Author: Editorial Team

From April 20, students across the UAE are back in classrooms after weeks of distance learning, as the Ministry of Education confirms a return to in-person schooling. While safety protocols and logistics have been carefully planned, the questions for many families also lean towards the emotional impact of being back to school: how will children reconnect with friends, rebuild social confidence and feel like they belong again in changed school environments? Experts say the academic catch-up will come in time, but what needs closer attention now are the social and emotional adjustments children require in classrooms and, just as importantly,…

API Platform capabilities will help enterprises control API and AI services and prepare them for agentic consumption. Dubai — WSO2, announced general availability of its API Platform, an open, modular platform uniquely aimed at controlling both traditional APIs and new AI assets, such as AI models, MCP servers, and prompts, from a single control plane. With organisations accelerating the adoption of AI and autonomous agents, the WSO2 API Platform enables them to securely expose, manage, and monetise their digital assets while maintaining control over cost, usage, and risk.  Enterprises today face a dual mandate: prepare legacy APIs for agentic consumption while…

BEIRUT — Major General Diodato Abagnara, commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), honored Sergeant-Chef Florian Montorio, a French peacekeeper killed in a shooting incident in south Lebanon, during a ceremony at Beirut airport on Monday before his body was repatriated to France. “We are here to honor you,” Abagnara said in remarks addressed to the fallen peacekeeper, adding that his service “lives on” through fellow soldiers and peacekeepers. Montorio, 39, was killed on Sunday when a UNIFIL patrol clearing explosive ordnance came under small-arms fire near Ghanduriyah in south Lebanon. Three other peacekeepers were wounded, two…

CHENNAI, India — At least 25 people have been killed and several others injured in a powerful explosion at a fireworks manufacturing facility in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu, authorities said. The blast occurred at the Vanaja Fireworks Industry in Virudhunagar on Sunday evening. The factory was supposed to be closed but about 50 workers were inside at the time, officials said. A second explosion occurred while rescue operations were on, injuring 13 more people, though none sustained serious burns, District Collector NO Sukhaputra told ANI news agency. The cause of the blast is not yet known and an…

WASHINGTON — A man fatally shot eight children, seven of them his own, early Sunday in the southern US state of Louisiana, in what police said appears to have been an incident of domestic violence. The incident, which took place just after 6:00 am (1100 GMT) in the city of Shreveport, was the deadliest mass shooting in the United States in more than two years, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive. Three boys and five girls ranging in age 3 to 11 were killed in the shooting spree across three homes, police said. They included seven siblings and…

WELLINGTON — New Zealand has declared a state of emergency in its capital city Wellington on Monday after torrential rain triggered severe flooding and landslides, state media reported. At least one person has gone missing, according to Radio New Zealand. The national weather agency upgraded its warnings of more heavy rain in Wellington and the Wairarapa region to red until Tuesday night. The country’s weather authority Metservice said the forecast rain presents a threat to life from dangerous river conditions, significant flooding, and slips. “We are asking people to take this seriously, follow safety advice, and act early if they…

[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.] The UAE has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to safeguarding everyone within its borders, as officials stressed that citizens, residents, and visitors continue to live and work in safety despite recent regional developments. In a video shared on X by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, authorities outlined the country’s response to what were described as “terrorist, unjustified and unprovoked” attacks launched by Iran.  According to the statement, more than 2,800 airstrikes were carried out, with the UAE’s integrated, multi-layered air defense systems successfully…

DUBAI, 20th April, 2026 (WAM) — DMCC has announced its intention to launch a Cacao Centre, a new trade platform designed to establish an integrated cacao trading, processing and innovation ecosystem that will further position Dubai as a global hub for agri-commodities trade. The launch forms part of DMCC’s broader expansion of its agri-food commodities offering, leveraging its proven cluster model that has already reshaped global trade flows in coffee and tea. DMCC currently hosts 88 companies active across cocoa trading, chocolate manufacturing, and confectionery. The new Cacao Centre will bring this activity together within a more structured platform spanning…

After 51 days of precautionary closure due to the US-Iran war, Global Village is reopening its gates on Monday, April 20, at 5pm. Many UAE residents shared their excitement on social media when the news was announced. Here is everything you need to know about the entertainment destination: Tickets Visitors can buy tickets online or on the app before arriving at Global Village. Weekday tickets valid Monday to Thursday, excluding public holidays, start at Dh25 per person. Any day tickets cost Dh30. Children under 3, seniors over 65, and people of determination have free entry. Tuesdays are reserved exclusively for…

Students make their way into Brighton College Dubai as schools reopen after weeks of remote learning  A parent, visibly excited, drops his child off at school with a warm smile as routines return after weeks of online learning Another parent arrives, gently holding his son’s hand and sending him off to school with a reassuring smile A girl shares a laugh with her mother moments before heading into school Three friends share a heartwarming reunion, with two embracing after weeks of online learning A happy child, full of excitement and smiles, eagerly heads into school, marking a joyful return after…