Marco Rubio and Donalfd Trump (File – AP) US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Friday announced he is stepping back from his role overseeing the US agency for international development (USAID), handing off responsibilities to office of management and budget director Russ Vought as the agency enters its final phase of shutdown.In a post…
Indian passport applications in Dubai must include ICAO-compliant photographs/Image: File Starting September 1, Indian expats in Dubai applying for new passports or renewals must submit photographs that conform to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. The directive was officially circulated by India’s Ministry of External Affairs to all embassies and consulates worldwide, including the Indian…
UAE has confirmed a public holiday on Friday, September 5, 2025/Image: File The UAE has confirmed a public holiday on Friday, September 5, 2025, to mark the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (12 Rabi Al Awwal). With the date coinciding with a Friday, the announcement effectively grants residents across both the public and private sectors a three-day…
The White House on Thursday clarified that US President Donald Trump is not increasing the number of student visas for Chinese nationals, countering recent speculation over a supposed expansion in student entries. “President Trump isn’t proposing an increase in student visas for Chinese students. The 600k number refers to two years’ worth of visas. It’s…
A residential building damaged by Russian strike in Kyiv (Pic credit: AP) A massive Russian missile and drone attack struck on Kyiv early Thursday, killing at least 14 people, including three children, and caused extensive damage to the European Union’s diplomatic mission in the Ukrainian capital. European Council president Antonio Costa condemned the strikes, calling…
Representative image (AI) A federal grand jury has declined to indict a former US justice department employee who was caught on video throwing a sandwich at a customs and border protection (CBP) agent during a protest in Washington, DC, according to CNN citing a person familiar with the matter.Sean Charles Dunn, previously an international affairs…
Saudi Arabia and Syria signed $24 billion in investment deals across 12 sectors during their first joint forum in Riyadh/Image: SPA In a significant step toward rebuilding diplomatic and economic bridges, Saudi Arabia and Syria have launched their first private-sector-led investment forum. Held in Riyadh, the Saudi-Syrian Partnership and Investment Forum brought together over 450…
Dubai’s RTA’s ‘Tadreeb’ platform trains 250,000 drivers yearly using AI, 3,400 instructors, 3,000 vehicles, and real-time tracking/Image: WAM Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is reshaping how new drivers are trained in the emirate through a unified digital platform named ‘Tadreeb’. Designed to raise safety standards and streamline the licensing process, the platform brings together…
Another bus crash in Afghanistan as passenger bus overturns (Representative AI image) At least 25 people lost their lives in a bus crash when a passenger bus overturned in Afghanistan’s capital early Wednesday, a senior Taliban official confirmed. The accident occurred in the Arghandi area on the outskirts of Kabul during the early morning hours….
Dubai earlier suspended two engineering firms for six months after finding violations that breached professional ethics and harmed property owners’ interests/ Image: Dubai Municipality Dubai Municipality has issued formal warnings to several engineering consultancy offices after uncovering inflated structural designs for citizens’ villas. These violations, which go against the Dubai Building Code, have led to…
