• The car driven by Frenchman Mathieu Serradori of the SRT Racing team in action during the Rally Dakar 2022 between Ha'il and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on January 1. EPA
    The car driven by Frenchman Mathieu Serradori of the SRT Racing team in action during the Rally Dakar 2022 between Ha'il and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on January 1. EPA
  • This car was swept away after the Rio das Velhas burst its banks in Honorio Bicalho, Brazil, on January 12. Getty Images
    This car was swept away after the Rio das Velhas burst its banks in Honorio Bicalho, Brazil, on January 12. Getty Images
  • Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic leaves the Park Hotel in Melbourne on January 16 after his visa to play in the Australian Open was cancelled for a second time. EPA
    Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic leaves the Park Hotel in Melbourne on January 16 after his visa to play in the Australian Open was cancelled for a second time. EPA
  • Snow at Salat Zagrous Camp for internally displaced Syrians in Afrin on January 19. EPA
    Snow at Salat Zagrous Camp for internally displaced Syrians in Afrin on January 19. EPA
  • A veteran from the Ukrainian national guard teaches civilians how to handle weapons amid the threat of invasion in Kyiv on January 30. Reuters
    A veteran from the Ukrainian national guard teaches civilians how to handle weapons amid the threat of invasion in Kyiv on January 30. Reuters
  • China's flag is raised at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 4. Getty Images
    China's flag is raised at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 4. Getty Images
  • French President Emmanuel Macron, right, meets Russia's Vladimir Putin on February 7 amid fears Moscow was preparing to invade Ukraine. AFP
    French President Emmanuel Macron, right, meets Russia's Vladimir Putin on February 7 amid fears Moscow was preparing to invade Ukraine. AFP
  • Searching for valuables on the beach after Cyclone Batsirai hit Madagascar on February 8. Reuters
    Searching for valuables on the beach after Cyclone Batsirai hit Madagascar on February 8. Reuters
  • Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon, centre, is tackled by Los Angeles Rams players at the Super Bowl in Inglewood, California, on February 13. EPA
    Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon, centre, is tackled by Los Angeles Rams players at the Super Bowl in Inglewood, California, on February 13. EPA
  • A CCTV image issued by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine shows Russian military vehicles moving across the border from Crimea into Ukraine, on February 24.
    A CCTV image issued by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine shows Russian military vehicles moving across the border from Crimea into Ukraine, on February 24.
  • Cars stream out of Kyiv as residents flee the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Getty Images
    Cars stream out of Kyiv as residents flee the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Getty Images
  • Ukrainian troops take positions in Kyiv on February 25. Reuters
    Ukrainian troops take positions in Kyiv on February 25. Reuters
  • Country Grammer ridden by Frankie Dettori wins the Dubai World Cup during The Dubai World Cup at Meydan racecourse in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Country Grammer ridden by Frankie Dettori wins the Dubai World Cup during The Dubai World Cup at Meydan racecourse in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Destroyed Russian armoured vehicles line the street in Bucha, west of Kyiv, on March 4. AFP
    Destroyed Russian armoured vehicles line the street in Bucha, west of Kyiv, on March 4. AFP
  • Civilians cross a damaged bridge as they flee the front-line town of Irpin, Ukraine, on March 7. EPA
    Civilians cross a damaged bridge as they flee the front-line town of Irpin, Ukraine, on March 7. EPA
  • An Orthodox monk after Mass in Putna, Romania, where prayers were said for Ukrainian refugees on March 8. Reuters
    An Orthodox monk after Mass in Putna, Romania, where prayers were said for Ukrainian refugees on March 8. Reuters
  • Britain's Prince William and Kate jamming in Trenchtown, where Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley was born, on March 23. EPA
    Britain's Prince William and Kate jamming in Trenchtown, where Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley was born, on March 23. EPA
  • Striking a pose in a traditional Bolivian cholita dress at the Uyuni Salt Flat on March 26. Reuters
    Striking a pose in a traditional Bolivian cholita dress at the Uyuni Salt Flat on March 26. Reuters
  • Will Smith slaps comedian Chris Rock on stage during the Oscars in Los Angeles on March 27. Reuters
    Will Smith slaps comedian Chris Rock on stage during the Oscars in Los Angeles on March 27. Reuters
  • Air show display on the last day at the EXPO 2020 site in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    Air show display on the last day at the EXPO 2020 site in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Greenpeace activists in a rubber dinghy sail close to a Russian oil tanker during a protest in Norway on April 25. EPA
    Greenpeace activists in a rubber dinghy sail close to a Russian oil tanker during a protest in Norway on April 25. EPA
  • A child is carried after Ramadan prayers at Jama Masjid in Delhi on April 29. Reuters
    A child is carried after Ramadan prayers at Jama Masjid in Delhi on April 29. Reuters
  • Fireworks above the Yas Bay waterfront mark Eid Al Fitr. Victor Besa / The National
    Fireworks above the Yas Bay waterfront mark Eid Al Fitr. Victor Besa / The National
  • A pro-abortion activist during a rally in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington after its draft decision to overturn Roe v Wade on May 3. AFP
    A pro-abortion activist during a rally in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington after its draft decision to overturn Roe v Wade on May 3. AFP
  • The first image of Sagittarius A, a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. Photo: Nasa
    The first image of Sagittarius A, a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. Photo: Nasa
  • A mysterious opening on Mars captured by Nasa's Curiosity rover on May 7. Photo: Nasa
    A mysterious opening on Mars captured by Nasa's Curiosity rover on May 7. Photo: Nasa
  • Family and friends carry the coffin of reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot during an Israeli raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, on May 13. Reuters
    Family and friends carry the coffin of reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot during an Israeli raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, on May 13. Reuters
  • The UAE flag flies at half-mast after President Sheikh Khalifa died at 73 on May 13. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    The UAE flag flies at half-mast after President Sheikh Khalifa died at 73 on May 13. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • President Sheikh Mohamed attends the burial of Sheikh Khalifa. Also present were Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan, adviser to the President, and Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed. MOPA
    President Sheikh Mohamed attends the burial of Sheikh Khalifa. Also present were Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan, adviser to the President, and Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed. MOPA
  • President Sheikh Mohamed, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohamed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, and Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, attend a Federal Supreme Council meeting to agree to President Sheikh Mohamed's accession to the UAE presidency. MOPA
    President Sheikh Mohamed, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohamed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, and Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, attend a Federal Supreme Council meeting to agree to President Sheikh Mohamed's accession to the UAE presidency. MOPA
  • Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny appears by videolink at a Moscow hearing at which he had a nine-year sentence in a penal colony for fraud and insulting a court upheld. EPA
    Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny appears by videolink at a Moscow hearing at which he had a nine-year sentence in a penal colony for fraud and insulting a court upheld. EPA
  • Actors Amber Heard and Johnny Depp watch as the jury leaves the courtroom for a lunch break at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 16. AP Photo
    Actors Amber Heard and Johnny Depp watch as the jury leaves the courtroom for a lunch break at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 16. AP Photo
  • Police block activists during a protest denouncing the proclamation of the new Philippine President and Vice President in Quezon City on May 25. Reuters
    Police block activists during a protest denouncing the proclamation of the new Philippine President and Vice President in Quezon City on May 25. Reuters
  • Texas Democratic candidate for governor Beto O'Rourke disrupts a press conference on May 25, the day after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. Reuters
    Texas Democratic candidate for governor Beto O'Rourke disrupts a press conference on May 25, the day after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. Reuters
  • Luka Modric of Real Madrid lifts the trophy in front of fans after the Champions League final against Liverpool in Paris on May 28. Getty Images
    Luka Modric of Real Madrid lifts the trophy in front of fans after the Champions League final against Liverpool in Paris on May 28. Getty Images
  • A flypast at Buckingham Palace proved a little loud for Britain's Prince Louis as he stood next to Queen Elizabeth II on June 2. AFP
    A flypast at Buckingham Palace proved a little loud for Britain's Prince Louis as he stood next to Queen Elizabeth II on June 2. AFP
  • Francis Mwangi, 13, uses a virtual reality headset to 'visit' Buckingham Palace from Nyeri, Kenya, during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee on June 2. Reuters
    Francis Mwangi, 13, uses a virtual reality headset to 'visit' Buckingham Palace from Nyeri, Kenya, during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee on June 2. Reuters
  • Chairs and bicycles lie abandoned after a mass shooting at a 4th of July celebration in Illinois, US. EPA
    Chairs and bicycles lie abandoned after a mass shooting at a 4th of July celebration in Illinois, US. EPA
  • Demonstrators protest inside the house of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after he fled amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis, on July 9. Reuters
    Demonstrators protest inside the house of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after he fled amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis, on July 9. Reuters
  • The first full-colour image from Nasa's James Webb Space Telescope. Photo: Nasa
    The first full-colour image from Nasa's James Webb Space Telescope. Photo: Nasa
  • Liz Truss launches her successful campaign to become UK prime minister on July 14. She lasted 44 days in the job. Getty Images
    Liz Truss launches her successful campaign to become UK prime minister on July 14. She lasted 44 days in the job. Getty Images
  • Flooding in Fujairah. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Flooding in Fujairah. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • A floating sofa amid flooding in Kalba, Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    A floating sofa amid flooding in Kalba, Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr pull down a concrete barrier during a protest against corruption in Baghdad on July 30. Reuters
    Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr pull down a concrete barrier during a protest against corruption in Baghdad on July 30. Reuters
  • A forked tongue of flame flickers in the sky as firefighters tackle a wildfire in Pontevedra, Spain. EPA
    A forked tongue of flame flickers in the sky as firefighters tackle a wildfire in Pontevedra, Spain. EPA
  • England's Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring the winning goal against Germany in the final of the Women's Euro 2022 at Wembley Stadium in London. Reuters
    England's Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring the winning goal against Germany in the final of the Women's Euro 2022 at Wembley Stadium in London. Reuters
  • Chioma Onyekwere of Nigeria competes in the women's discus final at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in the UK on August 2. Getty Images
    Chioma Onyekwere of Nigeria competes in the women's discus final at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in the UK on August 2. Getty Images
  • US basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at a Moscow airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, on August 4. Reuters
    US basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at a Moscow airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, on August 4. Reuters
  • The Roman camp Aquis Querquennis, exposed by low water levels in the Limia river in Ourense, Spain, on August 10. EPA
    The Roman camp Aquis Querquennis, exposed by low water levels in the Limia river in Ourense, Spain, on August 10. EPA
  • A Lebanese bank customer, Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein, turned himself in on August 11 after taking staff hostage for several hours in Lebanon's capital. His bank giving him $30,000 out of more than $200,000 in trapped savings, official media said. AFP
    A Lebanese bank customer, Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein, turned himself in on August 11 after taking staff hostage for several hours in Lebanon's capital. His bank giving him $30,000 out of more than $200,000 in trapped savings, official media said. AFP
  • Supporters of writer Salman Rushdie gather outside New York Public Library after he was attacked on stage on August 12. EPA
    Supporters of writer Salman Rushdie gather outside New York Public Library after he was attacked on stage on August 12. EPA
  • A satellite dish makes an unlikely raft for children after floods in Balochistan province, Pakistan, on August 26. AFP
    A satellite dish makes an unlikely raft for children after floods in Balochistan province, Pakistan, on August 26. AFP
  • Cattle are led across a flooded road in Sindh province, Pakistan, on August 30. EPA
    Cattle are led across a flooded road in Sindh province, Pakistan, on August 30. EPA
  • British prime minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie leave Downing Street on September 6. EPA
    British prime minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie leave Downing Street on September 6. EPA
  • An plane drops retardant on the Fairview Fire near Hemet, California, on September 6. Reuters
    An plane drops retardant on the Fairview Fire near Hemet, California, on September 6. Reuters
  • A boat passes a toll plaza on a flooded motorway in Sehwan, Pakistan, on September 15. Reuters
    A boat passes a toll plaza on a flooded motorway in Sehwan, Pakistan, on September 15. Reuters
  • Brazilian presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attends a rally in Curitiba on September 17. Reuters
    Brazilian presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attends a rally in Curitiba on September 17. Reuters
  • The coffin of Britain's Queen Elizabeth is carried out of Westminster Abbey on September 19. Reuters
    The coffin of Britain's Queen Elizabeth is carried out of Westminster Abbey on September 19. Reuters
  • Iranians clash with police in Tehran during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini in custody on September 21. EPA
    Iranians clash with police in Tehran during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini in custody on September 21. EPA
  • Switzerland's Roger Federer, left, sheds a tear after playing his last match, a doubles game with Spain's Rafael Nadal, right, on September 24. AFP
    Switzerland's Roger Federer, left, sheds a tear after playing his last match, a doubles game with Spain's Rafael Nadal, right, on September 24. AFP
  • A portrait of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo during his funeral in Tokyo on September 27. EPA
    A portrait of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo during his funeral in Tokyo on September 27. EPA
  • Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, leaves its headquarters in Rome on September 27 after it won a general election. EPA
    Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, leaves its headquarters in Rome on September 27 after it won a general election. EPA
  • The aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, on September 30. AFP
    The aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, on September 30. AFP
  • Damaged police cars at Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, Indonesia, after 127 people were killed following a stampede at a football match on October 2. EPA
    Damaged police cars at Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, Indonesia, after 127 people were killed following a stampede at a football match on October 2. EPA
  • A protester in Istanbul cuts her hair during a demonstration following the death of Iranian Mahsa Amini, on October 2. Reuters
    A protester in Istanbul cuts her hair during a demonstration following the death of Iranian Mahsa Amini, on October 2. Reuters
  • Black smoke billows from the Kerch bridge that links Crimea to Russia after a lorry exploded on October 8. AFP
    Black smoke billows from the Kerch bridge that links Crimea to Russia after a lorry exploded on October 8. AFP
  • Victims of a massacre in which a former policeman reportedly killed at least 36 people are cremated in Nong Bua Lamphu, Thailand, on October 11. Getty Images
    Victims of a massacre in which a former policeman reportedly killed at least 36 people are cremated in Nong Bua Lamphu, Thailand, on October 11. Getty Images
  • A drone swoops in for an attack in Kyiv on October 17 amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. AFP
    A drone swoops in for an attack in Kyiv on October 17 amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. AFP
  • A Ukrainian serviceman takes cover during a Russian drone strike on October 17. Reuters
    A Ukrainian serviceman takes cover during a Russian drone strike on October 17. Reuters
  • The collapsed dome of the Jakarta Islamic Centre Grand Mosque on October 21. EPA
    The collapsed dome of the Jakarta Islamic Centre Grand Mosque on October 21. EPA
  • China's former President Hu Jintao, centre, is led out behind President Xi Jinping, right, and Premier Li Keqiang at the Communist Party's National Congress on October 22. EPA
    China's former President Hu Jintao, centre, is led out behind President Xi Jinping, right, and Premier Li Keqiang at the Communist Party's National Congress on October 22. EPA
  • Iranians mark 40 days since Mahsa Amini's death at Aichi cemetery in Saqez, her home town, on October 26. AFP
    Iranians mark 40 days since Mahsa Amini's death at Aichi cemetery in Saqez, her home town, on October 26. AFP
  • The belongings of victims of the deadly Halloween stampede in Seoul on November 1. Getty Images
    The belongings of victims of the deadly Halloween stampede in Seoul on November 1. Getty Images
  • Pope Francis meets Bahrain's King Hamad at Sakhir Palace, south of Manama on November 3. Reuters
    Pope Francis meets Bahrain's King Hamad at Sakhir Palace, south of Manama on November 3. Reuters
  • The Pope waves to the audience at Sakhir Palace. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    The Pope waves to the audience at Sakhir Palace. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • The International Convention Centre in Sharm El Sheikh on November 7, ahead of Cop27. EPA
    The International Convention Centre in Sharm El Sheikh on November 7, ahead of Cop27. EPA
  • A Ukrainian artillery unit soldier fires at Russian positions outside Bakhmut on November 8. AFP
    A Ukrainian artillery unit soldier fires at Russian positions outside Bakhmut on November 8. AFP
  • Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks via video at the Nato Parliamentary Assembly in Madrid on November 21. EPA
    Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks via video at the Nato Parliamentary Assembly in Madrid on November 21. EPA
  • A man carries his dead son's body after an earthquake that killed hundreds in Cianjur, Indonesia on November 22. AFP
    A man carries his dead son's body after an earthquake that killed hundreds in Cianjur, Indonesia on November 22. AFP
  • Saudi Arabia's Salem Al Dawsari scores the winner against eventual champions Argentina in Qatar on November 22. Reuters
    Saudi Arabia's Salem Al Dawsari scores the winner against eventual champions Argentina in Qatar on November 22. Reuters
  • An Iranian fan holds a jersey in memory of Mahsa Amini before the November 25 World Cup match against Wales. Reuters
    An Iranian fan holds a jersey in memory of Mahsa Amini before the November 25 World Cup match against Wales. Reuters
  • Prince Harry and wife Meghan's Netflix documentary, released on December 8. Photo: Netflix
    Prince Harry and wife Meghan's Netflix documentary, released on December 8. Photo: Netflix
  • Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Sheikh Hamdan and Sheikh Maktoum watch the Rashid rover launch on December 11. Photo: Dubai Media Office
    Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Sheikh Hamdan and Sheikh Maktoum watch the Rashid rover launch on December 11. Photo: Dubai Media Office
  • Protestors demonstrate against new Peru President Dina Boluarte at the airport in Arequipa on December 12. AFP
    Protestors demonstrate against new Peru President Dina Boluarte at the airport in Arequipa on December 12. AFP
  • Argentina's Lionel Messi holds aloft the World Cup trophy on December 18. AP
    Argentina's Lionel Messi holds aloft the World Cup trophy on December 18. AP

World

The best photographs of 2022 - striking images of the world's biggest events

A look back at the year's big moments and the most striking imagery

The National

December 21, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

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Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

Updated: December 21, 2022, 10:35 AM
Photography