Good morning from The National on December 26, 2025.
Here is your digest of what is making the headlines in the Emirates.
President Sheikh Mohamed called for Christmas Day to bring peace, joy and harmony. UAE Presidential Court
President Sheikh Mohamed delivered a message of goodwill to millions of people in the UAE and around the world celebrating Christmas.
The UAE leader offered his congratulations as Christians gathered in churches across the Emirates to mark the day and unite in hope for a better future for the world as a new year approaches.
“I extend my warmest regards to all those celebrating Christmas in the UAE and around the world,” he wrote on X.
“May this day bring peace, joy and harmony to you and your loved ones.”
Read the full story here and John Dennehy's report on how the UAE faithful came together to share in the joys of Christmas here
Boxes of Wegovy, made by Novo Nordisk, which will soon be available in pill form in the US. Reuters
The approval of a weight-loss pill has been hailed by doctors in the UAE as a crucial tool in the fight against obesity.
Earlier this week, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the US release of the new version of Wegovy, which was previously only administered by injection.
Medical experts said it opens up access to the drug and improves the health of the public, but said it could not be viewed as a "quick-fix" and must be used under close supervision.
Dr Ali Aldibbiat, a consultant in diabetes and endocrinology at Mediclinic City Hospital in Dubai Healthcare City, said that since the release, earlier this year, of trial data for the medication, “the anticipation for the oral Wegovy pill has been mounting”.
A driver in Dubai is accused of ignoring a stop light and causing a crash while under the influence of alcohol. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A Dubai prosecutor has warned against the dangers of drink-driving after a motorist was arrested on suspicion of ignoring a red light and crashing into another car while intoxicated.
Two people in the other vehicle were taken to hospital for treatment to their injuries after the incident in Naif this week.
Under UAE traffic law, the punishment for drink-driving is a fine ranging from Dh20,000 to Dh100,000 and a jail term of between one month and three years.
The police will seize and impound the vehicle, typically for a period of 60 days.
The UAE is preserving the legacy of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, all over the world, with mosques, schools, hospitals and even airports carrying his name. Read more from James Langton here
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
European arms
Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons. Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.
Teams in the EHL
White Bears, Al Ain Theebs, Dubai Mighty Camels, Abu Dhabi Storms, Abu Dhabi Scorpions and Vipers
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
