Oman announces January 2026 public holidays in advance

Oman has confirmed two public holidays in January 2026 to mark Accession Day and the Islamic occasion of Al Isra’a Wal Miraj, as part of a newly approved policy to announce national and religious holidays in advance each year. Under the calendar endorsed by the Council of Ministers, Thursday, January 15, 2026, will be observed as […]

UAE celebrates landmark year of sporting success

The United Arab Emirates concluded 2025 with a record-breaking series of athletic achievements, securing unprecedented medal hauls across regional, continental, and global competitions. The year marked the country’s most successful historical performances in multi-sport events, including record tallies at the GCC Beach Games – Muscat 2025, the 3rd Asian Youth Games – Bahrain 2025, and […]

AFCON 2025: Mané rescues Senegal as Benin claim first win

Sadio Mane spared Senegal’s blushes on Saturday as the defending champions were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against a resilient DR Congo in Tangier in their second Group D fixture of AFCON 2025 Morocco. Despite the stalemate, the result keeps the Teranga Lions at the summit of Group D on goal difference, with […]

UN welcomes Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed a deal declared by Thailand and Cambodia to put an end to weeks of deadly border clashes, his spokesman said. Guterres called the ceasefire agreement a positive step towards “alleviating the suffering of civilians, ending current hostilities, and creating an environment conducive to achieving lasting peace,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric […]

UAE’s café culture keeps growing despite price pressure

Walk into a Dubai café on any weekday morning and you’ll see full tables, steady footfall, and queues that rarely let up. Rising global prices haven’t weakened demand. Coffee consumption across the UAE and GCC keeps accelerating, powered by one of the strongest out-of-home coffee cultures anywhere: You live in a market where coffee is […]

Dubai villa prices jump 206% since the COVID.

 Average freehold villa values in Dubai are now 206% higher than post-pandemic levels, according to data from ValuStrat, and stand 86% above the 2014 market peak. The figures highlight a market that has not only rebounded but also undergone a structural reset. Badar Rashid AlBlooshi, chairman of Arabian Gulf Properties, said the scale and consistency of the […]

Saudi Arabia: Historic -10°C in Hail, snowfall in Tabuk

Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Meteorology (NCM) reported that the lowest temperature ever recorded in the Kingdom during the winter season reached minus 10°C in Hail on 16 January 2008, according to the Saudi Gazette. Winter temperature review 1985–2025 The NCM, in a statistical report posted on social media, examined winter minimum temperatures and frost patterns […]

UAE school admission rules change parents must know for 2026-27

Parents in the UAE may need to plan ahead as school admission rules are changing for the 2026-2027 academic year.  On December 17, the Ministry of Education introduced a new official age cut-off for school admissions starting from the 2026-2027 academic year. The new cut-off date will be December 31 of the admission year, replacing the previous cut-off […]

The perfect morning routine from showers to sunshine

The first thing to say about the ideal morning routine is that it probably doesn’t exist. Yes, endless influencers promise that they have tweaked, tested and fine-tuned the process of revving up for the day, but how history’s most productive people actually get things done is so varied that it’s hard to draw definitive conclusions. Beethoven, reportedly, […]

Folk Art Draws Visitors to Jazan Festival 2026

Traditional art performances, featuring diverse segments and vibrant displays, have attracted visitors and tourists to the Jazan Festival 2026, reflecting the authenticity of the region’s folk culture and enhancing the cultural tourism experience.The participation of these groups highlights heritage as a fundamental element of tourism, representing the lifestyle of ancestors across the region’s various governorates […]