Middle East

Dubai, Feb 28: Parents and educators have welcomed the changes made by education authorities to the minimum age for admissions of school students, but these amendments haven't come without concerns for all stakeholders. The age requirements will change for new students enrolling in FS1, FS2, Year 1 and Year 2 (Pre-KG, KG1 and Grade 1 respectively), according to the UAE’s MoE, resolution no. (24)

Dubai, Feb 28: The Gulf states rallied behind Saudi Arabia regarding the report submitted to the US Congress on journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death and backed its statement on the issue. The Saudi foreign ministry in a statement rejected the “‘negative, false and unacceptable”’ assessment by the United States on the Kingdom’s leadership, and called it “‘inaccurate information and conclusions”’. The

Dubai, Feb 27: A 15-year-old Indian girl, who was reported missing earlier in the week, has been found hiding in the terrace of her home here after her parents scolded her for poor grades in school, according to a media report. 'HK' was reported missing following her morning walk in Dubai on Thursday morning, the Gulf News reported. The girl was hiding on the roof of her house in Umm Suqiem, Dubai

Riyadh, Feb 27: Saudi Arabia has categorically rejected the report submitted to the United States Congress regarding the heinous murder of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi, calling the assessment in the report pertaining to the Kingdom’s leadership negative, false and unacceptable. “The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia completely rejects the negative, false and unacceptable assessment in the

Dubai, Feb 27: An explosion struck an Israeli-owned cargo ship sailing out of the Middle East on Friday, renewing concerns about ship security in the region amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran. The crew and vessel were safe, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy. The explosion in the Gulf of Oman forced the vessel to head to the

Kuwait City, Feb 26: In a shocking development, a well-known actor in Kuwait, who had contracting covid-19 during vaccination, died in a hospital yesterday. 48-year-old Mishary al-Balam was undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit of Kuwait's Jaber Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Hospital for past one week. Al-Balam contracted the coronavirus while receiving the first dose of a vaccine

Dubai, Feb 25: Indian expats in the UAE are seeking exemption from the self-paid Covid-19 tests for passengers on their arrival in India, saying it would be an added burden for those returning home after losing their jobs during the ongoing pandemic, according to a media report. In a plea, the expats have urged the Indian government to fund the RT-PCR test on arrival in India and exemption for

Riyadh, Feb 25: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, has had successful surgery for appendicitis, state media reported late Wednesday. The 35-year-old prince had "successful laparoscopic surgery (Wednesday) morning for appendicitis at King Faisal Specialist Hospital" in Riyadh, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. SPA tweeted footage of the prince walking out

Tehran, Feb 24: Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has called on the United States to “immediately” end its failed policy of economic terrorism against the Iranian nation, saying such a move is a prerequisite for negotiations within the framework of the 2015 multilateral nuclear deal. Speaking during a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday, Rouhani stressed that the Islamic Republic still wants the

Abu Dhabi, Feb 24: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Cabinet, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the establishment of the Executive Office of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the Executive Office will oversee the implementation of