Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Israel's war in Gaza has refocused international attention on the need for new Palestinian leadership and a figure to replace the 88-year-old Mahmoud Abbas.
Mr Abbas, widely known as Abu Mazen, is the current president of the Palestinian Authority, which governs the occupied West Bank and is dominated by the Fatah faction of the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
But Mr Abbas's rule is considered deeply unpopular. The Palestinian leader, who has been in power since 2005, has been accused of monopolising power and repeatedly resisted calls for elections while presiding over a deteriorating economy and no progress towards an independent Palestinian state. The PA is also accused of widespread corruption and has co-ordinated with Israel in the enforcement of security in the West Bank.
Last year, 80 per cent of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza wanted Mr Abbas to resign, according to a poll by the respected Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research.
Mr Abbas is yet to formally announce a succession plan.
He has reportedly pushed for the PA to have an enlarged role in governing Gaza once the war is over, despite Hamas currently ruling there and political analysts cautioning that the unpopular PA may not even survive that long.
Relations with Hamas will be a key task for whoever replaces Mr Abbas as the head of the secular PA, led by Fatah. The two Palestinian groups fought a civil war in 2006-2007 that resulted in Hamas taking control of Gaza from Fatah, after Hamas's surprise victory in parliamentary elections.
Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas as a military and political force, but Arab officials say that the Iran-backed group has gained in popularity among Palestinians since the outbreak of the war and is unlikely to disappear completely.
As international mediators discuss post-war scenarios in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, several names have been put forward as potential successors to Mr Abbas.
Here is what you need to know about the main players.
Marwan Barghouti
Political affiliation: Former leader of Tanzim, the military wing of Fatah
Age: 64
Current status: Imprisoned in Israel since 2002, but seen as a unifying force in Palestinian politics
Marwan Barghouti has long been considered a future leader of the Palestinian Authority, and has often been described as the Palestinian Nelson Mandela by the local media.
Barghouti joined Fatah in 1974 and was jailed for the first time in 1978.
He rose to prominence as a leader during the 1987 uprising that became known as the First Intifada. He was deported to Jordan in 1987, by Israel, and spent seven years in exile before being able to return under the conditions of the Oslo Accords signed between the PLO and Israel.
As the leader of Tanzim, one of Fatah's armed paramilitaries, he played a leading role in the Second Intifada that broke out in 2000. He was arrested in 2002, and convicted of five murders by an Israeli court in May 2004.
Barghouti denies the allegations and told the judges at his trial, in fluent Hebrew learnt in prison, that he does not recognise their jurisdiction over him, calling the proceedings, "a court of occupation".
He led about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in a hunger strike in 2017 to protest against "Israel's illegal system of mass arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment of Palestinian prisoners".
While in prison, Barghouti released a 255-page book, written secretly behind bars and smuggled out via lawyers and family members, detailing his experience in jail.
He is seen as the most likely candidate to unify supporters of Fatah and its historical rival Hamas. A poll of 1,200 Palestinians conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research in December 2023 put Barghouti as by far the most popular candidate to succeed Mr Abbas.
However, it is far from clear whether Barghouti will ever be released from prison. His wife, the lawyer and Fatah member Fadwa Barghouti, leads the campaign for his release.
Hussein Al Sheikh
Political affiliation: PLO/Fatah, Palestinian Authority
Age: 63
Current status: Senior PLO and PA official well connected in Israel, Egypt and Jordan
Hussein Al Sheikh is considered to be Mr Abbas's preferred candidate.
Mr Abbas made him his de facto number two by last year appointing him as secretary general of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation.
Mr Al Sheikh had served on Fatah's central committee and headed the PA's General Authority of Civil Affairs.
He is linked to the Palestinian security apparatus and developed ties with Egyptian and Israeli officials during a range of co-ordination jobs within the PA. He also has strong ties with Jordan.
Before his long career in the Palestinian Authority, Mr Al Sheikh says he was detained by Israeli forces for 11 years, from 1978 to 1989, during which time he learnt Hebrew.
Until the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war, he was seen as the preferred candidate of the US and its Arab allies. However, his association with the unpopular Mr Abbas and the status quo may now work against him.
Mohammed Dahlan
Political affiliation: Former Fatah security commander
Age: 62
Current status: Politician in exile who retains home support
Mohammed Dahlan, known as Abu Fadi, is a former security operative who was for decades the top and most feared enforcer for Fatah.
Born in a refugee camp in southern Gaza, he joined Fatah in the 1980s and led the Gaza branch of the Fatah Youth Movement.
He was arrested 11 times by Israeli forces during the 1980s and deported to Jordan in 1987.
Mr Dahlan then joined Yasser Arafat and the exiled PLO leadership in Tunis, where he began to build the wide international network that he retains today.
After returning to Palestine in 1994, he took on a security role responsible for suppressing PLO opponents in Gaza. Security forces under his command repeatedly clashed with Hamas members and others in Gaza.
Having established a power base with his security forces and international connections, Mr Dahlan made a failed bid to unseat Mr Arafat in the early 2000s.
He was in charge of Fatah's security in Gaza during the 2006-2007 Hamas-Fatah clashes in Gaza, which Hamas won. He fell out with Mr Abbas in the aftermath of the defeat, having accused him of corruption.
In 2011, Mr Dahlan was expelled from Fatah and moved to the UAE. In 2014, he was tried in his absence on corruption charges.
He has continued to foster a strong international network from outside Palestine and is thought to be close to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and other regional players.
Mr Dahlan retains a political base in Khan Younis, his hometown in Gaza. According to a research paper by the European Council on Foreign Relations, he has been advocating reconciling differences between Fatah and Hamas. He has previously said that he does not aspire to any future political position.
Jibril Al Rajoub
Political affiliation: Fatah
Age: 70
Current status: Politician with connection to Hamas who is also president of the Palestinian Football Association
Jibril Al Rajoub, known as Abu Rami, is a former senior Fatah official whose name has been mentioned as a potential replacement for Mr Abbas.
Mr Al Rajoub was an aid to Yasser Arafat, working on security co-ordination with Israel until he was removed in the early 2000s. He remained in Fatah and became secretary general of Fatah's central committee in 2017.
Mr Al Rajoub is seen as one of the PLO leaders with whom Hamas can work. His brother, Nayef Al Rajoub, was religious affairs minister under Hamas.
Mr Al Rajoub's recent public profile is centred on his association with sports in Palestine. He is head of the Palestinian Higher Council for Youth and Sports, the Palestine Olympic Committee, and Palestinian Football Association.
Nasser Al Kidwa
Political affiliation: National Democratic Assembly, formerly Fatah
Age: 70
Current status: Former diplomat and reformist living in the US who is critical of Abbas
Born in Gaza, Nasser Al Kidwa is a veteran Palestinian diplomat whose career is marked by criticism of Mr Abbas.
He is the nephew of Yasser Arafat. He joined Fatah in 1969 and was active in Palestinian student politics.
Mr Al Kidwa has represented the PLO at the UN and played a range of international roles, including UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan.
He helped to lodge the case against Israel’s separation wall in the International Court of Justice, a rare Palestinian diplomatic victory, after the court issued an advisory opinion in 2004 in favour of the illegality of the wall.
In 2022, Mr Al Kidwa formed the National Democratic Assembly, a group of reformists who have been trying to break Fatah's monopoly on West Bank politics.
He worked as Arab League envoy to both Libya and Syria, working jointly with the UN on the latter country. Members of the Syrian opposition to President Bashar Al Assad told The National that, unlike other UN officials, Mr Al Kidwa was interested in a genuine political transformation in Syria, rather than the mere pursuit of a deal.
Mohamad Shtayyeh
Political affiliation: Fatah
Age: 66
Current status: Palestinian Authority prime minister seen as technocrat and supporter of Mr Abbas
Mohammed Shtayyeh is the PA's current prime minister, after being appointed by Mr Abbas in 2019 as the PA's funding crisis deepened.
He was involved in peace negotiations with Israel since the 1991 Madrid peace conference, and has attended numerous conferences and negotiations.
He was responsible for managing investment funds under the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction.
Mr Shtayyeh is seen as a technocrat. His CV states that he is a politician and economist, with a PhD from the University of Sussex, and is a published author
Mohammad Mustafa
Political affiliation: PA
Age: 69
Current status: Chairman of Palestine Investment Fund and businessman
Mohammad Mustafa is one of Mr Abbas’s senior advisers on the economy.
He was Deputy Prime Minister from 2013 to 2014 and is an independent member of the PLO's Executive Committee.
He has chaired the Palestine Investment Fund since 2009 and founded the Palestine Telecommunications Company (PalTel), alongside other businesses.
He held prominent positions within the World Bank over 15 years and is seen as a technocrat.
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
PRIMERA LIGA FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Atletico Madrid v Sevilla (3pm)
Alaves v Real Madrid (6.15pm)
Malaga v Athletic Bilbao (8.30pm)
Girona v Barcelona (10.45pm)
Sunday
Espanyol v Deportivo la Coruna (2pm)
Getafe v Villarreal (6.15pm)
Eibar v Celta Vigo (8.30pm)
Las Palmas v Leganes (8.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Valencia (10.45pm)
Monday
Real Betis v Levante (11.pm)
Day 1, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Sadeera Samarawickrama set pulses racing with his strokeplay on his introduction to Test cricket. It reached a feverish peak when he stepped down the wicket and launched Yasir Shah, who many regard as the world’s leading spinner, back over his head for six. No matter that he was out soon after: it felt as though the future had arrived.
Stat of the day - 5 The last time Sri Lanka played a Test in Dubai – they won here in 2013 – they had four players in their XI who were known as wicketkeepers. This time they have gone one better. Each of Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva, Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella – the nominated gloveman here – can keep wicket.
The verdict Sri Lanka want to make history by becoming the first team to beat Pakistan in a full Test series in the UAE. They could not have made a better start, first by winning the toss, then by scoring freely on an easy-paced pitch. The fact Yasir Shah found some turn on Day 1, too, will have interested their own spin bowlers.
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
Specs
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
TRAINING FOR TOKYO
A typical week's training for Sebastian, who is competing at the ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon on March 8-9:
- Four swim sessions (14km)
- Three bike sessions (200km)
- Four run sessions (45km)
- Two strength and conditioning session (two hours)
- One session therapy session at DISC Dubai
- Two-three hours of stretching and self-maintenance of the body
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.
Indika
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The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2 (Heaton (og) 42', Lindelof 64')
Aston Villa 2 (Grealish 11', Mings 66')
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO
Confederations Cup Group B
Germany v Chile
Kick-off: Thursday, 10pm (UAE)
Where: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Watch live: Abu Dhabi Sports HD
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
Mobile phone packages comparison
The Word for Woman is Wilderness
Abi Andrews, Serpent’s Tail
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
