Middle East

UAE Eases Healthcare Licensing, Allows Academic Doctors to Treat Patients / Image : file The United Arab Emirates has introduced sweeping new rules aimed at strengthening its healthcare workforce, allowing university medical faculty to practise in hospitals while easing licensing procedures for fresh graduates. Federal and emirate-level health authorities led the decision, which is expected…

UAE warns April fool’s pranks can lead to jail/Image: Getty Images Posting or sharing false information online, even as a joke, can lead to serious legal consequences in the UAE, with authorities warning that humour offers no protection under the law. The Sharjah Public Prosecution has cautioned residents that spreading misinformation online, including April Fool’s…

Saudi Arabia launches special operations rooms for overseas Umrah pilgrims/Representative Image A sharp rise in Umrah arrivals has pushed Saudi authorities to scale up coordination, with a new operations room set up to respond in real time and improve the overall pilgrim experience. Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, announced the launch…

Saudi Arabia detained gym trainers selling unlicensed weight loss, hormonal and peptide drugs after investigation/Image: SPA Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health has detained several gym trainers of Arab nationalities for selling and promoting unregistered weight loss medications, hormonal drugs and peptide substances, according to a report by the Saudi Press Agency. The action was carried…

UAE prolongs distance learning till April 17 for all schools, universities / Image: file The UAE has officially extended distance learning across all educational institutions until April 17, 2026, keeping millions of students out of classrooms for at least two more weeks.The decision was announced by the UAE Ministry of Education, which confirmed that the…

Abu Dhabi launched international scholarships for Emirati students in social care/Representative Image Abu Dhabi has launched an international scholarship programme for Emirati students to study social work and psychology, aiming to address a growing shortage of qualified professionals in the social care sector.The programme has been introduced by the Department of Community Development in partnership…

Al-Baha switched off non-essential lights in 28 buildings for one hour to promote energy conservation/Image: SPA Al-Baha turned off non-essential lights for an hour as part of a local drive to spread awareness about energy use and environmental protection.In Saudi Arabia, Al-Baha Municipality switched off lights across parts of the city on Friday as it…

Saudi Arabia restores 1 million hectares of land, plants over 159 million trees under green initiative/Representative Image Saudi Arabia has marked a major environmental milestone, transforming degraded land into green cover at scale. The progress reflects a long-term national push to restore ecosystems, expand vegetation and tackle desertification.Saudi Arabia has restored one million hectares of…

Tensions surge as Iran confirms targeting a US-linked vessel near Oman’s Salalah port, a vital shipping hub. This escalation expands the conflict into critical maritime zones, threatening global trade and energy markets. The move signals Iran’s willingness to strike US assets, blurring lines between military and logistical targets and raising fears of wider instability. Source…

UAE Reaffirms Space Ambitions After NASA’s Lunar Pivot As the global space race enters a decisive new phase, a major shift by NASA has sent ripples across international partners, including the UAE. The decision to pause the Lunar Gateway project, once envisioned as a space station orbiting the Moon, has raised questions about the future…