Related: Body of renowned TV journalist Najwa Kassem flown home to Lebanon
The Lebanese TV presenter Najwa Kassem died in her home in Dubai on Thursday.
Kassem, who was 51, worked for Saudi Arabian news channel Al Arabiya as a senior presenter, where she covered regional news, including the Iraq war, and the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in 2005.
She joined Al Arabiya as it launched in Dubai in 2003 and went on to make a name for herself by reporting from the front lines of Baghdad, and in Lebanon during the 2006 war.
She presented the popular political show Hadath Al Youm (today's incident) that aired on Al Arabiya and Al Hadath TV.
In 2012, she was named one of the 100 most powerful woman in the Arab world by Arabian Business magazine.
On Thursday, the Emirati newspaper Emarat Al Youm reported Kassem had suffered a heart attack while at home with family and friends.
Her death was confirmed by Al Arabiya with a short statement posted at 2.30pm.
"Al Arabiya network mourns Najwa Kassem, our colleague and journalist, who died this morning at her home in Dubai," the statement read.
"She had a long career which started with Al Arabiya since its launch in 2003 as a broadcaster and field reporter who covered a variety of news and wars including in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"May God have mercy on our colleague and grant her family patience and solace."
Tributes flooded in on social media with members of the public as well as Kassem's former colleagues posting messages. Her name soon began to trend on Twitter in the UAE.
Turki Aldakhil, Saudi Arabia's current ambassador to the UAE and the former general manager of the Al Arabiya News Network, was among those who posted a tribute to Kassem on Twitter.
"Goodbye, dear friend, Professor Najwa Kassem... Farewell, a lady of ethics, literature and professionalism... goodbye everyone's friend ... May God have mercy on you."
Tahani Aljehani, a former news anchor at Al Arabiya, said "Goodbye Najwa Kassem, a generous woman with a big heart who was kind. A professional woman of the screen who valued quality and inclusion.
"I was shocked to hear of your death. There is no power nor strength except in God."
The cause of her death was not disclosed but Kassem last tweeted on Wednesday, sharing a video of Burj Khalifa's fireworks display and wishing her 208,000 followers a happy new year.
