Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani is to run in November’s landmark elections, he tells The National’s Editor-in-Chief @aloraibi.bsky.social during the Sulaimani Forum in Sulaymaniyah

When I was w/friends in Ain Sokhna I explained Operation Aspides, Greek for “shield”, we launched Febr 2024 in response to Houthi attacks on shipping Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, Suez Canal; it provides close protection commercial ships, intercepts strikes on them, monitors & assesses potential threats 👇

www.thenationalnews.com/news/us/2025... On Khalil Mahmoud's detention, @NadiaAbuElHaj1 told @TheNationalNews “This is not the rule of law. There are no substantive accusations against Mahmoud Khalil. There is no evidence against him of ever having broken the law. So why is he being abducted?”

Elon Musk has a very bad day as investors go into full-blown panic mode www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/2025...

UN humanitarian chief @tomfletcherun.bsky.social speaks to The National's @aloraibi.bsky.social, emphasising the need for "innovative thinking" and diversifying funding amid cuts from several Western donors. He also shared insights from his visit to Gaza and talks with Syria’s new leadership.

Is X down? Outage affects users globally - Ironically sharing here

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher tells The National that aid cuts are a ''punch in the gut'' and describes the devastation in Gaza as “worse than anything I’ve seen”.

Read more on how Al Shehab is using any means he can to rebuild his home to allow his family to return:

In the last 5 years, there have been 23 mentions of Oasis tickets, 5899 mentions of Debt, 1634 mentions of National Debt, 1026 to British Debt, and 434 to Household debt.

Senator Edward Markey said that Democrats in the chamber are continuing to push to extend the deadline that could lead to TikTok being banned in the US by the weekend #Technology

What 8 simmering threats could erupt in 2025? I take a stab at answering, along with @emmamashford.bsky.social @nickaspinwall.bsky.social @elisabethbraw.bsky.social Markus Garlauskas @aloraibi.bsky.social Natia Seskuria @sushantsingh.bsky.social foreignpolicy.com/2025/01/02/m...

Energy This Week in @thenationalnews.com : Opec cuts demand forecast, what next for Syrian oil after Assad?, & Gulf could use cheap renewables for data centre boom www.linkedin.com/pulse/energy...

Kamal Adwan Hospital is experiencing intense bombing by Israel, despite it being one of the few barely operational facilities in northern Gaza, the enclave's health authorities have said. The WHO called the situation "deeply worrisome", urging an immediate ceasefire to protect patients and staff

Sultan Al Qassemi explores why the fall of the Assad regime in Syria marks a "black swan event" and how the nation's rich history, strategic assets and cultural legacy position it for "stellar success"

✍️Some thoughts on the potential TikTok ban in the US "...simply using the word unprecedented doesn’t make it so. TikTok has been down this road before, though you won’t find anything about it in recent court filings." Full thoughts here ⬇️

For many Gazans who survived Israel’s relentless attacks over the past 14 months, life has forever changed. Thousands, including babies and children, have undergone amputations since the war began Our special report uncovers some of their stories: news.ae/4fsOEyo

“Stories of lives snuffed out in the most brutal of circumstances can only be told by the people they left behind,” she writes Read more: news.ae/3VQ90KY

The National gains access to Hezbollah’s abandoned base in Syria’s Al Qusayr, uncovering Russian ammunition, training materials and the remnants of a strategic hub for the Iran-backed group

While TikTok waits to see if it can delay an upcoming ban in the US, speculation is swirling about what options ByteDance, the app's parent company, might have to survive in one of its largest markets #Technology #SocialMedia

Calls are growing for foreign powers to lift sanctions imposed on Syria, which would help the country rebuild after the collapse of the Assad regime, but some experts are warning against easing restrictions too quickly.

The UN said that images from Sednaya and other detention facilities in Syria since the collapse of the regime starkly underscore the unimaginable "suffering and pain" Syrians have endured and reported for years.

"We knew that taking Aleppo would secure our rear and open the path forward," Abu Hassan Al Hamwi, a senior commander in Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, recounts to The National about toppling Assad's regime

Satellite images show Russia pulling its forces from its naval base in Syria following the fall of Al Assad’s regime.

Military hospitals in Damascus have received bodies of detainees who died from torture or brutal prison conditions Now their families are trying to identify their loved ones

🇸🇾 Is Syria about to get a new flag emoji? Here's why it might be more difficult than many imagine ... #Technology

"We must acknowledge that so far we have not been able to fully engage countries with different positions, including authoritarian states," Will AI safe havens undermine global stability?

Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the host nation for the 2034 World Cup In 2023, Saudi Arabian Football Federation president Yasser Al Misehal had said host cities would be connected by “state-of-the-art facilities to guarantee an amazing fan experience”

Energy: a key part of rebuilding Syria, & what to learn (and not to learn) from its neighbours #energysky www.energyconnects.com/opinion/thou...

Will regulatory gaps and “AI safe havens” disrupt global stability? Japan's ambassador to the US warns against complacency #Technology www.thenationalnews.com/future/techn...

The National's correspondent reported hearing dozens of air strikes on Damascus and its surroundings as Israel expanded its invasion of southern Syria

“It is at least 90% down": Syria's production of the Captagon drug has come to a near halt since the ousting of Bashar Al Assad's regime, a Jordanian and a European official told The National

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu becomes the first leader in Israel's history to go on trial while in office. He faces charges including fraud, bribery and breach of trust.

Jill Biden visited Cleveland Clinic during her trip to Abu Dhabi - casting a light on importance of medical research www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/202...

Energy This Week in @thenationalnews.com : Trump tariffs hit oil prices, gas really worse for climate than coal?, & @COP29_AZ reaches $300B finance deal www.linkedin.com/pulse/energy...

Tariffs: bad economics but good politics. What do Trump's threatened tariffs on Canada & Mexico mean for energy? www.thenationalnews.com/business/ene... @thenationalnews.com

Syrian rebel troops say they are advancing in Aleppo’s southeastern province and are fending off counter-attacks by government forces

On eve of UAE National Day, Saudi Crown Prince arrives in UAE, received by UAE President. Meeting comes hours after GCC summit in Kuwait and amidst major regional developments.

A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect at 4am on Wednesday. By 5am, the capital's suburb was already bustling with people. "We’re upset about the people who were killed. But everything else can be replaced," Hassan Nabulsi told The National.

“The message this summit sends is that AI in general is something for everyone, for humanity. It shouldn’t be controlled by a handful of people,” said Hakim Hacid, chief researcher of TII's AI and digital science research centre, which organised the open-source AI summit #AI #Technology

Read the full article:

Israel and Lebanon reached a ceasefire agreement after more than a year of fighting. But what did it cost each side? ⬇️

By the far the best interviewer the BBC has. An incredible loss to the organisation. www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...

Biden announces ceasefire deal for Lebanon while acknowledging that the people of Gaza have ‘gone through hell’.

As politicians play with timelines and announcements on ceasefire in Lebanon, Israel escalates attacks on Beirut. www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/20...

Declassified US satellite images unveil Cold War-era battles in the Middle East, from motor boats carrying Iranian troops through marshlands during the Iran-Iraq war, to the beginnings of Israel's settlements in Gaza

Hello Bluesky. Follow us for breaking news, original reporting and exclusives from our reporters from the Middle East and beyond. www.thenationalnews.com

At @chathamhouse.bsky.social Iraq Initiative - smart, engaging conversations .. some optimism, but a lot of concern about about the future. Watch live here: www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/r...

Egyptian’s FM calls on Trump to stop Israel’s wars - no one seems to even try with Biden. www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/20...