Author: Editorial Team
DUBAI, 9th June, 2026 (WAM) — The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has launched a new initiative to expand the scope of expenses eligible for VAT refunds for UAE nationals constructing new residences, allowing citizens to claim refunds on an additional range of construction costs. This move aligns with the UAE leadership’s directives, coinciding with the Year of Family and supporting family growth and cohesion. Expanding the scope of eligible expenses is expected to yield an estimated AED200 million in VAT savings for UAE nationals, averaging AED25,000 approximately per claim. This highlights the initiative’s role in supporting home ownership and alleviating…
YEREVAN — Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s pro-Western party has won crucial parliamentary elections, confirming the country’s pivot toward Europe away from its traditional ally, Russia. Final results showed Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party securing a slim majority, while the Strong Armenia alliance, led by the Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, won 25% of the seats in parliament. The Armenia Alliance was third with 9.9%. The result, which will be welcomed in Brussels but viewed with dismay in Moscow, strengthens Pashinyan’s hand as he pursues his signature and politically sensitive goal: a peace agreement with Armenia’s longtime adversary Azerbaijan and the normalization…
RIYADH — The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) announced that construction of two parallel bridges alongside the Wadi Laban Bridge is 28 percent complete, with the project set to serve more than 400,000 vehicles daily. The RCRC, on its official X account, shared that these bridges — each of 763 meters long and with a geometric height ranging from 161 to 175 meters — will support the movement of more than 400,000 vehicles daily. In addition, the bridges will have four main supports, with each bridge on two bases. According to the RCRC, the bridges will have a higher…
As schools across the UAE enter the final stretch of the academic year, many students may feel their schedules have become increasingly packed. But educators said the apparent rise in intensity is less about adding pressure and more about fitting assessments, enrichment activities, transition programmes and celebrations into a shorter timeframe. Some institutions have also deliberately strengthened their end-of-year plans. In certain UAE schools, students are already preparing for the next academic stage, with senior learners moving into advanced coursework almost immediately after completing key examinations. “We intentionally intensify this period by conducting robust transition classes for all students from…
ABU DHABI, 8th June, 2026 (WAM) — The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) has launched its annual awareness campaign, “Your Safety is Our Priority,” as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance public safety, encourage the responsible consumption of electricity and water, and strengthen community awareness during the summer season. The campaign reflects the Department’s commitment to supporting a safe and sustainable community by raising awareness of the heat-related risks during the summer, promoting safe practices in the use of electricity and gas, enhancing energy and water efficiency, and encouraging conservation and the adoption of optimal resource-use behaviours amid…
ADEN — Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced a missile attack on Israel on Monday and declared a ban on Israeli shipping in the Red Sea, raising the specter of a return to major disruption on the key route. In a televised statement, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group’s forces carried out a missile attack against targets in Jaffa, claiming the operation achieved its objectives, reports Xinhua news agency. Sarea also announced a “complete ban” on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, warning that any Israeli-linked vessel operating in the waterway would be considered a legitimate military target…
NEW DELHI — A vessel caught fire off the coast of Oman on Monday, with Indian authorities later announcing that all 24 Indian crew members on board were safe. Opesh Kumar Sharma, director at India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said the incident occurred at around 1.30 pm (0800GMT) aboard the MT Marivex. “Per available information, all Indian seafarers are presently safe,” he said through US social media company X. Oman is adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz, currently under blockade and close to the newly flared-up hostilities between Iran and Israel. The All India Seafarers Union said earlier…
The European Commission (EC) recently unveiled a new package outlining measures to boost the continent’s ambitions around semiconductors, AI, cloud and open source, all as part of a bid to strengthen the bloc’s digital autonomy. EC stated measures in the four areas will help Europe “become an AI continent”, established as a leader in research, development and adoption of AI. It hopes the package will fast track ambitions around technology sovereignty and protect European digital independence, as part of a long-standing goal to reduce reliance on the US and Asia. Starting with chips, the EC said it wants to secure…
UAE residents who have still not booked their summer travel should buy tickets now rather than wait for last-minute deals, travel agents have warned, as lower fare buckets are expected to disappear within days before prices rise sharply in July and August. “Book now, not later. The classic ‘last-minute deal’ logic does not apply this summer,” Rashida Zahid, VP – Operations at musafir.com, told Khaleej Times. “The current market conditions mean that the waiting game would be tricky on most routes.” She said June remains a “pre-peak” period, with fares expected to rise sharply in July and August as school…
ABU DHABI, 8th June, 2026 (WAM) — The Gulf Accreditation Centre (GAC) has affirmed that accreditation represents a fundamental pillar for building trust, enhancing competitiveness, and fostering innovation and sustainability, particularly amid the rapid global transformation driven by advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, and digitalisation. Accreditation plays a critical role in ensuring the reliability of products, services, and systems, enhancing market readiness for emerging technologies, facilitating trade, attracting investment, and strengthening quality infrastructure systems. This statement coincides with the celebration of World Accreditation Day 2026, observed annually on 9th June under the theme “Innovation, Trust and Sustainability: The Power of Accreditation.”…