The National News
Russian banker Andrey Kostin on sanctions, frozen assets and Ukraine peace | On The Record
- Title
- Russian banker Andrey Kostin on sanctions, frozen assets and Ukraine peace | On The Record
- Runtime
- 18:12
- Date posted
- 26 days ago
- Description
- Attempts by the West to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's defence amount to "stealing" and have accelerated the break-up of the post-war financial order, according to Andrey Kostin, chief executive of Russia's state bank VTB.
Speaking to On the Record with Hadley Gamble, he described the use of the assets as "absolutely illegal" and warned that confiscating reserves would drive countries away from the dollar, Euroclear and US Treasuries.
All the latest news: https://www.thenationalnews.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenationalnews.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thenationalnews
- Title
- Russian banker calls for faster Ukraine peace deal
- Runtime
- 1:11
- Date posted
- 26 days ago
- Description
- Russian banker Andrey Kostin says the growing Ukraine war damage on both sides raises the pressure for a peace deal, in an interview with IMI's chief international anchor, Hadley Gamble.
- Title
- Zayed National Museum marks World Environment Day
- Runtime
- 0:51
- Date posted
- 26 days ago
- Description
- Zayed National Museum's World Environment Day programme explores how Emiratis lived sustainably over generations using natural resources and cultural practices.
- Title
- US attacks Iranian radar sites after drone threat
- Runtime
- 0:29
- Date posted
- 26 days ago
- Description
- A video released by US Central Command shows the moment the US bombed Iranian radar sites.
- Title
- Khaldoon Al Mubarak hails success of Man City women’s team
- Runtime
- 0:59
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- In a reversal of the men's Premier League, City's women's team pipped Arsenal to the title, their first title since 2016.
All the latest news: https://www.thenationalnews.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenationalnews.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thenationalnews
- Title
- Russian envoy accuses Europe and UK of undermining Ukraine peace effort
- Runtime
- 0:30
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev says Europe and the UK are trying to 'sow seeds of doubt' over US-led efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
- Title
- The shrinking space left for Palestinians in Gaza
- Runtime
- 1:25
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- As Israel expands its control of Gaza, Palestinians are being squeezed into a smaller area, with plans that could leave a population of 2.1 million confined to 30% of the terrirory.
- Title
- UK and Europe seek to 'derail' Ukraine peace process, says Russia's Kirill Dmitriev
- Runtime
- 5:15
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev accused Europe and the UK of seeking to "derail" the Ukraine peace process as Moscow's talks with the US on security guarantees and compromises advance "nicely".
Mr Dmitriev, who is the envoy for foreign investment and economic co-operation, said the Trump administration was "working hard to [secure] the compromises that are needed", but declined to say when that would happen.
All the latest news: https://www.thenationalnews.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenationalnews.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thenationalnews
- Title
- Russian envoy confident of progress in Ukraine peace process
- Runtime
- 0:32
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev says US President Donald Trump’s administration has been ‘working really hard’ to reach a compromise in Ukraine peace talks.
- Title
- Labour policies ‘counterproductive’ to UK economy, says British billionaire
- Runtime
- 2:07
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- British billionaire and philanthropist John Caudwell says Labour policies are ‘counterproductive’ to UK growth and politicians lack the vision to drive long-term economic success.
Full episode of The Inside Brief is out tomorrow on our YouTube channel and wherever you get your podcasts.
- Title
- America’s war and its World Cup
- Runtime
- 0:59
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- The World Cup is only days away but the Iran conflict is casting a shadow over the US as the main host nation.
President Donald Trump and his administration have made conflicting statements about the Iranian football team’s participation, at times saying they’re welcome and at other times warning it would not be safe for them to attend.
Uncertainty, flight disruptions and anti-immigration crackdowns in the US may also be deterring fans.
In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at how one of the most globally unifying events is kicking off in a climate of geopolitical tension. We hear from Gregory Papanikos, president of the Athens Institute, and Simon Chadwick, professor of Afro-Eurasian sport.
Find the full episode in the link in bio or listen on your preferred podcast app.
All the latest news: https://www.thenationalnews.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNationalNews
F...
- Title
- Russia wants stability, not surging oil prices, says economic envoy
- Runtime
- 0:38
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- Market unpredictability benefits no one despite the potential gains for Moscow, special economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev tells Hadley Gamble.
- Title
- Bait star Riz Ahmed: 'Self-hatred can be a great motivator'
- Runtime
- 1:27
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- British actor and writer says he is learning to embrace the messiness and vulnerability behind his public persona
- Title
- What you need to know about the new AI-generated Kurdish song Her e Gule
- Runtime
- 1:37
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- A Kurdish song without a named singer or a human voice has gone globally viral. Her e Gule is AI-generated and it has divided opinion in many ways. For many Kurds, the moment represents something significant for a language long marginalised that is finally reaching a global audience through this song. For others, the question is more uncomfortable: does it matter that the voice behind it isn't human? In this episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews get into it and ask whether AI can carry the weight of a culture.
Full episode out now on The National, YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
All the latest news: https://www.thenationalnews.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenationalnews.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thenationalnews
- Title
- Why an Ebola outbreak in DRC demands global attention
- Runtime
- 1:29
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- An Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is raising global concern, with conflict and funding challenges complicating efforts to contain the virus. The National's Nick Webster explains.
- Title
- Dubai Safari Park welcomes rare white rhino calf
- Runtime
- 1:19
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- Salam is the second southern white rhino calf born at the park since 2024.
- Title
- Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak pays tribute to Pep Guardiola.
- Runtime
- 1:51
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak pays tribute to manager Pep Guardiola after 10 years at the helm.
Watch the reel to hear him on Guardiola's legacy at the club.
- Title
- Does 'ceasefire' have a different meaning in the Middle East?
- Runtime
- 1:31
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- Across the region, ceasefire no longer necessarily means a cessation of fighting. Instead, it often means a wider war has been avoided.
Watch our explainer for the full breakdown.
- Title
- The UAE ranks among the world's leading destinations for AI professionals.
- Runtime
- 0:13
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- The race to attract AI talent is intensifying as countries invest heavily in technology and innovation.
The UAE ranks among the world's leading destinations for AI professionals, placing second in LinkedIn's index.
- Title
- The significance of Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon
- Runtime
- 1:37
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon is nearly 900 years old. Unesco granted it enhanced protection in 2024, recognising it as part of humanity's shared cultural legacy. This week it made headlines as Israeli forces captured the castle for the first time since their withdrawal in 2000.
In this episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss why heritage sites like Beaufort matter. The National's Beirut correspondent Jamie Prentis, who visited the castle recently, also joined the podcast to share what it felt like to stand there and take in the view across southern Lebanon and northern Israel, and to reflect on what it means to see it in the news now.
All the latest news: https://www.thenationalnews.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenationalnews.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.link...
- Title
- Gymnasts open second UAE Games for People of Determination
- Runtime
- 0:43
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- More than 1,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities from all over the UAE are vying for glory in a major sporting competition that is poised to set the stage for the country's participation in the Special Olympics World Games in 2027.
- Title
- Keep up with the latest AI and tech trends with Future Beat.
- Runtime
- 0:20
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- Subscribe to The National’s Future Beat newsletter for weekly analysis and insights from tech policy editor Cody Combs.
- Title
- US President Donald Trump wants to separate talks on Lebanon and Iran
- Runtime
- 0:41
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- 'It is a very different kind of thing. We actually spoke with Hezbollah for the first time ever. We didn't know they spoke,' he said.
- Title
- Could hit AI songs like Her e Gule bridge culture gaps?
- Runtime
- 28:45
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- This week on Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews look at Beaufort Castle, the Crusader-era fortress in southern Lebanon that has been fought over for nearly 900 years and has once again found itself at the centre of military developments in the region.
They discuss the broader threat to Lebanon's cultural heritage, with archaeologists and NGOs warning of potentially catastrophic losses to unregistered sites including historic graveyards, mosques and ancestral homes across the south. Unesco, the UN cultural agency, has granted enhanced protection to dozens of Lebanese sites in response to the ongoing conflict.
Enas and Farah then turn to the viral AI-generated songs dominating social media. They discuss Her e Gule, a Kurdish-language track made using AI vocals that has spread across TikTok and Instagram, and examine the complex reaction it has brought.
They also look at comedian Bill Stiteler's AI-generated The Puerto Rico Song, whic...
- Title
- Kuwait releases footage of deadly Iranian drone attack.
- Runtime
- 0:52
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- Kuwaiti authorities released footage showing the moment an Iranian drone struck Kuwait airport, killing one person and injuring more than 60 others. They released the footage after Tehran claimed the damage was caused by a US interceptor missile.
- Title
- Kuwait's Prime Minister visits airport after Iranian attack
- Runtime
- 0:35
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- Sheikh Ahmad Al Sabah viewed the damage after drone strike killed one person.
All the latest news: https://www.thenationalnews.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/TheNationalNews
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenationalnews.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thenationalnews
- Title
- Wegovy weight-loss pill arrives in the UAE
- Runtime
- 1:42
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- The first batches of the Wegovy weight-loss pill have arrived in the UAE after receiving government approval.
Manufacturer Novo Nordisk says the daily pill could help tackle obesity at scale and offers a more convenient alternative to injectable treatments.
- Title
- Gaza reconstruction stalls as Iran war shifts focus from Trump’s Board of Peace
- Runtime
- 2:14
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- Billions of dollars were pledged to rebuild Gaza, but officials say the war with Iran has diverted attention from the enclave, with only a fraction of the funding disbursed.
- Title
- Trump says he stopped the war in Lebanon. Did he really?
- Runtime
- 2:00
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- President Trump says he prevented a “major raid on Beirut” and got Israel and Hezbollah to agree to "stop the shooting" after a US-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon failed to end the war in the country. But the reality on the ground tells a different story. The National's Fatima Al Mahmoud explains.
- Title
- Emirati shares lesson after call at wheel almost killed him
- Runtime
- 1:45
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- Juma Almheiri, who underwent extensive surgical procedures, says he hopes his recovery will serve as a warning to others about the dangers of distracted driving.
- Title
- The missing middle: Why few small business in the UAE become major companies | Business Extra
- Runtime
- 31:17
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- Small and middle-sized companies (SMEs) make up more than 95 per cent of businesses in the UAE and contribute more than 60 per cent of the country’s non-oil GDP. But despite that, the UAE still has relatively few SMEs growing up to become large private companies.
Founders have been saying that starting a business is much easier than scaling one, and in some cases, even easier than closing one.
As businesses grow, they tend to encounter the same roadblocks. Access to growth financing can be difficult, delayed payments create cash flow pressure, and operational complexity can take focus away from growth. Many SMEs also struggle to compete with larger players for contracts and talent.
So, while the UAE has built a strong start-up culture, the next challenge is helping more of those businesses grow into sustainable midsized companies.
In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid is looking at what is holding businesses back on...
- Title
- India removes giant Messi statue over safety fears
- Runtime
- 0:48
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- A 21-metre statue of Lionel Messi in Kolkata has been taken down after residents noticed it was swaying in strong winds.
- Title
- Iran cannot use threat to Barakah as 'bargaining' tactic
- Runtime
- 0:52
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- Iran cannot use any threat to nuclear facilities, including the UAE's Barakah plant, as a bargaining tactic, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation said.
An attack last month damaged external infrastructure linked to the plant, raising international concern over the targeting of civilian nuclear sites.
- Title
- Mamdani 'repeals' kids' bedtimes for Knicks' NBA Finals run
- Runtime
- 1:06
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has jokingly signed an executive order 'repealing' children's bedtimes for the duration of the NBA Finals, as the New York Knicks chase their first championship since 1973.
- Title
- Three escaped prisoners recaptured after Kuwait desert chase.
- Runtime
- 0:31
- Date posted
- 30 days ago
- Description
- Three escaped prisoners recaptured after a dramatic chase through the Kuwaiti desert.
Police vehicles with helicopter support tracked down the men following the high-speed pursuit.
- Title
- Iran condemned for attack on cargo vessel in Iraqi waters.
- Runtime
- 0:44
- Date posted
- 30 days ago
- Description
- Iran condemned for attack in Iraqi waters after two projectiles strike an MSC container ship near Umm Qasr port in Basra.
- Title
- Beirut back in the line of fire as Israel escalates military operations in Lebanon
- Runtime
- 1:44
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- As strikes resume and Israeli troops push deeper into Lebanon, fears are growing that the fragile ceasefire with Hezbollah is nearing collapse.
- Title
- Dozens of ships leave Hormuz with US help.
- Runtime
- 1:54
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Dozens of ships leave Hormuz with US help as commercial traffic slowly resumes after months of disruption.
More than 100 tankers remain stranded, but signs of movement are raising hopes for global energy markets and trade.
- Title
- Israel has captured Beaufort Castle as its ground invasion of Lebanon expands.
- Runtime
- 0:13
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Israel has captured Beaufort Castle as its ground invasion of Lebanon expands, marking the deepest military incursion into the country in 26 years.
- Title
- Drone footage reveals scale of flooding in Syria's Deir Ezzor.
- Runtime
- 0:41
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Flooding along the Euphrates River has displaced families, damaged farmland and knocked dozens of water stations out of service across the eastern province.
- Title
- Middle East tensions rise as US and Iran trade attacks
- Runtime
- 1:33
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Oil markets reacted sharply after US Central Command carried out what it called 'self-defence' strikes inside Iran. The National's Manus Cranny reports.
- Title
- Harvard graduate used her graduation speech to highlight students in Lebanon and Palestine
- Runtime
- 1:20
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 'The youth of Dahiyeh, the sons of Nabatieh and the people of Tyre': Harvard Medical School graduate Leen Ezzeddine used her graduation speech to highlight students in Lebanon and Palestine.
- Title
- Floods have damaged and cut off bridges in Syria's Deir Ezzor
- Runtime
- 2:08
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Title
- Israel seizes castle in deepest Lebanon incursion in decades
- Runtime
- 0:49
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Israel has seized a castle that charts its history back to the Crusades in its deepest ground advance into Lebanese territory in 26 years.
- Title
- Lebanon’s Nawaf Salam says Israel's 'scorched-earth policy' will not ensure its security as a state
- Runtime
- 0:21
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Israel seizes landmark castle in deepest Lebanon incursion in decades.
- Title
- Hundreds arrested after PSG Champions League celebrations turn violent.
- Runtime
- 0:44
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Title
- WHO chief: 'Solidarity is our best immunity'
- Runtime
- 0:57
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Fight against Ebola 'not without hope' despite no vaccine, says WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during his visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Title
- Lego borrowing service is launched in Dubai.
- Runtime
- 1:29
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Lego borrowing service is launched in Dubai, giving people the chance to borrow and return Lego sets instead of buying them.
Watch to find out how the initiative works.
- Title
- Iran official calls World Cup conditions unfair
- Runtime
- 1:50
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Iranian football federation vice president Mehdi Mohammed Nabi says that the visa administrative process will be completed this week as the team's situation becomes more complicated having relocated to Tijuana, Mexico for training.
- Title
- Hegseth: US 'more than capable' of resuming war
- Runtime
- 0:15
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US's stockpiles are more than 'suited' to resuming the war with Iran.
