From stricter Emiratisation penalties to new nutrition grading rules: wave of updated fines and regulations in 2025/Representative Image TL;DR: Stricter Emiratisation fines for private firms came into force in July 2025. New nutrition labelling rules on packaged food products. Salik (toll) system expansion in Dubai, with new gates operational since June 2025. Expected changes to […]
Egyptian police kill 2 suspected militants in a shootout CAIRO: Egyptian police said they killed two suspected militants in a shootout Sunday during a raid on their hideout in Cairo’s twin city of Giza. The Interior Ministry said the suspected militants belonged to the Hasm movement, which is affiliated with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Hasm […]
Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready for peace talks with Ukraine but Moscow remains committed to achieving its “main goal”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, Reuters reported citing state media on Sunday.“President Putin has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible. This is a […]
KATHMANDU: Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will pay an official visit to India towards mid-September, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.“Preparations for the upcoming visit of the prime minister are underway. However, the date and the detailed schedules of the visit are yet to be finalised,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri said.However, […]
Fire at Iran’s largest oil refinery: One killed at Abadan facility, several injured (Source: X/@IranIntl_En) A fire broke out at Iran’s oldest and largest oil refinery, state media reported on Sunday. The incident occurred on Saturday(local time) due to a leaky pump in an under-repair unit of the Abadan oil facility.The fire killed one worker […]
DEWA updates its billing units to cubic meters, aligning Dubai with global water measurement standards/Representative Image TL;DR: DEWA replaced gallons with cubic meters for water billing in March 2025. The change aligns with global standards and simplifies consumption tracking for residents. Summer months typically cause about 18% surge in water usage in the UAE, making […]
A rare total solar eclipse will darken skies above ancient landmarks in Luxor, Egypt, on August 2, 2027/ Image: File TL;DR On August 2, 2027, a total solar eclipse will cross parts of North Africa and the Middle East. Cities like Luxor, Jeddah, and Benghazi will experience totality lasting over 6 minutes, the longest eclipse […]
UAE residents benefit from relaxed summer work schedules, visa-free travel to Armenia, and new health regulations to navigate the peak heat months of 2025/Representative Image TL;DR: UAE residents now enjoy visa-free travel to Armenia for 90 days within a 180-day period. Flexible summer work schedules adopted by Dubai and Ajman to support employee well-being during […]
Three powerful earthquakes struck off the coast of Russia’s Far East on Sunday, triggering a tsunami alert, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.The first quake, with a magnitude of 5.0, was followed by a 6.7-magnitude earthquake at 07:07 UTC, located 151 km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at a depth of 8.7 km, according to the […]
Zohran Mamdani (AP image) Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani criticized public broadcaster BBC for biased reporting on the ongoing Middle East conflict. He condemned the use of selective language in its coverage of the Israel-Gaza war, questioning why the outlet uses terms like “Iran-backed Houthis” or “Hamas-run hospital,” but avoids labels such as “US-backed IDF” […]
