Trending Middle East

France are in the World Cup semi-finals after beating Morocco 2-0 at Gillette Stadium, ending another historic Arab and African campaign. It is France's third consecutive World Cup semi-final and they have still not conceded a goal at this tournament.

Mbappe was the central figure despite missing a first-half penalty, saved by Bounou in what was a record-equalling moment. The Moroccan goalkeeper has now saved four penalties at World Cups, drawing level with the most by any goalkeeper in tournament history.

After the break, Mbappe curled a superb finish to make it 1-0, levelling with Messi on eight goals in the Golden Boot race, before Dembele added a second to put the match beyond Morocco. Dembele's goal means France are only the second team in 50 years to have two players score five or more at the same World Cup, after Brazil in 2002.

Morocco's performance without Ismael Saibari reflected his absence. They sat deep, limited France's opportunities for long spells but struggled to break forward when they won the ball.

There are no Arab or African teams left in the tournament.

Fifa's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina defended World Cup officials in the wake of Egypt's complaint and the Balogun controversy, saying nobody can question the integrity of match officials and that Fifa refereeing cannot be influenced by anyone, including the Fifa president.

Jarell Quansah has received a two-match ban for his red card against Mexico, meaning he misses the quarter-final against Norway and the semi-final if England progress, adding to the debate around consistency given Balogun's suspended ban.

Tonight, Spain face Belgium at 11pm UAE time in Los Angeles. Spain have kept six consecutive clean sheets and gone more than 10 hours without conceding. The winner faces France in the semi-finals on July 14.

Mina Rzouki presents Trending Middle East's World Cup round-up, a daily bonus series from The National for the duration of the tournament.

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, air raid sirens sound across Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait after Iran launches missile and drone attacks. Washington launched another round of strikes on Iranian military targets, while President Donald Trump says Tehran wants to make a deal but questions whether it can be trusted to honour one.

We also examine the growing impact on global trade as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slows to a near standstill. Vessel traffic has dropped sharply, LNG movements remain largely suspended and electronic interference is once again affecting navigation in the Gulf of Oman.

In Syria, officials tell The National they believe remnants of the Assad regime were behind the recent bomb attacks in Damascus, saying the aim was to undermine the country's recovery and the prosecution of former regime figures.

We also have the latest from Pakistan, where search teams have recovered the wreckage of the cargo plane that crashed into the Arabian Sea after departing Sharjah, as efforts continue to locate the five crew members.

And despite months of regional conflict, Dubai's economy continues to expand. Official figures show GDP grew by 2.4 per cent in the first quarter, underlining the resilience of the emirate's diversified economy.

Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

The fallout from Egypt's 3-2 defeat to Argentina is deepening. The Egyptian Football Association has filed a formal complaint with Fifa, calling for an investigation into referee Francois Letexier and his VAR team over what it described as serious mistakes, double standards and improper use of VAR. The EFA has also asked FIFA to remove the officiating crew from the rest of the tournament.

Egypt's team director also claimed the referee threatened Hossam Hassan during the game. Hassan himself said he would not watch another match at this World Cup. The EFA has confirmed it wants Hassan to continue as national team coach.

Fifa is also under broader pressure over the Balogun controversy. Seventy-two European lawmakers have written to EU football association heads asking them to support an investigation into Fifa and Infantino, citing the decision-making around Balogun's suspended ban alongside wider governance concerns. Belgium, now preparing for their quarter-final against Spain, have also complained about the quality of their training facilities in Los Angeles.

In other news, Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic has stepped down after nine years in charge. Jorge Jesus is the leading candidate to succeed Roberto Martinez as Portugal coach. England have not ruled out Jordan Henderson returning at this tournament after surgery on a broken arm suffered while celebrating against Mexico.

Tonight there is one match. Morocco face France in the quarter-finals at midnight UAE time, in what Morocco's coach Mohamed Ouahbi has said is not about repeating 2022 but about winning the World Cup. Ismael Saibari is unlikely to feature due to injury, with Sofiane Rahimi expected to replace him.

Mina Rzouki presents Trending Middle East's World Cup round-up, a daily bonus series from The National for the duration of the tournament.

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, air raid sirens sound across Kuwait and Bahrain after the US renews strikes on Iran in response to attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil prices also climb as Washington restores sanctions on Iranian oil exports after the attacks in the waterway.

We also report on the uncertainty surrounding the next round of negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese officials, after Israel announced talks in Rome that Lebanon says it has not yet been notified about.

In the UAE, Abu Dhabi establishes a specialised court for human trafficking cases as part of wider efforts to strengthen legal protections for victims and to help tackle organised crime.

Meanwhile, recruiters say the UAE jobs market is beginning to recover after weeks of geopolitical uncertainty, with employers expected to resume hiring more actively after the summer.

Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

Egypt are out of the World Cup, but the anger is just beginning. Argentina came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in Atlanta in a match that will be debated long after the tournament ends.

Egypt led through Yasser Ibrahim's header, had a Mostafa Zico goal ruled out by VAR for a foul at the other end of the pitch in the build-up, then scored again in the 67th minute to make it 2-0.

Messi set up Romero to pull one back in the 79th minute, equalised four minutes later, and Enzo Fernandez headed the winner in stoppage time. Egypt also appealed for a penalty on Mohamed Salah seconds before that winner, and felt a foul by Alexis Mac Allister in the build-up was never reviewed.

Egypt's coach Hossam Hassan said after the match that Egypt had "suffered injustice" and suggested the referee and VAR had been influenced by external pressure to keep Argentina in the competition. He said he would not watch another match at this World Cup.

The Egyptian Football Association has asked Fifa to investigate the referee and VAR team. Hassan had also objected to the appointment of French referee Francois Letexier before the match, given Argentina beat France in the 2022 final.

Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw, and will face Argentina in the quarter-finals.

Morocco are now the last Arab and last African team in the tournament, facing France in the quarter-finals at midnight on Thursday.

Mina Rzouki presents Trending Middle East's World Cup round-up, a daily bonus series from The National for the duration of the tournament.

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz comes under renewed attack as Iran strikes vessels in the waterway. The incidents have fuelled concerns over energy security as Britain and France prepare a multinational naval mission to protect commercial traffic in the strait.

French President Emmanuel Macron also arrives in Damascus, becoming the first western leader to visit Syria since the end of the civil war in 2024. His talks with President Ahmad Al Shara are expected to focus on reconstruction, investment and regional stability.

We also look ahead to a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Mr Al Shara at the Nato summit in Turkey, where regional security and Lebanon are expected to top the agenda.

Attention is also turning to Gaza's political future after Hamas announced it is dissolving its governing authority, paving the way for a UN-backed technocratic administration to take over under a wider peace plan.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank says most of its digital banking services have been restored after a week of technical disruption, with only a small number of customers still awaiting full access to its app.

Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

Spain are in the World Cup quarter-finals after Mikel Merino's 91st-minute goal ended Portugal's tournament in Dallas. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, was peripheral throughout and was left in tears after what is almost certainly his final World Cup match. Roberto Martinez confirmed he is stepping down as Portugal's coach.

Belgium beat the US 4-1 in Seattle in a match that rendered the Folarin Balogun controversy irrelevant on the pitch. Belgium were sharper from the start and the game turned when US goalkeeper Matt Freese rushed out of his area and lost possession, allowing Hans Vanaken to finish into an empty net. All three co-hosts are now out.

But the fallout continues to grow after Fifa's decision to suspend Balogun's one-match ban after an intervention from US President Donald Trump. Uefa called Fifa's ruling "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable", accusing the ruling body of crossing a red line. Belgium's appeal was dismissed. Mr Trump confirmed he called Fifa president Gianni Infantino, after Balogun was sent off against Bosnia in the previous round.

Meanwhile, France beat Paraguay 1-0, but the post-match story was centred on striker Kylian Mbappe's public response to a Paraguayan senator who posted racist comments about him. The French football authorities are reporting the matter to prosecutors.

Tonight, Egypt face Argentina at 8pm UAE time in Atlanta, pitching Lionel Messi against Mohamed Salah. Switzerland face Colombia at midnight.

Mina Rzouki presents Trending Middle East's World Cup round-up, a daily bonus series from The National for the duration of the tournament.

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, US President Donald Trump heads to the Nato summit in Turkey, where Iran, defence spending and support for Ukraine are expected to dominate discussions. European allies are also expected to outline new contributions to security in the Strait of Hormuz.

In Iran, millions of mourners are expected to take part in the funeral procession for former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as a week of ceremonies continues before his burial in Mashhad.

We also look ahead to a landmark visit to Damascus, where French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to become the first European Union leader to visit Syria since President Ahmad Al Shara came to power, with talks focused on investment, reconstruction and regional co-operation.

In business, Adnoc launches a new global LNG marketing and trading platform in Abu Dhabi as it expands its role in international energy markets and prepares to significantly increase its liquefied natural gas exports.

And the UAE takes another step in its digital economy, with the country's dirham-backed stablecoin becoming available on regulated trading platforms, making digital payments more accessible for consumers and businesses.

England have reached the World Cup quarter-finals after beating Mexico 3-2 at the Azteca, in one of their biggest knockout victories in decades.

Jude Bellingham scored twice in two minutes, but England were reduced to 10 men after a red card for Jarell Quansah and had to defend deep and face 49 Mexican crosses.

Harry Kane scored a penalty and Jordan Pickford made crucial saves. England face Norway in Miami on Saturday.

Erling Haaland scored a late double as Norway won 2-1 in New Jersey to end Brazil's record of reaching at least the quarter-finals at every tournament since 1990. Haaland was quiet for most of the match but scored twice in the final minutes. Neymar replied with a late penalty and then confirmed his retirement from international football, departing as Brazil's all-time top scorer. This is Brazil's earliest World Cup exit in 36 years.

The biggest controversy of the knockout stage has nothing to do with what happened on the pitch. Fifa has suspended a one-match ban for US striker Folarin Balogun after US President Donald Trump called Fifa president Gianni Infantino to ask for a review.

Balogun, sent off in the last-32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, will now be available to play in the last 16 against Belgium. He's the US's top scorer at the tournament with three goals.

Fifa offered no reason or explanation for suspending Balogun's ban. It just cited "article 27 of the Fifa disciplinary code".

It is the first time Article 27 has been used at a World Cup. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said he did not know the fifth of July had become April Fools' Day, adding that his federation was not just defending themselves but defending football.

Meanwhile, Morocco are already through to the quarter-finals after beating Canada 3-0 and now face France in a repeat of the 2022 semi-final. Egypt face Argentina tomorrow after beating Australia on penalties, with coach Hossam Hassan dedicating the win to the Egyptian and Palestinian people after walking across the pitch with a Palestinian flag.

Tonight, Portugal face Spain at 11pm in Dallas and the US face Belgium at 4am in Seattle, with Balogun now available to start.

Mina Rzouki presents Trending Middle East's World Cup round-up, a daily bonus series from The National for the duration of the tournament.

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, Syria investigates a deadly bombing near Damascus’s main courthouse, after the attack killed nine people and injured more than 20.

We also look ahead to the funeral of Iran's former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Public ceremonies are to begin this weekend before a series of processions across Iran and Iraq, while officials say Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, is unlikely to appear because of security concerns.

At the UN, Bahrain accuses Iran of carrying out hundreds of attacks on civilian infrastructure across the Gulf, saying missile and drone strikes have targeted residential areas, desalination plants, airports and critical facilities. Bahrain warned the attacks "threaten the security of the entire region".

Meanwhile, shipping data suggests traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is gradually returning to normal, with analysts reporting growing confidence among vessel operators despite the regional tension.

And in the UAE, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, launches the Companies for Good 2031 Strategy, aiming to generate more than Dh20 billion ($5.44 billion) in corporate social responsibility projects over the next five years.

Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.