• People stand in a giant kaleidoscope, an installation by French artist Guillaume Marmin, during the Festival of Lights in Lyon, France. AFP
    People stand in a giant kaleidoscope, an installation by French artist Guillaume Marmin, during the Festival of Lights in Lyon, France. AFP
  • Choreographer Mourad Merzouki poses with the French synchronised swimming team at the the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance in Paris. AFP
    Choreographer Mourad Merzouki poses with the French synchronised swimming team at the the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance in Paris. AFP
  • Rohingya Muslim children stand at a port warehouse that is used as a temporary shelter in Sabang, Aceh province, Indonesia. Reuters
    Rohingya Muslim children stand at a port warehouse that is used as a temporary shelter in Sabang, Aceh province, Indonesia. Reuters
  • Fireworks explode above a devil's figure before being set ablaze during celebrations in honour of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception in Guatemala City. AFP
    Fireworks explode above a devil's figure before being set ablaze during celebrations in honour of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception in Guatemala City. AFP
  • South Sudanese soldiers, part of the East African Community Regional Force, sit in a plane at Goma airport before leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo. AFP
    South Sudanese soldiers, part of the East African Community Regional Force, sit in a plane at Goma airport before leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo. AFP
  • A man packages balls of 'Kabakrou' soap, also called 'soap-stones', in Yopougon, Abidjan, the Ivory Coast. EPA
    A man packages balls of 'Kabakrou' soap, also called 'soap-stones', in Yopougon, Abidjan, the Ivory Coast. EPA
  • Members of the public view a section of the main Garsen-Lamu road that was swept away by heavy floods, in Gamba, Kenya. AP
    Members of the public view a section of the main Garsen-Lamu road that was swept away by heavy floods, in Gamba, Kenya. AP
  • Visitors watch the 'Sparkling Light Tree' show to celebrate Christmas, at the Shibuya Sky observation deck in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters
    Visitors watch the 'Sparkling Light Tree' show to celebrate Christmas, at the Shibuya Sky observation deck in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters
  • Argentina's president Alberto Fernandez greets Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during a summit in Rio de Janeiro. Reuters
    Argentina's president Alberto Fernandez greets Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during a summit in Rio de Janeiro. Reuters
  • People wait in the street after an earthquake shook Mexico City. AFP
    People wait in the street after an earthquake shook Mexico City. AFP

Today's best photos: From a light show in Lyon to aftershocks in Mexico City


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More from The National:

Thursday's best photos: From a Brazilian football fan to a Hawaiian wipeout

Wednesday's best photos: From flooding in Chennai to a Danish insect factory

Tuesday's best photos: From an emergency landing in Paris to a boat race in Sydney

Monday's best photos: From a volcano in Indonesia to a water park in Ethiopia

Sunday's best photos: From santas racing to Bolo Fest

Saturday's best photos: From Akita dogs to big winter freeze in the UK

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Most match wins on clay

Guillermo Vilas - 659

Manuel Orantes - 501

Thomas Muster - 422

Rafael Nadal - 399 *

Jose Higueras - 378

Eddie Dibbs - 370

Ilie Nastase - 338

Carlos Moya - 337

Ivan Lendl - 329

Andres Gomez - 322

The biog

Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents

Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University

As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families

Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too

If you go...

Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.

Reputation

Taylor Swift

(Big Machine Records)

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate 

MATCH INFO

Argentina 47 (Tries: Sanchez, Tuculet (2), Mallia (2), De La Fuente, Bertranou; Cons: Sanchez 5, Urdapilleta)

United States 17 (Tries: Scully (2), Lasike; Cons: MacGinty)

RESULTS

6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

7.40pm: Handicap $160,000 1,400m
Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
Winner: Folkswood, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

8.50pm: Zabeel Mile Group 2 $250,000 1,600m
Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock

9.25pm: Handicap $125,000 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus 

The specs

Engine 60kwh FWD

Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry

Power 204hp Torque 360Nm

Price, base / as tested Dh174,500 

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

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Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

Updated: December 08, 2023, 8:56 AM