Author: Editorial Team

WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Thursday declined to halt an executive order President Donald Trump signed in March creating a federal voter list and limiting mail voting, clearing the way for potential sweeping changes in how American elections are run shortly before this year’s midterm vote. US District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee in Washington, rejected the request by Democrats and civil rights groups that had argued Trump’s order would likely be found unconstitutional because the states and Congress, not the president, have the power to set election rules. The decision allows the Trump administration to continue pursuing…

PARIS — Portugal has set a new hottest day in May with 40.3C recorded in the central town of Mora, as countries in western Europe grapple with sweltering-hot weather. The temperature recorded on Wednesday bests Portugal’s previous record of 40C set in May 2001. The extreme temperatures come as a UN-backed report warns Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, heating more than twice as fast as the global average. Large parts of western and central Europe are in the grip of an extraordinary heatwave phase, with many places registering temperatures 10 to 15 degrees Celsius higher than normal. Several European…

ROME — Anti-mafia investigators in Italy have seized cash, companies and other assets worth more than €200 million ($232 million)in an operation they say targeted the network of notorious late Sicilian mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro. Messina Denaro was arrested in 2023 after spending 30 years on the run for his role in the Sicilian Cosa Nostra mafia’s war against the state between the 1980s and 1990s, which included the killing of top prosecutor Giovanni Falcone. Nicknamed “U Siccu” (the skinny one), Messina Denaro died of cancer a few months after his arrest, leaving prosecutors with the task of tracking…

For years, UAE foster mothers navigated some of their biggest parenting challenges alone—from hospital visits where children without identity cards faced administrative hurdles to legal questions around custody, residency and even deciding what foster children should be called. Now, with the recent licensing of the UAE’s first Foster Families Society, mothers who once fought those battles privately are turning personal struggles into institutional reform. Officially licensed as a non-profit public benefit organisation under the Ministry of Community Empowerment and headquartered in Abu Dhabi, the society aims to support foster families, protect the rights of children without parental care and strengthen…

Oftentimes one may find themselves too shy to even admit they want to give something like acting a go, because of all the preconceived notions that cling to the art form. But say you fight those inner voices and arrive at a place of simple wanting: to try acting the way you might try dancing, or singing, or any other art that lets your body and voice hold what your everyday life can’t always express. You make it to that workshop. You stand in front of strangers, you let your vulnerability show, you feel something shift inside you. Then, the…

An act of honesty was met with honour by Dubai Police, when an Indian national was acknowledged for his integrity after he handed over Dh100,000 that he found in a parking lot to the authority. The money was then returned to its owner who was not aware of his loss. The incident took place when Dubai expat, Mohammed Ali Sherakal Mohi, arrived at the parking lot and was surprised to find this big amount of money in front of him. He took a photo of the bundle that contained Dh100,000 and the location where he found it, then headed to…

BEIRUT — Israel has issued evacuation orders for large parts of southern Lebanon, declaring the areas “combat zones” ahead of fresh strikes against Hezbollah. Israel’s military has told residents across a swathe of southern Lebanon to leave and head north of the Zahrani River, as Benjamin Netanyahu said his forces were escalating their offensive against Hezbollah. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a post on social media that all areas south of the Zahrani River, which runs about 40km north of the de facto Israel-Lebanon border, were considered combat zones. It is the largest evacuation order since the ceasefire…

SYDNEY — An woman with alleged links to the Islamic State group has been charged in Australia, as authorities intensify investigations into nationals repatriated from detention camps in Syria. Authorities made the announcement after two groups of women and children arrived in Australia this month after spending years in the al-Roj camp in north-east Syria where families of IS fighters have been held since 2019 without legal process. Three of the women who returned this month also face various charges including crimes against humanity. The 34-year-old arrived in the country in September along with another woman and was due to…

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has threatened to use military force against Oman if it collaborates with Iran to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. “Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up,” Trump said during a cabinet meeting, responding to a reporter’s question about the strait. Quickly after making the threat, Trump said he didn’t believe the United States would have to take such an action. “They understand that. They’ll be fine,” he said. Iran has discussed partnering with Oman in a system charging fees for vessels passing through the Strait…

As residents across the UAE gathered early on Wednesday for Eid Al Adha prayers, the UAE President extended greetings marking the holy occasion and sending a message of unity and blessings. In a message shared on the occasion, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan offered congratulations to the Rulers of the Emirates, citizens, residents, and Muslims around the world. He performed the Eid Al Adha prayer at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday morning. He extended his greetings to “all those who call the UAE home,” underscoring a message of shared belonging that resonates strongly during…