World

Abu Dhabi joins World’s smartest cities with top ranking / Image Credit: AI-generated Abu Dhabi has moved rapidly up the global smart-city ladder in 2025, earning a top-five place in the IMD Smart City Index and widespread recognition for safety, digital services and urban innovation. The rise reflects a concerted, strategy-led push that links public…

File photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Picture credit: AP) Russia has deployed about 170,000 troops in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region as it intensifies efforts to seize the strategic city of Pokrovsk, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed on Friday. Speaking at a press briefing in Kyiv, Zelenskyy described the situation as “difficult” but rejected Moscow’s claims that…

JD Vance and Usha Vance (AP photo) TOI Correspondent from Washington: US vice-president JD Vance ignited a fierce controversy on religious freedom in MAGA-infused America this week after hoping his wife Usha, daughter of practising Hindus, would take up his Christian faith even though he acknowledged she has the “free will” not to. The remarks,…

Oman Police arrested five Asian nationals linked to international drug smuggling, domestic distribution, and re-export/Image: X ROP video screenshot In a decisive operation, Oman’s Royal Police have dismantled a cell of an international drug gang, reflecting the Sultanate’s rigorous approach to combating narcotics trafficking and safeguarding public order. The arrests mark a significant stride in…

Abu Dhabi comes alive with 4,000 events, 750 shows, and 20,000 participants at Sheikh Zayed Festival 2025–2026/Image: WAM Abu Dhabi is set to host one of the UAE’s most anticipated cultural spectacles, the Sheikh Zayed Festival 2025–2026, a vibrant celebration that unites tradition, innovation, and global participation. Under the theme “Hayyakum” (Welcome), the festival promises…

Erika Kirk, widow of MAGA activist Charlie Kirk, made an emotional return to the public stage on Wednesday as she joined vice president JD Vance at a Turning Point USA campus event at the University of Mississippi. It was Erika’s first time speaking at the conservative event, since Charlie’s assassination seven weeks earlier at Utah…

People protest in the streets of Arusha, Tanzania, on election day (Picture credit: AP) Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chadema, has claimed that around 700 people have been killed in three days of violent election-related protests across the country. As quoted by news agency AFP, Chadema spokesperson John Kitoka said on Friday that “as we speak,…

Golden Visa holders can obtain a free, 30-minute electronic return permit if their passport is lost/Reresentative Image The United Arab Emirates has unveiled a suite of new consular services aimed at simplifying support for Golden Visa holders abroad. Central to this initiative is an electronic Return Permit, which enables residents who lose their passports while…

Salik updated tolls for Dubai Ride on 2 November, ensuring smooth traffic during Fitness Challenge/Representative Image Salik has updated toll charges for participants in the Dubai Ride, coinciding with the city-wide Dubai Fitness Challenge 2025. The changes aim to manage traffic efficiently during the event and improve the overall road experience for all commuters. Toll…

Saudi Arabia and Colombia signed a MoU in Riyadh to enhance cooperation across cultural sectors/Image: X Saudi Arabia and Colombia have taken a significant step to deepen cultural collaboration, signing a memorandum of understanding that sets out a wide-ranging framework for cooperation across multiple creative sectors. The agreement underscores both nations’ commitment to fostering mutual…