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      Opinion

      How much longer will fans tolerate the 'Fifa-isation' of the World Cup?

      The performances on the pitch may have been strong but soaring ticket prices, commercialised hydration breaks and sinister political meddling have taken their toll

      Andy
      Brassell



      The National

      Today's cartoonShadi's take on the US-Iran deal at the risk of falling apart


      Video

      • Corruption crackdown - is Iraq finally turning a page?

        Play03:35
      • Sending cake instead of a CV? Not in Abu Dhabi

        Play01:12
      • Opinion: Is the EU losing patience with Israel?

        Play03:47
      • How Pakistan came out as winner after ceasefire agreement

        Play02:39
      • Opinion: Is Donald Trump losing the Iran war narrative?

        Play01:38
      • Why Britons in Dubai don’t deserve the backlash

        Play01:31
      • Post-Khamenei Iran: Power struggle and a new era?

        Play02:01
      • Opinion: Why are Pakistan and Afghanistan fighting?

        Play02:57
      • What's next for Keir Starmer after Epstein linked to UK envoy

        Play01:13
      • Iranian citizens not looking for monarchy to be restored

        Play01:52
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      Swipe up for more



      Can Burnham keep promise to make Britain's political scene more united?

      Damien McElroy

      Why the Meta chief AI officer's 'moral imperative' push is so hollow

      Cody Combs

      Dar Al Funoon will give Abu Dhabi a place where culture is continually made

      Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo

      Comment

      QuoteYou can't fight extremism by ignoring half of it

      Thomas Watkins

      QuoteThe resistance of July 15 is unparalleled in the history of world democracy

      Recep Tayyip
      ErdoÄŸan

      QuoteCould ‘Count Binface’ end Nigel Farage’s political career?

      Gavin Esler

      In Rome, Lebanon is negotiating to restore more than just its sovereignty

      Paul Salem

      France is at a key moment – on and off the pitch

      Janine di Giovanni


      Editorial

      Arab footballers showed they belong among the World Cup elite

      The US-Iran war is escaping the control of those waging it

      Don't condemn Lebanon to repeat its past

      Why freedom of navigation must return to Strait of Hormuz

      Ignoring Yemen only delays the next crisis

      Seafarers must not be an afterthought



      Columnists

      Vessels cross the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam in Oman last week. Reuters

      Is the European-led mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz dead in the water?

      Damien McElroy

      Gulf countries are in a grey zone between war and peace

      Ebtesam Al Ketbi

      QuoteWe cannot let diplomatic conflicts stop scientists from working together

      Chris
      Llewellyn Smith

      Why Iraq needs a different approach to fighting corruption

      Zaid Al-Ali

      The next UN secretary general will be hired to lead – but also to take the blame

      Mukesh Kapila

      Why an Arab vision for regional security does not work anymore

      Sulaiman Al-Hattlan

      We need to rethink our approach to philanthropy

      Muna Al Gurg



      US global leadership is faltering. China must not let this moment pass it by

      Sholto Byrnes

      The UAE's Naseej initiative is a reminder that what we can weave, we can mend

      Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan

      What my fitness watch couldn't tell me about my health

      Hayley Kadrou

      Judging by Sleep No More, Wynn Al Marjan Island's new show will be an eye-opener

      Panna Munyal

      Podcast: Beyond the Headlines

      Tehran announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz on July 12 and launched attacks at its Gulf neighbours. AFP
      Headphones

      Why was the US-Iran agreement not enough to end the war?

      Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara met US President Donald Trump during the Nato summit in Ankara. Getty Images
      Headphones

      What’s at stake in the battle for foreign influence in Syria?




      Why are ceasefires not ceasing the fire?

      What's driving Iraq’s anti-corruption crackdown?

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