A Closer Look is The National's show where we take an in-depth look at one of the main stories of the week.
Emirates Airline made history this week with the first flight in the Mena region powered by 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel.
One engine ran on the biofuel while the other used regular jet fuel to act as a baseline for comparison.
The flight lasted an hour, completing a loop over the sea.
So how much does this new plant-based fuel reduce CO2 emissions and is it feasible for every airline in the world to use it?
Host Sarah Forster speaks to reporter Deena Kamel about what this test flight means for the future of aviation.
Read more
Emirates successfully tests flight powered by sustainable aviation fuel
Masdar-led consortium to produce sustainable aviation fuel from methanol









![A damaged car and a damaged building are seen at the site of a strike in Bartalla in the northern Iraqi Nineveh province on July 29, 2026. US-Saudi strikes on Iraq on July 29 killed at least 20 members of a former paramilitary alliance that includes pro-Iran groups, the alliance said. The United States and Saudi Arabia said they had struck Iran-backed militants in Iraq in response to attacks on US forces and Saudi oil facilities. (Photo by Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP) / Attention editors: AFP covers the war in the Middle East through its extensive regional network, including bureaus in Tehran, Jerusalem and several neighboring countries. Since the start of the conflict, journalists have been working under increasingly restrictive conditions. Authorities in several countries have limited reporters’ movements, photo and live video coverage from sensitive locations. Some governments and armed groups have banned images of missile or drone strikes and other security-related sites. / “The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Ziad OBEID has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: corrects byline [Zaid AL-OBEIDI] instead of [Ziad OBEID]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require. ”](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/PLSC2TSQZTFNYGSCPBJVUPIB2I.jpg?smart=true&auth=b0d3bd2d2b21bfcd8f9d5a89db763ef91727ee31e46f2bd5651027a66d97a8f5&width=124&height=69)
