The victim of a meticulously planned assassination involving up to 17 people, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, was a marked man before he ever left Damascus, writes Catherine Shanahan.

Dubai police appealed for an international manhunt today after releasing names and photographs of an alleged 11-member hit squad – including three with Irish passports and six with British passports – accused of killing a Hamas commander last month.

Dubai is set to open the world’s tallest building amid tight security today, celebrating the tower as a bold feat on the world stage despite the city state’s shaky financial footing.