World leaders on Sunday voiced concerns over the US decision to launch strikes against three nuclear facilities in Iran.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said the military had bombed Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, bringing to an end days of speculation about whether America would become directly involved in the Iran-Israel conflict.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the US strikes “outrageous” and said they will have “everlasting consequences”.
“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear installations,” he said on X.
“Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour.”
Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation called the US attacks "a barbaric act that violates international law", adding that it would not allow "the path of development of this national industry ... be stopped". The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also responded to the US strikes with a vow that attacks on infrastructure, strategic sites and interests in Israel would continue.
The UAE has expressed deep concern and called for an immediate halt to the escalation to prevent the region from sliding into "new levels" of instability. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the need to "prioritise diplomacy and dialogue to resolve disputes, within comprehensive approaches that achieve stability, prosperity and justice".
The UAE also urged the UN Security Council to "shoulder their responsibilities by actively working to resolve the region’s chronic issues, which are now at a critical juncture and pose an increasing threat to" regional and international security. The UAE emphasised the importance of "learning from the region’s historical conflicts and wars and the hard lessons they offer".
Saudi Arabia also expressed concern after the strikes, reiterating its condemnation of what it said was an attack on Iranian sovereignty.
The Foreign Ministry called in a statement for restraint and avoidance of escalation. It urged the international community to increase efforts in these "highly sensitive circumstances" to reach a political solution to end the crisis.
Countries in the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation were holding a meeting in Istanbul on Sunday, where foreign ministers said they would set up a group to "stop aggression against Iran". They did not mention the US directly.
Iraq also condemned the US attacks and called "for the urgent opening of diplomatic channels to contain the situation and defuse the crisis".
It warned that continuation of such attacks will “lead to a serious escalation with consequences that will exceed the borders of the any state and affect the stability of the region and the world”.
In Lebanon, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said his country would seek to avoid involvement in the conflict.
"In the face of the dangerous escalation in military operations and the risks of their repercussions for the entire region, it is increasingly important for us to adhere strictly to the supreme national interest, which requires avoiding Lebanon's involvement or being drawn into the ongoing regional confrontation in any way," he said on X.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the US bombing raises fears of an escalation of tensions that could threaten security and stability in more than one region and country.
Mr Aoun called for restraint and the launch of constructive and serious negotiations to restore stability to the countries of the region and avoid further killing and destruction.
A source told The National that Hezbollah has not changed its position and will not intervene in the conflict. “There is no change. The Iranians are the ones defending themselves,” the source said.
Once considered Iran’s most powerful proxy and a formidable militia, Hezbollah was significantly weakened by more than 14 months of conflict with Israel. That war ended in November.
Lebanese officials told The National that country's army had been in direct contact with Hezbollah, urging the group to avoid being drawn into the war alongside Iran.
Elsewhere in the region, Egypt called for de-escalation, warning that the conflict poses a major threat to the security of the Middle East and the wider world. The Foreign Ministry said it was watching the developments in Iran with “significant anxiety” and reiterated its rejection of any breaches of the UN charter.
Oman also expressed "deep concern and condemnation" after the latest escalation.
In Gaza, Hamas condemned what it called "blatant US aggression”.
"The Islamic Resistance Movement [Hamas] condemns in the strongest terms the blatant US aggression against the territory and sovereignty of the Islamic republic of Iran,” the group said in a statement.
"This brutal aggression is a dangerous escalation,” it added, calling the attack "a flagrant violation of international law, and a direct threat to international peace and security”.
Yemen's Houthi rebel government said on Sunday that it supported an earlier vow by its armed wing to attack US ships in the Red Sea should Washington launch strikes on Iran. The Houthis are also backed by Tehran.
In Iraq, an Iran-backed armed faction said it would enter the war, in the first reaction from Iraqi militant groups. “America has left us no other option other than the war,” Mohammed Al Tamimi, leader of the True Promise Corps, told The National.
“In the coming hours, there will be a response that will heal the hearts with God’s help,” Mr Al Tamimi said without elaborating. “From now on, American and Israeli interests everywhere are targets for us."
Further afield, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was "gravely alarmed” by the US strikes.
"This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security,” he said in a statement on X. "I call on member states to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law.”
The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, called for an emergency meeting on Monday.
In the US Congress, Democrats attacked Mr Trump for the decision. Democratic House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries criticised the strike.
“President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorisation for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East,” he said in a statement.
Even pro-Trump Republicans had strong words against the decision. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a leading Make America Great Again Republican isolationist congresswoman, wrote in a post on X that "Israel is a nuclear armed nation. This is not our fight. Peace is the answer.”
Other Republicans, however, came out strongly in support of Mr Trump's decision, with House Speaker Mike Johnson saying that the President "gave Iran’s leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement”.
And the head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Roger Wicks, said: "Our commander-in-chief has made a deliberate – and correct – decision to eliminate the existential threat posed by the Iranian regime”.
Senator Tom Cotton said Mr Trump "made the right call and the ayatollahs should recall his warning not to target Americans”.
In Europe, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Iran to "return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution" to end the crisis. "Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat," Mr Starmer said on X, adding that "stability in the region is a priority".
EU foreign affairs minister Kaja Kallas also called for de-escalation and a return to negotiations.
"I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation," she wrote on X, adding that Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that European foreign ministers would discuss the situation on Monday.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, meanwhile, urged Tehran to hold talks with the US and Israel immediately to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Mr Trump for ordering the strikes. "First comes strength, then comes peace,” he said. "And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”
Yoav Gallant, Israel's former defence minister, said Mr Trump had taken "a bold decision” in attacking Iran. "The world is now a safer place,” he said on X.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
RESULTS
5pm: Watha Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Dalil De Carrere, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Mohamed Daggash (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Miracle Maker, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Pharitz Al Denari, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mahmood Hussain
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Oss, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: AF Almajhaz, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: AF Lewaa, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qaiss Aboud.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Honeymoonish
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World Cup warm up matches
May 24 Pakistan v Afghanistan, Bristol; Sri Lanka v South Africa, Cardiff
May 25 England v Australia, Southampton; India v New Zealand, The Oval
May 26 South Africa v West Indies, Bristol; Pakistan v Bangladesh, Cardiff
May 27 Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton; England v Afghanistan, The Oval
May 28 West Indies v New Zealand, Bristol; Bangladesh v India, Cardiff
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Company%C2%A0profile
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HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
- And then copy into this box
- It can be as long as you link
- But I recommend you use the bullet point function (see red square)
- Or try to keep the word count down
- Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into
- That's about it
Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
The Specs
Engine 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp (542bhp in GTS model)
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000 (Dh549,000 for GTS)
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
