Gurmeet Kaur, 75, and daughter-in-law Sukhvir Kaur, 40, at their home in Rauni village in district Ludhiana in Punjab. Gurmeet’s son Balwinder Singh has been protesting against the new farm laws at Singhu border for over 50 days. Taniya Dutta for The National

Wives hold the fort as Indian farmers lay siege to government

Asia

Gargash: UN Security Council should 'unify' on Arab issues

MENA

Revolution of the hungry: Tunisia protests reignite after Covid lockdown

MiddleEastNorthAfrica
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi announced early elections soon after taking office in May. Reuters

Iraq’s electoral commission says June poll will be delayed

MENA
Shawntia Humphries and Peter Tracey pose outside Mr Tracey's home in Washington DC. Willy Lowry / The National

Residents in Washington brace for inauguration day

The Americas
Jordanian King Abdullah II welcoming Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi to the capital Amman. AFP

Egypt and Jordan co-ordinate before Biden inauguration

MENA

Turkey sent 200 Syrian mercenaries to Libya in past week, says Syria monitor

MENA
Members of US National Guard wait aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker from the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Wing as they prepare to depart for Washington to assist with the inauguration of president-elect Joe Biden on January 20, 2021. Anchorage Daily News via AP

Biden inauguration: FBI vets National Guard over fears of insider attack

The Americas
Kuwait's Prime Minister Sabah Al Khalid meets the country's Emir, Sheikh Nawaf, to present the resignation of his Cabinet. Reuters

Emir of Kuwait accepts government's resignation

Gulf
©2021 Tom Nicholson. 12/01/2021. Beirut, Lebanon. Dr Ousaima Dbouni, an infectious disease specialist at the Rafic Hariri University Hospital in southern Beirut, Lebanon, poses for a portrait. The country will go into a more severe lockdown on Thursday to curb a widespread increase in cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus. Tom Nicholson for The National

Inside Lebanon's ICUs where just 20 per cent survive Covid-19

MiddleEastNorthAfrica
France's Muslim federations agreed on a charter of principles requested by President Emmanuel Macron in his bid to eradicate sectarianism and extremism. AFP file 

French Muslim council agrees accord on 'principles' sought by Macron

Europe
Indian TV journalist Arnab Goswami is known for his combative interview style. Getty Images

Indian TV anchor Arnab Goswami caught in WhatsApp controversy

Asia
A traveller arrives at JFK International Airport in New York City on a flight from London amid restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Reuters

Choppy transition of power laid bare over Covid travel ban plans

The Americas
Kuwait's Prime Minister Sabah Al Khalid meets the country's Emir, Sheikh Nawaf, to present the resignation of his Cabinet. Reuters

Emir of Kuwait accepts government's resignation

Gulf
©2021 Tom Nicholson. 12/01/2021. Beirut, Lebanon. Dr Ousaima Dbouni, an infectious disease specialist at the Rafic Hariri University Hospital in southern Beirut, Lebanon, poses for a portrait. The country will go into a more severe lockdown on Thursday to curb a widespread increase in cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus. Tom Nicholson for The National

Inside Lebanon's ICUs where just 20 per cent survive Covid-19

MiddleEastNorthAfrica
France's Muslim federations agreed on a charter of principles requested by President Emmanuel Macron in his bid to eradicate sectarianism and extremism. AFP file 

French Muslim council agrees accord on 'principles' sought by Macron

Europe
Indian TV journalist Arnab Goswami is known for his combative interview style. Getty Images

Indian TV anchor Arnab Goswami caught in WhatsApp controversy

Asia
A traveller arrives at JFK International Airport in New York City on a flight from London amid restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Reuters

Choppy transition of power laid bare over Covid travel ban plans

The Americas
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has been granted the “Legion of Merit” (Degree of Chief Commander) by US President, Donald J. Trump, in recognition of his remarkable efforts to strengthen the Bahrain-US friendship relations and solid partnership. courtesy: Bahrain News Agency

King of Bahrain awarded Order of Merit by Donald Trump

World
Capitol Police secure an area of the US Capitol after it was stormed by Trump supporters on January 6. AFP  

FBI: Capitol rioter allegedly hoped to sell Pelosi laptop to Russia

The Americas
An Afghan security officer stands guard at the scene of an attack at the National Directorate of Security in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on January 16, 2021. EPA

Afghan business owners fear increasing Taliban violence as US troops leave

Asia
Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak leaves Downing Street, in London, Britain. Reuters

Business lobby urges more help for virus-hit UK companies

Business
Passengers arrive on a flight from London at JFK International Airport in New York City, US. File photo / Reuters

Trump to lift Covid travel bans on much of Europe and Brazil, which Biden will reverse

The Americas
A fisherman processes a freshly caught dogfish while trawling in the English Channel from the Port of Newhaven, UK. Bloomberg

Boris Johnson promises payments to fishermen hit by Brexit trade obstacles

Business
A motorist wearing a face mask gets her temperature checked by a healthcare worker at the Southside Church of Christ in Los Angeles, California, on January 18, 2021 as free rapid Covid-19 antibody and PCR tests are administered to local residents in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. AFP

Coronavirus deaths rising in 30 US states amid winter surge

The Americas
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the English Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United. EPA

Arsenal see off struggling Newcastle

Football
A selection of healthy vegan food, including fruit vegetables, tofu and beans. Getty Images

French vegan restaurant becomes first to win Michelin star

Food
French Prime Minister Jean Castex speaks during a press conference in Paris. AP

France's daily Covid-19 infections hit more than six-week high

Europe
A woman wearing a face mask walks along a street in Beijing. Reuters

Covid investigation criticises global response

World
A police car speeds down Oxford Street in London, UK. Bloomberg

‘Human error’ wipes 400,000 UK police computer records

Europe
Mr Kubis is currently the UN special coordinator for Lebanon. Victor Besa / The National 

UN confirms Jan Kubis as Libya peace envoy

MENA
Members of the Florida National Guard walk near the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial on January 17, 2021 in Washington. AFP

Washington's Martin Luther King Jr memorial closed on his federal holiday

The Americas
A doctor inoculates a nurse against Covid-19 with the Moderna vaccine at Essen university hospital in Germany. Getty Images

German minister: Lift coronavirus restrictions for vaccinated people

Europe
As the Biden adminstration considers a new Iran nuclear deal satellite photo shows construction at Iran's Natanz uranium-enrichment facility that experts believe may be a new, underground centrifuge assembly plant. AP

'Narrow window' for Iran nuclear agreement

MENA
Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, during a virtual press conference to preview the Davos Agenda 2021. EPA

WEF's online Davos Agenda to focus on rebuilding trust in post-Covid world

Economy
The US embassy complex in Baghdad. AFP

Iraq asks Iran to intervene to halt attacks on diplomatic missions

MENA
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: A general view of Burj Khalifa on February 6, 2017. Tom Dulat/Getty Images

No surprise there ... Dubai in world's top 50 most Instagrammable places

Travel
A monitoring group said 90 per cent of the homes lay deep inside the West Bank, which the Palestinians seek as the heartland of a future independent state. AP

Britain says latest Israeli settlement plans in West Bank could damage peace efforts

MENA
Travellers stand in line for Covid-19 tests after arriving at Heathrow Airport in London. Bloomberg

UK considering hotel quarantine for new arrivals – how would it work?

Europe
Some toddlers have never played with a friend because of the UK's coronavirus lockdown.

UK minister warns toddlers face harm as lockdown prevents them playing with others

Europe
A lorry drives past the Houses of Parliament in London with a message that reads "Incompetent government destroying shellfish industry", part of a protest by fishermen against post-Brexit red tape and coronavirus restrictions. AFP

Shellfish lorries park near Downing Street in protest over post-Brexit export chaos

Brexit
A boy walks through a rainwater pond near a laundry line with clothes hanging out to dry at a camp for Syrians displaced by conflict in Syria's northern rebel-held Idlib province.  AFP

The Middle East framed - regional photography for January 18, 2021

MENA
An Indian Sikh devotee performs martial arts during a religious procession ahead of the birth anniversary of the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, in Jammu, India, January 18 2021. EPA

World in focus - best photos for January 18, 2021

World
Audi is one of several leading carmakers to reduce vehicle production as a semiconductor shortage bites. Getty

Audi delays production as it battles global semiconductor shortfall

Technology
US President Donald Trump is expected to announce about 100 more pardons before he leaves office. AFP

Pardons-for-cash controversy as Trump heads for exit

The Americas
International students line up to receive their food parcels on Monday. Newham Community Project

‘Scared’ international students in the UK turning to food banks for survival

Europe
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was detained shortly after he landed on a flight from Berlin, and has since been jailed until February 15. AP

Poisoned opposition figure Alexei Navalny jailed in Russia

Europe
Mount Merapi volcano spews hot lava as it erupts, as seen from Wonorejo in Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia on January 18, 2021. Antara Foto / Reuters 

Death toll from quake rises as Indonesia battles floods and volcano eruptions

World
Women walk by a Chanel cosmetic shop at the capital city's popular shopping mall in Beijing. China’s economy grew 2.3% in 2020 as a recovery from the coronavirus pandemic accelerated while the US, Europe and Japan struggled with disease flare-ups. AP

China beats estimates as economy grows 2.3% in 2020

Economy
Refugees walking into Hamdiyet. Credit : Hussein Saleh Ary

In the age of social distancing, Sudanese open their homes to Ethiopian refugees

MENA
Rita Passey receives an injection of a Covid-19 vaccine at the NHS vaccine centre that has been set up at the Millennium Point centre in Birmingham, Britain. EPA

UK’s vaccine programme: Teachers and shop workers a likely priority after over-70s

Europe
The Eurostar train service linking London to the continent is at risk, business leaders told the UK government. AFP

Eurostar could go bust without rescue package

Travel and Tourism
Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi checks on Athletic Bilbao's Spanish forward Asier Villalibre. AFP

Messi sees red as Bilbao stun Barca to win Spanish Super Cup

Football
Manchester City's John Stones scores his side's fourth goal of the game during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. PA 

Man City climb to second with Crystal Palace mauling

Football
A satellite photo shows construction at Iran's Natanz uranium-enrichment facility. ©2020 Maxar Technologies via AP

Iran asks watchdog not to publish ‘unnecessary’ details of nuclear programme

MENA
British Telecom (BT)'s headquarters is seen in central London, Britain May 10, 2018. Reuters

BT faces lawsuit and £600m fine on overcharging claims

Business
Bobi Wine has alleged electoral fraud after Thursday's presidential election. Getty 

Uganda’s opposition rejects Museveni’s re-election as ‘fraud’

Africa
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia are seen at the passport control point at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on January 17, 2021. AFP

Kremlin critic Navalny detained after landing in Moscow

Europe
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is worth an estimated £12.2 billion - and he owns the rights to fish a fair few salmon, too. Getty

The $49 million Icelandic salmon grab of UK billionaire Jim Ratcliffe man provokes fury

Economy
Sudanese security forces pictured in Genena, the capital of West Darfur state, in 2016. AFP

Violence in West Darfur kills 83

Africa
Armed militiamen of the Houthi movement ride a vehicle as they patrol at a street in Sanaa Yemen. EPA

Houthis killed as rebel offensive breaks Hodeidah agreement

Gulf
Overcrowding on London transport Grant Ciccone

Sadiq Khan warns Londoners to stay at home and avert Tube chaos

Europe
Jordanian Minister of Health Natheer Obeidat watches as a woman prepares to receive a dose of vaccine against the coronavirus disease at a hospital in Amman  AFP 

Jordanians throw caution to the wind after movement bans ease

MENA
A trove of ancient coffins and artefacts on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis, in Saqqara, south of Cairo. AP

Huge archaeological find in Egypt includes 50 mummies and a temple

MENA
The US flew two B-52 bombers over large parts of the Middle East, sending what US officials say is a message to both friends and enemies. AP

US sends more B-52 bombers to Middle East in last days of Trump administration

The Americas
Alexei and Yulia Navalnaya  talk in a video posted on the Instagram account @navalny before their flight at the Berlin Brandenburg International Airport BER in Schoenefeld, Germany. EPA

Kremlin critic Navalny's flight back to Russia 'in holding pattern'

Europe
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has made a seven-week wall calendar using Alice in Wonderland notepaper to count down the weeks to her release. AFP

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe hopes to be back in Britain in seven weeks

Europe
Sergei Kuznetsov had been Russia's Ambassador to the UAE since 2019. Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research

Emirati leaders send condolences after death of Russian ambassador to UAE

UAE
Deeply covered with snow are the trees at the Grenzadler in Oberhof, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. Two World Cups are taking place in the town on the Rennsteig this weekend. In front of empty crowds, the best lugers and biathletes compete for World Cup points. (Martin Schutt/dpa via AP)

World in focus - best photos for January 17, 2021

World
Investcorp plans to fund the acquisition of new companies through its $150m India-focused fund and its own capital Courtesy Investcorp

Investcorp to boost technology and healthcare investments in India

Economy
Members of the Palestinian security forces stand guard outside the Legislative Council building in the occupied-West Bank town of Ramallah, on January 16, 202. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas announced yesterday dates for the first Palestinian elections in more than 15 years, setting legislative polls for May 22 and a July 31 presidential vote. Abbas's Fatah party, which controls the Palestinian Authority based in the occupied West Bank, and the Hamas Islamists, who hold power in Gaza, have for years expressed interest in taking Palestinians back to the polls. / AFP / AHMAD GHARABLI

The Middle East framed - regional photography for January 17, 2021

MENA
The Hatta border crossing between the UAE and Oman. Satish Kumar / The National 

Oman closes land borders as coronavirus cases rise

Gulf
A lone jogger in London's Battersea Park at sunrise on Sunday. The UK capital is in coronavirus lockdown  AFP 

Covid: UK lockdown easing planned for March as NHS battles case every 30 seconds

Europe
Kanchi the rhino is seen inside an enclosure at a zoo in Dhaka. AFP

Bangladesh zoo seeks new love for lonely rhino Kanchi

Asia
The core stage for the first flight of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket is seen in the B-2 Test Stand during a scheduled eight minute duration hot fire test at NASA’s Stennis Space Centre. AFP/Nasa

Ground test for Nasa's new Moon rocket suffers hitch

World
Neom is a planned cross-border city in the Tabuk Province of north-western Saudi Arabia. Courtesy: Neom

Neom: Everything you need to know about Saudi Arabia's $500 billion ‘megacity of the future’

Gulf
Iran is increasing uranium enrichment at its Fordow power plant. AFP

Iran dismisses French warning of nuclear build-up as 'nonsense'

MENA
Deliveroo completes a new funding round from existing investors of over $180 million. Courtesy Deliveroo. 

Deliveroo valued at $7bn after latest funding round

Banking
EDITOR'S PICKS
Morning fog shrouds residential and commercial skyscrapers in the Jumeirah Lakes Towers on Sunday. Christopher Pike/Bloomberg

UAE weather: Speed limits reduced on major roads as thick fog descends

Environment
Masdar's Vava’u 512 kW solar PV in Tonga. Abu Dhabi-based Irena has called on governments to push through green stimulus programmes for a "far-sighted" longer-lasting recovery. Courtesy Masdar

Masdar looks to double clean energy capacity as demand for renewables grows

Energy
Lawyers were told the measures were part of efforts to prevent firms from being used in money-laundering schemes. The National    

UAE salary guide 2021: How much should you be earning?

Money
Employees are calling for greater health insurance coverage, with a focus on wellbeing

Three quarters of UAE employees want better health insurance due to pandemic, study finds

Health
Dr Anwar Gargash, the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has voiced hopes about a resolution of the Gulf crisis. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Gargash: UN Security Council should 'unify' on Arab issues

MENA
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epa08947718 An Indonesian healthcare worker prepares to inject a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination drive at a hospital in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, 19 January 2021. Indonesia started the COVID-19 vaccination program for medical health workers and top government officials on 14 January, as a first step of the national vaccination drive. EPA/DEDI SINUHAJI

World on brink of 'catastrophic moral failure' — WHO

World
A traveller arrives at JFK International Airport in New York City on a flight from London amid restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Reuters

Choppy transition of power laid bare over Covid travel ban plans

The Americas
Neom is a planned cross-border city in the Tabuk Province of north-western Saudi Arabia. Courtesy: Neom

Neom: Saudi Arabia's $500 billion ‘megacity of the future’

Gulf
Passengers arrive on a flight from London at JFK International Airport in New York City, US. File photo / Reuters

Trump to lift Covid travel bans on much of Europe and Brazil, which Biden will reverse

The Americas
US President Donald Trump is expected to announce about 100 more pardons before he leaves office. AFP

Pardons-for-cash controversy as Trump heads for exit

The Americas