Good morning from The National on January 2, 2026.

Here is your digest of what is making the headlines in the Emirates.

The initiative is in line with President Sheikh Mohamed's vision to invest in the talent of citizens. Photo: UAE Presidential Court
The initiative is in line with President Sheikh Mohamed's vision to invest in the talent of citizens. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

The UAE is to put power in the hands of the people after setting out plans for a new form of government led by some of its brightest and best citizens.

President Sheikh Mohamed has directed the launch of the Community-Managed Virtual Authority, which is to be led by a director general and other team members all drawn from Emirati society.

The authority aims to attract a cross section of Emiratis, including specialists, academics, entrepreneurs, young people and retired citizens with significant experience.

The initiative "entrusts the community with full management of a public authority within a structured institutional framework".

Read all about it here


Baby Hamdan was born at Burjeel Hospital at 12:01am. Photo: Burjeel
Baby Hamdan was born at Burjeel Hospital at 12:01am. Photo: Burjeel

The start of the new year proved extra special for proud parents who welcomed the UAE's first babies of 2026.

Fireworks were still shooting into the skies when two little bundles of joy made their way into the world to light up the lives of their families.

Emirati Saif Al Rumaithi named his first son after his father, Saeed. He was born with a healthy weight of 3.3kg at Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi.

Moments later, Salma Alhosani gave birth to Hamdan at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi. “We are happy that our son was born on New Year’s Day, which is an auspicious occasion and represents a new beginning for people across the world,” the boy's father said.

Read the full story from Nick Webster here


The government said the Civil Transactions Law will serve as a 'pivotal legislative milestone'. Getty Images
The government said the Civil Transactions Law will serve as a 'pivotal legislative milestone'. Getty Images

The UAE has set out reforms to its legal system that formally establish 18 as the age of adulthood, strengthen the rights of people as young as 15 to manage their own financial affairs and give greater decision-making powers to its judiciary.

The government said the new Civil Transactions Law – established through a federal decree – will serve as a “pivotal legislative milestone” and help to further modernise the country's legal landscape.

The age of majority, when a person is legally defined as an adult, will be reduced from 21 lunar years to 18 Gregorian years, using the calendar adopted by most of the world.

A person aged 21 in lunar years would be about 20 under the Gregorian system. The government said the switch had been made to align with “prevailing comparative legal systems”.

Read more here


Ras Al Khaimah kicked off 2026 by earning a Guinness World Record for the “largest aerial display of a phoenix formed by multirotors and/or drones” during its New Year's celebrations. Read more here



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The specs: Aston Martin DB11 V8 vs Ferrari GTC4Lusso T

Price, base: Dh840,000; Dh120,000

Engine: 4.0L V8 twin-turbo; 3.9L V8 turbo

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; seven-speed automatic

Power: 509hp @ 6,000rpm; 601hp @ 7,500rpm

Torque: 695Nm @ 2,000rpm; 760Nm @ 3,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.9L / 100km; 11.6L / 100km

RESULT

Valencia 3

Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'

Ferran Torres 67'

Atlanta 4

Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'

FIXTURES

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)

Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)

Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)

Playing September 30

Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)

12%20restaurants%20opening%20at%20the%20hotel%20this%20month
%3Cp%3EAriana%E2%80%99s%20Persian%20Kitchen%3Cbr%3EDinner%20by%20Heston%20Blumenthal%3Cbr%3EEstiatorio%20Milos%3Cbr%3EHouse%20of%20Desserts%3Cbr%3EJaleo%20by%20Jose%20Andres%3Cbr%3ELa%20Mar%3Cbr%3ELing%20Ling%3Cbr%3ELittle%20Venice%20Cake%20Company%3Cbr%3EMalibu%2090265%3Cbr%3ENobu%20by%20the%20Beach%3Cbr%3EResonance%20by%20Heston%20Blumenthal%3Cbr%3EThe%20Royal%20Tearoom%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history

4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon

- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.

50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater

1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.  

1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.

1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.

-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.

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