaghettini prepared with an extra dash of class with a mushroom-peanut-coconut broth.

Perfect for a culinary encore after a night out at the opera, Jun’s offers a theatre of food that is enough to take star billing in its own right.

Chris Maxwell, news editor

The Nine

Where: Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, Wafi City

Sometimes all you want is to taste a little bit of home, and for me, The Nine offers that in abundance. In my humble opinion, this gastropub offers the finest British cuisine in the Emirates, not least its beef Wellington.

Head chef Shankar Majhi has lived in Dubai for a decade, working at several notable brands before moving to Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk. He's a firm believer in experimenting with ingredients and flavour combinations while always honouring British culinary heritage, making for a potent gastronomic combination when you visit as a diner.

It’s sort of the best of both worlds; comfort food but often with an unexpected twist that makes it stand out. For the three-course Dubai Restaurant Week dinner, I’ll be heading down for the braised beef cheek with mushroom tart, followed by the slow-braised Welsh lamb shank pie and, if there’s any room left, it’ll be The Nine’s signature apple pie with custard for dessert.

Tom Evans, assistant news editor

Xu Dubai

Where: Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, Al Barsha

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Since moving to the UAE more than a decade ago from the US, I’ve missed authentic Cantonese food. That’s why Xu Dubai has caught my attention as it leans into classic flavours with a refined edge, and the set menus feel like a good way to sample a bit of everything. The restaurant is also on the Michelin Guide’s list in Dubai, which gives a sense of how seriously it takes its food.

I have my eye on the Wagyu beef charsiu and black pepper beef, as well as on comforting staples, such as hot and sour soup and kung pao chicken, which I grew up with and are the ones I’ve missed most.

Evelyn Lau, assistant features editor

The livery features on aircraft bearing registration A6-EVG and “serves as an extension of the iconic tail identity”, an Emirates representative said.

This follows a call last month by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, for the UAE flag to be raised high above homes and buildings across the country as a sign of solidarity in to celebrate strength and pride in the face of Iranian missile and drone attacks.

“The UAE flag is a symbol of strength and pride. We call on the sons of the Emirates and its residents to fly it above their homes, centres and buildings,” Sheikh Mohammed posted on social media. “We are proud of our country, proud of our President [Sheikh Mohamed], our military strength, our economy, our workforce, all of our citizens and residents on our land, proud of our flag.

“Let us raise the flag high over every home and building, as a sign of our love and symbol of our loyalty to our President and our unity and solidarity. May God protect the UAE, its people.”

طيران الإمارات تكشف عن تصميم جديد لكسوة طائرة A380 تحمل علم دولة الإمارات، ويأتي هذا التصميم الجديد على الطائرة التي تحمل تسجيل A6-EVG امتداداً لهوية الذيل الشهيرة للناقلة. pic.twitter.com/Y9rTO7iDvV

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) May 8, 2026

Emirates planes have already proudly shown off the UAE flag for many years, with the new design serving as a striking update at a time when patriotic pride is on full display.

Flying the flag for UAE

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, chairman and chief executive of Emirates airline, spoke of his pride at flying the flag high for the UAE.

"Since its inception, every Emirates aircraft has proudly carried the UAE flag wherever it flies. This is our way of paying tribute to a home that has given us so much," he said in a message on X.

A tribute to a nation that stands as proof of what is possible when we collectively choose to reach higher, every day. There is no greater stage for our flag than in the skies."

The national banner has become one of the most recognisable symbols of the country, and has taken on stronger associations with pride and unity since war broke out.

Designed by Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah, the UAE flag features three horizontal bands of green, white and black, with a vertical red strip nearest the mast. These are known as pan-Arab colours, associated with Arab unity and identity.

Their origins can be traced back to the Arab Revolt of 1916, and the hues have since appeared on several flags. Al Maainah described them as representing successive eras in Islamic and regional history, from the early caliphates to the Fatimid and Ottoman periods.

Oil prices rose on Friday while stocks fell after the US and Iran exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz, putting further strain on the fragile ceasefire between the warring sides.

Brent, the benchmark for two thirds of the world's oil, was up as much as 2.9 per cent at $103 per barrel before paring back some gains. It was trading 1.35 per cent higher at $101.40 a barrel at 9.02pm UAE time. West Texas Intermediate, the gauge that tracks US crude, gained more than 1 per cent to $95.83 a barrel. Prices were briefly in the red in midday trading.

The rise in crude prices ends a three-day losing streak and, after an immediate reaction to renewed attacks, moderated gains as a fragile truce between the two sides holds. Both Brent and WTI remain in the red for the week, down more than 6 per cent.

The US said on Thursday that it intercepted "unprovoked Iranian attacks" on naval vessels crossing the strait. US Central Command said it eliminated "inbound threats” and struck Iranian military sites used to attack American forces.

The US said it does not seek escalation, but is ready to protect its forces. A spokesman for the Khatam Al Anbiya Central headquarters, Iran's main operational command, accused the US of breaching the ceasefire.

US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire is holding and Washington and Tehran are still engaged in negotiations. “While geopolitical headlines remained in focus, particularly amid reports that the US had struck targets adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz, the fact of the matter remains that not only does the ceasefire continue to hold, per comments from President Trump, but also that talks between the US and Iran have continued, with progress towards a deal continuing to be made,” said Michael Brown, senior research strategist at Pepperstone.

Focus on Strait of Hormuz

Oil prices have swung wildly since the beginning of the conflict, now its third month. Prices edged towards $120 per barrel when Tehran launched strikes on the UAE, in retaliation against attempts by the US to escort commercial vessels out of the strait.

But they slumped on Wednesday, hitting intraday lows of more than 10 per cent, when the US suspended its naval escort operations.

The UAE on Friday activated its air defence systems once again to deal with Iranian drone and missile threats, the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X.

As the Iran launches attacks, all eyes remain fixed on the strait, which has been effectively closed since the conflict began on February 28. The closure of the vital waterway has resulted in an unprecedented supply shock to the global energy markets.

A fifth of global oil and gas supplies were normally shipped through the strait before the conflict began.

Stocks drop

A global equities rally, driven by record corporate earnings and hope of a US-Iran deal, is also losing steam owing to the latest escalation in Hormuz.

Shares in Asia broadly fell, retreating from record closes earlier in the week on technology stock-driven boost. The US benchmarks also dropped at close on Thursday amid the US-Iran exchange of fire Mr Trump's threats to hit Iran harder if it failed to sign a deal soon.

But despite the drops across most Asian markets on Friday, Asian equities are set for a fifth week of gains, the longest winning streak since January, Bloomberg data shows.

“We have no idea how the situation will evolve, but the track record of the past two months is not really encouraging and the Friday close is always a critical moment,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank. “The US tends to make decisive moves during no-market hours to give investors time to digest the information, hoping to push volatility into Monday and eventually drown out bad news with encouraging – often unfounded – announcements.”

Japan’s Nikkei 225 settled 0.19 per cent lower while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.87 per cent. Australia's S&P ASX 200 also retreated 1.51 per cent, while China’s Shanghai Composite ended flat. Stocks in India declined 0.66 per cent.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 closed 0.43 per cent lower, while Frankfurt's Dax fell 1.32 per cent and Paris' CAC 40 retreated 1.09 per cent.

A group of 13 left Damascus on Thursday and arrived at Sydney and Melbourne airports on two Qatar Airways flights. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said that “some individuals” would face charges on arrival.

Kawsar Abbas, 53, and her daughter Zeina Ahmad, 31, were arrested at Melbourne Airport by officers from the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team.

Police alleged the pair committed crimes against humanity, including engaging in slave trading, enslavement and possessing a slave during their time under ISIS rule in Syria. Authorities said the mother took part in the purchase of a Yazidi girl for $10,000.

Abbas was charged with four offences under Australia’s crimes against humanity laws, while Ahmad faces two slavery-related charges. The offences carry maximum penalties of up to 100 years and 50 years in prison, respectively.

Abbas’s second daughter, Zahra, 33, was not arrested or charged. The women returned with eight children, who are expected to undergo deradicalisation programmes and psychological support.

Lawyers for the two women said they would seek bail on Monday.

In Sydney, Janai Safar, 32, was charged with being a member of a terrorist organisation and with entering or remaining in an area controlled by ISIS. Each offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Police allege she travelled to Syria in 2015 with her husband, who had joined ISIS. Under Australian law, travel to ISIS-controlled Raqqa between 2014 and 2017 was prohibited without a legitimate purpose.

Her lawyer is expected to apply for bail in a Sydney court.

Australian authorities have repeatedly said they would not actively facilitate the return of women and children who joined ISIS in Syria. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had “absolutely zero sympathy for these people”.

“I do have sympathy for the children, who are victims of decisions that their parents have made,” he said.

There are still 21 Australian nationals in the Al Roj camp in north-eastern Syria. Supporters of the detainees said efforts were under way to repatriate the remaining Australians within weeks.

One woman in the camp remains subject to a temporary exclusion order, which bars her from returning to Australia for up to two years. Such orders can be imposed on citizens aged 14 and above considered to pose a high security risk.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said authorities had maintained contingency plans since 2014 to deal with Australians linked to extremist organisations.

Manus Cranny, The National's geo-economics editor, cuts through the noise and presents insights from the stories making headlines around the world.

Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara chose Saudi Arabia as the destination for his first official international trip after ousting President Bashar Al Assad in December 2024.

Since then, ties between the two nations – and across the Gulf – have been thawing after they came to a standstill under the former president, with major announcements on investments and co-operation across sectors.

In February, Saudi Arabia launched an investment fund in Syria that will commit 7.5 billion Saudi riyals ($2 billion) to develop two airports in the Syrian city of Aleppo over multiple phases, Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al Falih said.

Most recently, Syria’s Deputy Transport Minister Mohammad Omar Rahal said specialised technical teams had been established to draw on Saudi expertise in modernising Syria’s transport sector.

Arab Gulf states moved quickly to entrench themselves in Syria’s post-Assad future, to stabilise the war-ravaged country but also to reshape the regional balance of power.

Long seen as a pariah under Bashar Al Assad’s rule, Syria is now re-emerging in the region with speed.

Mr Al Shara, a former rebel fighter once linked to extremist factions, has recast himself as a pragmatist leading a transitional government. His administration, backed by a fragile coalition that includes Islamist-leaning Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), has been eager to secure Arab support and foreign investment to jump-start the economy and rebuild shattered infrastructure.

The Gulf response has been swift and substantial. In the months following Al Assad’s downfall, Saudi Arabia and Qatar jointly paid off Syria’s $15.5 million debt to the World Bank, unlocking access to critical reconstruction grants. Doha has also pledged $29 million monthly to fund salaries in Syria’s public sector for three months.

In May last year, the Syrian government signed an agreement with a consortium of companies led by Qatar's UCC Holding to double the country’s power supply.

Emirati firms have also moved early. DP World signed an $800 million agreement to develop the port of Tartus, while prominent Emirati businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor publicly urged greater investment in Syria’s recovery.

Recently, the head of Emaar Properties, one of Dubai's leading real estate companies, Mohamed Al Abbar, visited Syria to discuss investment opportunities there.

Condemnations from around the world poured in this week over the latest unprovoked Iranian attacks on the UAE. Baghdad remained silent – offering no official denunciation. The contrast was stark in Erbil where Kurdistan Regional Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the region’s President Nechirvan Barzani issued a condemnation and reaffirmed support for the UAE.

Iraq does not speak with one voice when it comes to foreign policy, a byproduct of the dysfunction of its political system. For the Kurdistan Regional Government, Iran and its network of allied militias are an immediate security threat.

Erbil has carefully cultivated its ties to the UAE and the Gulf in search of political and security alignment in the region. Just days before the latest attack, President Nechirvan Barzani met President Sheikh Mohamed in Abu Dhabi to discuss regional developments.

In recent years, Iraq appeared to be reintegrating into the Arab fold after years of isolation following Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the conflict that followed the US invasion. Baghdad had begun rebuilding its bridges with Gulf states, particularly with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. But the Iran war has once again turned the tide and Baghdad has tried to avoid appearing to take a side, but as a consequence failed to condemn Iranian attacks on Arab countries.

But this is not just about condemnation, or the lack thereof, and diplomacy. This silence points to the enduring reality that Iraq’s foreign policy remains deeply constrained by its close ties to Iran, regardless of who’s in charge. The Iran war has caught Iraq amid a gruelling process of still forming a new government after holding elections in November last year.

Last week, businessman Ali Al Zaidi was nominated as prime minister in what seemed to be the Co-Ordination Framework’s last-minute option for a candidate, providing a way out of political paralysis and US pressure. Washington repeatedly warned Iraq against picking former prime minister Nouri Al Maliki for the role, again due to concerns over his ties with Iran.

US President Donald Trump welcomed Mr Al Zaidi’s nomination and has extended an invitation for him to visit Washington once he has formed a government. While the sidelining of Mr Al Maliki might seem like a concession to Washington, this wouldn’t be the first time Iraq has chosen a consensus candidate as a facade while the shadow government maintains its grip.

Despite not yet fully assuming his role, Mr Al Zaidi has taken several calls from world leaders since his designation. Among those was a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during which Mr Al Zaidi said Iraq was ready to mediate between Tehran and Washington.

In the post-2003 order, Iraq has walked a diplomatic tightrope, balancing its ties with both Tehran and Washington but has often found itself falling back on the Iranian side.

But the question is whether a state that refuses to rein in its Iran-aligned militia groups and fails to condemn attacks on a fellow Arab country can truly act as a neutral mediator.

It remains to be seen whether Al Zaidi will continue to be someone the US backs, or if he’ll end up being another side of the same coin

Iraqi militia groups and Iran have carried out more than 600 attacks on US sites in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region since the start of the Iran war, according to the US Department of State. Despite a ceasefire, Iran continues to target Iranian-Kurdish opposition groups in the Kurdistan Region.

The region bore the brunt of the attacks, but Gulf states also said they believed some of the attacks on them had originated from Iraq. Militia groups part of the Iranian-aligned "Axis of Resistance" had made it clear that they are supporting Iran in this war and wider regional positioning.

The US has, of course, taken note of the militias' role. The leaders of the main militia groups – Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba, Harakat Ansar Allah Al Awfiya, Kataib Sayyid Al Shuhada and Kataib Hezbollah – each have a $10 million US bounty.

It remains to be seen whether Mr Al Zaidi will continue to be someone the US “backs very strongly”, as Mr Trump has said, or he'll end up being another side of the same coin.

In the meantime, a lack of comment on Iran’s attack on the UAE this week shows Iraq’s self-imposed isolation. From the Arab League to Canada, there was a loud message of condemnation, while Baghdad remained on the sidelines.

“It was just one of those moments,” he says. “I still remember it.”

What followed was not so much a decision as a continuation. Growing up in Al Ain, in public housing built for Emirati families, Al Lamki says art was not necessarily a prescribed path. At the time, there were no ecosystems to plug into, no institutions laying out a route from childhood aptitude to professional practice. Art classes at school were limited to once a week, and by grade six, they disappeared entirely, recounts Al Lamki. For most, that would have been the end of it.

For Al Lamki – whose art now sits in collections such as Barjeel Art Foundation and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi – it was just the beginning. “I went to my dad and said: ‘This is the situation. I’m not getting enough of this,” he recalls. What he asked for next was unusual: a private art tutor.

In a household where academic support was typically reserved for maths or science, it landed as something of a surprise. “They didn’t really get it,” he says with a smile. “My siblings needed help with physics. And here I was, asking for art classes at home.”

His parents found him a teacher anyway. The arrangement lasted until Al Lamki finished high school. Looking back, he recognises it for what it was – a quiet but decisive endorsement. “They were very supportive, especially my dad,” he says. “He came from a completely different upbringing, he was very corporate, but he was so supportive.”

The space came soon after. In the architecture of those government-built homes, kitchens would often be moved out of the main house to accommodate for the realities of family cooking. That left a surplus room inside the house. Al Lamki claimed it.

“I didn’t even know what I was doing,” he says. “I just turned it into my studio.” There is a kind of consistency to the way he describes his childhood. While others asked for toys or, later, cars, his own requests were narrowly focused. “I never asked for an Atari or a bicycle,” he says. “All I wanted was art supplies.” In the absence of dedicated stores in Al Ain at the time, he improvised by heading to bookshops with small creative sections and made occasional trips to Dubai, where better materials could be found.

If ever there were an alternative path to Al Lamki’s life, one where he isn’t an artist now considered one of the UAE’s most celebrated, it was never seriously tested. “I don’t know,” he says now, on the cusp of turning 40. “Sometimes I ask myself: ‘Did I ever try doing something else? Would I be good at something else?’” The question hangs for a moment before he answers it, but it is clear to me that he knows the answer. “This made sense. I felt comfortable. I studied it. I became good at it. And it still satisfies me for now.”

The route to formal education was not as straightforward. In 2007, the UAE offered few viable options for someone intent on pursuing art at a higher level. Scholarship applications did not come through the first time. A brief stint in the family business followed, less a detour than a holding pattern. “They told me: ‘You need to find something to do. You can’t just stay in this gap year.’”

Al Lamki enrolled at UAE University in Al Ain. It did not last long. Within the first term, a professor intervened. “He looked at me and said: ‘What are you doing? I can see where your passion is.’”

The intervention proved decisive – much like that early encouragement at nursery – leading to a connection with the cultural attache at the American Embassy and, eventually, to an exploratory programme linked to State University of New York in upstate New York. “I took everything,” he says of the academic options laid out in front of him. “Drawing, video, graphic design, colour theory.” The confirmation was immediate. “I was like: ‘Yes. This is it.”

As happy as he was, nearby New York City exerted a gravitational pull. Upstate, he realised, was not the place he had imagined. “It was a few hours away,” he says. “I knew I needed to be there.” The next step led him to Parsons School of Design, part of The New School, where the curriculum offered both structure and freedom. Core studio classes anchored the programme, but electives allowed for drift, which in Al Lamki’s case proved formative.

“At the time, it felt extremely random,” he says. “I took pattern-making, natural dyeing and lighting.” In retrospect, those choices read less like digressions and more like early indicators of a practice that would resist singular definition. Before heading to the US, his understanding of art had been narrow. “In my mind, art was painting,” he says. “That’s it.” Parsons dismantled that assumption. Performance, installation, material experimentation all entered the frame.

“You’re 18 or 19, you’re in New York, you’re porous, you’re a sponge,” he says. Museums, galleries, the constant openings and conversations: the city did what it has done for generations of young artists – it expanded the field of possibility. More importantly, it reframed the terms of engagement. Art was no longer a medium, but a way of thinking.

If that period provided the tools, the content would emerge later and closer to home. Al Lamki’s work today is often discussed through the lens of materiality and landscape, but its conceptual core is more personal, anchored in a lineage that while rooted in the Emirates, stretches beyond it.

“My great-grandparents were involved in the Spice Route,” he says. “They left Oman and lived in Zanzibar.” It is a history shaped by movement – across the Gulf, East Africa – and interrupted by rupture. The 1964 revolution in Zanzibar forced a dispersal; family members scattered across Egypt, London and the Gulf. His father arrived in the UAE in 1965, working for BP before the country’s unification.

“I was born decades later,” Al Lamki says, “but it’s part of my story.” He employs a term I had not come across before to describe part of what his practice explores: spice punk. At its simplest, it is a rejection of singular, western-centric narratives in favour of something more networked and fluid, with roots in South Asian literature. At its most ambitious, it is a way of reimagining cultural exchange itself. But it feels like less a manifesto than a working framework, an attempt to articulate these overlapping geographies and histories.

“Thanks for mentioning that,” he says when spice punk is brought up. “It’s something I’m really passionate about. These routes weren’t just about trade. They were about knowledge, connections, exchange. The connection was much deeper than we think today.” What interests Al Lamki is not nostalgia, but continuity, the idea that these histories remain active, if obscured, beneath the surface of contemporary identity.

The landscape of Al Ain provides a parallel narrative. Jebel Hafeet, the mountain that dominates the city’s horizon – visible from rooftops, the site of family gatherings, a fixed point in an otherwise shifting context – has been a constant presence in his life and his artistic practice. It was only later, through conversations with geologists and his own research, that he came to understand its formation: the collision of the African and Asian tectonic plates.

“It felt like a self-portrait,” he says of the mountain. Al Lamki’s work often operates in that space where personal history, geological time and cultural memory intersect. “Every time I dig deeper, there’s more,” he says. “It’s like adding a layer, but also shedding one.”

Materially, this manifests in a practice that is deliberately grounded. Al Lamki works with what is available – reclaimed textiles, natural pigments, found objects – not out of necessity, but as a philosophical position. “I’d rather work with what already exists,” Al Lamki says, “than trying to create something from scratch.” The process is intuitive rather than strictly conceptual. “In the studio, it’s not like this,” he says, gesturing towards the neatness of the space. “It’s more emotional. You follow something and it starts to make sense.”

In recent years, his work has taken him further east. Residencies, biennials, exhibitions in South Korea, China and Singapore have opened up new lines of inquiry. “It started with one show,” he says. “Then it led to another, and another.” Over time, the pattern became clearer. The cultural affinities between the Gulf and parts of Asia – coastal life, trading histories, shared sensibilities – offered an alternative axis, one that felt more aligned with his own interests than the established western circuit.

“I think I wanted to look in a different direction,” he says. “There are connections there that feel very familiar.” There is also, he admits, a more personal undercurrent. “Maybe it’s grief,” he says. The word is offered carefully, without elaboration, but it resonates with the broader trajectory of his work – a search for grounding, for context, for a way of situating oneself within a longer, less linear history. Something almost ancestral.

That search unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly changing UAE. Over the past two decades, the country’s cultural infrastructure has expanded apace, with platforms such as Art Dubai – where Al Lamki will exhibit a new work this month – playing a central role. Al Lamki’s own relationship with the fair mirrors that evolution.

“I first went as a visitor,” he says. “Then I was part of programmes, then showing with a gallery, then through non-profit work.” The progression is not unusual, but in his case it underscores a deeper point: the ecosystem has grown in tandem with the artists it supports.

“It’s more than just a fair,” he says. “It’s a community.” The emphasis is telling. While the commercial dimension remains, what he values most is the convergence. That annual moment when artists, curators, collectors and institutions occupy the same space, exchange ideas, take stock.

This year’s event, reshaped and rescheduled in response to broader uncertainties, has sharpened that sense of collective purpose. “It’s dynamic,” he says. “It’s very brave that they still kept the fair.” His own contribution is still being constructed when we speak. “It’s community-based,” he says of the piece, which emerges from artisan-led work resulting from a recent residency.

What matters, he suggests, is less the finished piece than the act of participation. “It’s about contribution. About belonging.” In a year framed by disruption, the decision to proceed carries symbolic weight. For Al Lamki, that symbolism aligns with a broader, more personal trajectory. The questions he is asking now – about origin, connection, the validity of inherited knowledge – are not easily resolved. Nor, it seems, is resolution the goal. “I think I’m getting closer,” he says. “But there’s always more.”

Photography by Aqib Anwar

Shot on location in Abu Dhabi

In an interview with Variety, the Mexican actress, 35, said the company will prioritise collaborations with creatives who publicly supported Palestine as well as those who defended her after her dismissal from the horror franchise. She said she is now “building a slate, producing and finding good companies to partner with”, adding: “I want to give opportunities to good people. Basically anyone pro-Palestine.

“I kept track of the people who vocally came out and said something to defend me at the time: Susan Sarandon, Tatiana Maslany, Hannah Einbinder, Poppy Liu. Obviously, Javier Bardem would be a dream to work with. He doesn’t need me to give him any opportunities. But yes, I have lists. I do believe in building a network of people who are like-minded. For me, this is chapter two.”

Barrera said the company marks a broader shift in her career after what she described as being effectively blacklisted in Hollywood following her removal from the Scream franchise in late 2023.

At the time, production company Spyglass Media said it had “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate”, while Barrera rejected the accusations and maintained that she was criticising the Israeli government, not Jewish people.

Among posts that sparked the controversy, Barrera wrote: “Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with nowhere to go, no electricity, no water … People have learnt nothing from our histories. And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it all happen,” further emphasising: “This is genocide and ethnic cleansing.”

In another post, she said: “As we all wake up to what is and has been happening in Gaza and see it for what it is, it is very important to also understand: just like all Palestinians are not Hamas, all Jewish people are not the Israeli government.

“Do not blame, or hate on, a whole group of people because of what some are doing,” she added. “I stand with all those caught in the crossfire. I pray for freedom and peace for you and your families.”

Barrera is among several Hollywood figures who have faced professional fallout after publicly speaking about Palestine. Fellow actress Sarandon was dropped by talent agency UTA over comments she made at a pro-Palestinian rally, while talent executive Maha Dakhil stepped down from leadership positions at CAA after sharing social media posts criticising Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Barrera's production company comes as more independent film groups and distributors have gained visibility for focusing on Palestinian stories, including Watermelon Pictures. The production and distribution company, launched to support Palestinian cinema and underrepresented voices, counts Alana Hadid, the older half-sister of models Bella and Gigi, as creative director.

UAE Team Emirates-XGR head into Friday's opening stage in Bulgaria, where the first three days are being held, on a high after Tadej Pogacar's dominating performance at the Tour de Romandie last week.

There will be no Pogacar – or Isaac del Toro, who finished agonisingly close to winning last year's race – lining up on the starting line in Nessabar. Joao Almeida is also absent due to a virus that has disrupted his plans in recent months.

“Not having Joao Almeida will change our strategy slightly, but we still have big ambitions and still want to go for results,” said Adam Yates, who will lead a team that includes Jay Vine, Jan Christen, Marc Soler, Antonio Morgado, Igor Arrieta and Mikkel Bjerg.

“Personally, I feel like the shape is good and if things go our way, we can have a good crack at the GC [general classification].”

Pogacar and Del Toro are prioritising the Tour de France which will see the Mexican rider make his debut alongside the four-time champion from Slovenia. And preparations are already well under way with the pair spotted on a Tour Stage 14 recon at Grand Ballon this week, for a race which begins on July 4 in Barcelona.

The spring season is over and the work for the summer starts now…

Pogi and Torito spotted on a Tour de France stage 14 recon at Grand Ballon, France. pic.twitter.com/HzwDoXdUB0

— Lukáš Ronald Lukács (@lucasaganronald) May 5, 2026

But before then, all eyes turn to the Giro which will see Yates and Vine leading the Emirati team's charge over a brutal Corsa Rosa course.

Yates, 33, made his Giro race bow back in 2017 and will be looking to maintain the team's impressive record in recent years, with Almeida finishing third in 2023, Pogacar winning on his debut 12 months later, before Del Torro's second place on the podium last year.

Last month, Yates secured overall victory at O Gran Camino, finishing 32 seconds ahead of Jorgen Nordhagen (Team Visma-Lease a Bike), and believes he is in good place as the English rider looks to add a Giro stage win to his victories on the Tour and Vuelta a Espana.

“I’m pretty happy with how my preparation for the Giro has gone,” added Yates, whose brother Simon toppled Del Torro to win last year before his shock retirement from cycling in January.

“The win in O Gran Camino was a good tester and I’ve had a solid block with the team in Sierra Nevada, so I think as a group we’re ready.”

Alongside Yates at the Giro will be Australian rider Vine who enjoyed an unforgettable victory on his home Tour Down Under in January, which saw him triumph despite being knocked off his bike after an unfortunate collision with a kangaroo which would leave him with a broken wrist.

The 30-year-old is returning to full fitness after a difficult period – which also included a crash at the Volta a Catalunya in March – and looking to build upon a promising start to the season.

But when asked if he had ambitions to challenge for the overall Giro title, Vine gave a blunt response. “I don't think that's something that I'll be doing at this race,” he told Cycling News at the team presentation in Burgas on Wednesday.

“[Almeida dropping out] hasn't really changed my role. It's disappointing not having Joao here because I think he had a good chance to do a good race, but it's more opportunities for the team. I don't think it's going to change our plans much; we'll see what happens.”

Despite Vine being an Australian national time-trial champion, he surprisingly has yet to win at a Grand Tour – or even WorldTour level – in that format. And his big target in Italy is clear.

“I'm really looking forward to the TT on stage 10, 42km, dead flat,” he added. “I've worked really hard on it, on the position as well with the Australian team in the summer, and we've tried a few things.”

Going up against Yates and Co at the Giro will be reigning Vuelta champion and two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard, who is looking in ominous form following victories at Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya.

If the Dane tops of the podium in Rome on May 31, it means Vingegaard, 29, will become only the eighth rider to win all three Grand Tours after Jacques Anquetil, Felice ​Gimondi, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Alberto Contador, ‌Vincenzo Nibali and Chris ⁠Froome.

“Taking on this challenge, which is new to me, ⁠is exactly what I needed. I can't wait to ​get ⁠started; my goal is ‌to win the Giro d'Italia in Rome,” the Visma-Lease ​a Bike rider told Gazzetta dello Sport. “For several years, my competitive schedule has been very similar. I felt the need for a change.

“The Giro is a major goal, and I’m convinced that these few weeks will help me reach peak form for the Tour as well. But right now, my focus is solely on the Giro.”

One name absent from that list of greats is Pogacar who has yet to taste victory in the Vuelta, one of the few races he has still to tick off his win list.

“Achieving this hat-trick is a goal for me, and that’s it. It means making history,” Vingegaard added. “He’ll get there too; it’s just a matter of time. ​Tadej is perhaps the best ever. But I’ve already beaten him and I’m confident I can do it again.”

In the UAE, the Ministry of Defence says air defence systems have engaged with further drone and missile threats from Iran this morning. Authorities in the Emirates have established a national committee to document Iranian aggression and damage from attacks.

We also look at renewed diplomatic efforts between Lebanon and Israel, with a third round of US-backed talks scheduled to be held in Washington. But that will come after Israel launched its first strike on Beirut since a ceasefire came into force.

Meanwhile, Disney says plans for its theme park in Abu Dhabi – its first in the Middle East – remain on track despite the Iran war.

And Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, has officially opened the $190.6 million Khor Fakkan Resort. The project is expected to provide a major boost to tourism and investment in the emirate.

Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

Liverpool's three-game winning run came to an end last week as they lost 3-2 at Manchester United, which leaves them in fourth place, but still six points clear of Bournemouth in sixth.

The Chelsea crisis deepened on Monday as they fell to a 3-1 home loss to Nottingham Forest, making it six consecutive league defeats with just one goal in that period. It means they have dropped down to ninth place, level on 48 points with Fulham in 11th.

Prediction: Liverpool 2 Chelsea 1

Brighton v Wolves (6pm)

Brighton's impressive run ended in a 3-1 loss at Newcastle, which was their first since March 4 and saw them drop down to eighth place, albeit only two points off the top six.

Relegated Wolves avoided a fourth defeat on the spin by drawing at home to Sunderland. The Midlands club have still only managed three wins from 35 matches.

Prediction: Brighton 3 Wolves 0

Fulham v Bournemouth (6pm)

It was the usual one step forward, one step back for Fulham, following up their win over Aston Villa by losing 3-0 at Arsenal. The Cottagers are 11th, just two points behind Brighton in eighth place.

Bournemouth swept aside Crystal Palace 3-0 to maintain their top-six spot to extend a club record unbeaten run in the top-flight to an impressive 15 games.

Prediction: Fulham 1 Bournemouth 2

Sunderland v Manchester United (6pm)

Sunderland have taken just a single point from a possible nine but are still in the European hunt, sitting two points off the top eight with three games left.

Manchester United secured Uefa Champions League football next season with their 3-2 win over Liverpool that boosted their advantage over their old rivals to six points.

Prediction: Sunderland 1 Man United 1

Sweeping home in style 🧹

Kobbie's composed finish clinched a vital win against Liverpool on Sunday! 🧊 pic.twitter.com/0E2jWRdBGE

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 3, 2026

Manchester City v Brentford (8.30pm)

Man City's title hopes suffered a body blow when they drew 3-3 at Everton, although it would have been even worse had it not been for Jeremy Doku's brilliant stoppage-time leveller. Pep Guardiola's side are five points shy of table-topping Arsenal but do have a game in hand.

Brentford are right in the European mix after a comfortable 3-0 win over relegation-threatened West Ham which lifted the Bees up to seventh in what was their first home victory since January.

Prediction: Man City 3 Brentford 1

Sunday: Burnley v Aston Villa (5pm)

Championship-bound Burnley had interim manager Mike Jackson in the dugout for last week's 3-1 loss at Leeds following Scott Parker's exit. The Clarets have lost five consecutive games, have accrued just four wins all season and have been languishing in the relegation zone since November.

Villa's home defeat against Tottenham was their second league loss on the spin but they remain in fifth place and still enjoy a six-point advantage over Bournemouth in sixth. On Thursday, Villa reached the Europa League final with a resounding 4-0 win (4-1 on aggregate) over Nottingham Forest.

Prediction: Burnley 1 Villa 3

Crystal Palace v Everton (5pm)

Palace have dropped down to 15th place after taking just a single point from three matches, losing their previous two against Liverpool and Bournemouth. Thursday's Europa Conference League semi-final saw them secure a place in the Europa Conference League final courtesy of a 5-2 aggregate win over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Everton's European dreams have taken a hit after one win in six games but they were unlucky not to take all three points in their draw with Man City on Monday. But they remain knocking on the door in 10th place, two points outside the top eight.

Prediction: Palace 1 Everton 2

Nottingham Forest v Newcastle United (5pm)

Forest moved six points clear of the bottom three after beating Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge, meaning they have taken 13 points from a possible 15 in their fight against relegation. They will need to recovery quickly from Thursday's Europa League hammering to Aston Villa, though.

Newcastle sealed a first win since March thanks to a 3-1 win over Brighton following a nightmare run of nine defeats in 12 league matches. But the Magpies' European chances are slim as they remain five points outside the top eight.

Prediction: Forest 2 Newcastle 2

Arsenal beat Atletico – in pictures

West Ham United v Arsenal (7.30pm)

West Ham have dropped back into the relegation zone following their comprehensive loss at Brentford, but are only one point behind 17th-place Tottenham.

Arsenal's title dream is now in their own hands; if they win their final three games – with Burnley at home and Crystal Palace away still to come – the crown is theirs. The Gunners also go into this game on a high after sealing a place in the Uefa Champions League final after beating Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Prediction: West Ham 0 Arsenal 1

Monday: Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United (11pm)

Spurs lifted themselves one point clear of the bottom three after winning at Aston Villa, which made it two consecutive victories for new manager Robert de Zerbi.

Leeds are now seven points above the relegation zone after an emphatic win over Burnley having gone seven matches unbeaten in the league.

Prediction: Spurs 2 Leeds 0

Ronaldo brought up his century of league goals in the 72nd minute when he turned in a low Sadio Mane cross from close range for his 25th goal of the campaign.

"What a win tonight! Let's keep going!" Ronaldo wrote in a social media post.

The Portuguese superstar has also scored 100 league goals or more in England (Manchester United), Spain (Real Madrid) and Italy (Juventus).

Nassr raced into an early lead with Joao Felix scoring twice inside the first 10 minutes.

Shabab failed to deal with a Mane cross into the box on three minutes, and Portuguese forward Joao Felix slammed home with a right-foot volley.

His second came seven minutes later with a towering header back across goal that left Shabab goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe stranded.

Joao Felix completed his hat-trick deep into stoppage time when he scored from the penalty spot for his 17th league goal of 2025/26.

Shabab had threatened to rally when Yannick Carrasco pulled it back to 2-1 on the half-hour mark and Ali Albulayhi made it 3-2 on 80 minutes.

Victory means Nassr head into Tuesday's crunch clash with closest rivals Al Hilal with a five-point cushion having played a game more.

The game at Al Awwal Park is being billed as the biggest in Saudi Pro League history and will almost certainly determine the title.

View this post on Instagram

Hilal are chasing a record-extending 21st SPL crown while Nassr are looking to win the championship for the first time since 2019.

Ronaldo, 41, has yet to win any significant silverware since his blockbuster move to the Kingdom in December 2022. Nassr are also in the final of the AFC Champions League 2 on May 16.

Landmark Retail ranked 8th on the Best Workplaces in the UAE 2026 list in the Large Organisations category, placing it among the country’s top 10 workplaces and making it the highest-ranked retail organisation featured in this year’s list. The achievement marks an important milestone for Landmark Retail, following its first collective participation in the Great Place to Work survey in May 2025 as one unified business entity.

In Saudi Arabia, Landmark Arabia, part of Landmark Group, ranked 6th in the Best Workplaces in KSA 2026 list under the Large Organisations category, further strengthening the group’s standing as an employer of choice in one of its most significant and fastest-growing markets.

The dual recognition reflects Landmark Group’s continued focus on building high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures across its regional operations. It also highlights the group’s sustained investment in employee engagement, leadership development, inclusion, internal mobility, and long-term career growth across its diverse retail ecosystem.

The Best Workplaces in the UAE 2026 list recognised 100 organisations across large, medium and small categories, with Landmark Retail ranked among the top 10 large organisations in the country. In Saudi Arabia, Landmark Group ranked 6th in the large category of the Best Workplaces in Saudi Arabia 2026 list, which recognised organisations for their commitment to building high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures across the kingdom.

“This recognition is a proud moment for Landmark Group, and above all, for our people," said Nisha Jagtiani, group director of Landmark Group.

"It is a testament to the commitment of our leaders, and the dedication of our teams who bring our culture to life every day. I would like to thank every colleague across the group whose passion, ownership and belief in what we do continue to shape our success.

"As a group, we remain committed to creating an environment where our people feel valued, empowered, and inspired to grow.”

Kabir Lumba, chief executive of Landmark Retail, said: “Landmark Retail’s recognition among the UAE’s top 10 best workplaces is an important milestone for us.

"This achievement speaks to the culture our teams continue to build together across our brands, stores, offices, digital platforms, and support functions.

"Every day, our colleagues bring passion, care, and commitment to the way they serve customers, support one another, and drive our business forward. We are proud of this recognition, and even more proud of the people who made it possible.”

Vedapuri Thachampattu, chief country head at Landmark Arabia, said: “Saudi Arabia remains one of Landmark Group’s most important markets, and this recognition is a proud achievement for our teams across the kingdom.

"It reflects their commitment, passion, and the strong culture we continue to build at Landmark Arabia. As the kingdom advances its transformation journey, we remain focused on developing Saudi talent, creating meaningful career pathways, and empowering our people to grow as future leaders in the retail sector.”

Landmark Group achieved strong regional rankings, placing 11th overall in the Middle East and 7th in the GCC for women, underscoring its leadership in fostering inclusive workplace environments and championing diversity and empowering female talent across the region.

The recognition builds on Landmark Group’s long-standing investment in people and workplace culture. With a workforce of more than 53,500 people, the group has continued to be recognised as a Great Place to Work since 2017, reflecting its sustained commitment to employee engagement, development, and workplace excellence.

I was myself standing on the summit of the UAE’s highest mountain, Jebel Jais, looking out over steep ravines, desert landscapes and the sea that opens into the Strait of Hormuz.

The evening before, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, had hosted a gracious iftar for the diplomatic corps. As we broke the fast, conversations naturally revolved around the continuing negotiations between the US and Iran. Much indicated that there would, after all, be no war. Nor did anyone in the Gulf wish for one.

That beautiful Saturday morning was strikingly calm. About fifty people shared the breathtaking view from the mountaintop. Most had driven up the winding road, passing a few cyclists surely anticipating the descent. I took some photos – and then my phone vibrated. The war had begun. Iran had conducted missile attacks against the UAE and other Gulf countries.

My phone soon grew hot. I had to stop several times during the long drive back to Abu Dhabi. Once there, I witnessed the Emirati air defences intercept incoming missiles with great efficiency.

In the first hectic weeks that followed, my embassy’s focus was primarily on assisting stranded tourists. Thousands of Swedes had come to the UAE to enjoy the sun, the sea and everything else the Emirates has to offer. Others were caught in transit. Like many countries, Sweden arranged charter flights. At the same time, commercial air traffic from Abu Dhabi and Dubai resumed quickly, allowing the consular crisis to subside. The UAE’s ability to handle enormous flows of people with hospitality and efficiency was – and remains – impressive.

So, too, is its broader resilience. Seeking a safe space during missile alerts and experiencing the collective anxiety was unsettling. Yet this unease rapidly gave way to confidence in how authorities responded to the attacks. Many of us were impressed by the air defences – but perhaps even more so by how people, institutions and commerce held firm under pressure.

For me, this is the most lasting impression: under immense strain, a strong sense of unity and trust emerged.

Swedish companies have been present in the Emirates since the 1960s, proving to be reliable and consistent partners in the country’s development. Today, about 250 Swedish companies operate here – from defence industries producing goods made in the UAE, to consumer brands such as Ikea, H&M and Spotify. Nearly 10,000 Swedes now call the UAE their second home.

Political co-operation has deepened as well. A visit to Sweden last year by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, gave new momentum to bilateral relations. Sweden’s Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Minister of Justice are among those who have visited the UAE in recent years.

Sweden strongly condemns Iran’s unjustifiable attack. Iran has no right to target its peaceful neighbours, nor to close waterways essential to the global economy. As an EU member state, we welcome the bloc’s active diplomacy to de-escalate tensions in the region.

The dust of war, more than two months after it started, has yet to settle. But the resilience demonstrated by the UAE during these critical weeks makes me confident that its success story will continue. Nations that foster creativity, entrepreneurship and tolerance are best positioned for the future. Sweden intends to remain a reliable and consistent partner in that journey.

No wonder those around the Real Madrid camp are tense, but at least Madrid winning away to Espanyol at the weekend meant they’ll avoid the ignominy of forming a guard of honour for the new champions.

The last time that happened, in 2008 at the Bernabeu, it was the other way around. Fans formed mock guards of honour outside the stadium and cheered each other through.

Then Barcelona’s players lined up to applaud Madrid players as the entire stadium hollered insults and told them to salute the champions. Madrid’s players left them waiting and enjoyed that walk. There were just six Barcelona fans in the stadium to witness it. Madrid were champions, they won the game 4-1 just to rub it in. Coach Frank Rijkaard departed to be replaced by Pep Guardiola and the Catalans won all six competitions they entered the following season.

Barcelona have got their rivals in checkmate. Had Espanyol won against Madrid last week, they would have also helped their despised neighbours from across the city win the title. Barca boast an astonishing 29 wins from 34 league games and could still reach 100 points and score 100 goals.

They have won the title in circumstances which have delighted their fans in recent years. In 2023, their players celebrated the league title in the centre circle at neighbours Espanyol. Home fans booed and then a few hundred jumped on to the pitch and chased Barcelona's players off it to the accompaniment of the whole stadium singing anti-Barca songs.

Barcelona is preparing for a party, but parties can be spoiled. The Catalans have only won four of the 10 La Liga derbies so far this decade, though their 4-0 triumph in the Bernabeu last season remains the most emphatic. The equivalent game last season in Barcelona remains the best, a 4-3 win for Flick’s side, who were trailing 2-0 to two Kylian Mbappe goals after 11 minutes. Barcelona then scored four times between the 19^th and 45^th minutes.

Mbappe has been injured, though he’s back in training. At a reportedly unhappy training ground, the French striker has been accused of being involved in a dispute with a staff member. Madrid are probably without key players Arda Guler, Ferland Mendy and Aurelien Tchouameni.

The latter was involved in a dressing-room fight with Federico Valverde on Thursday that resulted in the latter being treated in hospital with a cut to the head. The club later confirmed their captain will be sidelined for two weeks.

Barcelona will be without their best – the injured Lamine Yamal – and Raphinha, who is coming back from injury. The Brazilian, last season’s player of the year, has missed the past six games, including the two vital Uefa Champions League quarter-final games against Atletico Madrid.

Absences could help the chances of Marcus Rashford starting a first home Clasico. The Mancunian played 90 minutes in the 2-1 defeat at Madrid earlier in the season and loved the Spanish Super Cup win against Madrid in Saudi Arabia in January when he came off the bench for Raphinha after 83 minutes.

Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, has started in three of Barca’s 16 league games so far in 2026, but with 13 goals and 14 assists since September, his season can be considered successful. He’s not a star player for Barcelona, but he’s well respected by his coaches and teammates. He’s happy and wants to stay.

United have long said that there’s a deal in place and a fee which Barca would have to pay to sign the forward when his loan period is due next month. It should be simple; it seldom is with Barcelona, so expect posturing and brinkmanship when it comes to negotiations, with compromise needed.

🇪🇸 Will Marcus Rashford remain at Barcelona beyond his current loan spell?

At the weekend he provided his 27th goal contribution of the season when he set up Lewandowski with this lovely cross.

There is an option to buy for €35 million #Barça #MUFC pic.twitter.com/QwWkxaeVOk

— English Players Abroad (@EnglishAbroad1) May 6, 2026

Ahead of the Clasico, Barcelona defender Jules Kounde told the club’s media: “I see the team in great shape, very focused. We’re all really looking forward to playing in El Clasico, and we can even win La Liga with a draw, but a win would be the best.

"We trained really well today, and personally, I feel good. We’re very excited. We know their strengths and, therefore, we must continue playing according to our own style. We must know how to track back, but the key will be to press effectively.”

The game will be a 62,000 sell-out as Camp Nou continues to undergo redevelopment on the way to a 2027 completion and a 105,000 final capacity. General admission tickets have been sold for over €500 on the club’s website, with the only ones remaining being premium seats costing from €2,500 upwards. The prices are eye-watering for normal football fans, but Barcelona have long courted the tourist market.

The limited capacity means demand for tickets is higher, more so as there’s a chance to see Real Madrid suffer as FC Barcelona are crowned champions of Spain.

Sales price growth in Dubai's residential sector eased to about 9 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter, down from the double-digit surges of the post-pandemic boom, while transaction volumes fell about 20 per cent in March due to the regional war, according to CBRE's UAE Real Estate Market Review and data from property platform YallaValue.

Despite the moderation, average residential prices have not fallen. The UAE's banking system remains well-capitalised and S&P Global Ratings has reaffirmed the country's AA/A-1+ credit rating.

For long-term buyers, experts say the shift represents an opportunity – but only for those willing to be patient.

“We're now seeing villas transact at fair market value and in some cases slightly below,” said Matthew Bate, chief executive of BlackBrick Property. “The market is still active but the profile of the buyer has shifted. Today, it's largely domestic buyers with both financial and emotional equity in Dubai.”

A longer-term outlook

Mr Bate, whose firm recently closed record transactions in prime villa communities including Victory Heights and Jumeirah Golf Estates, said this is the kind of environment that creates sustainable opportunity – not the sense of urgency that characterised much of 2023 and 2024.

“We are now in a calmer window where buyers can negotiate properly and secure quality assets before conditions recover. If you're planning to hold for five years or more, this is where the opportunity sits,” he told The National.

Having that long-term plan and outlook for that timeframe is crucial right now, experts say.

Steve Cronin, a personal finance educator and founder of Dead Simple Saving who has advised thousands of UAE residents on financial decisions, agreed. “You need to have a long time horizon – a minimum of five to 10 years,” he said. “Don't expect to make a quick buck out of this.”

Mr Cronin's caution extends to leverage and lifestyle creep. “Don't overextend yourself. Don't get too big a mortgage where you might struggle to make the monthly payments.” He also warns that while this looks like a buyer's market on the transaction side, it is also a renter's market. “Don't expect yields to be as high as they have been.”

Patience is a virtue

The rental yield picture, despite softening, remains attractive by global standards. Daniel McCulloch, head of valuations at CBRE Mena, notes that the buy-to-let sector still benefits from relatively high yields and the absence of both income tax and capital gains tax. This combination continues to make Dubai real estate a competitive value proposition internationally.

“For buyers with a long-term perspective, focusing on 'time in the market' rather than 'timing the market' is generally recommended,” Mr McCulloch said, adding that current conditions, including the possibility of distressed sellers, may favour patient buyers willing to wait for the right asset.

The broader market picture supports that reading. CBRE's first-quarter UAE Real Estate Market Review, released in April, found that while sales price growth in Dubai's residential sector slowed to around 9 per cent year-on-year, average prices did not fall and Abu Dhabi's residential market posted record transaction values in the same period.

“Structural undersupply across various asset classes, well-established institutional frameworks, and the country's pivotal role as a destination for international capital have collectively strengthened market fundamentals,” said Matthew Green, head of research at CBRE MENA.

A maturing market

That resilience is being tested in ways the market has not experienced before, however. A new analysis by property consultancy Cavendish Maxwell warns that geopolitical risk has become “no longer optional, but foundational” for Gulf real estate investors, with events such as regional conflict, sanctions and hydrocarbon price swings capable of substantially altering construction costs, rents and prices. The UAE's structural exposure – through hydrocarbon-linked liquidity cycles and its large expatriate population – means buyers must factor geopolitical uncertainty into their long-term plans.

On the developer side, Ahmad Sultan Al Shammari, group head of sales at Palladium Prime Real Estate Development, said the market is maturing. “This is not a market slowdown – it's a shift towards more disciplined, informed decision-making,” he told The National. “Demand has become more selective, with well-located, well-designed projects from credible developers continuing to outperform across all price segments.”

Mr Al Shammari sees the current environment as healthy: sellers are showing patience rather than panic, developers face healthier competition, and brokers are playing a more advisory role. “For buyers who prioritise strong locations, reputable developers and quality design, the current environment is favourable,” he said.

UAE creatives at the Biennale have embraced the idea of listening, too. Speaking to The National, Laila Binbrek, director of the National Pavilion UAE, explained that Washwasha – the Emirates’ six-artist exhibition – has an “element of sound and listening, which feels especially needed at this moment”.

Recent developments inside one of the world’s most prestigious art gatherings show what can happen when listening and dialogue break down. Just days before the event’s professional preview, the Biennale’s entire international jury stepped down. Jurors had made clear that they would not consider national pavilions from countries whose leaders are facing charges at the International Criminal Court. This would have affected the participation of Russia and Israel.

Organisers were forced to swap the Biennale’s coveted Golden Lion awards with two visitor-voted prizes, to be announced on November 22, the closing day of the exhibition. These are consequential departures from tradition and reflect how the Venice Biennale is taking place in an increasingly fractious world. Nevertheless, the relationship between art and politics has always been a thorny one.

Some of the world’s greatest artworks have poignantly reflected human suffering. Despite initial criticism for its abstraction, Picasso’s 1937 painting Guernica has since become a universal symbol of abhorrence at war and violence. Artistic expression can also be simultaneously sublime but propagandistic, such as the 1925 Soviet film Battleship Potemkin.

Artistic expression can be a heated and robust exchange but it cannot take place if certain voices are excluded or ostracised

Yes, there is an argument to be made that because national pavilions are state sponsored, they should be subject to scrutiny and criticism if the governments in question have breached international law. Similar arguments abound in other cultural spaces. Several countries have pulled out of this month’s Eurovision song contest in protest at Israel’s participation. This week, musicians, artists and sporting figures in Ireland published an open letter urging the country’s football authority to boycott Uefa Nations League matches against Israel scheduled for September and October.

But art is there to challenge and be challenged. Artists have a responsibility to create works that reflect their views and – if need be – oppose those of others. This interplay is what creates space for dialogue and greater understanding. This doesn’t have to be genteel – artistic expression can be a heated and robust exchange – but it cannot take place if certain voices are excluded or ostracised. Just as artists from the Arab world in Venice this year have focused on the importance of listening, it is worth reflecting on what happens to the conversation if one or both sides refuse to hear what is being said.

I write in reference to Faisal Al Zaabi’s article Zayed National Museum named among world’s most beautiful by Prix Versailles (May 6): the UAE has earned many accolades over the years, and this latest recognition is yet another prestigious addition. The honour bestowed in Paris by Prix Versailles – awards given in the field of architecture – highlights Abu Dhabi as a global cultural hub and reflects the nation’s commitment to architectural excellence and heritage preservation. In addition to its cultural achievements, the UAE has also demonstrated strong diplomatic leadership in recent crises, protecting its citizens and maintaining stability through measured and effective responses. – K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India

Turner revolutionised news broadcasting

Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, who passed away on Wednesday, was a great entrepreneur and visionary. News about the world emanates round the clock, for 24 hours. He had the mind to recognise this global need for news at all times and cater to it. In a sense, he revolutionised news broadcasting. He will always be remembered with respect for adding value to our lives. – Rajendra Aneja, Mumbai, India

Two perspectives on the Iran war

I write in reference to the video showing US Secretary of State Marco Rubio telling reporters about continuing escalations by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz (May 6): ah, got it. You start a war. Then you realise that your war did not lead to a win (leaving aside the fact that you didn't specify what a win would constitute). You are now in the position of resource exhaustion and devoid of tactical options. And now you’re claiming it’s a defensive war. Really? – Hugo Green

We Iranians who are fighting for our country’s freedom are grateful that the US is defending us while most of the rest of the world chooses to remain silent. Thanks to the US and Israel for helping us in our aim to defeat the regime in Tehran. The world will perhaps only understand this later, but they will. – Name withheld upon request

Here’s to more partnerships

I write in reference to the Instagram post showing UAE President Sheikh Mohamed receiving Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (May 6):⁣ it’s great to see strong partnerships flourishing between nations through innovation and shared vision. – Franck Paul, Abu Dhabi

As more operations are carried out using keyhole or minimally invasive methods, the technology could prove increasingly useful. It could also be adapted for telesurgery, which enables surgeons to operate on patients on the other side of the world.

The researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi have applied for a patent and hope to set up a spin-off company to commercialise the technology.

Typically, with minimally invasive surgery, a small incision is made and a long, thin tube called a laparoscope is used to carry out the operation. In other procedures, endoscopes – tubes with cameras – examine areas inside the body and treat conditions.

Minimally invasive surgery offers faster recovery times and less scarring than traditional open surgery and has become popular for hernia operations and gallbladder or appendix removal.

Why is the innovation important?

However, according to Dr Mohammad Qasaimeh, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and bioengineering at NYU Abu Dhabi, it may provide surgeons with less tactile feedback, making it difficult to judge how much force is being applied.

“With experience they can gain knowledge, but the main problem is with trainees, surgical trainees, or people with less experience,” he told The National.

“Can we develop devices – the laparoscopic tools, the endoscopic tools, all tools associated with minimally invasive surgery as well as robotic surgery – to have force sensing, to know how much we are grasping?

“Are we harming that tissue we are grasping inside the patient’s body? Can we estimate the stiffness of this tissue? Is it very soft, is it very stiff?”

Soft silicone sensors developed by Dr Qasaimeh and his colleagues aim to help surgeons answer these questions.

The sensors contain multiple channels filled with liquid metal, and when pressure is applied, the metal’s movement causes the channels to deform, creating the sense of touch.

The researchers have used their sensors on a laparoscopic grasper, with one sensor placed on the handle to measure the force applied by the surgeon, and another on the tool’s jaw to measure interactions with the tissue.

Details of the technology have been published in Microsystems and Nanoengineering.

The first author of the study, Dr Wael Othman, who was previously a postdoctoral associate in Dr Qasaimeh’s laboratory and, since January, an assistant professor at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, said in a statement that the aim was “to create sensors that are both sensitive and practical for real surgical environments”.

“This design allows us to measure both gentle and strong forces within the same small device, and to place sensors where they are most useful on surgical tools,” he said. In a previous study, Dr Qasaimeh and his colleagues bought commercially available sensors but found they “were not good enough”.

Either they were not flexible – they are rigid – or their integration was hard, they are not reliable, they need to be recalibrated each time, he said.

In earlier work, the researchers invited surgeons to use surgical tools on raw or cooked pieces of meat and asked them to indicate which pieces were softer and which were harder.

They discovered that when the surgeons had basic sensory feedback, they were better able to tell how firm samples were, highlighting the importance of touch.

What next?

The technology could be used with existing laparoscopic tools, with new tools that the researchers develop, or even with high-tech surgical robots.

“These surgical robots are amazing. You can do microsurgery – when it comes to brain, eye surgery, this kind of microsurgery – with great precision and accuracy. But yet you will be surprised that those surgical robots, worth more than $1 million, do not have active feedback sensors,” Dr Qasaimeh said.

“It would be straightforward if we can collaborate with these [robotics] companies, to bring that kind of integration and sensation to their robots.”

Dr Qasaimeh said the technology could also be used with telesurgery. The internet-enabled practice uses remote control to carry out operations on patients who can be thousands of miles away.

“In that scenario, definitely as a surgeon you need some sensation,” he said. “Surgeons need some sort of feedback, other than a camera.”

Commercialisation of the technology would require the sensors to be produced more quickly.

“We need larger scale production so that you can produce perhaps 100 sensors per day,” Dr Qasaimeh said.

“As of now every sensor will take us a day to produce because we are doing it manually, not automated or semi-automated. When you go to the market you need to think of scaling that up.”

It comes nearly seven months into a ceasefire that has halted widespread Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian territory.

“The number may be higher – every day, new names emerge,” civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal told The National.

Failure to recover the bodies not only prevents families from giving their loved ones proper burials and receiving closure, but also creates a health hazard, he said.

“Bodies that are left under the rubble inevitably decompose,” Mr Bassal said. “This contributes to the spread of rodents and stray animals all over the strip. We receive daily complaints from inhabitants but we are unable to address them.”

He said the machinery available to the civil defence is worn out and unable to handle the vast scale of destruction wrought by Israel during two years of war with Hamas.

The UN estimates that more than 61 million tonnes of rubble remain in Gaza, with less than 1 per cent of the debris from the war removed so far.

Israel still refuses to allow suitable machinery to enter Gaza to help remove rubble. However, the Israeli army recently agreed to allow the delivery of rodenticides to counter the rat infestation.

Uncertainty compounds grief

Najla Abu Younis, a 41-year-old mother from Jabalia, mourned for a year over the rubble where her 19-year-old son, Salah, was last seen in April 2025. He was trying to retrieve belongings from a relative's home when an Israeli air strike flattened the area, she said.

The family assumed the worst. Salah was officially registered as a "missing martyr," presumed buried somewhere under the debris.

“I cried for him every day and mourned a body I never had the chance to say goodbye to,” Ms Abu Younis told The National.

Then she received some unexpected news: Salah was alive and being held in an Israeli prison.

Although overjoyed at the news, she said it highlighted the thin line between mourning and hope for other families in a similar position. “Many people are like us,” she said. “They simply don’t know if their children are dead or alive.”

In the impoverished Al Saftawi neighbourhood, Amin Abu Ward visits the pile of debris that was once his home to pray every day for the souls of the 11 members of his family – his parents, siblings and their children – who were killed when it was hit by an Israeli air strike in August 2024.

“We have not been able to recover any of them. There is no equipment or tools available to do so,” Mr Abu Ward, 32, told The National. Until that day comes, he continues to pray and hold on to hope that he can give them a proper burial.

For some, the desperation to find their loved ones has even led to financial ruin. Sohaib Ahmed, 29, spent $15,000 in five days, renting bulldozers and hiring 20 workers to find his brothers Amer and Mohammad, who disappeared after an explosion in October 2024.

They dug through the ruins of six houses and of entire streets but found nothing.

“After those five days, we continued searching with our own hands – we had no money left,” Mr Ahmed told The National.

Until the civil defence receives the heavy machinery needed, the families of those trapped beneath collapsed buildings will continue to live in a “nightmare”, as Mr Abu Ward described it, walking past slabs of concrete that have become the headstones for their loved ones.

“They have the right to bury them with dignity and humanity,” said Mr Bassal, the civil defence spokesman.

With a career spanning more than eight decades, the acclaimed broadcaster and natural historian has taken viewers everywhere from the Arctic to the deepest oceans, and turned wildlife documentaries into some of the most visually ambitious programmes on television.

Attenborough has also spent years documenting the landscapes, deserts and wildlife of the Middle East, capturing a side of the region not often seen on screens, from the Empty Quarter to the Red Sea and the mountains of Oman.

Here are five documentaries and series Attenborough has been involved with, which were filmed in the region.

1. Asia (2024)

One of Attenborough’s most recent documentary series explores the vastness and diversity of Asia, including several striking sequences filmed in the Middle East.

The series features the Empty Quarter, one of the world’s largest sand deserts spanning parts of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen. It also showcases the highlands of the Kurdistan region in Iraq and Iran’s Lut Desert, one of the hottest places on Earth.

The series highlights the extreme conditions wildlife faces across the region’s deserts and mountain ranges.

2. Wild Arabia (2013)

Narrated by Attenborough, this three-part BBC series is dedicated to the Arabian Peninsula, its wildlife, landscapes and traditions.

Filming took place across several countries. In the UAE, the programme explores flamingos and urban wildlife in Dubai, as well as camel racing and falconry traditions in Abu Dhabi.

Other segments feature migratory birds in Jordan, while Oman and Yemen’s Dhofar Mountains are used to showcase rare species, including the Arabian leopard and Arabian wolf.

3. Desert Seas (2011)

This documentary turns its attention beneath the water’s surface, exploring the ecosystems of the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf.

The series focuses on marine life along Saudi Arabia’s coastline, documenting coral reefs, fish species and underwater habitats that thrive despite harsh conditions.

It also highlights how these waters support biodiversity, which many viewers may not associate with desert nations.

4. Africa (2013)

While not focused solely on the Middle East, the fifth episode of the acclaimed BBC series centres on the Sahara, the world’s largest hot desert, stretching across North Africa.

The episode explores how animals survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth, from enduring sandstorms to living with limited water supplies.

The programme also showcases the scale and beauty of desert landscapes that connect parts of North Africa to the wider Arab world.

5. The First Eden (1987)

Written and presented by Attenborough, this four-part series examines the natural and human history of the Mediterranean basin.

The documentary includes locations across North Africa and the Levant, tracing how civilisations and ecosystems developed around the Mediterranean Sea over thousands of years.

The series blends history, archaeology and nature, as well as reflecting Attenborough’s long-standing interest in humanity’s relationship with the natural world.

The US ⁠military earlier confirmed it had carried out strikes on Iranian sites after an "unprovoked" attack.

"They [Iranian forces] were completely destroyed along with numerous small boats, which are being used to take the place of their fully decapitated navy," Mr Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "These boats went to the bottom of the sea, quickly and efficiently."

He added that missiles and drones had also been "easily" struck down.

"A normal country would have allowed these destroyers to pass, but Iran is not a normal country," Mr Trump said. "They are led by lunatics, and if they had the chance to use a nuclear weapon, they would do it, without question."

Mr Trump told ABC News that the ceasefire announced on April 7 is still in effect, despite the strikes.

"It's just a love tap," he said.

US Central Command earlier said that it had intercepted "unprovoked Iranian attacks" as naval vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz.

It said US forces had eliminated "inbound threats" and aimed for Iranian military bases that Centcom claimed had attacked US interests.

"Centcom does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces," it said.

Iran's ​top joint ⁠military command accused the US of violating the ceasefire by ‌targeting an Iranian oil tanker and another ship, and of carrying out air attacks on civilian areas on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz and ​the nearby coastal areas of Bandar Khamir and Sirik on the mainland. The military said it responded by attacking US military vessels east of the strait and south of the port of Chabahar.

Iranian media reported strikes on sites including parts of Bandar Abbas and Qeshm port. Officials accused the US of attacking an Iranian oil tanker moving from coastal waters in the Jask region towards the Strait of Hormuz, according to media reports.

After Mr Trump's comments, Iran's PressTV reported that the situation on coastal islands and areas near the Strait of Hormuz had returned to normal.

The strikes come as the ​US waits for ‌Iran’s response to ⁠its ​proposal that ​would ‌halt fighting between the ⁠two countries but leave the ⁠most contentious issues, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, unresolved for now.

The Strait of Hormuz has proved a contentious area for Iran and the US. Iran has effectively closed the waterway, and the US initiated its own blockade as well as a mission – Project Freedom – to escort commercial vessels. US President Donald Trump paused Project Freedom earlier this week amid ongoing negotiations with Iran.

Despite the ceasefire, Iran carried out strikes against the UAE this week. Tehran claimed it was taking aim at US-linked sites.

Earlier on Thursday, Saudi ​Arabia ​and ⁠Kuwait ⁠lifted restrictions ​on the ⁠US military’s use of their ⁠bases and airspace, which ​⁠were ‌imposed ​after the launch of Project Freedom to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, The Wall Street ​Journal ‌reported.

The decision means the US military now has more options if it wants to restart Project Freedom and help hundreds of ships and tankers cross the waterway.

Of course, the Taco refers to Trump Always Chickens Out, the nickname stock market traders bestowed on him after he unveiled a host of tariffs last year, only to ease them as markets plunged.

In the time since, I've lost count of how frequently he's walked us to the brink – only to back away. Remember when he threatened to wipe out Iran and its “whole civilisation” last month? He backed off, provided Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which of course it didn't.

A new acronym, again coined by traders, is Nacho – Not A Chance Hormuz Opens – referring to the repeated promises the vital waterway will be reopened, only for hopes to be dashed.

This week was a case in point. On Monday, Mr Trump announced the launch of Project Freedom to much fanfare, promising that the US military would free hundreds of ships stranded on either side of the Strait of Hormuz.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Tuesday described it as a “direct gift” to the rest of the world from the US, which is creating a “red, white and blue dome” of protection over the region.

Less than 12 hours later, Mr Trump abandoned ship, after only a handful of vessels had crossed the strait.

He said Project Freedom would be “paused for a short period of time” to see whether the US and Iran could make a deal, leading many of us wondering whether it was Taco Tuesday, with a Nacho on the side.

Perhaps Mr Trump meant it when he said the pause was to allow for yet more time to make a deal. But a key factor in his decision to abandon the project appears to be Saudi Arabia's reported refusal to allow the US military to use its airbases and airspace to assist in the operation.

The Wall Street Journal on Thursday reported that Saudi ​Arabia – along with Kuwait – have now agreed to lift the restrictions.

That means Mr Trump now has more options if he wants to restart Project Freedom and help vessels cross the waterway. The initiative could be back on again, within days.

Things change fast in the Iran war, yet somehow everything remains the same. The Strait of Hormuz is still shut.

On Wednesday, the President said in a post on Truth Social that the Iran war would soon officially be over, assuming Iran agrees to US demands. But there seems to be little evidence the hardline regime is imminently willing to do so.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” Mr Trump wrote.

The question is, does anyone in Tehran believe him?

Mohamed Soliman, 46, an Egyptian citizen, pleaded guilty to a total of 184 ⁠counts, including first-degree murder, through an interpreter.

On June 1 last year, Soliman tossed two Molotov cocktails at a group of people taking part in a peaceful ​rally in Boulder organised to commemorate hostages seized by ​Hamas militants on October 7, 2023.

Prosecutors ​said ‌Soliman also used a makeshift blowtorch fashioned from a commercial weed ⁠sprayer during his attack, during which he yelled "Free Palestine".

Authorities identified 29 victims, including some who were burnt or injured while fleeing or who were ​close enough to be considered targets of attempted murder. One victim, Karen Diamond, 82, died of her injuries that month.

Soliman was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison with no possibility of parole.

But he still faces federal charges in the attack, and the US Department of Justice is considering the possibility of a death penalty.

Soliman arrived in California in 2022 on a non-immigrant visa that expired in February 2023. He had been living in Colorado Springs. He has five children, and according to court documents, he said he waited for his daughter to graduate before carrying out the attack.

His family has a pending asylum claim. The administration of US President Donald Trump has sought to deport Soliman's family as "associates" of a terrorist, with immigration officials saying they are in the country illegally.

The Emirates was followed by Singapore, Norway, Ireland and France.

Although the US is home to some of the world's largest and most influential AI and technology companies, it ranked 21st for AI diffusion, which is most defined as the broad adoption of and adaptation to AI tools.

But that was still an improvement on 2025, when the US ranked 24th. Microsoft explained the UAE's continued dominance in the study.

“Growth at this scale reflects deliberate, long-term investment in the right foundations, even through more challenging periods,” Amr Kamel, general manager for Microsoft's UAE division, said in a statement. “The priority now is what comes next: enabling organisations to operate with confidence, sustain continuity, and build forward responsibly."

Microsoft's latest report gave the UAE a 70.1 per cent diffusion score, compared to the 64 per cent score it received in 2025.

Over the past decade, the UAE has sought to become an AI leader as it continues to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons.

The country’s affinity for research into the AI sector has resulted in the establishment of start-ups, partnerships and investments from industry leaders including Microsoft, Nvidia and OpenAI. The UAE has also teamed up with the US to develop an AI campus, which will include 5GW of capacity for AI data centres, in Abu Dhabi.

In 2025, a survey conducted by consulting firm KPMG found that UAE optimism on AI was significantly ahead of the global average.

Another study focusing on AI adoption conducted by Counterpoint Research ranked Dubai in the top five, ahead of San Francisco.

The US wants the neighbouring ​countries ⁠to ‌agree to a lasting peace deal after an initial ceasefire was announced on April 16 and then extended following a second round of talks.

The ‌official did ⁠not say who ​would take part in ​next week's meeting. The last summit was held at the ambassador level at the White House, with US President Donald Trump in attendance.

A State Department official told The National that Mr Trump “has been clear that direct engagement between the two countries is the best way to swiftly advance a lasting peace and security agreement".

“Hezbollah is still trying to derail negotiations with attacks on Israel and threats inside of Lebanon,” the official said. “We are working to create the conditions and political momentum needed to move this forward.”

Hezbollah is not a part of the talks but has mostly observed the ceasefire.

US ‌Secretary of State Marco ⁠Rubio said on Tuesday that ⁠peace was achievable but required Lebanon’s government to have the capability to fight Hezbollah.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel has repeatedly struck Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and the Iran-backed militants have attacked Israeli troops.

Thursday’s announcement comes a day after Israel’s first strike on Beirut since last month’s ceasefire was agreed to.

Israeli forces said the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, Ahmad Ghaleb Ballout, was killed in an air strike that heavily damaged a residential building in Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday evening.

Iranian officials cut off internet access for more than 99 per cent of the country shortly after US and Israeli missiles struck the country at the end of February.

While authorities officially enforced a near-total shutdown, new connectivity data suggests many Iranians have faced severe internet disruption for far longer, with restrictions stretching back to early January.

The first major blackout of 2026 began on January 8 as anti-regime protests spread across several cities. Iranian officials said the shutdown was necessary to counter disinformation, though critics argued it was also designed to stop footage of demonstrations reaching the outside world.

Although Tehran later claimed internet access had been restored, internet governance groups and residents told The National that service in many areas remained unreliable and heavily restricted.

The second and far more severe blackout, imposed at the end of February, cut off more than 99 per cent of the country shortly after the first wave of missile strikes.

The result is that ordinary Iranians have had internet access for just 6.5 per cent of 2026 so far, according to connectivity estimates and monitoring groups.

“The general public have now been largely cut off from the global internet for 70 per cent of the year 2026 to date,” internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks said on Wednesday. Some residents reported having no meaningful connection since the first shutdown in January, it added.

Despite the restrictions, some limited access appears to remain available through Iran’s heavily controlled National Information Network, a domestic intranet system that allows access to state-approved sites and services.

Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik, told The National that a small number of “whitelisted” Sim cards still appear capable of accessing the a handful of state-sanctioned websites. This brings little comfort to millions of Iranian business owners whose income relied on internet traffic.

“Most people can only access sites and services hosted on the country’s national internet, the NIN,” he said.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of Foundation for Defence of Democracies think tank’s Iran division, echoed that notion, pointing out that during internet blackouts Iranian officials claim that internet access is readily available, but in reality it’s a heavily diluted version of online access.

“This thing is sometimes jokingly called the halal internet,” he said

“It's basically the national intranet versus the actual internet,” he explained, referring to a closed off version of websites approved by Iranian officials.

📵 #Iran's internet blackout is entering its 68th day after 1608 hours. The general public have now been largely cut off from the global internet for 70% of the year 2026 to date, with some reporting no contact since the beginning of the first digital shutdown in January. pic.twitter.com/jCYHJS7txa

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) May 6, 2026

Cloudflare Radar, which also monitors global internet traffic, recently addressed the internet developments in Iran.

"Increased allowlisting of external sites, and the availability of 'Internet Pro' access has driven nominal increases in traffic visible in the latter half of April," Cloudflare Radar posted to its social media account on X, cautioning that most of the country was still without internet access.

Responses to Cloudflare Radar's post sought to emphasize that 'Internet Pro' was a superficial attempt to blur the reality of what is really happening in the country.

"Internet Pro is nothing but digital apartheid," one of several X users posted.

Meanwhile, efforts to smuggle Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran have continued throughout the year. Multiple media reports, including a May investigation by the BBC, highlighted attempts by activists and underground networks to distribute the banned low-Earth orbit internet devices across the country.

However, analysts say even large-scale smuggling operations are unlikely to restore national-level connectivity, particularly because the devices remain illegal in Iran and require clear satellite access and power infrastructure to function effectively.

His comments come after President Donald Trump on Monday said AI would destroy jobs “maybe a little bit” but that new positions would also be created.

“Is AI going to be disruptive? Of course,” Mr Wright said. “If you've got a new, powerful tool, it's going to be disruptive, but the positives, I believe, and I think the evidence is compelling, are going to be massively larger than the negatives.”

Mr Wright was speaking at the AI+ Expo in Washington, hosted by the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP).

Recent US polling shows growing reticence about AI, with many of those concerns rooted in the potential for job disruption and the potential impacts that data centres will have on the environment.

There has also been speculation that the US used AI tools in its strikes on Iran, specifically a deadly strike on a school that killed at least 165 people, many of them children. That strike remains under investigation.

At one point, he was interrupted by a protester shouting about the conflict in Iran, conditions in Palestine and US climate policies.

Protester interrupts US @energy Secretary Chris Wright during discussion at SCSP AI+ Expo in Washington

Demonstrator mentions war in Iran and conditions in Palestine… pic.twitter.com/oXrv1omGK3

— Cody Sigel Combs (@CodyCombsNEWS) May 7, 2026

The AI exhibition has become a staple in the US capital amid rapidly growing interest and investments in the technology. The multi-day AI+ Expo is sponsored by technology heavyweights such as Alphabet, AWS, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, AMD and Nvidia.

Some of the companies attending the exhibition have been criticised over their contracts with the US military involving AI tools, making AI+ a magnet for demonstrators.

During last year’s event, protesters were also plentiful, with Palestine being the main focus. Demonstrators rushed the main stage and held banners to protest against US policy towards Gaza and support for Israel.

As security escorted the protester out, Mr Wright did not address the brief disturbance, nor did the other panellist, Ian Buck, Nvidia’s vice president of hyperscale and high performance computing.

Throughout the roughly 30-minute discussion, Mr Wright spoke about his affinity for small modular nuclear reactors, data centres and what he described as AI's potential to strengthen the US energy grid.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) began its boycott over parliament's election of Nizar Amedi, a member of the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), as president last month.

The election of the president is a vital step towards forming Iraq's next government following a general election in November last year. The post is held by a Kurd under Iraq’s ethno-sectarian political system, which reserves the post of speaker of parliament for a Sunni and the post of prime minister for a member of the country's Shiite majority.

Traditionally, the PUK nominated the presidential candidate while the KDP nominated the president of the Kurdistan region. However, in recent years, both parties have vied to install their candidate as Iraq's president.

The KDP's decision to end its boycott follows “positive outcomes” from meetings between Kurdish and Iraqi leaders in Baghdad and Erbil, capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, over the past week, several Kurdish officials told The National. It also comes as prime minister-designate Ali Al Zaidi prepares to submit his cabinet nominees to parliament for approval.

Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraqi Kurdistan arrived in Baghdad on Monday, a week after the largest Shiite bloc in parliament, the Co-ordination Framework, nominated Mr Al Zaidi as its prime ministerial candidate.

During two days of meetings with top Shiite and Sunni political figures, Mr Barzani conveyed the message that the Kurdistan region “expects more serious commitment from Iraq and the federal government, particularly in relation to the implementation of the constitution and the protection of political balance within Iraq,” said a Kurdish official.

Mr Barzani stressed that the “priority should be to build a political environment based on partnership and co-operation, rather than one in which political actors attempt to weaken one another or impose their will on others,” the official said.

“In this context, the meetings were positive. Iraqi political leaders acknowledged the importance of these concerns and expressed their readiness to work on these issues.”

Restoring trust

The KDP’s lifting of its boycott “should be understood as part of a wider effort to restore trust”, said another Kurdish official. The move was taken to “ensure that Iraq’s political process reflects the principles of partnership, balance, and respect for all components”.

The decision was made following weeks of talks within the party and with other parties, and was “not the result of one single factor”, he said.

“The main issues behind the decision included the outstanding issues of the Kurdistan region’s budget and financial entitlements, the implementation of the Iraqi constitution and a commitment to address outstanding disputes between Erbil and Baghdad through dialogue and institutional mechanisms.”

Tensions between Baghdad and Erbil have heightened in recent years over the Kurdistan region's allocation from the national budget and the sharing of oil revenue.

They exchanged views on the latest regional developments and the implications for regional and international security and stability, state news agency Wam reported. They also met some of the pilots who have helped to keep the Emirates safe during the regional war.

Mr El Sisi, who is in the UAE on a fraternal visit, condemned Iran's attacks on the UAE and expressed solidarity with the Emirates as it takes steps to protect its territory and the public.

The two leaders also discussed fraternal ties and co-operation, particularly in areas that support shared development priorities and contribute to further prosperity for their countries.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, Adviser to the UAE President.

The Egyptian delegation included Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs and several senior officials.

Earlier on Thursday, Sheikh Mohamed and Mr El Sisi visited the Egyptian fighter jet unit in the UAE. This visit was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed; Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Defence Affairs; and senior Ministry of Defence officers.

Prof Eric Xing, president of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) said there is much more to the university than merely teaching the basics of AI.

“A few years ago, only the US and China were producing advanced AI technologies,” he said. “Today, the UAE has joined the first league of AI producers.”

Under Prof Xing’s leadership, the MBZUAI has positioned itself among the world’s leading AI research institutions, attracting students and researchers from around the world while remaining intentionally selective.

“We are not trying to become a very large university,” he said. “We want to remain elite, agile and highly concentrated on areas where we can have the greatest impact.”

The university received more than 10,000 applications this year, admitting only a few hundred students.

Speaking to The National after the graduation of the MBZUAI’s fifth cohort on Thursday, Prof Xing sat surrounded not by walls of screens, but by shelves lined with rare scientific books, including an early edition of Isaac Newton’s work and what appears to be a rare early copy of work by Euclid, often called the father of geometry.

The ceremony was attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. “Geographically, the UAE is a small country,” he said. “But with AI, success is no longer limited by the size of your land. It is limited by how smart you are and how strong your education system can become.”

Afte the event Prof Xing spoke about natural sciences, biology, health care and the long-term questions surrounding longevity and disease treatment.

“The area that excites me most is where AI meets biology and health care,” he said. “It directly affects everyday life, longevity and disease treatment.”

Digital twinning

That interest led to one of the university’s most ambitious projects, Virtual Cell, an AI-driven digital model designed to simulate how treatment and medicine interacts with human cells.

“Imagine having a digital copy of your cells that can be tested virtually before a medicine or treatment is used on you,” he said. “It is like a digital twin driven by AI.”

The project is still in its early stages, with the university expected to submit its first research paper on the outcome within weeks.

“It is still primitive, but it is a beginning,” Prof Xing said, “like the Wright brothers’ first aircraft.”

For Prof Xing, the UAE’s ambitions in AI are about far more than keeping pace with global trends. They are about building sovereign technological capability.

An example of this is the university's frontier large language model (LLM), known as K2, capable of powering chatbots, reasoning systems and AI agents, and forms part of the UAE’s push to build sovereign AI infrastructure domestically rather than relying entirely on foreign systems.

Frontier models get their name for being regarded as the cutting edge of AI. “K2 is recognised globally among frontier models,” he said. “We are effectively the third country in the world capable of producing frontier AI models.”

The MBZUAI also helped develop Jais, one of the world’s most advanced Arabic LLMs, designed to strengthen generative AI capabilities in the language. “An Emirati model is not only an Arabic-language model,” he said. “It is also a sovereign model produced by Emirati institutions.”

That idea of sovereignty was a prominent theme, particularly when Prof Xing discussed data protection and national infrastructure.

Data retention

“One of the biggest advantages of sovereign AI models is that data remains here,” he said. “We do not need to send sensitive information abroad in order to receive AI services.”

Another major focus for the university is what Prof Xing calls “world models”, AI systems designed not only to process language but to understand movement, environments and physical interaction.

He said the research could eventually help create more capable robots and autonomous systems able to interact with the physical world rather than simply respond to text prompts.

Despite the pace of development in AI, Prof Xing rejected the idea that machines are anywhere close to becoming fully autonomous.

“We are still very far from true machine autonomy,” he said. “Today’s AI is primarily about automation and productivity, not autonomy.”

He said current AI systems still rely entirely on human direction, training and goals. “The objectives, the training and the performance standards of AI are still defined by people.”

At the MBZUAI, that rapid evolution means teaching methods and programmes are constantly changing.

“We continuously adjust our programmes because AI evolves very quickly,” he said. “We look closely at how much coding students need to learn versus how well they can extract insights from data and ask the right questions.”

Making the grade

Most of the university’s students are postgraduate researchers and around 80 per cent remain in the UAE after graduating.

“That reflects the opportunities available here and the strength of the ecosystem being built,” he said.

Some graduates have already received offers from companies such as Meta and Oracle, but many are choosing to remain in the Emirates.

He believes the UAE is now laying the foundation for its own generation of global AI companies. “In five or 10 years, the UAE should have its own companies comparable to Meta or OpenAI,” he said.

Recent regional hostilities have also demonstrated the growing importance of AI in defence systems, logistics and information management. “AI clearly played a role because you need advanced systems to calculate trajectories, timing and logistics,” he said.

At the same time, he warned about the spread of misinformation online during moments of crisis.

“There was so much fake information circulating online, including fabricated images and videos,” he said. “AI can help filter misinformation and maintain stability and calm within the community.”

For Prof Xing, AI is ultimately about far more than technology. It is about how countries prepare for the future.

On Thursday, the MBZUAI graduated 140 postgraduate students, marking the university’s fifth cohort and five years since the institution’s establishment, a milestone reflecting how quickly the UAE’s AI ambitions have evolved into one of the country’s most elite and closely watched projects.

The Treasury Department has accused Ali Maarij Al Bahadly of abusing his position to divert oil to be sold on behalf of Iran and its proxy militias in Iraq. Three senior leaders of Kata’ib Sayyid Al Shuhada and Asa’ib Ahl Al Haq were also named in the sanctions, accused of smuggling Iranian oil for the benefit of Tehran.

“Like a rogue gang, the Iranian regime is pillaging resources that rightfully belong to the Iraqi people,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “Treasury will not stand idly by as Iran's military exploits Iraqi oil to fund terrorism against the United States and our partners.”

Mr Al Bahadly, who previously served as the head of the Iraqi parliament’s oil and gas committee before entering the Ministry of Oil in 2018, was “instrumental” in enabling the diversion of Iraqi petroleum to a known smuggler, the Treasury said.

The alleged smuggler, Salim Ahmed Said – who was sanctioned by the US last June – was accused of bribing complicit officials in the Iraqi government, as well as reportedly installing Mr Al Bahadly in his official position, the Treasury said.

It comes as the US continues to pile pressure on Baghdad to distance itself from Tehran and crack down on Iran-backed militias. The issuing of US sanctions against a high-level official of an allied country is unusual. In recent weeks, the US has offered tens of millions of dollars in rewards for information on militia leaders.

The oil giant reported adjusted earnings of $6.92 billion, beating estimates, while raising the dividend by 5 per cent. It amounts to a 19 per cent increase in net profit. Shell also cut its quarterly share buyback programme from $3.5 billion to $3 billion.

"Shell delivered strong results enabled by our relentless focus on operational performance in a quarter marked by unprecedented disruption in global energy markets," chief executive Wael Sawan said.

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian attacks on key energy sites across the Middle East have led to a major oil shock, where prices have risen about 40 per cent since the war began on February 28.

Brent crude was trading 3.91 per cent lower on Thursday at $97.47 a barrel, as traders assessed tension between the US and Iran. West Texas Intermediate, which tracks US crude, was trading 3.91 per cent lower at $91.36 a barrel.

Qatar LNG

The company also said its oil and gas output had fallen by 4 per cent compared to the fourth quarter last year, due to the war.

Shell's chief financial officer Sinead Gorman said the most significant impacts for the company have been in Qatar, where its assets at the Ras Laffan complex were damaged by Iranian strikes.

Qatar, the second-largest global exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), in March announced a halt to production at the Ras Laffan refinery and declared force majeure on LNG shipments.

Ms Gorman said it would take a year to return for the damaged to return to normal service, at a cost "well below" half a billion dollars.

The company said impact on its hydrocarbon production in the Middle East has varied by country, noting that its position in Oman accounts for about 10 per cent of its global volumes that do not pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

"Overall, this was a strong set of results in a period of volatility and uncertainty stemming from the conflict in the Middle East," Ms Gorman said.

Shell last week announced it had entered an agreement to acquire Canadian energy company ARC Resources to boost its long-term oil and gas production.

Their daily appearances, alongside performances by the Armed Forces marching band, are part of The Journey of Unity Through Time, a temporary exhibit marking the 50th anniversary of the unification of the UAE Armed Forces.

Running until May 15, the display opened on May 6, the anniversary of the 1976 decision to unify the armed forces of the Emirates under one central command.

It looks at how separate defence entities came together under a shared responsibility to protect a young nation.

“Those values are integrated with the unification of the armed forces,” Ammar Al Banna, associate curator at Zayed National Museum, tells The National.

“So even before there was a solidified defence entity, you have that unification of people. Then, in more recent history, you have the Abu Dhabi Defence Force, the federal armed forces, and then, under UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in 1976, the decision to put them all under one armed forces.”

The early objects take the story back about 3,000 years. Among them is a replica Iron Age stamp seal from Rumailah in Al Ain, showing a man holding an axe – the original is displayed in one of the museum’s permanent galleries. It suggests weapons could carry meanings of authority, status and social order within settled communities, beyond their use in combat.

“We can see how weapons exist in our historical records and archaeological material, but here they are not only for practical use,” Al Banna explains. “They are much more sophisticated, whether for defence, for symbolic meaning or for something deeper.

“It also shows that as far back as the Iron Age, we had proper, well-based communities that were dependent on the falaj irrigation system. Stamp seals at the time are being used more often, trade is expanding with wider regions, and even the technology of making weapons, as well as their variety, goes much deeper than practical use.”

The display then moves towards later forms of communal defence. A sword collection from the 1800s, an Um Fateela matchlock and a Lee-Enfield rifle are shown near a facsimile of a 1910 protest letter bearing the inked seals of prominent Dubai families. The letter was addressed to the British government after clashes between residents and British troops in what was then the Trucial States.

Al Banna links that material to a longer pattern within the UAE.

“From the 15th century onwards, with the presence of the Portuguese and then the British, if conflict arises, we see how people from the region band together in the name of defence,” he says. “It is a community that stands united in the face of any threat or harm.

“You have some of the weapons and stories of the Bani Yas tribe protecting their land and their people, and the Qawasim Tribe being front-facing with British forces. This letter from Dubai shows prominent families protesting the British attacks of 1910. Each member of those families signed and sealed his own name in protest.”

Uniforms from the Abu Dhabi Defence Force and the Federal Armed Forces appear alongside rifles, archival photographs and medals, tracing the period between the formation of local forces, the establishment of the UAE in 1971 and the full unification of the armed forces five years later.

In the museum's permanent gallery, Our Beginning, those stories continue through images and objects connected to service on the front line.

A soldier’s wooden box from the early 1970s offers a glimpse into the daily lives of troops, with folded clothing, a black mug, a compass and a red rope.

Material connected to the UAE’s humanitarian role during the Kosovo crisis adds another layer, including an archival photograph of President Sheikh Mohamed with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed at the UAE refugee camp in Kukes, Albania, in 1999.

A nearby panel highlights the work of the UAE Armed Forces at the White Hands refugee camp on the Albania-Kosovo border, including the role of Emirati personnel in providing aid.

For Al Banna, the display reflects Zayed National Museum’s aim of adding depth to the UAE’s history by connecting the Armed Forces' anniversary with ancient objects, community memory and the formation of national institutions.

“It is about understanding the links,” he says. “It shows how it started, how these forces unified and what aspects came together, while also tapping into the deeper historical aspects.

“It links the pre-existing narrative of Zayed National Museum with honourable, celebratory events such as the unification of the armed forces. It is always looking forward as well. Whatever we take pride in, whatever values we see that are well-rooted, we know that we carry these values onwards.”

The Journey of Unity Through Time display is at Zayed National Museum, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, until May 15

The strategy was led by Sebastian Gorka, the White House counter-terrorism director, and included on the list of threats is the Brotherhood, the Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian chapters of which were designated as terrorist groups this year.

In the document, the White House describes the Brotherhood as “the root of all modern Islamist terrorism” and said it will continue to designate its branches in the Middle East and beyond as terrorists “to crush the organisation everywhere it operates”.

Lorenzo Vidino, director of the Program on Extremism at The George Washington University, believes the administration’s statement of its intention will have an impact on the ability of the Muslim Brotherhood to operate.

“I think we have to be realistic – it's not going to be the end of the Brotherhood,” he told The National. “But I would say that it shrinks the permissive environment in which the Brotherhood has operated in the West.

“There's no question that is triggering conversations. In Europe, for example, you cannot ignore that the Americans take certain positions. There are parts of the European, policymaking, law enforcement and intelligence community that analyse the issue of the Brotherhood in the same way as the Trump administration does.

“In many European countries, you have segments of the policymaking community that have moved in that direction, and there's no question that the US position gives that a push. I think there's also a reasonable expectation that the US might designate some Europe-based Brotherhood organisations.”

Mr Vidino said he doesn’t see European countries following the US in designating branches of the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation. But he added: “I think that it will push a lot of countries to take more actions that are short of a designation, but still will shrink the space from which the Brotherhood operates.”

He said the White House’s Terrorism Strategy is a confirmation of a long-held view of the Trump administration, dating back to the US President's first term in office.

“People like Marco Rubio and Sebastian Gorka have long held this view, and therefore in this document they lay out philosophical justification for dealing with the Muslim Brotherhood,” said Mr Vidino.

“The first Trump administration took that view, but they never really followed up on it. I think it's fair to say that now there are individuals within the administration who have a very strong opinion on that, and also kind of know how to make things happen.”

Magnus Ranstorp, a researcher on terrorism at the Swedish Defence University, said the designation of a Muslim Brotherhood-linked organisation in Europe “would be a massive step”.

“So if they want to have an effect in Europe and the West, then they should do that, but they need to collect evidence,” he told The National. “If the US Treasury was to designate one of them it would hit their ability to function, for example to be able to get a bank account. If the Treasury does that, then it will have a global effect.”

While the US has designated individual national branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organisations, European nations have so far not gone down that path, citing legal difficulties.

France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has said his country will tackle the Muslim Brotherhood on a “case-by-case basis” as efforts to have it listed as a terrorist organisation would be “impossible to implement and legally fragile”.

John Jenkins, the author of a 2015 report into the Brotherhood in the UK, believes successive governments have wasted opportunities to understand how the group operates in Britain, and so tackle its influence.

WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the assessed risk is low when the ship at the centre of the outbreak stops at the Canary Islands so passengers can disembark.

“So far, eight cases have been reported, including three deaths," he told a press briefing on Thursday. “Five of the eight cases have been confirmed as Hantavirus, and the other three are suspected.” He said more cases may be identified, given the virus's incubation period.

“Given the incubation period of the Andes Virus, which can be up to six weeks, it’s possible that more cases may be reported,” he said. “While this is a serious incident, WHO assesses the public health risk as low.”

The MV Hondius has nearly 150 people on board and is expected to dock at the port of Tenerife, Spain within three days.

Two doctors are on board, along with infectious disease experts from the WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The experts are conducting a medical assessment of everyone aboard. Officials said none were currently showing any symptoms of the disease.

"The ship is now sailing for the Canary Islands, and we are confident in the capacity of Spain to manage this risk, and we are supporting them to do so," Dr Tedros said. "We assess the risk to the people of the Canary Islands as low."

A total of 29 people left the ship when it docked at the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena, including a Dutch woman who became unwell during onward travel and later died. The woman was accompanying her husband’s body, which was being repatriated after he died on the ship on April 11.

Tour operator Oceanwide Expeditions said the couple embarked in Argentina after a birdwatching tour in areas where rats are infected with the disease. The close-quarters transmission patterns of hantavirus have held up in these cases, and WHO officials do not believe the outbreak has similarities with the start of the Covid pandemic.

Dr Abdirahman Mahamud, director of the alert and response co-ordination department of the WHO’s Emergencies Health Programme, highlighted a similar outbreak in Argentina in 2018/19, which resulted in 34 cases.

Remove the leading attribution and place it after the closing quotation: “If we follow public health measures, and the lessons we learned from Argentina are shared across all countries … we can break this chain of transmission and this doesn’t need to be a large epidemic,” he said.

“If we follow public health measures, and the lessons we learned from Argentina are shared across all countries … we can break this chain of transmission and this doesn’t need to be a large epidemic.

“We don’t anticipate a large epidemic. With the experience our member states have, and the actions they have taken, we believe that this will not lead to a subsequent chain of transmission.”

Dr Tedros told the press briefing that morale has improved on board since the ship left Cape Verde.

“I would also like to thank the ship’s operator for its co-operation, and the passengers and crew who are going through a very difficult and frightening situation,” he said.

“I’ve been in touch with the ship’s captain regularly, including this morning. He told me morale has improved significantly since the ship started moving again.”

The people who disembarked at St Helena were from 12 nations. The UK notified the WHO that the group included seven Britons. They are being monitored by the authorities in destination nations.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said two Britons who have already returned from the vessel are isolating at home. Those passengers flew back to the UK via Johannesburg after disembarking at St Helena.

A British passenger, understood to be a 69-year-old man, was medically transferred to South Africa on April 27 and is receiving care at a private health facility in Sandton, Johannesburg. Passengers who disembark in the Canary Islands will be asked to self-isolate in the UK for 45 days.

“For the broader public, not directly involved in this cruise ship, the risk here is really negligible”, Professor Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said.

“We’ve had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” Mr Trump said on Wednesday. His administration is reportedly optimistic that a one-page memorandum of understanding can be agreed within days, with negotiators simultaneously working on a broader 14-point framework to freeze Tehran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief and a pause in hostilities.

The conditions Washington is reportedly pressing, however, read less like a traditional negotiating framework than demands Tehran is unlikely to accept. The reported proposals include dismantling the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities, a 20-year halt to uranium enrichment, surrender of highly enriched uranium stockpiles and unrestricted access to suspect sites. Iran spent two decades building those facilities precisely so that they could not easily be negotiated away under pressure.

Regime-aligned commentators in Tehran have dismissed the reports as “White House market manipulation” and “more of an American wishlist than a reality”. Such language matters. Iran often uses semi-official media to signal its negotiating posture before formal responses emerge. A leadership preparing domestic opinion for compromise would probably be sending very different signals.

Mr Trump has added to the confusion, alternating between declaring a deal imminent, claiming Iran has already agreed to proposals and threatening escalation if talks fail. The effect is less strategic signalling than the appearance of an administration trying to manage headlines and oil prices simultaneously.

Events on the ground are moving in another direction. Mr Trump’s “Project Freedom” initiative to escort stranded commercial shipping through the Gulf reportedly lasted barely a day before Iran fired missiles and drones at the UAE, including attacks near Fujairah’s energy infrastructure, and a South Korean vessel. Rather than restoring deterrence, the episode underscored how quickly things can unravel in a region where escalation now outpaces diplomacy.

Pakistan says it stands ready to host talks and continues to project optimism. Mediators often sound most optimistic when negotiations are furthest from resolution.

Washington and Tehran are seeking different things from the same table. The White House wants rapid, visible concessions it can present as a victory. Iran wants sanctions relief and enough nuclear capability to deter future strikes while retaining leverage over the Strait of Hormuz. These are not positions that a one-page memorandum can bridge.

The current round increasingly resembles the ones that preceded it: heavily sourced, breathlessly timed and ultimately detached from what either side is realistically prepared to accept. The pattern is now almost mechanical: a leak, a rally, an Iranian denial, renewed threats, then fresh speculation presented as momentum.

Unless Washington substantially scales back demands that Tehran sees as capitulation, or Iran abandons the deterrence architecture it has spent decades constructing, the likeliest outcome is another framework that briefly steadies markets before collapsing under the weight of irreconcilable goals.

At the World Governments Summit in Dubai earlier this year, attendees heard how AI is redefining human capabilities by adding extra layers of thinking and learning. The International Monetary Fund reported in January that AI could affect about six in 10 jobs in advanced economies. Tech and AI companies are soaring in value as a result and show few signs of slowing down.

The IMF’s assessment may even already be an underestimation, such is the day-to-day creep of tools that allow you to find out if the cost of a product has risen in the past month and then quickly develop a report on what the long-term price trends might be or write a swift response to an urgent email. And those are the most superficial examples of how AI is reorganising and streamlining our days.

Indeed, almost every one of us would find it hard to go back to the version of work we used to do even 10 years ago, such are the efficiencies that have been and are being created. Change is all around us. The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there, as English novelist LP Hartley once elegantly noted.

Except, perhaps, in the most stubbornly unchanging part of the working world – the meeting – which too often sits in the “plus ca change” folder. Why are workplace meetings so often resistant to overhaul and efficiency?

Rebecca Hinds’s recently published and sunnily titled book, Your Best Meeting Ever, tackles the issue head-on by offering a series of principles to get better outcomes. The book has been described as a sound investment and a potential time-saver when reviewed.

Hinds, an organisational behaviour expert, begins and ends Your Best Meeting Ever with a fascinating nugget about the tactical playbook of the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA.

During the Second World War, Hinds writes, the department instructed US citizens in enemy territory “to use meetings to bog down productivity, drain morale and derail decision-making. Fast-forward to today and meetings still feel like weapons of mass distraction and dysfunction. Only now, the sabotage isn’t deliberate”.

If that historical capsule and contemporary assessment sounds amusing, absurd or both, most of us can easily conjure an example of a meeting from which we walked away feeling bemused or dissatisfied.

In his decades-old comedic paperback Microwave Man, my former colleague Jonathan Gornall described in fine detail how he ended up in a workplace gaggle at an ex-employer that had “five of us in the room struggling with a problem, three more, I register, than it took to split the atom”. When we later worked together, we regularly used to trudge out of a long weekly gathering to convene another quick huddle afterwards to figure out what to do next.

Others, I suspect, will have experienced something similar, although as Hinds notes, the business of complaining about meetings has become something of a “workplace sport”. A Harris poll she cites finds that 8 per cent of people would rather have root canal treatment than attend a status meeting. Ouch.

Filling up chunks of time with meetings means next to nothing unless they kickstart output

The author does an excellent job in identifying how executives too easily lean into the performative aspect of gatherings and how employees boast about being double-booked in their calendars, falsely equating a full calendar of most-likely unproductive meetings with a sense that they are wildly productive.

Others can feel pressured to accept invitations to meetings that they don’t need to attend. A colleague at The National routinely likes to question whether a meeting could more easily have been an email, although inboxes can easily become as inefficient and jumbled as the most unstructured or poorly designed meeting.

Filling up chunks of time with meetings also means next to nothing unless they lead to output. Unchecked, they can easily do the opposite and too easily become the smoke and mirrors that create the illusion of productivity, the author attests, even as participants like to think they project efficiency, competency and communication.

Data cited in the book suggests some employees spend almost six hours a week in entirely unproductive meetings and, all told, the equivalent of up to three days a week locked in conference rooms. The Covid-19 pandemic gave rise to a rush of additional meetings in workplaces, virtual gatherings replacing corridor chats as “corporate duct tape” slapped on every problem. Many of those meetings will have been critical at that historical juncture but effectiveness fades and degrades quickly.

Hinds suggests several fixes to get things back on track that include a calendar cleanse and reset, being ruthless about agendas, meeting lengths, frequency and attendees, managing egos within them and a commitment to consistently refining the product (also known as the meeting).

The prescription might be this: don’t let meetings persist as an “unavoidable workplace tax” that has to be paid. Nobody wants that, do they?

Iran is reviewing a US proposal, which reportedly sets out limits for Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Crucially, it also addresses the possibility of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The battle in – and for – the strait has become one of the most contentious issues in the war. This week, a US operation called Project Freedom offered a naval escort for merchant vessels through Hormuz, but Iran responded aggressively.

Mr Trump then quickly paused the operation to give talks a chance. For now, the strait remains closed as a double blockade disrupts global oil markets and turn a body of water into a tool for leverage.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher breaks down the naval tactics at play between the US and Iran and asks if a deal could reopen the strait. She speaks to Steven Wills from the Centre for Maritime Strategy at the Navy League of the United States, and to HA Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies.

A resolution was issued by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, establishing the committee to record and monitor “Iranian acts of aggression, international crimes and the damages resulting from them, which affected the territory of the UAE, its citizens, visitors and residents”.

The group, chaired by the Attorney General, is made up of security, judicial, technical and economic authorities, state news agency Wam reported.

The UAE government has described the committee as an institutional mechanism that consolidates documentation efforts, turning collected records into a structured legal archive.

The committee is also authorised to seek assistance from national and international experts in its mission to create a comprehensive national record. The group has a remit to identify and assess “human, material and economic damages”, as well as casualties and injuries.

It will collect and analyse evidence, documents, and technical, engineering, medical and f orensic reports.

The UAE faced a daily bombardment of missiles and drone strikes from Iran following the outbreak of the war on February 28.

Two UAE Armed Forces personnel and a Moroccan civilian contractor working for the military were killed. In addition, 10 civilians lost their lives and more than 220 were injured.

A conditional ceasefire between the US and Iran came into effect on April 8, bringing a temporary halt to hostilities in the region. But Iran renewed its attacks on the Emirates on Monday, firing 15 missiles and four drones in what the UAE described as a “dangerous escalation”.

The resolution reflects the UAE’s commitment to reinforcing the rule of law, safeguarding human rights, and ensuring the documentation of violations in a manner that supports the achievement of justice and the protection of rights, Wam said.

The Qurnain Block, in the largely underdeveloped desert area in Najaf province near the border with Saudi Arabia, is being explored by China’s Zhenhua. It won the rights to explore and develop for oil and gas during the latest licensing round in 2024.

Oil Minister Hayan Abdel Ghani announced the discovery in a statement issued after a meeting with the Chinese company on Wednesday. “The importance lies in accelerating work phases to achieve the oil projects’ objectives for sustained crude production and gas utilisation,” Mr Abdel Ghani said.

The Qurnain block covers 8,773 square kilometres and is considered one of the country’s most promising exploration areas. An Oil Ministry statement said the discovery was made at a depth of 1,916–1,965 metres, with an “estimated potential of 8.8351 billion barrels and a daily production rate of 3,248 barrels of light crude”.

Zhenhua presented a proposal for rapid investment in the block during the meeting, it added.

The Qurnain discovery is a milestone in Iraq’s licensing strategy, which aims to bring new players and capital into underexplored areas beyond the country’s mature southern fields. Officials have repeatedly stressed the need to boost production capacity and reduce gas flaring as part of Iraq's energy security and revenue diversification plans.

The most recent fifth and sixth licensing rounds were launched to attract investment in frontier blocks, mainly in western and central Iraq, regions that have only been explored to a limited extent due to security and logistical challenges. The discovery at Qurnain could encourage further activity in adjacent blocks along the Saudi border.

Encouraged by an improved security situation, Iraq began to open its oilfields to international companies for development in 2009. Among the major oil companies to enter the country were the US‘s Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, the UK’s BP, China’s CNPC and Russia’s Lukoil.

Since then, Iraq has awarded dozens of contracts to develop major fields, including ones that hold more than half of its 145 billion barrels of proven reserves. Contracts to tap natural gas resources have also been awarded. Production crossed four million barrels per day – up from nearly 2.4 million bpd in 2009, and exports reached around 3.5 million bpd, according to Oil Ministry data.

Production has declined to around 1.5 million bpd since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the main route for energy exports from the region, due to the Iran war. The current output is for local consumption and the export of around 200,000 bpd, which is pumped to Turkey's Ceyhan port.

Oil revenue, which accounts for 90 per cent of Iraq's budget, has declined by more than 70 per cent since the war began on February 28 – from $6.8 billion in February to $1.96 billion the following month, according to the Oil Ministry.

The strait's closure has forced Iraq to explore alternative routes to export crude. The Oil Ministry said last week that it had started work on a 700km pipeline linking the oil-rich Basra province in the south to Haditha in western Iraq, with a capacity of 2.5 million bpd.

About $1.5 billion has been allocated for the project, and the date of completion depends on the availability of further budget allocations, it said. In addition to supplying refineries across southern, central and northern Iraq, it will pump crude for export through the ports of Baniyas in Syria, Ceyhan in Turkey and Aqaba in Jordan.

Organised by the Delegation of the European Union to the UAE in partnership with the Cultural Foundation and Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, the festival will run in Abu Dhabi from May 18 to 24 before moving to Ras Al Khaimah from June 1 to 5.

Screenings in the capital will take place at the Cultural Foundation, while the Ras Al Khaimah programme will be held at RAK Chamber Theatre. Tickets for screenings are priced at Dh25.

The annual event brings together a wide-ranging selection of European films, offering audiences in the UAE access to varied storytelling traditions, from established directors and emerging voices. This year’s expanded format aims to reach a broader audience, with organisers highlighting the role of cinema in fostering cross-cultural exchange.

The programme features more than a dozen films from across the continent, spanning genres and themes, and released in the past few years.

Among them is Italy’s Gloria! (2024), set in a 19th-century Venice girls’ school, where a young servant discovers music as a form of expression; France’s A Real Job (2023) follows a doctorate student navigating the realities of teaching; while Slovenia’s Elvis Starling (2025) centres on a teenager dealing with family upheaval.

Several titles anchor the programme with more expansive, character-driven narratives. Spain’s Close Your Eyes (2023) revisits the decades-old disappearance of an actor through a television investigation, using archive footage and testimony to blur the line between memory and performance. Ukraine’s The Taste of Freedom (2023) follows a young aspiring chef whose journey is reshaped by the discovery of a 1929 cookbook, weaving together questions of heritage, identity and ambition.

From Greece, Stelios (2024) traces the life of singer Stelios Kazantzidis, born in a refugee family before rising to national prominence, while exploring the relationship between music, hardship and public devotion.

Other highlights include Austria’s The Village Next to Paradise (2024), Luxembourg’s Kensuke’s Kingdom (2023), Romania’s The Secret of Pin-Up Island (2024) and Lithuania’s Runner (2021).

Malta’s The Theft of the Caravaggio (2025) brings a crime narrative rooted in art history, while Czechia’s Invincibles (2025) and Ireland’s Lakelands (2022) explore sport and identity.

With participation from EU member state embassies and cultural institutes, the festival continues to position itself as a platform for showcasing Europe’s cinematic diversity in the UAE, while strengthening cultural ties between the regions.

Gulf states are responsible for up to 46 per cent of global urea exports, but the Iran war has severely curtailed supplies of the important stabiliser for explosives.

According to a confidential market briefing document seen by The National, an estimated 22 million tonnes per year of urea supply – around one tenth of annual production – is considered at risk following the US and Israel’s bombing campaign against Iran, with prices also surging by 50 per cent.

The interruption of gas flows across the eastern Mediterranean has also exacerbated delays in supply. Israel’s suspension of gas supplies to Egypt halted Cairo's urea production, removing a vital alternative source just as Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz.

As the product's prime use is as fertiliser, shortages of it could also provoke infighting between the Pentagon and the Department of Agriculture if the Arabian Gulf bottleneck is not resolved. It could also lead to a further decline in relations with Europe if the US attempts to undercut the continent’s supply from Algeria and Egypt, experts have said.

Big in bombs

While urea is best known as a nitrogen-rich agricultural fertiliser, it also plays a critical but less well-known role in defence manufacturing, ensuring that munitions remain safe and reliable across a range of temperatures and storage conditions.

“Urea is an important stabilising product in both propellants and explosive formulations,” said Maj Robert Campbell, a retired Royal Engineers explosive ordnance disposal expert. “You’ll find it in everything from artillery shells to missile systems, and without it, performance and shelf life become much harder to guarantee.”

That dependence means that a supply squeeze could affect the US defence industrial base at an important moment. After nearly six weeks of sustained bombardment of Iran, American stockpiles of vital munitions have been depleted. It has expended 45 per cent of its Precision Strike Missiles and half its Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (Thaad) and Patriot missile interceptors.

Other systems such as the Himars medium-range missiles rely on solid rocket boosters whose propellants must remain stable under varying conditions, which Urea provides. Similarly, air-to-air missiles, precision-guided bombs and artillery rounds largely depend on the chemical in their production chains.

American arms manufacturers, including Ensign-Bickford, produce a lot of the explosives and components that require urea. Retooling these processes, said Maj Campbell, who was decorated for bomb disposal in Afghanistan, is theoretically possible, but is far from straightforward and can have unforeseen results.

“There are alternatives,” he said. “You can change the explosive type or the formulation and you’ll still get something that goes bang. But if you’ve already tooled your production line around a specific chemistry, switching quickly is extremely difficult. And if you do switch, you’re changing the weapon’s effects, which can have unintended consequences.”

Going Winchester

Given the US expenditure on weapons – it fired more than 4,000 of what are called its “seven critical munitions”, air defence and precision strike missiles – there are deep concerns that it will not be able to fully restock to prewar levels for four years.

“Concern about the status of US munitions inventories has intensified as reports emerge about high expenditures of Tomahawks, Patriots and other missiles in the Iran war,” the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies said in a report.

It added that a stocktake was needed to examine whether the US military was “near the point of ‘going Winchester’”, a military term for running out of ammunition.

With shortages of vital missile components – potentially including urea – that risk “will persist for many years” and “lies in future wars”, it said.

“Rebuilding to prewar levels for the seven critical munitions will take from one to four years,” it stated. “Even before the Iran war, stockpiles were deemed insufficient for a peer competitor fight. That shortfall is now even more acute.”

Urea at risk

Urea is made industrially from ammonia and carbon dioxide, and the Gulf states' ability to cheaply produce natural gas makes them major exporters.

Globally, about 195 tonnes are produced each year, from the Middle East to China, India and Russia. But according to a report by Rabobank, a multinational financial services company, the current crisis could have a much broader impact. “When factoring in a regional dynamic, the ‘at risk’ volumes look closer to 44 per cent of global urea exports,” it said.

Prices are expected to rise considerably, and “affordability is likely to deteriorate further”, especially if there is a military demand. The Strait of Hormuz closure was “disrupting global fertiliser markets, raising prices and tightening supply across global agriculture”, the report added.

Fighters v farmers

The Pentagon now faces stiff competition for urea from the agricultural sector as farmers rely heavily on the compound to boost crop yields. The US Department of Agriculture wields considerable political influence.

“There are two powerful lobbies now competing for the same constrained resource: defence and agriculture,” Maj Campbell said. “At some point, one of them will have to give.”

Given that Mr Trump’s relations with European Nato powers are at their nadir following the Iran war, the alliance could further sour if US buyers turn aggressively to markets in Algeria and Egypt and drive up prices while pushing out other customers.

“If the US starts pursuing urea at scale, it will have a knock-on effect globally,” Maj Campbell said. “They will outbid others if necessary, and that could disrupt European supply chains, and Europe is already supplying a significant volume of weapons to Ukraine.”

However, US officials may have anticipated some disruption and stockpiled some urea as part of contingency planning. But there are concerns that if the strait remains closed for another three or four months, it would have a severe impact on both the US arms and agriculture industry, potentially forcing Mr Trump to compromise on an Iran peace deal.

The solution provides continuous coverage across the entire supply chain, from ocean or air transit through port storage and inland delivery, DP World said on Thursday.

The ports operator has also “secured pricing that is significantly more competitive” than standard war risk premiums, it said.

“This is about solving a real, immediate problem for global trade,” said Yuvraj Narayan, group chief executive of DP World.

“Supply chains don’t stop at the port or the shoreline and neither should insurance.”

Its programme is available for companies trading in or through the Middle East, including the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea and surrounding inland routes. It covers physical loss or damage caused by war-related risks, including conflict, civil unrest, seizure and derelict weapons, with all valid claims settled with zero deductible.

The programme offers coverage limits of up to $400 million per shipment and $1 million per inland movement, DP World said.

Since the start of the war on February 28 and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, many insurance companies have cancelled coverage for the sea route. Hundreds of ships remain stranded around the key waterway, which is under a double blockade by Iran and the US.

Traditional cargo insurance packages typically exclude war risk or require separate cover. “Carriers do not cover war-related losses, as these fall outside their liability,” DP World said.

DP World said the solution extends its role “beyond ports and terminals to become an end-to-end supply chain partner”.

The ports operator in March reported that profit for 2025 increased 32.2 per cent annually to $1.96 billion, as revenue rose 22 per cent to $24.4 billion.

Total group gross throughput increased 5.8 per cent to 93.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units, it said.

The project is expected to provide a major boost for tourism and investment in the emirate, state news agency Wam reported.

The resort on Khor Fakkan Beach, which is now fully operational, consists of 573 residential homes, with one to four bedrooms, and has 16 retail outlets.

“Khor Fakkan Resort is expected to contribute to supporting tourism and economic activity in the city by providing an integrated destination that combines luxury accommodation and recreational services, thereby enhancing quality of life and keeping pace with Sharjah’s sustainable development plans,” a statement on Wam read.

Alongside homes and shops are green spaces covering 100,000 square feet, outdoor swimming pools, a private beach and hotels.

The project offers freehold ownership to all nationalities as part of a drive to attract investment in Sharjah's tourism and real estate sectors.

The emirate welcomed more than two million guests at 102 hotels in 2025, creating revenue of Dh780 million, according to the most recent update available from Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority's website.

The emirate during that period proved most popular with Russian visitors (347,000) followed by Indians (231,000).

The company expects continued growth momentum this year, Bader Al Lamki said. “We've closed 2025 with the high momentum … it was the highest year in terms of number of stations and that momentum, we believe, will continue this year,” he told The National on the sidelines of Make it in the Emirates event in Abu Dhabi.

In 2025, Adnoc Distribution added 119 new fuel stations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, taking the total number to 1,010.

It also sold 15.71 billion litres of fuel in the retail and commercial segment during the period, and posted a 15.4 per cent annual growth in its profit to nearly Dh2.8 billion ($760 million) on higher revenue.

Mr Al Lamki said he is “optimistic” about continued demand for fuel despite recent increases in the UAE amid higher global oil prices triggered by Iran war.

“We are very much confident that we will continue to deliver against the ambition that is set by our board and I look forward to another stellar year,” he said.

The Middle East conflict has tipped the region into its worst geopolitical crisis in decades. The war, which began on February 28 with Israel and US bombing Iran, and Tehran lashing out at its Arab neighbours in retaliation, has disrupted business across the region.

Energy sites and civilian infrastructure have been hit by waves of Iranian drone and missile attacks but hospitality, aviation and tourism are among the sectors worst hit.

However, despite the disruption, Gulf economies are expected to grow, albeit at a slower rate, this year, the International Monetary Fund said last month.

Mr Al Lamki said: “We navigated the last 50 days or so with strong resilience. All our services were uninterrupted … we serve 700,000 customers daily and all our products were there in the convenience store and other places, and fuel was supplied.”

Abu Dhabi-listed Adnoc Distribution is committed to the Make it in the Emirates initiative and supports domestic industrialisation, with 70 per cent of the construction material for its service station being sourced from the Emirates.

Adnoc Voyager, its lubricants brand, is made in the UAE and exported to almost 53 countries. About 32 per cent of products sold in Adnoc Oasis shops are supplied by domestic manufacturers, Mr Al Lamki added.

It also provides opportunities for small and medium enterprises from the UAE to grow, with 77 per cent of the tenants in its hubs and service stations from the SME segment, he said.

“We serve 700,000 customers every day and through all that we provide channels and opportunities for home-grown products to be showcased and sold, and support the domestic manufacturing capabilities,” Mr Al Lamki added.

On Thursday, Adnoc Distribution announced the signing of an agreement with Dtek.ai to introduce Swift, a AI-powered self-checkout system at Oasis Adnoc convenience stores across the UAE.

The new partnership with the UAE-based firm is expected to reduce average checkout times and enable faster transactions at Adnoc shops.

Adnoc Distribution also announced partnerships with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) and Borouge, valued at more than Dh60 million, to support domestic industrialisation.

The UAE is focusing heavily on boosting home-grown manufacturing as part of its economic diversification strategy. The industrial sector's contribution to national gross domestic product reached Dh200 billion last year, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, told delegates on Monday at Make it in the Emirates.

He would have been within his rights to have been dancing a jig all the way home from Sharjah to Al Ain, given what his side had just achieved.

The UAE Pro League title, wrapped up with two games in hand. And with a crushing 5-0 win that underlined Al Ain’s dominance of this campaign in permanent marker and with five exclamation marks.

Still, he would not allow himself to lose focus. “We are still in the game,” Ivic said with a wry grin.

By that he means the task of making himself invincible. Al Ain have their title homecoming against Al Dhafra at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on Sunday night.

They then complete their league programme with a game against Dibba. If they avoid defeat in those two fixtures, they will finish the campaign unbeaten.

“Of course, our target is to do it, and we will give our maximum,” Ivic said. “The season is not finished for us.”

They also have a chance of completing the domestic double. Al Ain face Al Jazira in the President’s Cup final in Abu Dhabi on May 22.

Quirkily, if they do win that, it will be the third season in a row that the title winners have also won the double, after Al Wasl and the outgoing champions, Shabab Al Ahli.

Shabab Al Ahli fought a good fight in their title defence. Six points behind with two games to play, they could yet match Al Ain’s points total, but the title has already been decided.

Unlike the conventional tiebreaker of goal difference elsewhere, the UAE league uses head-to-head results to separate sides level on points. Al Ain beat Shabab Al Ahli home and away this season.

🎥 | The crown belongs to Al Ain 💜🏆

A five-star display secures the title in style. Relive the atmosphere, the goals, and the celebrations from a historic night ⚽✨#SHJvAIN ⚪🟣#AdnocProLeague ⚽ pic.twitter.com/osK6GdIrcC

— UAE Pro League (@UAEProleague_En) May 6, 2026

Quite how the champions have achieved such dominance over the competition is hard to fathom, considering where they were as a club last season.

They were champions of Asia in 2024, yet their star plummeted with alarming haste. Within a couple of games of the next season's start, Hernan Crespo – the coach who oversaw that AFC Champions League title win over Yokohama F Marinos – looked lost.

“What we achieved last season was a miracle,” Crespo said after a wild draw with Al Bataeh in Sharjah. Not long after, the Argentine was out the door.

Leonardo Jardim followed Crespo into the hot seat, but lasted a mere 87 days. Then Al Ain alighted on Ivic, whose stints managing in Russia, Israel, England and Greece did not exactly foretell success.

And yet, within the space of 456 days, he has overseen a transformation from no-hopers to potential 'Invincibles'.

Ushering in the title with the punctuation mark of that 5-0 win in Sharjah felt fitting. Less than a year ago, that had been the same margin by which Al Ain had been embarrassed by Juventus on the world stage.

At the Club World Cup in Washington, a Juventus side that had prepared for the game by visiting US President Donald Trump at the White House that same afternoon basically played unopposed.

The same was true for Manchester City the next time out. They put six past the UAE’s representatives at the new global competition.

هذه ليست احتفالات… هذه مشاعر موسمٌ كامل 💜🥹 pic.twitter.com/on4imyuehQ

— نادي العين (@alainfcae) May 7, 2026

It felt at that point that Al Ain were in an inescapable downward spiral, with an overinflated squad supplemented by some bizarre, ad hoc loanees. It felt soulless and hopeless.

But Ivic had a plan and a work ethic. Hard work should be the basic standard; the coach has had to work smart as well as work hard.

The biggest task was making sense of the hotchpotch of a squad he had, keeping in mind the opaque regulations of the UAE Pro League.

Article 8 of the competition governs player participation, and it is complicated. It references the fact that a side can have “a maximum of five foreign players regardless of their nationalities”.

It then says that the “number of foreign and UAE resident players fielded in the match shall not exceed seven”.

This means the players might need to make sure they have copies of their passports when Ivic plans to make a substitution.

“It was not easy to deal with these situations because the number of the domestic players was not good, not enough,” Ivic said.

“We need every time there is a change to think, who will be on the line-up, who will not be when we do substitution, and how we will do it.

“For the teams who become champions, these are the kind of problem that you need to deal with.”

Another rule is that the goalkeeper must be “an Emirati national, son of Emirati mother national, UAE passport holder or born in the UAE”.

Happily for Ivic, his keeper is a banker. Khalid Essa is the long-serving UAE captain and part of the fabric of Al Ain.

He is one of the jewels in the crown on which this success has been built, the others being the overseas forward Kodjo Laba – who has scored 22 goals during the league campaign – and Soufiane Rahimi.

Elsewhere, difficult decisions have had to be made. UAE internationals and club mainstays Khaled Hashemi and Yahia Nader have been moved out to Baniyas. Kouame Autonne, the UAE centre-back, has rarely been spotted.

And through all the complexities, Ivic has hit on a winning formula. “It's [been] too complicated,” he said.

“In the end, we achieved our goal. I hope that in the next three games, we will do in the same as we did [against Sharjah], and then go on vacation.”

The Ministry of Interior said they were “caught in the act of committing their crimes” at the sites of the attacks.

They were charged with “participating in acts of violence and sabotage that coincided with the heinous Iranian attacks”, the ministry added.

The ministry said it was also looking into cases of alleged espionage by individuals “closely linked” to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The individuals were suspected of “exploiting” religious sects and media platforms, plus social, charity and educational institutions such as schools and kindergartens “to deepen the influence of this extremist ideology”.

The suspects aimed to “incite hostility towards the state, terrorise and intimidate citizens and civil institutions, spread hate and endanger the security of the country”, the ministry said.

It called on people to report such incidents.

Earlier this month, Bahrain's King Hamad accused Iran of interference in the country's affairs.

Bahrain's neighbours have pledged their full support for Manama's security measures.

Gulf Co-operation Council Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi said the bloc stood in “full solidarity” with Bahrain in all actions taken to protect its stability and the safety of its citizens. He stressed that Bahrain's security was “an integral part” of the collective security of GCC member states, warning that the six-country alliance would act as one against any threats.

King Hamad warned Tehran to stop interfering in his country's internal affairs and those of other Gulf states. He accused Iran of carrying out what he described as “heinous aggression” against Bahrain's security and stability.

All six GCC nations were attacked during Iran's campaign in response to US and Israeli air strikes at the end of February. While Tehran said it was attacking US assets and interests in the region, strikes still hit energy infrastructure, civilian sites, airports, residential buildings and hotels across the Gulf.

Bahrain said its air defences intercepted and destroyed 194 Iranian missiles and 523 drones before a ceasefire came into effect on April 8.

It was the fourth consecutive year of record profits for the Dubai airline, despite disruption in the last month of the 12-month period due to the Iran war. Emirates reported profit after tax of Dh19.7 billion ($5.4 billion), up more than 3 per cent for the year ended March 2026, it said on Thursday.

Revenue rose 2 per cent to Dh130.9 billion during the year, as the airline “strategically” used its capacity to serve surging demand across markets.

This is the “best profit performance” in the airline’s history, Emirates said.

This is the fourth year in a row that Emirates has announced hefty bonuses for its staff. Eligible employees received a 22-week bonus last year.

The airline has also been increasing its workforce. It recorded a 7.9 per cent year-on-year rise in staff numbers to reach 74,980 employees in the last fiscal year, up from 69,465, it said on Thursday.

“Despite an extremely challenging March before our financial year ended, Emirates retains its place as the world’s most profitable airline,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, chairman and chief executive of Emirates airline and group. For 2025-2026, Emirates and dnata have announced combined dividends of Dh3.5 billion to the Investment Corporation of Dubai.

The aviation sector, especially in the Gulf, was severely disrupted after the Iran war began on February 28, forcing the closure of airports and airspace.

Operations were gradually reintroduced and have now been largely restored, but some restrictions remain. This week, Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest, reported a 66 per cent drop in passenger numbers for March.

But with the UAE civil aviation authorities this month completely reopening the airspace and lifting restrictions on capacity, Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths told The National a rapid return to full capacity is expected.

The ritual is thousands of years old but is considered unsafe by Belgian standards, which require a doctor to perform the procedure.

The diplomatic spat first erupted in February but escalated this week when Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reacted to the announcement of the indictment of the rabbis on Wednesday.

“This is a scarlet letter on Belgian society,” he wrote on X. “With this act Belgium joins a short and shameful list, together with Ireland, of countries that use criminal law to prosecute Jews for practising Judaism.”

Mr Saar urged Belgian authorities to emulate European countries that have created specific legal frameworks for the ritual.

US ambassador Bill White described the prosecution of the rabbis as a “shameful stain on Belgium”. He called on the Belgian government to “find a certification solution immediately”.

“Belgium will be thought of now as anti-Semitic by the world. Until this is resolved – there is no way around it,” he wrote on X.

He also condemned the “political inaction” by the Belgium government to work with “beautiful Jewish communities”.

This is a shameful stain on Belgium.

The prosecution of these religious figures (mohels), one of whom is American, is WRONG and won’t be tolerated.

Belgium will be thought of now as anti Semitic by world. Until this is resolved - there is no way around it.

The Trump… https://t.co/XBLp35aPH2

— Ambassador Bill White (@BillWhiteUSA) May 6, 2026

This led to Prime Minister Bart de Wever saying that Belgian health standards must be respected by all.

“Circumcision is essential for the Jewish faith and Islam, but so are the quality standards of our legislation. You have to reconcile the two. What you shouldn’t do is create a whole societal controversy around it with harsh statements about anti-Semitism. That contributes nothing at all,” Mr de Wever told Belgian broadcaster VRT. “Legislation obviously stands above any religion and above any world view or ideology.”

The Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office was reported by news website Euractiv as seeking trial for two men, not three, as claimed by Mr Saar. They are accused of “intentional assault or battery with premeditation against minors” for performing circumcision without a medical licence. It will be decided next month whether the men will be sent to trial.

They were initially investigated after a complaint by a member of the Jewish community in Antwerp. News website The Jerusalem Post reported that he had filed a police complaint against six mohels – rabbis trained in circumcision – who practise an ultra-orthodox version of circumcision. Belgium prosecutors have alleged this amounts to an aggravated assault on minors.

Responding to Mr Saar, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said the accusations of anti-Semitism were “defamatory” and that the judiciary was independent from political influence.

Replying to Mr White on social media, Mr Prevot said: “I urge you to exercise greater restraint and to view your role in its proper context. It is inappropriate to publicly criticise a country and tarnish its image simply because you disagree with judicial proceedings. I have already told you this. Would you consider it acceptable for our ambassador in Washington to do the same?”

Germany in 2012 passed a law that ritual circumcision was legal after a court deemed it constituted bodily harm. Norway allows it but only in the presence of a medical doctor. Both are among a handful of countries.